Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-23
HOUSE.
DrOn RieT.

Mr.. Stevens presented petition from
many citizens of Cincinnati, for an amend
ment to the revenue laws so as to permit
distillers of grapes, apples and peaches to
use drop bier for distillation.
The House then went into committee
of the whole for general debate.
Mr.. Coleman addressed the committee
on the revenue now lost to the govern
ment which might be secured by such
| law.
The following bills were introduced and
referred:
By Mr.. Walker-To abolish imprison-
ment for debt in the District of Columbia.
Also, TO supply artificial limbs to dis
charged soldiers and sailors.
By Mr.. Lawrence-A bill proposing an
| amendment to the Constitution.
aforementioned Change Wanted
in the Senatorial Basis.
By Mr.. Boyd-A bill on the subject Of
apportionment under the next census, de-
signed to be carried out to apply to the
next Congress, favoring the increasing OF
Representatives to at least 800, and init
mating that at no distant day there would
be an amendment of the constitution to
change the basis OF representation In the
Senate. He thought the whole system of
representation should be revised, and
| system devised, whereby all the people,
minorities or majorities, should be repre-
scented.
Mr. Dawes replied TO the argument OF
| Mr.. Cullom. He said he heard with some
apprehension that the gentleman not only
1 Al. - .r,f Int contaminated al
| tempt on the part of those who might
have power or the right to break up the
original constitution of this government,
composed of the States and of the peO-
| ple of the whole nation. The COntem-
plated amendment suggested by the gentle
| man from Illinois, would be a breach OF
the plighted faith of every State that had
come into the Union under the constitu-
ton. The late war had been waged to
nut down the heresy of State sovereignty
Let it not, he prayed, be the mark OF the
decay of State rights.
Postal Telegraph.
Mr.. Washburn, of Wisconsin, favored
postal telegraph system. He was salts
fed that better lines than the Western
Union lines could be built by the Govern
ment for less than $40, 600, 600. He said
the purposeof his bill was to bring the tele-
graph within the reach of the humblest as
well as the highest, by connecting it with
the Postoffice and establishing uniform
rate of twenty cents for twenty words,
and give press dispatches to the entire
press of the country at a less rate than
now furnished to the favored few who
| a., IL, known
the Associated Press.
EIdridge.
MI .Eldridge, referring to the re-
marks of Mr. Dawes, said that when The
reconstruction measures were introduced
by the Republican party, he felt no dOub
the day would come, and come soon
when those who were the most ardent Il
advocacy of the destruction of States
rights would be heard to pray Just as th'
gentleman from Massachusetts, had beef
heard to pray to-day. He hoped now tn,
4 gentleman from Massachusetts, had takel
that position, the gentlemen on the othe
S side, Notwithstanding the ruin the.
had brought on the country, would con
S slider the course they have pursued, aD'
come back to the position occupied b,
4 the fathers of the Republic. The UniOl
depended for its life on maintenance o
the rights of the States. The Union ha
e been uplifted and was upheld by tn
o States, it had DO existence except III tn
life of the States, and must fall when tn
d States were destroyed. He hoped tn
gentleman from this time forward, woul
stand with those on the Democratic sid
in defence of the rights of The States.
Mr.. Doves said in no matter would b
:. be found more sCrupulOus than in regar
= TO the rights of the States, but he begge
the gentleman from Wisconsin to max
v the distinction, in the failure to max
i. which his party had involved the cour
I. try in the direst war between STATE
d rights and State sovereignty. Some fG
Their Colloquy took place between L
ID bridge and Dawes, but it embraced
is mere repetition of views expressed
the foregoing, when the Committee ros
IL Repeal.
Bills were introduced and referred r
healing the internal revenue laws; Tepes
ing the clause allowing street railways
a, q, add government tax to passenger fare
n also, repeating the clause allowing 6
,e companies to add government tax 10 co
h. sumers' bills.
10 Adjourned till Jan. 10.
a The House adjourned till the 10
proXimO.