Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-25
CONGRESSIONAL.
Proceedings In the Senate.

{ WASHINGTON, March 24-Mr. Trum
bull, from the Committee on the judi
o CARY, ,ported substitute for the bill
ppealing the tenure Of office act.
Mr.. Grimes said he would not vote fol
D Mr.. Davis moved a substitute abs0'
> lutely repeating the tenure of Office act
but the President declared it out OF orde
Mr.. Norton said the report of the com
mittee preserved the shadow rather thai
the substance Of tenure. of-office act.
> was merely bad photograph Of deaC
; body. he would not vote for it.
Mr.. Harlan argued in favor of the ex,
listing bill.
The report of the committee was ther
adopted as a substitute for the pending
bill Yeas, 81; nays, Il.
Mr.. Brownlow voted yea; Mr.. Fowler
nay.
Mr.. Trumbull briefly explained the
bill as reported from the Judiciary Com
mittee. 1t was designed, he said, to res
move any obstacle which the Tenure Of
Office act unchanged, might throw in the
way of the President in reforming the
public service, and at the same time pres
serve the principle which some Senators
thought a constitutional principle, un.
derlying the Tenure-of. Office act
The bill then passed.
The Senate, at 5:35, went into execus
tive session, and soon afterward adj
adjourned.
| Proceedings In the MOuse.
The bill on the civil service bill was
ordered continued. The bill regulating
the manner Of applying to Congress for
the removal Of political disabilities was
referred to the Reconstruction Committee.
The bill enforcing the third section of
thefourteenth article to the constitutional
amendment was referred to the Recons
struction Committee.
Several other bills were introduced and
referred.
Mr.. Garfield, from the Select Commit
tee on Census, reported bill for taking
the ninth and subsequent census. Ords
cred printed and recommitted.
Mr.. Garfield gave notice that he would
call it up for action next Tuesday. The
bill establishes a census bureau in the
department Of the interior, the head of
which is TO be appointed by the Presi-
dent. An Assistant Superintendent is
to be appointed by the Secretary of the |
Interior, for each Congressional district |
or territory. The district superintendent
are to employ all the subordinates they |
need for taking the census. The census |
is to be taken by the first of April, |
1870, the whole work to be done in two /
months, and final publication made, and
the bureau closed by the first of May,
1872. The Secretary of the Interior,
Attorney General and Census Commis>
sioners, are to prepare and perfect sched~
ules and tables to lay before Congress on
the first Monday In December next.
When the census is taken, the popula-
ton of each State is to be divided by
10000, and the quotisnt will give the
number Of Representatives to which the
State is entitled in Congress. This is
expected to give go members in the
House. The basis Of representation
hereafter is to be fixed at one member
for each 10000 of population.
The Senate bill TO incorporate the Ma
tiOnal Junction Railroad Company was
amended and passed.
Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts,, from the
Committee on Reconstruction, reported q
bill for the State of Mississippi. 1t au-
thOrizes the reassembling forthwith, on
the call of the President Of the consti-
tutiOnal convention heretofore elected un>
der the act Of March =, 1867. If the
President declines to issue the call
within thirty days, the command
iOg General of the Fourth Military
District is 10 summon the cOnven-
ton by proclamation. The convention
is empowered TO appoint a provisional
government, to authorize him to remove |
and appoint registrars and judges of cleo
ton, and to provide for forwarding the
vote on the constitution to the provisional
government to be counted in his presence, |
and that Of the General commanding the
Military District of Mississippi. The
convention shall not continue in session
for more than sixty days, and the consti-
tuition framed by it shall be submitted to
the people within ninety days after ad-
journment. The district unrepresented
at the time Of the last adjournment shall
proceed Immediately to elect delegates
under the direction Of the COM
manding General. One or more
provisions may be submitted to a
separate vote. The ordinance which
may be passed by the Convention shall
be in force until diapproved by Congress,
or until the State shall have adopted a
and it shall have been ap-
proved by Congress. The right of trial
by jury shall not be taken away by the
act.
The military commander shall, Cna
requiStion of the Provisional Governor,
give aid to the officers of the Provisional
government in preserving peace, etc. The
Provisional Governor may remove off
Gals in the State and appoint their sue
cessors, subject, however, to orders and
direction of the President of the United
States, who may remove the Provisional
Governor and appoint his successor.
Mr. Beck moved TO amend by striking
out the sentence authorizing the cOnVen-
ton to appoint provisional Governor
SO as to leave that power with the Presi~
dent Of the United States.
Mr.. Farnsworth gave notice that he
would move to postpone the considera-
tioh Of the bill until the next session.