The Portland daily press., 1869-03-23
XLIst CONGRESS First Session.
SENATE.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, March 22.-Mr Pomerov re-
ported from the Committee on Public Lands a
bill granting the right of way to the Midland
Pacific Railroad.
Several amendments recommended by the
committee were agreed to and the bill passed.
The Senate then elected the following Off
GERS: Sergeant alarms, John r. French OF
North Carolina; Executive Clerk, John M.
Morris OF South Carolina; Congressional Prin-
ter, Alvin NJ. Clapp of Buffalo.
The bill to repeal the tenure OF once act
came up as unfinished business, Dut on motion
OF Mr. Patterson was postponed:
The bill to incorpoate the National junction
Railway Company was taken up:
Several amendments were made and the bill
Mr.. Trumbull called up the bill to reorgan-
ize the judicial system.
Mr.. Drake offered an amendment, but with
out action the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
The following bills and resolutions were in
troduced: BY Mr.. Lynch, to provide for the
gradual resumption of specie payments. By
Mr.. Poland, to provide for uniform system of
naturalization. By Mr.. Kelly, to prohibit the
secret sales of gold By Mr.. O'Neill, for Civ
ing the consent of Congress to the erection OF
bridge from Philadelphia to Camden.
Mr.. Paine moved to suspend the rules for the
introduction and adoption of resolution pro-
viding that in all contested election cases re-
ferred to the Committee on Electlons, IN
which it shall be alleged by any party to the
case or member of the House that either
claimant is unable to take the test oath, it
shall be the duty of the committee to ascertain
whether such disability exists, and if FUND to
exist, the committee shall report the TACT to the
House and shall not further consider the claim
of the person SO disqualified without further
order of the House. and no compensation shall
be allowed to any claimant who shall be ineli-
gble to the Office of Representative at the
time OF the election, and whose disability shall
not have been removed by act of Congress
The rules were suspended and the resolution
was offered and adopted to 4S, strict
party vote.
Mr.. Paine moved to suspend the rules for the
introduction and passage of bill providing
that at any election for member or delegate to
Congress all votes cast for any person ineligi-
BILE to office under the 18th article of the
amendment of the Constitution shall be null
and void, and that the person having the high
est number of votes cast for persons eligible to
Office shall be the Representative or Delegate.
He stated that the bill had the approval of the
Committee on Elections.
The bill was allowed to be introduced and
was made the special order for Wednesday
next.
Mr.. Logan, from the Committee en- Military
Affairs, reported bill to abolish the Office Of
Chief-of-Staff to the General of the Army.
He said it was the unanimous report of the
committee and had the consent of the Gen
eral. The bill passed.
Mr.. Logan also reported bill providing that
no retired officer OF the army shall hereafter
be assigned to duty of any kind or be entitled
to receive more than pay and allowance pro-
vlded for by law for retired officers of his
grade, and that all such assignments hereto
fore made shall terminate within thirty days
OF the passage of thisac Passed.
Mr.. Logan also reported Joint resolution
providing that vacancies existing in the Adju-
tant Generals Department at the time of the
passage of the last army appropriation bill
shall be exempted from the provisions of that
act in relation to the grades of officers. The
resolution passed.
Mr.. Wilkes, from the conference committee
on concurrent resolutions to create commit
tee on retrenchment, reported in favor of max
ing the committee consist of four Senators and
five Representatives. The report was agreed
to.
Mr.. Hill moved to suspend the rules for the
Introduction and passage OF joint resolution
extending for one year the act of the 9th of
July, 1855 providing for an American line of
mail and immigrant steamships to Europe
The rules were not suspended.
Mr.. Lawrence introduced bill to limit the
public expenditures
Mr.. Dawes, from the Committee on Appro-
priations, reported resolution calling on the
Secretary of the Treasury to communicate in
formation as to extra payment of employees in
that department Adopted.
Also, like resolution as to the Navy De-
partment. Adopted
Also, resolution instructing the Judiciary
Committee to inquire whether any legislation
is necessary to secure to the government en-
ployees uniformity of compensation under the
eight hour law and an administration Of the
same according to its true intent
A resolution was adopted calling on the Sec
retaries of War ard of the Navy for report
of the number and location OF hospital build
ings, barracks, transports condemned or un-
used, ordnance, clothing, medical supplies, &c,
within the District of Columbia or the ada
cent counties of Maryland and Virginia.
Mr. Lawrence offered resolution to recall
the concurrent resolution of adjournment
which is now pending before the Senate, and
proceeded to state his reasons therefor, alleg-
ing the important matters that should be acted
upon at the present session.
Mr. FarnswOrth thought it better to adjourn
after the passage of the Indian appropriation
bill and the bill to repeal the tenure of Office
act.
Mr.. Dawes opposed the resolution.
Mr.. Brooks believed it for the interest of the
country to have an early adjournment.
Mr.. Butler urged that there were three
States in an unreconstruci ed condition, where
a mans life is not safe, where the clergyman is
shot down as he performs the marriage sacra-
and hanged and shot. We are paid by the
year, and should not go home Eow and leave
the country in that condition.
Mr.. Dawes inquired whether the Offices in
the unreconstructed States were not to be
filed by the commanding Generals and
whether it was no just as well to hold these
States under military rule as to bring them
into representation in the manner and under
the unfortunate circumstances that Georgia
had been brought in.
Mr.. Butler agreed that in the matter of
Georgia Congress had made haste slowly but
this was a question of life and death to the
Union men of the South. Who would not say
that an adjournment of Congress now would
be desertion of them and a turning of them
over to their enemies? Besides if Congress
were to adjourn now the Senate would remain
in session, as it did last spring. and the effect
then was that no sooner had the House turned
its back than Alaska was thrust upon the
country. He thought, therefore, that under all
the circumstances, it was tha duty of the
House to remain in session.
Mr.. Davies-And take care of the Senate?
Mr.. Butler-Take care of everybody that
the peoples interests require to be taken care
of No man frightens me by saying "Take
care of the Senate" | desire TO keep within
parliamentary language, and, therefore, say
we should take care of everybody that wants
taking care of (Laughter.) The power is put
in our hands. We, the representatives of the
people, are entrusted with it. We are paid
Tor doing it, and are false to our duty if we go
away from here day in advance of the time
we should leavel
Mr.. Lawrence replied to Mr.. Dawes, and
then moved the previous question on the adop-
ton of the resolution.
The previous question was not seconded and
the resolution was laid ON the table without
division.
Mr.. johnson moved to suspend the rules
that he might offer q resolution declaring that
in passing the 18th amendment to the Consti-
tuition the House never intended that Chinese
or Mongolans should become voters. Rules
not suspended-yeas AZ, nays 106-a strict
party vote.
Mr.. Schenck from the Committee on Ways
and Means, reported joint resolution author
izing the Secretary of the Treasury to admit
Tree of duty any picture, statue or work of fine
art from a foreign country for free exhibition
IN the United States on satisfactory bond that
the same shall be re-exported within a year,
within that time enter it for payment of duty
when the bonds shall be cancelled. Passed
Mr.. Schenck also reported a resolution,
which was adopted at the last session, in refer
ence to reciprocity, declaring that while the
House does not admit any right in the Execu-
tive or treaty making power to continue a
treaty or convention with any foreign Govern
ment, by which import duties are mutually
regulated, tits, however, of opinion and rec
ommends to the President that negotiations
with the Government of Great Britain shall
be renewed and pressed if possible to defii-
mite conclusion regarding the commercial in.
tercourse and securing to American citizens
the rights claimed by them in the fisheries on
the coast of the British Provinces in America
and for the navigation OF the st. Lawrence
river from its source to the sea. Adopted
Adjourned.
WASHINGTON