The Portland daily press., 1869-12-23
NE w s
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE
PORTLAND DAILY PRESS.
XLIst C0NGRESS---Second Session.
SENATE.

/
| SENATE.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-Mr. Sumner intro
duced bill requiring reorganization of the
Virginia legislature
The House resolution extending recess till
the 10th of January was concurred ill.,
A motion by Mr.. Williams to refer to the
Dill relating to Chinese emigration gave rise to
considerable discussion as to its merits.
The Washington National Exposition bill
was then taken up and debated at length.
Mr.. Morton introduced bill to allow the
| organization of the Militia of Georgia Re-
| ferred.
Mr.. Sumner introduced bill to carry out
the reconstruction acts in the State of Virginia
and to secure equality before the law, which he
| gave notice he would move as substitute for
the bill reported by the committee. 1t alleges
various Irregularities and defects in the organ
lzation OF the present legislature and declares
the existing State government to be provision
al and in all respects subject to the authority
OF the United States. The bill directs the mil
itary commander of the first district to assem-
BILE within thirty days the persons elected as
members of the legislature; but none shall
participate in its organization or business with
out taking the oath of July I'd, 1862. Upon the
ratification of the 18th amendment by the leg
slature thus organized the State shall be adj
mItted to representation in Congress upon the
fundamental condition that the constitution of
virginia shall never be a nended so as to de-
prive any citizen of the right to vote, hold of.
nee, sit upon jury, to participate equally in
the school fund or enjoy equal personal rights
with all others under like circumstances An
amendment, may however, be made in regard
to the time and place and residence of voters.
Mr.. Wilson offered a resolution nstructing
the Committee on Military Affairs to consider
the expedicncy of adding to the number of
Lieutenant Generals and reducing the num-
Der OF Major Generals from 5 to 8
The House resolution relative to the death of
George Peabody was cOncurred in.
The Vice President laid before the Senate a
communication from the President, containing
the correspondence called for by the Senate,
relating to American claims against Great
Britain.
On motion of Mr.. Trumbul, at clock, the
Senate went into executive session.
1t was o'clock when the doors were reopen
ed and the Senate adjourned until the 10th of
January.
Bills introduced and referred:
10 abolish Imprisonment for debt in the Dis
trlct OF Columbia; to supply artificial limbs to
disabled soldiers and sailors; for the better Or
ganizatiOn of the United States courts in Lou
isiana; extending the time for the completion
OF the Atlantic and Pacific railroad; proposing
an amendment to the constitution.
The House then went into Committee of the
Whole, Mr.. Ingersoll in the chair, for general
debate.
Mr.. Culom of Illinois, spoke on the ap-
portionment under the next census, desiringit
to be carried out SO as to apply to the next
Congress, favoring an increase of Representa-
tlveS to at least 300, and intimatng that at no
distant day there would be an amendment of
the constitution to change the basis CT repre-
sentation in the Senate He thought system
OF represen tation should be devised whereby all
the people, minorities or majorties, should be
represented.
Mr.. Dawes of Massachusetts,, replied to Mr..
Cullom. He said that he heard with some ap-
prehension that that gentleman not only
thought 1t right but contemplated an attempt
on the part of those who have the power or
right to break up The original constitution of
this government compounded of the States
and OF the people Of the whole nation. He did
not understand the definition of this govern
ment to be entirely the government of the
whole people as mass. He understood it had
been an attempt to bring under our govern
ment the States and people and that the peo-
pie were represented in this branch and the
States in the other branches. The nation
would have had no existence if the sentiment
which the gentleman advocated in regard to
the Senate had prevailed in 1889. 1t was a
matter of history that of nothing were the
States so jealous of as their State existence
and they came into the convention which final
ly adopted this admirable system of govern
ment on the pledge that not only their State
existence should be recognized in the Senate
of the United States but that they should be
protected against such changes as might be
suggested hereafter by any ambitious State or
aInDltlOuS seCtlOu vi Tue Country, as naQ Oeen
now suggested by the gentleman from Illinois.
Mr.. Washburne of Wisconsin, has made a
speech in favor of the government undertaking
the telegraph business of the country in con-
nection with the postal service. He criticized
the report made the last session by the Post
Office Committee against the proposed reform
and analysed and contradicted the statements
admitted to that committee by the Western
Union Telegraph Co., and compared the rates
charged for telegraph service in European
atrfn oh 10.
here
Mr.. Peters of Maine, asked Mr.. Washburne
whether his proposition was to establish the
telegraph system as extensively as the postal
system was now established.
Mr.. Washburne replied in the affirmative.
Mr.. Peters remarked that there were thirty
or forty telegraph offices in Maine that did not
pay expenses.
Mr.. Washburne said he would introduce a
bill to provide for the establishment of tele-
graph office at every post-office in the United
States where the gross receipts amounted to
given sum, on which he had not yet deter
mined
|. Mr.. Farnsworth of Illinois, wished to know
whether Mr.. Washburne proposed that the
government should buy the existing lines.
Mr.. Washburne replied that he did propose
that the Government should purchase them.
Mr.. Farnsworth-At an appraised value?
Mr. Washburne-Precisely
Mr.. Orth, of Indiana, addressed the COM
mittee on the questions pertaining to the public
debt and it's permanent adjustment. National
banks and currency. specie payments, revision
of the tariff and internal revenue questions,
he said. engrossed the public attention to
greater degree at this time than at any previ-
GUS period.
Mr. Longbridge, of Iowa, next addressed the
committee, urging the necessity of economy in
all branches of the public service, and indicat-
ing how very extensively and properly the
present expenditures of the Government can
be diminished.
Mr. Eldridge, of Wisconsin, referring to the
remarks of Mr.. Dawes this morning, said he
had been very much refreshed by them. He
little expected yesterday, when he predicted
| that the next advance of the House of Repre-
| sentatives would be upon the Senate of the
United States that that prediction would be
| so soon verified; but when he saw tue gentle
man from Massachusetts (Mr Dawes so sud-
denly coming to the rescue he had hopes that
the States of the Union were not entirely to
| be ignored. He had known, as well as he
| knew any fact from logical conclusion, and had
| so predicted yesterday, that the time was COM
| ing when the New England States would be
| on their knees begging that the original rights
| of the States as secured by the Constitution
| should be maintained.
| Mr. Dawes of Massachusetts asked what there
was in the history of the New England States
that warranted the superstition that they would
| he on their knees asking for their rights.
Mr.. Eldridge replied that it was because
Nav England had been foremost Of all those
| Who had attempted to rob the people of the
Southern States of the rights of States.
Mr.. Dawes, in reply, to Mr. Eidridge, said
tbat in no matter would he (Dawes) be found
more NOR 4, scrupuious than in regard to the rights
States; but he begged the gentleman mar from
ton on which his party had involved the coun-
try in the late war was between state rlghts
and State sovereignty. Tnere was an oblIg ga !,
ton resting on Congress- under which ne mao
cast ms vote Yesterday. That obligation wa