, 1869-01-06
WASHINGTON.
Yesterdays Proceedings in
Congress.
The Presidents Amnesty
Proclamation a Subject
Of Inquiry in the
Senate.
Bill to Amend the National
Banking Act Introduced
in The Senate.
Leading Points Of the Docu-
ments in Connection With
the st. Thomas
Treaty.
Sueech of General Grant to
the Printers Republi-
Speech of General Grant to
the Printers Republi-
can Club.
Special Despatch to The Chicago Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5,

can Club.
Special Despatch to The Chicago Tribune.
WAsHrsa7os, Jan. s.
TIE 81. THoxAs NIao11A1IoNs.
The documents in connection with the st.
Thomas t1caty arc ~ Of a conditional character,
but 80 much has been said about them In private
conversation hero that rome Of their leading
points Inay be given. 1t appears that negot1a-
tons for the purchase Of the Danish Islands were
began four years ago. during Mr. Ilncoln's ad-
minte1abon, when Mi. Seward made ptopoeals
for them, ra5ing they were wanted By our eoun-
try for naval stations. The Danish Minister did
not thi1k at all fnvorahly Of the proposition. bat
OF course forwarded It 10 h1s government.
From the King Of Denmark. through his
Foreign Secretary, there soon came answer that
The ielacds were not for ss1c and that tt was not
considered advisable 10 entertain the PROPOSE
ton. Then followed the death Of Mr. Lincoln,
the accession Of Mr. 3ohnson, and change In
tbo Daulsh home government and In the fall OF
1865 Mi. Seward renewed hts proposals.. New IN.
dncuccs were about the King Of Denmark and
he replied to the effect that while he still had no
desire to cell, the United States might make 1t
for his pecuniary advantage to do 60. A period
OF silence OF inaction eecrns 10 hare followed,
but IN the summer Of 1866, just as the Daulsh
Minister waB going home On leaye Of ab.ence.
Mr. Seward put into his hands letter in which
We offered s., ,0G0 COO for the three telands. This
wae duly laid before the King Of Denmark, and he
answered that the price wAa not sufficient. In the
winter OF 1865 Nj. Frrd Seward made his trip to
st. Thomas, and when he rotu1ned Cur Secretary
Of State was more saAn ever anxious TO buy the
Islands, and In the spring Of 1867 the matter began
to take the ahApe Il finally aasu med. The Danish
Government from the Inst, as the correspondence
shows, uas very 10th to negotiate. and Seems to
hnYa 14trAa A1rh tnt nh hofh 1y%
would be sustained BY the Legislative branch OF
tho government. The Secretary. however, rep.
resented that the Executive had complete right
TO make the treaty; that there IVES no doubt Of
Its ratification BY the Stpate, land that tho House
and the country would approve the action OF the
Senate The Secretary TIC Navy had formally
recommended the purchase Of the Islands. The
Assistant Secretary IVES q strong advocate
ofthe treaty. Two or thrco prominent
Senators had declared for 1t. M. Thad- s.c.cns
had m.de speech in the Housc showing his
confidence In Secretary Seward, and had carried
that body With him On an important question Of
money. The 1act that negotiations were going
on had become public, and was commented upon
By our newspapers, without hostility to the idea
Of purchase, and the Danish Minister became
persuaded ttat the country reilly wanted the
Islands, and that Mr. Seward was correct IN his
.ieNn thai tho treaty would at once be ratified.
As matter Of course, this being tbs s!tua-
ton, It was not difficult to reach an
understanding, and our oter Of seven and 4
half millions was accepted. The DAnlsh Gov-
elnnent refused, however, point blank, to align
the treaty uuess the people Of st. Thomss were
willing to be transferred to the United Ststua,
being moved to this refusal by considerations OF
home policy. Mr.. Seward did not deem this Of
consequence, but finally consented, and under
circumstances that Will be readily recalled The
inhabitants Of the tel3ld voted almost unan-
iracus!y for the transfer. The treaty WIS signed
In October, 1867, and laid before the Senate IN
the following December, more than thirteen
months ago. The ratitcstIons wesc 10 have boen
exchanged III February, 1863. and proper action
wss accordingly taken By the Danish R1esdag.
No action whatever has Jet been taken By our
Ser ate OF even BY the Foreign Relation. Com
mittee. The D2nleh authorities feel that they
have be7n very badly used. They ssy the good
faith Of hs,th courtsics, ours and theirs. Il in-
yolvGd In the Transaction They have, to ob!ige
OFF government, sold islands that they had no
wise to sell. They hare car7icdiout their pa1t Of
the obligations entered Into after long ne
go.latlone. and they low ask that
wo ehal meet our part of the
bargain. 10 which they con.lac, our national
honor has been pledged by the administration.
acting through Mr. Seward. The Secretary I'D.
nsts the force Of this view, so docs Mr.. Sumner,
AID there to believe that It is entertained
II
pretty ccftain that tho subject WILL be discussed
before the end ofthc session in open I. Tel as in
secret Senate proceedings.
CARY KAEEs 4 rKKeoNAL BxFLASA1IoH.
Representative Carr, Of Ohio, made personal
explanation to-day concerning the charge In the
Cincinnati Gazette that papers with bis frank
had been sent west from WestchesteY. Pa. Hi.
Cary denied that ho lad 70 used h,: frank. In.
formation from Westchester Is to the effect that
fiC DnmOHfnttr EfPrutiYn forfnjtfnA 1neY
nacE, rent packages Of speeches to Nessche.te1 III
envelopes bearing his frauk, but not addressed.
II appears that those who received them put the
speeches to other uses. and appropriated the
fsaukcd envelopes 70. their own correspondence
TIE STATIONERY INVESTIGATION.
The commission appointed at the Instance Of
Secretary Browning to investigate the character
OF certain contracts made by him for stationery,
and adversely criticised in the Senate, has re-
ported. and. rpop the strength OF itt report, Mr..
Browning has ordered Commissioner Foote, Of
the Patent O0ace, to settle with the firm on the
basis Of Its contracts. The commission eays
that from the testimony submitted 10 It. no eyi.
derce OF any fraud collasion was given or taken
before us thai would lupliea.c tho ea1d DcupreT
+ 0toek. The articles furnished were such As
were specified IL the contracts, and schedules at
tachcd, and at thc prices specified. or by special
OF implied agreement With him. So fat AZ
the r4ttnt Office IL concerned, the Commissioner
Of Patents was TO furnish such unennmerated
articles as Weso required, at prices paid and
agreed to be paid By him. The terms and con-
d3tions Of the contract proper exclude neeessa-
tiJ any inquiry Into Its character Or the prices
stipulated 10 be pnld, urlets fsaud is shown
CONFIRMATION.
The Senate to-day confirmed G. G. MasEue, OF
Cincinnati, AAsetror+ vice Gcddtt.
FoeTA1 HILL
Senator Pomc.oE to-day introduced b!l! ee-
tab1!shlpg steamship line from New ToEk to
the Mexican porta. and authorizing the Post
matter Gcncsai to contract for eentHcekly mails
i. 8, coo the round trip.
RAILROAD BILL
Senator Rice reported bill granting land. to 4
| ralltoad Though the eastern part Of Esuens aud
1hc Indian Territory to point on the Red River,
| in Texas. Three bills arc 1oH in covering the
lands sought for In this.
IOWA War c1AIxs.
The Iowa Claims bill came up in tho Housc to
day, md WAS referred TO the Committee On Mill
bill embracing similar claims IRON othet States
| coxGnEHs I1sTERpAT.
| The session Of Cougrcss to-day was dull
| enough. The upper branch had about - many
members present as ueual. but ii the lo~el
branch there vas barely more than quorum
The number Of spectators IN the galler1e. Vas
| not large. eTen at the opening, and By two
| O'Clock very few remained.
TIE AxsE.rY PROCLAMATION.
The Senate spent m hour and half In talking
about The Presidents amnesty proclamation, and
| two toure On the clatm Of woman IN Alabans
for damages done her property during tho var
| The Democrats took ground that the Pfettdenl
had right to Issue a. many proclanations as he
pleased, while the Republicans wanted the Ju'
| dlclAry Committee to look 1nto the matter and
sec VIA: hts authority unaer the constitution Il
In regard to such matters, and an order to this
effect was pissed. The womsn's cls!m for dam
ages has very little strength, and kr. Howe L
the only Senator who s7pI ozts tt In debate.
t In TIE Housx-
The Horsc gave good deal Of time IN tht
morning hour 10 persoual explanations, then dc
voted dfty minutes to affairs At the FhiAdelphti
Mary Yard next had \ speech IN Committee
th- Whole from MI. Wirdon. on the Sorthcrt
Paeiac Rstlrosd, and another from SAN Cary OF
The ha.bor question. The navy yard drbste saut
up On Ecpor. Of Mr. Kel'e! from the NAvR: Cen
m'tt'e, charging that Chief Engineer hhcr Eood
o. ths NayY Qepattueut has erAat cQQ5