Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-12-08
WAsH1NaroN, December 7. Is6l

SECOND DAY.
WASHINGTON, December Z, 1869.
HoUse.--The first business In the House
/ of Representatives this morning was the
distribution OF the different portions of
/ the Presidents message to the respective
! Committees having charge or matters of
which the message treats.
resolution was offered by Mr.. Schenck,
with the consent Of the Committee on
! Ways and Means, and after some discus
/ sion as to the proper Committee to which
/ certain subjects should be referred
i That portion of the message relating to
! the Darien Inter-Oceanic Canal particu-
/ larly excited discussion, the Committees
! on Commerce, Foreign Affairs and NaYi-
| CATION all claiming it.
! The resolution proposed to leave il with
the Committee ON Commerce., and it was
/ so left,
The resolution, as offered by Mr..
Schenek, was then adopted.
/ Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts, intro
/ duced a bill to repeal the tenure-of-O6ice
/ act, which was referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary.
! Mr.. Stokes introduced bill to consti-
/ tute Chattanooga, Tenn, a post of de-
| livery. A large number of bills and reso-
| lutions on various matters were intro
duped, approved and received.
Mr.. Sheldon introduced bill gr9nting
TO the New Orleans, Mobile and Ohatta-
nooga Railroad Company the right of way
through public lands, which was appro-
priately referred.
Mr.. Payne, from the Election Commit
tee, recommended that Messrs. Hays,
Sherwood, Hifflin and Dow, from Alabama,
be sworn in, which was done.
MIR. Butler, OF Tennessee, presented the
credentials of two Virginia members.
Referred.
Mr., Jencks, from the Committee on
Patents, reported bill for the extension
of Richard NJ. Hoes patent for printing
press, for seven years, which was laid on
the table,
Mr. Butler offered resolution, which
was adopted, directing the Postmaster
General 10 report on the practicability of
paying the pensions due through the post
Office.
With other unimportant proceedings,
the House adjourned.
Sendte.-Mr. Spencer introduced n bill
amending the Civil Rights bill of April 9,
1866. 1t makes the testimony OF negroes
competent in the State courts, Laid on
the table,
A bill to protect the freedom of transit
within the United States. was introduced
by Mr.. Carpenter.
The Vice President submitted a-memo-
rial from the Republican Convention of
] Virginia, held November "a and 26, re-
viewing the election in that State, and ar
guing against the admission of the Sena-
/ tors cd representatives elect.
/ Mr.. Sumner introduced bill to fully
amend the Banking Act, and promote a
l return to specie payments, as follows:
! Be 1t enacted, ETC., That so much of the
| Banking Act as limits the issue of bills to
/ $500 200 IS hereby repealed; and that
| the existing banks may be enlarged, and
new banks may be organized,r at the dis
/ cretiOn ofthe Secretary of the Treasury;
! but no more bills than are now author
/ lied by the Banking Act shall hereafter
/ be issued, unless the Secretary of the
/ Treasury at the time of each issue can and
| does cancel and destroy like amount of
/ legal tenders; and the increase of bank
bills hereby authorized shall not exceed
/ so, ,00O, 900 per year, which amount shall
be so distributed by the Secretary of the
Treasury as to equalize as nearly as posi-
bic the banking interests of the different
( States.
Mr.. Sumner indicated his reasons in fa-
4 YOr of the bill:
First, it will create a demand for our
national bonds, and to this extent fortify
the national credit.
/ Second, it will tend to satisfy those
markets of the country, especially
/ in the South and West, where currency
/ and banks are wanting, and thus arrest a
/ difficult question.
! Third, 1t will not expand or contract
/ the currency, so that opposite parties in
! speculations may support it.
] Fourth, Under it the banks will be
gradually strengthened and propose to re-
/ sumo specie payment.
Fifth, It will give the South and West
the opportunity to organize banks, and
will interest the ports of the country to
this extent, in the national securities and
the national banking system, by which
both viii be strengthened.
Sixth, It viii, within a reasonable
time, relieve the country of the whole