Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-21
WASHINGTON.

w ASHANGION
Action Against Negligent Pilots
BIIIs net Signed by the President.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-The Secretary
of the Treasury has instructed the So
HcitOr Of that department to take the
necessary steps to secure the enforce
ment of the 18th section of the act of
1888 against the pilots Of the steamers
United States and America, because of
the recent collision between those yes
sells, which resulted in so large a loss of
life. The section referred to provides that
every captain, engineer, pilot or other per-
son employed on board of any steamboat
or vessel propelled in whole or in
part by steam, by whose negligence
or inattention to duties the life of
any person on board said vessel
may be destroyed, shall be deemed guil-
ty of manslaughter, and upon convie-
ton be punished by heavy penalties.
The following bill and joint resolutions
having been presented to the President
on the sixth inst and not having been
returned by him within the constitu,
tiOnal limit of ten days Sunday ex-
cepted) have become laws:
A bill appropriating $4,000 for the
temporary relief of poor and destitute
people in the District of Columbia.
A resolution to contract for stationery
for the Department of the Interior. 1t
suspends payment to Dempsey a O'TOol
The resolution respecting the pro-
visioDal governments of Virginia, Texas,
and Mississippi provides that person
holding Office in these States who can
not take or subscribe TO an oath of office,
according to a previous act Of Congress,
shall, on the passage of this resolution,
be removed therefrom. 1t shall be the
duty of the different commanders to fill
the vacancies so created by an appoint
ment of persons who can take the oaths,
provided the provisions of this resolution
shall not apply to persons who, by reason
of the removal of their disabilities as
provided in the fourteenth article of
to the constitution, shall
have qualified for office
The President TO day sent a brief mes
sage 70 the Senate, notifying that body of
the release of Warren and Castillo by the
British government
The committee on census at q meeting,
discussed the question whether the ratio
If representation should be enlarged so
as to retain the present number of repre-
or whether the present ratio
hOuld remain unaltered. The latter
would increase the number of represent
atives.
Judge Hoge, of South Carolina, is here
claiming a seat in Congress from the
third district of that State, for which Mr..
Reed, DemociSG, has received the certifi>
cate of election by a majority of the votes
cast, while Hoge has a certificate from
the Governor that he received a majority
Of the votes cast
The following discussion took place in
the Senate to-day on the bill for the re-
peal of the tenure-of-ofice law
Mr.. Conkling said the tenure-ofoofice
act had been enacted 10 meet an attempt
in the interest of slavery and treason to
make merchandise of offices and of the
integrity of its citizens, and to employ
the purse of the nation to enrich and ag-
grandise. The nation feels nos, how
ever, the exigency had passed, and the
Executive office was about to be entrust-
ed to one who never set himself above
law, but who eVerys where had evinced
such a sense Of moderation. Capacity
and integrity has entitled him to the
the confidence of Congress and Of the
people The question was how to dis
pose Of so much the tenureaOf-offce act
as now is needless and incOnvenient and
dispense with no more Looking merely
at the requirements Of the next four years
be would have no objection to the abso-
lutte repeal of it or its complete suspen-
sion, but neither was necessary, and
for other reasons he preferred to retain
the law in the modified form in which it
will stand if the report of the Judiciary
Committee be adopted
Mr. Morton said inasmueh as the law
advocated by the Senator from New
York would require the Senate to pass
upon the propriety or improperly of the
Presidents action in removing officers
during u recess of the Senate, it would
De more a matter Of phraseology than the
ssenator from New York had said it
would be-
Mr.. Conkling replied that the constitu>
ton expressly provided that the Senate
should review the appointments Of the
President made during a recess.
Mr.. Morton said that, under the law
before the passage of the tenure of-Ofice
law, when the President removed A b
during the recess and appointed G d to
ill the vacancy, even il the Senate re-
fuse to confirm the appointment that did
not put A b back but under the law
as the Senator from New York would
have it, by the refusal of the Sena.e to
confirm a supervisor from office, the
President would put into Office again the
officer removed, 30 that it would not be
without practical effect
Mr., Conkling replied that ut the same
moment with or without law the Presi-
dent would be clothed with powers of
tilhngan office, because under the law an
office must remain vacant till the aI~
pOintment OF some one TO ill 1t, and with
out the law the President could dismiss
the incumbent Of an Office and appoint a
substitute to hold the place during the
whole vacation.
9 Without action On the Dell the senate
adjourned
A colored man Of this city adore sd
note TO Ma5ur Brown, chairman of the
committee Oh the sale OF tickets for the
inauguratC7 ball, stating that number
cf his friends from Philadelphia and
New York would he here on the 4th Of
March, and asks whether any distinction
on account Of color is 70 made in the
sale of tickets
Mayor Bowen this morning replied, say
IBg Any person Z respectable characS
ter and standing IA the community, who
applies Il I'd pays iar a ticket to the inau-
guration bail, to ho held in the north
wing Of the Treasury Department, will
not be denied 50 far as my action is con-
cerDed The question of color never
having arisen before the committee. of
course ! cannot decide for them