Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-04-20
Congress.

The proceedings Of Congress up to Satur-
day of last week are sufficiently set forth in
the letter from our Washington correspond
emit, and we therefore omit the routine sy
>sAr=i@s 81 Conversational doiRzzs DriaE - Mon
In the Senate, April 18th, Senator Drake
introduced joint resolution proposing an
amendment TO the Constitution that the
President Of the United States shall have
power to protect any State against domestic
violence on sufficient proof being, presented
to him Of the existence of such violence, and
Congress shall have power TO enforce this
amendment by appropriate legislation Sena-
tor Drake said the events OF the last five
years were sufficient TO convince any ore Of
the necessity Of giving power TO the Presl-
dent TO suppress Instruction and violence IN
any State, without being compelled to wait
for the call Of the Governor or the l. gIsla-
ture The resolution was referred TO the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Senator Sumner offered a resolution in
structing the Committee on the District of
Columbia TO report what legislation is neces-
sary to secure equal rights, without regard
to color or race. on the Orange and Alexar-
dria Railroad
Mr. Edmunds obtained the passage of a
resolution instructing the Judiciary Commit
tee to investigate the truth of the rumors
fiuenced in their vote on the Georgia bill
The Georgia bill was then taken up. Sen
ator Drake called for the reading Of his
amendment heretofore offered, providing for
the employment of troops by the President
for the suppression of acts of violence and
the dispersion of illegal organizations; and
while he admitted that the proposition was
extraordinary, he claimed that the circum-
stances to which it was to aPply were ex-
traordinary.
Senator Drake wac followed by Senator
Sumner, VINO replied to the remarks made by
Senator Carpenter ON former occasion. in
criticism of his record and position on this
and similar questions. Senator Sumner al
/ luded to Carpenter as the successor to John
c. Calhoun (applauded.)
/ Senator Carpenter tartly replied. The de
bate was further continued by Senators Sum-
ner and Carpenter in relation to the COnsti-
tutional power.
In the House, n bill was introduced by Mr.
Jones of North Carolina, for tie appOrtiOn-
ment of members of Congress, fixing the
number at 275, exclusive of representative
of States to be hereafter admitted, no STATE
to suffer reduction till after the forty-frs
Congress
moved the previous question, whieS So,
onded by Soto 81. The bill was passed, yeas
sc, nays SO.
The bill, which is one prepared by Mr.
Paine, provides that on and after March 3D.
1871, the House of Representatives shall b,
composed of % ) members, to be apportiOneC
among the several States provided that, /
after such appOrtionment any new States
shall be admitted, the representatives from
such States shall be additional to the mum
Der of 275, and that if the number of repre-
sentatives Of any State shall be reduced By
such apportionmcnt, such reduction shall no
take effect till after the forty second Con
gress aud that if the representation of an
State shall be increased by such apportion
ment, the additional representatives for tn
, forty-first Congress shall be chosen by tn
State at large. The Secretary of the Interio
is to ascertain the basis of representation
! from the preliminary census report.
The Tariff bill was considered in commit
tee, and the interesting subject of pig-irol
) was reached. The debate was very animated
The bill fixes the duty at seven dollars pc
ton. An amendment by Mr.. Cox to reduc
to three dollars was lost and, finally, ami
: much excitement, an amendment by b.
} Butler to fix the duty at five dollars per to-
was carried by vote Of GO to 64. This end
I the great pig-iron fight IN the House =,
In the Senate, April 10, number OF bill
/ were introduced and referred. Senator Kos
from the committee on Indian affairs, re
ported joint resolution providing for tn
, sale of certain lands in Kansas allotted I
the New York Indians, who removed thither
at one O'Clock the Georgia bill was taken a
and Senator Davis yielded the floor to Sens
= tor Fowler, who denied that secret organize
81 tions existed in the South to the extent 0
} Of the character represented by Senate
Warner; he eulogised the Reconstructed