The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-12-16
CONGRESSIONAL
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Is.

rial Of the manufacturers Of letter en-
velopes, printers and stationers protest
ing against the practice OF the Govern
ment in the purchase and sale ofstamps
! Referred
Mr.. No rton, from the Military com
mittee reported a joint resolution to aid
certain colleges and universities, allow
ng detail Of supernumerary army
officers for professorships, with an
amendment restricting the provisions
of those officers exclusively.
Mr.. Sherman inquired whether the
bill would still leave these officers sub
| iect 70 be transferred by the War De :
partment and was answered in the af
! frmative
/ The bill passed
| Mr.. Buckingham introduced bill
providing that hereafter no tax he i'm
posed or collected upon any unearned
premiums or undistributable sum added
to the contingent fund of any insurance
company. Referred
Mr.. Chandler, from the committee on
Commerce, reported iavorably, with
amendments, upon the bill introduced
by him recently authorizing the Presi-
dent, at his discretion, TO suspend by
proclamation the operations Of all laws
allowing privileges to bonded merchan-'
disc consigned to Canada and Mexico,
and also the privilege Of navigating the
waters Of the United States accorded to
Canadian vessels
At 10 o'clock the Senate, on motion
Of Mr.. Schurz, took up the resolution
offered yesterday by that Senator, de-
claring in favor Of the removal Of all
disqualifications as soon as the impera-
tive public necessity which dictated
their imposition had ceased.
Mr.. Schurz then delivered an address
of unusual length to which the Senate
listened with marked attention. He
reviewed the history of party divisions
in Missouri for which he said he and
those who acted with him had been
denounced as traitors to the Republican
cause. The interference at the soIlcita-
ton Of his colleague (Mr. Drake) for
the National Executive, by which the
State contest had acquired more than
local interest and the subsequent defeat
of the President with all his patronage
by the triumph of the very principles
upon which he had been elected.
Commencing with the allusion to the
resolution as the expression OF sentl-
ment which had received an emphatic
endorsement at the election in Mis-
souri,, and to an existing agreement
between his colleague (Mr. Drake
and himself, that his own speech
should he made before the with
drawal Of the latter from the Senate,
Mr. Schurz proceeded to show that
the disfranchisement Of persons engag-
ed in the rebellion was temporary ex-
pedient, q measure safely rendered
necessary by the new social condition
in the South consequent on the close
of the war He held that the removal
by the party which imposed them, and
while still in It's ascendency in the gov
ernment, ofall political disqualification,
especially from the ballot.box was es-
sential TO the restoration OF fraternal
feeling, as proving that such measures
had not resulted from vindicuveneSs
but necessity, and as bringing the late
rebels to full realization of their share
with ourselves in the greatness of our
common country. Such was among the
reasons governing his course in the
movement Quoting from a resolution
offered by himself in the National Re
publican Convention in .lSGS, de-
claring the Republican party in favor
of the removal of political disabilities
as soon as compatible with the public
safety and of welcoming back TO the
Union the loyal people among the
rebels, who accept the new order of
things. he said this was part of the
platform on which General Grant was
made President. But how had that
promise been carried out? In Missouri
only by victory over the Republican
party. The principal opponents OF the
movement within the Republican ranks
were those whose political stock OF
trade consisted iE battle cries Of civil
war, who would forever roll the word
rebel" as a sweet morscl under their
tongues, and that class OF politicians
whose whole political life was mon
oplized in local Offices.
Mr.. Schurz denied, as not in accord
ance with the fact, the assertion OF his
colleague, in printed speech circu-
lated in the Senate, that the opposition
was not so much TO eniranchi-ement
itself as against the constitutional
amendment as a method etlecting IT.
He characterized as false the news
paper reports that the Missouri bolt
had anything to do with a revenue re-
form conspiring or originating in Wash
iagton. Personally his convictions
lead him to oppose the protective svs-
TEN. Had the tariff question been the
issue in Missouri he thought the major
itv against it would have been
nearer 100000 than $4,000. The ques-
ton was discussed, but not overshad-
owing the issue, he denied the allega-
ton. The question might have been set
tied hv referring to the Legislature Of
1871. Besides, such a course would
have involved the life of the Const!tu-
tional Amendment then before the pee
ple. and while failing to preserve the
psyty unity, would have transferred
the struggle TO the legislative districts.
| He read from speech delivered by
! Mr.. Drake at a serenade, comments
uron remark he attributed to him
self that he looked forward 10 the time
when new party ties would be formed.
The conclusion of his coIleage was that
he (Schurz) designed taking the whole
German element to the Democratic
party, to control the next Presidential
election, and he would then be a great
,,over behind the Democratic throne.