The Portland daily press., 1870-01-15
XLIst O0NGRESS---Second Session.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14-The Senate took up
the Virginia bill, the question being on Mr.
Edmupds' amendment offered yesterday, and
the debate was continued.
The amendment offered by Mr. Wiley to the
amendment of Mr.. Edmunds was modified so
as to read that before any member of the Leg
islature shall take or resume his seat or any
officer of said State shall enter upon the duties
of his office he shall take and subscribe to the
oath prescribed in the amendment.
The amendment was agreed to.
The Senate then voted on the amendment of
MIR. Edmunds as amended, which was agreed
to; yeas 45, nays ID.
Mr. Wilson offered further amendment.
imposing certain fundamental conditions SIM
liar to the proposition reported by the House
Reconstruction Committee.
Mr.. Conkling briefly opposed the amendment.
1t was rejected yeas 49, nays 80.
Mr.. Drake offered an amendment making
the admission of the State conditional upon
its Legislature not hereafter passing any act
purporting to rescind its action heretofore up
on any constitutional amendment.
The amendment was not agreed to; yeas II,
nays "A.
Mr.. Drake moved to further amend by i'm
posing among other conditions that the State
shall never deprive any class entitled to vote
under the constitution, of such right. He said
this provision was inserted in the bill for the
admission of Arkansas and all the other I'M
reconstructed States, and hoped it would be
imposed in the case of Virginia.
|, The Senate then, at LAO 2. M. took a recess
until O'Clock.
EVENING SESSION.
Upon the expiration of the recess message
was received from the House of Representa-
tives transmitting the bill for the admission of
Virginia with information that the same had
been passed by that body.
The bill was read informally upon the sug-
gestion of Mr.. Trumbull, who remarked that
if the Senate was now full he would propose
to substitute the bill for the measure now be-
fore the Senate.
The consideration of Mr.. brakes amend
ment was then renewed and it was rejected;
yeas II, nays %.
Mr.. Drake submitted another amendment,
substantially similar to that just voted upon.
After further discussion, which was partici-
| pated in by Messrs. Morton, Cole, Schurz,
| Trumbull, and others, it was agreed to take a
| tie vote on the bill at o'clock on Monday, and
the Senate, at 1890, adj burned to Monday.
HOUSE.
A bill was introduced abolishng the frank
ing privilege and establishing letter carrying
| system in cities of 5000 inhabitants.
| A resolution was offered requesting the Sec
rotary of the Treasury to communicate the in
| formation or data upon which the Special Com
| missioner of Revenue had closed his Statement
| relating to the average cost of the manufac
| ture of American pig iron in the Valley of thu
| Ou"poildhi anu duInTacito ftSiOus VI L Gin
| sylvaria.
The bill for the admission of Virginia was
| taken up again and debated.
Mr.. Farnsworth of Illinois, at half past
o'clock rose to close the debate. He gave /
minutes to Mr.. Cox of New York, who decar
ed that he would rather send Virginia back t.
military rule than vote to admit her under thi
bill. The conditions imposed in it woIld de
stroy the very political existence of Virginia a
| State.
Mr. Farnsworth of Illinois, yielded IL min
utes to Mr., Schofeld of New York, who pass
ed in brief review of the various question
that came up in the reconstruction of the South
ern States, and sustained the propriety of i'm
posing the conditions provided in the bill.
| Mr.. Farnsworth resumed the floor and clos
ed the debate. The opposition to the condi
tons of the bill came not from Virginia bu
from members OF the House, who thought
wiser 20 enforce the 14th amendment by wise
> well digested laws that should apply to tn
whole country instead of singing out Virgin
} and putting them in this crude manDer on tn
tail of the kite. He criticised the action {
the few persons who had opposed the admi
sion of the State who through its hahIltatio
| could lose their Offices But for them Virginl
could have been admitted on the first day
Congress.
The debate was closed and the House pre-
ceeded at 4.30 O o'clock to vote on the bill an
amendments. The first question was on I'll
amendment offered by Mr.. Whittemore
| South Carolina, providing penalty for tax i
f an oath falsely, and it was agreed to; yeas IL
nays1.
The next question was on Mr.. Bingham