Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-12-13
FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings.
TUESDAY, December Il.

mouse Dill 70 aDOliSn the OF
fees OF Admiral and Vice Admiral in the navy
was read twice, and referred to Committee on
The House concurrent resolution providing
for an adjournment from Dec. %, 1870, to Jan.
y I'll, was read and laid on the table until to-
Mr.. Sawyer presented the credentials Of Hon.
T. j.. Robertson, reelected for six years from
South Carolina. The credentials were read
and placed on the file.
Mr.. Williams presented joint resolutions of
branch Of the Pacific railroad, with his amend
mendment. He said the de nocrstic legislature
had thus endors ID his proposition, although In
the late canvass he had been bitterly aSsailed
for it,
Mr.. McCreery asked leave to introduce his
resolution in reference to the restoration OF the
Arlington estate 10 Mrs. Lee.
MIR. Edmonds hoped they would not be re-
ceived. 1t was q monstrous proposition to ask
for the removal Of the bones OF our soldiers
the place of their burial should be restored to
its rebel owners.
MIR. McCreery presuming that the justic and
the courtesy OF the Senate would allow him -
minutes, he would then proceed TO say what he
had intended to say yesterday. He then drew a
picture of Gems. Geo. III. Thomas and X. E. Lee,
late great drama, and both dying within short
time of each other. When the war broke out
these two virginians, until then under the same
flag separated, Thomas adhered to the flag of
| the Union, Lee threw his fortunes with the
CoDfederacy. Gen. Lee, was above all
vices, his character, pure and spotles.,
in the hearts of the American people.
| He should say nothing about the right of seces-
sion or the causes Of the war. General Lee
joined the people among whom he was born,
just as you joined those among whom You were
| born. He should not follow him in his career,
but was he not hero, gentleman, and q
| christian? Brilliant as was his military career,
| the closing scene of his life added matches
| luStre to his fame.
| MIR. Nice. then spoke at length of Gen. Lees
efforts in connection with Lexington College.
| There may be those who will cast their asper-
siOTs upon Gen. Lee, but he belonged to the
South and the North, the East and the West
| He Mr.. McC) now asked that justice be'done
to the partner of his life, that the home of her
| fathers be restored to her.
| Mr. Edmonds did not intend to dignity thi.
occasion, as he supposed the object of the Sem
| ator was attained. But this man, whom the
| Senator had eulogized, had committed the
| crime OF treason against more opportunities for
| knowing better than any other man. He was
not the child OF Virginia, but OF the people, the
people whs had educated him and fed him. He
| lived at the capital, but when this capital was
| threatened. he not only turned his back on il,
| but pointed his cannon towardit. For himself
| (Mr. E.,) he thought it better for Gen Lee had
he been taken OIL in his youth, in his patriotic
| manhood.
| Mr.. Trumbull regretted that the Senator
| (Mr. McCreery) had done this thing. but he OPP
/ posed the granting leave to a Senator to bring
in bill. He thought it would be bad prece
1
| Mr.. Sumner said he hadlbeen denied leave to
| bring in bill aboishing the fugitive slave law
| The Vice President said there bad been five
| precedents for DENYING leave to bring in bill
MIR. Morton desired to express his protest
| against the consideration of this resolution by
| the Senate of the United States. He had he ard
what he had never expected to hear-an eulogy
| OF Gen. Lee in the American Senate. The
| enor nifty OF his crime cannot be concealed by
| sfrewiDg the flowers of rhetoric over his grave.
| Mr.. Scott said since the day that the sword
i baH
| been such an example of magnanimity as tn At
| displayed by the United States government to-
| ward the leaders of the rebellion.
| MIR. salisbury was in favor of the resolution
| with the exception OF that portion which looked
| to the removal of the bones OF those who were
The debate was continued at much length
| the question being on the motion OF Mr.. Ed
munds. that the resolutions be not received
| MIR. Sye said If Gen. Lee was q hero, so was
| BENEDICT Arnold; yet what would have been
| thought of the man who proposed to restore to
| Benedict Arnold his property in Connecticut.
| He considered this resolution not only as an in
| suit to the Senate, but as insult to himself.
| Mr.. Flanagan thought Lees christianity
| ceased when he lay down the flag OF the Union
| and took up that of the rebellion.
| Mr.. Sumner agreed with Mr.. Nye that the
graves at Arlington were as sacred as the con-
| stitutiOn itself
Mr.. McCreery then desired withdraw his res
| olutiOn, but Mr.. Edmunds objected.
| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr..
| kiHuB dshcu anu ODtai0eO leave 10
have read at the Clerks desk petition from
settlers on pnblic lards in California in relation
TO their rights upon swamp and overf,owed
| lands. Referred to the Committee on Public
| Lands.
| Mr. Kelley (Pa.) introduced bill to provide
| for the redemption Of copper and other tokens
ID coin Referred TO Committee on Coinage,
| Weights and Measures.
On motion OF Mr.. Cook (ill.) the Committee
| of the Whole was discharged from the further
| consideration of The bill amendatory of the act
Il in oil of tn { ha sn,N ~
| lunbia. ana IL was referred to the Committee
| Oh the District.
| Mr. Lawrencs (OhiO) presented four petitions
| from settlers on the Cherokee neutral lands
| one of which was read, asking the passage of
| the bill row pending in the House in relation
to these lands. Referred to Committee on In
! dian fairs.
On motion Of Mr.. Cox (N. " a resolution was
| adopted calling upon the Secretary OF the
Treasury for copies OF all papers and cores
pOndence file in his Off ice In rel alton 20 the
] light ship Cumberland in its former position.
The House then, in the morning hous re-
sumed the consideration Of the billre0rganizing
the Post ONCE Department, which was laid
/ over on Thursday last.
The pending question was on Mr.. welker's
(OhiO) motion to amend the amendment of MIR.
Hill (N. j. ab0ishiDg the entire frankling
| privilege by exempting newspapers, periodica.s
and magazines exchanged between publishers,
and weekly newspapers to actual subscribers
within the county where published.
Anamendment offered by Mr.. Allison (Iowa)
extending the latter clause to semi-weekly AID
monthly papers was accepted by Mr.. welker
and the amendment was adopted-73 to 50.
Mr.. Maynard TENN offered an amendment
providing that all official correspondence be-
tween the several executive departments of the
government and from and to the same should
also go free. Rejected.
The amendment of Mr.. Hill was then agreed
to-ayes 103, noes 65.
Mr.. johnson lCal) offered an amendment
authorizing the Postmaster General to provide
for the transmission OF mails between post
offices, and providing that when such service
10 over routes not declared post routes he shall
report the same to Congress at its next session.
He said that often times the service could be
shortened and the public accommodated by al
lowing this power TO the Postmaster General
instead Of having te wait months for . post
route to be declared by Congress.
Mr.. Garfield tOhio} opposed the amendment
a. unwaIranted and too sweeping, giving t. the
Postmaster General unlimited power.
Mr.. Farnsworth (lll) thought California
could get along very well with her present
facilities. He saw BY looking over the reports
that the expenditures In that State for postal
service were now $500 900 in excess Of the re-
ceipts.
Mr.. Sargent tCal) warmly advocated the
amendme MT, claiming that the rapid grouth OF
his and other States required that this authority