The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-04-07
Congressional Proceedings.
WASHINGTON, March %.


Congressional Proceedings.
WASHINGTON, March 20.
Tn the Senate. the Finance Committee re-
norted that the income tax continues during
1870, but is reduced to three per cent. thereat-
a Bill was introduced preventing and pun
ishing election frauds.
The discussion of seating Ames was post
poned in favor of Texas. The Judiciary Com
mittee was discharged from the further consid-
eration,of Texas. The Texas Bill then came
before the Senate, and passed, with the amend
ment striking out the clause regarding the
sanctity of terms of the original admission; it
goes back to the House for concurrence by
strict party vote.
The proceedings in the Senate to-day in the
discussion on the Texas Bill were very inter-
esting. Trumbull and Sherman became quite
angry. The following report will give some
idea:
Everything was made to give way to mo-
ton of Sherman to take up the Texas matter.
1t was taken from the custody of the Judicia-
~ Committee Trumbull could see no reason
for this.
The Georgia Bill and case of Ames had both
been under discussion for several. days, and
should be disposed Of He did not see why
the Senator from Ohio wished to take the Tex
as Bill from the hands of the Judiciary. Sher-
man said he was not to De deferred from MS
duty by any mere feeling of etiquette. There
we're important reasons, both political and ma
tional, why Texas should be admitted at once,
so that the Fifteenth Amendment should be
officially promulgated, and its disturbing ele-
ment should be removed from our midst de
was surprised that the Senator from Illinois
should seek to obstruct the will OF the majority,
of the Senate, and that the majority was anx-
ious that the Texas Bill should be taken up.
Trumbull would like to know by what au-
thority the Senator from Ohio assumed to speak
for the majority of this body. Never, since he
had been in the Senate, had such an act of
gross discourtesy been perpetrated towards any
committee of this body, as that perpetrated by
the Senator from Ohio yesterday, after he had
assured Mr.. Drake and the Senate that the
committee would report upon the Texas Bill
as soon as the Senate was ready to consider it.
The majority of the Senate last week had
consultation, and the Texas matter had been
spoken of, but there was no indication then
that they desired to discharge the judiciary
Committee from the consideration of the bill
Has the Senator from Ohio been around and
counted the Senate, that he is justified in as
suming that majority wanted to take up the
Texas Bill The Senator from Ohio wants to
have the Fifteenth Amendment proclaimed.
If that Senator had stood by me, and stood by
the Georgia Bill, we would have had that
amendment proclaimed several days ago.
Sherman said his honorable friend could not
draw him into q personal controversy. 1t
seemed to be the bent of his mind to get excl
ted and make personal remarks upon simple
questions of order. He denied that. he had
offered any insult to the Judiciary Committee,
and he would not surrender his right to the
motion or what he might say, and he wished
him to understand this, although he certainly
would not wrangle about it. The wish of the
majority of the Senate was as clearly apparent
to the Senator as to him, and he must say the
course of the Senator and of the Committee, in
resisting the desire of the majority, was most
extraordinary. When he remembered that four
millions of people were to be invested with the
privileges of citizenship he,could not stop for
any petty feelings of etiquette After further
desultory discussion Mr.. Sherman's motion to
postpone the case of General Ames, and all
other prior orders was carried by AZ to Is.
The question was then taken on motion of
Sherman to discharge the Judiciary Committee
from the further consideration of the Texas
bill result, ayes 35; nays 15.
WASHINGTON, March 30.
In his message to Congress to-day the Presi-
dent said that it was unusual to notify Congress
by message of. the proclamation of consti-
tutional amendment. In view, however of the
vast importance of the Fifteenth amendment,
this day declared, passed, this departure from
the usual custom is justifiable. A measure
which makes four millions of people voters,
who were heretofore declared by the highest ju-
dicial tribunal to be not citizens and not eligi-
BILE to become so, is measure OF greater inn
portance than any one act since the foundation
of our free government. The President calls
themselves worthy of their new privileges and
urges the whites to Withhold no legal privileges
which will tend to their advancement. He
quotes some of Washington's remarks re-
garding the Importance of education, and calls
upon Congress to take steps which will promote
and make popular education; and upon the
people everywhere to see that all who possess
political rights shall have an opportunity to ac-
quire that knowledge which shall make their
share in the government blessing instead of
danger The message mentions that the fol-
lowing States have ratified the amendment:
North Carolina, West Virginia, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Missouri, Louisiana, South Carolina,
Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida,
Illinois, Indiana, New York, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Alabama, Wisconsin, Mississippi,
| Ohio, Iowa, Nevada, Kansas, Minnesota Rhode
Island, Nebraska, Maine and Texas-twepty-
nine in all.
The Democrats from New York and Indiana
protest against their States being stated as hav-
| ing ratified the Fifteenth amendment.
A meeting of the officers who served with
General Thomas was held here tonight to make
preparations to do honor to his memory. The
President and his Cabinet and the diplomatic
corps will be present.
Tonight Judge Bradley received number
of New Jerseymen, including the Congressional
delegation and Secretary Robson, who called to
the supreme bench. In the course Of his reply,
tered upon the discharge of his duties without