The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-05-25
WASHINGTON NEWS.
(From E~xchanges.)
W AsHINGToN, May % 1870.
GENERAL AMNESTY.

(From Exchanges.) i
WAsuINGToN, May % 1870.
GENERAL AMNESTY.
The Senate to-day was the scene o
quite an excited debate which show
ed a wide division anong some of tn,
Republican Senators on the question
of general amnesty. Mr.. Ferry, on,
of the Republican Senators from Con
necticut, who has been from the las
Congress a supporter of a bill TO re
move all political disabilities, led OF
lin the dicussion in q very conserva
tive speech, during which he declared
that the Fifteenth Amendment was
delusion and a snare while these disa
Utilities remain unremoved- Mr.. Mo
ton, of Indiana, replied in a ferc,
%istraint He declared that Ferry hat
made a Democratic speech of an ul
ira character, and that if genera
amnesty were inaugurated JEFF. Davis
would again be a Senator from Mis-
sissippi, and that John G. Breckin.
ridge would even be sent here as the
successor of Garrett Davis. q"
Mr.. Warner, of Alabama, venturet
an i~nterjection, hat s'the success o.
the Republican party in Mississippi
did not depend on whether JEFF 1Ja
Wis remained nnpardoned or not /" tt
(which Mr., Morton replied with great
bitterness, "that if ali, tho white peo-
pie in Alabama were ,en~franchised,
Mr.. Warner would never be returned
to The seat he now held" Mr.. Saw
yer, of South Carolina, also made
CONSERVATIVE speech in favor of Q
liberal policy, to which Mr.. Drake
replied. Altogether, the discussion
was one Of the .warmest of the session
and shows that a new conservative
element in the Senate is gaining
ground.
THE NEW BANK BILL.
The Banking Committee today vo-
ted down all the amendments to the
new bank bill. 1t will, therefore, be
reported to the House in a shape pro
viding for the issue of sos, 000, 0UO of
National currency to the States bay-
ing less Than their proportion and for
the redemption and circulation of S45
100000 of the 3 per cent. certificates,
and: for the circulation of $40, 000, 900
oflegaltenders ; also that the addi.
tional currency shall be, secured. by
the deposit of AZ per cent. bonds, ex
empt from taxation, and that when
so, 000, 900 of the new issue had
been taken up, all the banks shall re
ceive the same a per cent. bonds as
security for their circulation. m ,a;iI
It provides for free banks on the
gold basis, and for the redistribution
of twenty-five millions. of National
Bank notes, taking that amount from
the States having an excess, and dis
tributing it to the States being def
Gent, but this redistribution shall not.
take place until the ninetyrfvei mill
ions provided for shall have, been is
sued. It reduces the taxes on circu r
lation one half on all the hanks that.
secure all their circulation by the new
bonds. ,. .,,.., - ~ :
EXTRAyAGANcE OF THE ADMIN
- - aid ISTRATION.; j.
The debate in tn House to day, oh
the Naval Appropriation bill, Mr.
Beck OF Kentucky, submitted some
facts and figureso of the extravaganza of.
this administration that are simply as
tonishing. He said he was prepared
to show that the Navy, Department
had expended, within the first fiscal
year, thirty eight millions of. dollars
making an excess of Expenditures
over. twenty-one million Of dollars
This surplus amount was used, from
the proceeds of sales of Government
property In the Treasury Depart
ment, there were sixteen hundred
more employees than the law allowed,
being an increase of six hundred over
the illegal excess inn'April, 1885,
Two millions of dollars nearly were
required to pay these yearly salaries.
The pretense, said he, that the Coy
eminent is being economically admin
istered is a fraud and a cheat.
REVIVAL OF AMERICAN COM
MERGE.
The discussion which is going ON in
the House on the proposed legislation
for the revival ofAmerican commerce
seems to incline to the adoption of
the following propositions : First,
the modification of our navigation
law so as to admit foreign-built yes
sells to American registry, either free
of duty, or a moderate duty on the
tonnape of such vessels. Second, the
allowance af a drawback ON imported
material which is used in the con
struction OF vessels, or an equivalent
to the observation-disclosures American ma
terials are not used. Third, exemp-
ton of tonnage from all taxes other
than by the Federal Government
The proposition in addition to the
above grant subsidies to steamship
lines does not appear to meet with
general favor, though it. is possible
that the ocean postage may be given.
THE ODIOUS INCOME TAX cid
Letters continue to pour in from all
parts of the country upon members of
Congress, Senators, Secretaries, haads
of departments, and every one else
here who may be supposed to have
any influence. with our august body of
lawmakers, petitioning for a repeal of
the income tax. The increase u of
foreign dutiable commodities thisyear,
and the corresponding augmentation
of reverue, seem to make the present
hour a MOST propitious one to strike
off the yoke which has weighed so
heavily upon the peoples neck. "A
song Of lamentation Is heard through
out the land, and from the poor and
rich alike the cry comes up, "No
more income tax.".i The stolidity of