Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-02-08
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY Z, 1870.
QKNATE

accepting conditions Imposed BY Congress
relative to an amendment OF the State con-
stltutlon all OF which were referred TO the
= Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. Ferry suggested that the Judiciary
Committee also Inquire whether the LeElS-
Nature Of Georgia, as at present constituted,
is a loyal body.
Mr.. Edmunds said the COMMITTEES had
already been instructed TO do that BY q reso-
luton Of the Senate.
Mr.. Conkllng presented memorial asking
female suffrage. Referred TO the Judiciary
Committee. .## . .r..
Mr.. Wilson, from the Committee on Mil.
tarY Affairs, reported Joint resolution pass
ing to the credit Of tho National Asylum for
sick and disabled soldiers the funds belong
ing tolt.
Mr. Edmuuds, from the Committee on
Pensions, reported back unfAyorably the va.
rlous petitions from Aoldlers OF the war OF
1879 for pensions. ..
Mr. Edmunds said tho COMMITTEES would
have been very glad to grant pensions TO
these soldiers, but In view OF the present
condition Of the country, and the high taxes,
and the fact that there were so many dis.
abled soldiers who needed pensions, they
did not think Il would be justlnabls to In
olude the soldiers Of 1879.
Mr.. Pomeroy introduced bill 10 regulate
the sale Of Intoxicating liquors In the Dis
tTict of Columbia.
Mr.. Trumbull Introduced bill TO extend
treaty ltipulatlons so as TO protect trade
marks. Referred to Committee on Foreign
Relations.
Mr.. Sumner offered resolution Instruct
lug the Secretary Of the Treasury 10 Inform
the Senate full particulars Of all bonds issued
TO Pacific railway companies-amount,
dates, SC. Passed. % ......
Also, resolution instruetlng Secretary OF
the Treasury TO furnish report OF the agent
sent out to examine consular accounts In
France aud Belgium. Passed.
Mr.. Bayard offered resolution directing
the Postmaster General TO Inform the Senate
at whose expense the blank memorials In
! favor Of tho abolition Of tho Thanking privl-
4 Iege were printed, and also the fActs upon
which the charges Of fraud In connection
with that privilege arc based.
Mr.. Thayer objected and II went over.
Mr.. Trumbull called up his bill to relieve
members OF Congress from Importantly, and
to preserve the Independence Of the different
Departments Of the Government.
The bill was read, when
Mr.. Patterson said the Committee on Re-
trenchment had this subject under consider
alton In connection with many othsrs, aud
bills would soon be reported covering the
hhole subject. he therefore suggested that
the bill be left over for the present.
Mr.. Trumbul said the bills the Senator
alluded to would cover q very wide Geld.
His bill referred to one particular abuse, aud
which should be corrected A. speedily A.
possible, and he believed this bill could be
passed at once. The object OF the bill was
TO prevent members Of Congress from impor.
tuning the President to appoint persons to
office, but OF course would not prevent them
from announcing any interrogatlons put to
them by the President In reference TO the
fitness OF an applicant TO ofice.
Mr.. Schurz was as anxious as any ono FOL
Thorough reform Of the civil service, but HI
did not believe this proposition to be elthel
wise or expedlent.
He knew that the practice now prevailing
was deInoraliEng, but this would only trans
fer the solicitations from large politicians to
small ones. 1t would take much more
comprehensive measure than this 10 remedy
the abuse.
Mr.. Howard could not vote for the bill
\ although he was satisfied that there were
abuses. II was certain that the President
could not advise himself a. 10 the fitness Of
all applicants for Office, but must depend
upon others, and there were no more nt per
sons TO advise him than members OF Con
greSs.
Mr.. Williams moved to amend by proVid
ing that no judicial, military or naval ONCE
Of the United States shall make any recon
mendatlon to Office under the same penalties
Of nne aud imprisonment as are prescribed
for members OF Congress.
Mr.. Trumbull asked " that would not pro
hibit the General OF the Army from recon
msndlnE deserving oficers for promotion 7
Mr.. Williams had no deSlre to do that, bu
1t was known that judicial and military ON
GERS often hterposed 70 urge the appoint
ment Of men TO offices which were neitho
judicial or military, and as they had no NOR
right to do this than members Of Congress
his desire was TO stop II.
Tho morning hour hero expired, and tn
bill went over.
The unfinished business, being the ceusu
bill, was then taken up.
Mr.. Sumner called for the reading OF tn
bill, aud 1t was accordingly read through.
Mr.. Coukling then said chat the recon
mendatlon Of tho Senate committee was :
| lot we'll enough alone, to have the censu
taken under the provisions OF the old law
The Constitution requires that once In te
years there shall be count OF the people
Thee is nothing said there about any colleC
ton of statistics. As TO the necoslity o
utility OF this, he would not now discuss
| The question was whether 'an entire neI
system Of taking the census should be inAr
gurated, or whether 1t should be done BY th
same officers and same system which ha
prevailed since the foundation OF the Coz
| eminent.
Tho committee had gone carefully Int
au examination OF this matter, and ha
| come 10 q concluSlon adverse TO the elaborai
proposition presented by the House. A
iudng to the act Of 1850 he stated that
ia. | WAS the result OF tue most ChTolul Ceuble
Grafton by committee composed OF M
Jacob COllamer, Secretary Of the InterlO
Mr.. Reverdy johnson, Attorney Genera
and Mr.. James NJ. Clayton, Secretary I
State, and also had the benent before beln
contaminated of the attention OF the iir
minds OF the Senate and House. AM
having months OF careful consideration
It's original authors, II was carefully mi
tured by the Senate and the House. TIL
act provided a most admirable system
compensation, rewarding accuracy, I'll
act would answer now for all purposes O
cept 10 ono singular particular, that pr
yldlng for tho enumeration OF slaves, WI
we're thon counted In the basis Of represent
ton as three ffths. Now we have no slave
aud the purified Constitution makes on
| this one change necessary. He had no d
sire to attack the House bill, but Its Inn
yations were so many and so important tn
a brief review would not be inappropriate.
In reference TO the compensation for n
same that the marBhals In 1880 received t3i
900, and in 1850 Sil 900, there would be pa
under this bill about $500, 200. Heretofo
marshals had been the only ones upon who
this work could be devolVed. Now 10 eve
congressional district we have collectors
Internal revenue and their assistants, ass
sors Of Internal revenue and their aaslstAn
aud registers In bankruptcy, and I
enumeratOrs Of the census, smakinK q
\ classes. Now he should not undertake
| Say that these ofllcers would not or COZ
| not do the duty we'll, but where was /
proof that In the 70 years that the marlhi
mad performed this duty that they had y
attended to 1t propeNy. One OF the Rdmi
bic features OF the present law 10, that
pays no per diem, but pays for the duty p
formed, while now 1t is proposed 70 pay
the enLmerators a per day, be they q
gent or be they slow. An army OF ON
holders Is created. The blanks to DO used
Inc enumerators would cost about Sl2o,C
10 print. Mr.. G. then calculated that
per diem Of the enumerators would alone
b, 100000.
The entire cost Oftaking tho last CEN
was 81 ,2s2, 2O6.75, including Ss47, 900
suspended accounts presented By dlalo
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