The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-15

Republican Caucus ON ire Annesiy,
Question -Interestiur a,ascu.sto,. :.

i WASHINGTON NEWS.
Repnbifcan Caucus ON ire Arnnesiyy
Question Interesting Discussion.
|, WAsRINsroN, Dec. 1a-The Renublican
members Of Congress held ca,,cns to.nioht
in the ball OF the House Of Representatives..
ienerni Banks In the chair and Mr.. Plat
oil virginia, secretary. About one hundred
members were present. rs 80;
MIR. Degener, Of Texas, referred 70 the
removal Of disabilities, as pro vif;ed bvyt the
fourteenth amendment to the Constitution
oil the United States, and argued that the
several states shall say when the disabilities
therein shall cease. He referred approving
" to the course Of the Schurz Republicans
IN Missouri, and gave five reasons why
there should be a general amnesty, and Of
fered resolution that the Committee on
Reconstruction he requested to report a
bill for that purpose.
Mr.. Bingham, Of Ohio, offered an amend.
mcnt removing all disabilities under the
fourteenth amendment, excepting those
who held Federal offices In 1880 and 1861
and those who held office in violation of
such amendment and of the laws of the
United States since January last, and sup
ported the same In speech.
MIR. Maynard, Of Tennessee, referred to
the manner in which rebels had acted.
showing they were not willing to let by,
cones be by-gones. They respected nothing
but power. The course of these men in
the South had been to make rebellion
respectable and the Federal Government
contemplate.
MIR. Gilman, of Tennessee, advocated
the amendment. stating that much Of the
hate Of Tennessee was on account OF the
course Of Andrew johnson. Remove their
disabilities and let the rebels quarrel about
the offices.
MIR. Platt, of Virginia, was in favor of
the removal of disabilities, and claimed
that the men most obnoxious in the South
were those who had no disabilities imposed
any active part in the rebellion.
Mr.. Van Wyck opposed the amendment,
and stated In case the Forty-frst Congress
removed the disabilities SO that Governor
vance and jeff. Davis could be returned to
the American Senute, there would be no
Republican party left in the North.
Dir. Sharp, Of Indiana, said the Republl.
can party were opposed to any general re-
moval Of disabilities.
MIR. Butler, Of Massachusetts, alluded to
an article In Memphis newspaper and
thought the quarrel to which Mr.. Tillman
alluded would not result in reducing the
number of Democrats. He was of the
opinion that the prominent rebels should
have been hung after the war. Mr.. Stokes,
| Of Tennessee, was at one time In favor Of
| the removal Of disabilities, but was salts
| fed the concession Of the Republicans had
not been met in the same spirit by the men
Of the South. In 1868 the Democrats of
Tennessee professed in their State conven-
! ton to accept the situation, but in their
! recent State convention they reaffrmed the
doctrine of secession.
The caucus came to no conclusion, and
adjourned until tomorrow night.
A MEMBER OF CONGRESS INDICTED FOR AL
LEGGED BIGAaY.-The grand jury Of the Dis
trict of Columbia has indicted the Hon. &.
G. +. Bowen, u Republican member of Con-
gress from South Carolina, for alleged big
amy. Mr.. Bowen was married in Washing
ton city on the evening Of the 2lst Of Au-
gust last to Mrs. s. Pettigru King, while at
that time, as alleged, petition for divorce
filed by Mrs. Tabtha Bowen in the Louis
vile Cbancery Court, for divorce from Hon.
c. Z. Bowen, Congressman from Charles.
ton, S. c., was still pending. In his haste
to marry, Mr.. Bowen is charged with COM
hitting bigamy, and for this he has now
trict, true bill having been found against
him. The Washington Star says:
" MIR. Bowen Is young man Of prepos-
ses>ing appearance and very decided abil-
tiles. He was born in Rhode Island. JAN
nary 5, 1882; removed to Georgia in 1850 ;
studied and practiced law; removed to
Charleston in 1862; in 1867 was elected to
the Constitutional Convention of South
Carolina, held under the reconstruction
acts OF the Thirty-ninth and Forticth Con-
presses was elected to the Fortleth Con-
greSS: was reelected to the Forty first
Congress. and is contestant for seat in
the next Congress. On behalf of Mr.. Bowen
it is alleged that this whole charge of bigamy
is the work Of political malice, and comes
from interested motives. 1t is asserted that
the records of the Louisville court will
show that he was legally divorced before
his marriage with Mrs. S. Pettigru King,
and that the documents to prove the fact
are on the way to this city. 1t is also
alleged that he was not legally married to
his Iirst wife.
Mrs. Susan Pettigru King was the
daughter of the celebrated lawyer, Judge
Peltigru, of Charleston, S. G. She is well
known in literary circles as lady Of bril-
liant accomplishments, which have achieved
for her quite reputation in the world Of
letters. Since the war she has been in the
Treasury Department in this city. Before
the war she was noted leader of fashion
in South Carolina"
COMMISSIONER OF REvENUE.-The Presi-