Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-01-21
FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS.

w ASnlNGTON, Jan. ~.
SENATE. Mr.. Conking, from committee
on rivison of the laws, reported the House
census bill with an amendment in nature of
a substitute as follows:
That the Secretary of the Interior be in
structed to change the schedule and blanks to
be used in enumerating the inhabitants of the
United States in 1870, and make the same
conform to the constitution of the United
States.
Mr.. Ramsey introduced a bill to establish a
postal telegraph, and to incorporate the
United States Postal Telegraph Co. This is
the scheme of Gardiner G. Hubbard, the de-
tails of which have heretofore been extern
sively published and discussed.
The Virginia bill was then taken up.
Mr.. Wilson moved to amend by inserting a
prOvisO that the constitution of the State shall
never be amended to deprive any citizen or
class of citizens of the United States of the
right to vote, or to hold office, who are now
entitled to vote under the said constitution,
except in punishment of crime, nor exclude
from service as Juror, any person on ac-
count of race, color or previous conditions
of servitude. The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Drake reviewed the amendment pre-
viously offered by him, admitting Virginia to
representation on the following fundamental
conditions
That the State constitution shall never be
changed, so as to deprive any citizen or class
of citizens of the right to vote, who are now
entitled to vote, except in punishment of
such crime as now feonies at common law /;
whereof they shall have been duly convicted
under law, equally applicable to all the in
habitants of said state.
The amendment was debated by Messrs.
Drake, Harlan, Howard, Thurman, Morton
and others at considerable length.
Several motions to adjourn were made and
voted down by from one to five majority.
Mr.. Drake protested against the attempt to
take advantage of some of the Senators by
forcing vote at this time upon the PROPOSE
ton he had He had charged that the SEN
ators having charge of this bill had gone
around to the friends of the measure and
induced them to remain while the opponents
of the bill had left the Chamber in such a con-
dition of affairs.
Several Senators remarked that the absen-
tees would return before the vote could be
had upon the bill.
Mr.. Wilson moved to adjourn, and said if
the motion was agreed to he would agree that
a vote should be taken tomorrow friday
at 4 O'Clock.
After some further discussion Mr.. Wilson's
motion was rejected by yeas % to nays 25.
Finally it was informally agreed and the
agreement stated fully and distinctly by the
Chair that the subject could be finally dis
posed of at o'clock tomorrow (Friday)
afternoon, when the Senate, at 6.25 p. NJ,
adjourned.
HOUSE. The League Island navy yard bill
was taken up.
The House has been for the last hour en-
tertained by a very spirited review of Mr..
Dawes speech on extravaganza by Mr.. Scho-
field of Penn. who intimated that MIR. Dawes
opposition to the League Island bill was
prompted by resentment against the republi-
can members from Penn. because they did not
prefer him for the Speakership.
Mr. Dawes characterized such imputatlon
as unworthy of any member.
A petition of % 900 citizens of Utah, pray
ing that Territory be admitted into the Union,
was presented and referred.
An animated discussion arose on the reso-
luton in which the question of the tariff and
free trade were debated with considerable
vehemence. The printing of the report be-
ing opposed by Messrs. Cook, Dickey, May
nard. McCurty, and Arnell, and favored by
Mr.. Brooks of New York.
Finally Mr.. Arnell of Tennessee, moved
to lay the resolution on the table and called
for yeas and nays. The House refused to
table the resolution yeas 81, nays l2S.
The House then asked the previous cues
ton, and Mr.. Laplan of New York having
an hour to close the debate, yielded portion
of that time to the members on both sides of
the question.
The printing of the report was further adj
vocated by Messrs. Munger, Randall, Cook,
Hagar, Field, Marseall, Peters, Logan,
Stinson, Styles, Moore of Illinois, and
Twitchell, and opposed by Messrs. Kelly,
Bailey, and Butler of Mass.
The House at 4.30 adjourned.