Evening star., 1870-01-11
CONGBHsIONAL
Ceaelusien Yesterday PreceeAau

C0nelusion Yssterday's RfoceeAlnUs.
for the admission Of Virginia being under com
Mr.. Howard said: Since the beginning of tAis
discussion friend had handed him statement
ture. In the Senate there were forty-Shree
members, thirty Of whom were CONSERVATIVES,
and twenty-five of these Conservatives could
not take the test oath. In the House of Dele
gates there were one hundred and thirty-eight
members, ninety-fve OF them being COnserva-
tives, and only eighty able to take the oath.
Ihs showed the Legislature to be overwhelm-
Mr.. Conkling read from the act of 1851, i'm
posing the test oath, and also from the recon
struction acts, which he claimed did not ex-
act it.
Messrs. Howard and Sumner took the contrary
view, maintaining that the test oath was clearly
prescribed by the reconstruction acts.
Mr.. Morton argued that the reconstruction
acts did not prescribe that the test oath should
be administered He wished that the test oath
WAS required, because he had from the first
been in favor Of having these States entirely re-
organized by loyal men, but that had not been
done. He made the broad point that the whole
spirit of the reconstruction acts allowed every
rebel who was not disqualified by the third sec
ton Of the fourteenth amendment to take part
in reconstruction. The mere fact that a man
had been rebel did not disqualify him.
Mr. Wilson moved to postpone the further fur
theI consideration Of the bill until Thursday
Mr. Sumner insisted that time had not been
oneredfor proper examination OF this subject.
III TINS Dill was not postponed the people of Vir-
ginia would be sacrificed-a people historic in
our annals.
Mr.. Stewart asked for action to save the honor
Of Congress, to save the fifteenth amendment,
which the Senator Mr.. Sumner) voted against.
vote for it.
Mr.. Stewart.-These people have done every
thing. What have they done that they shouid
not be admitted? We are playing the old game
now that the South played before the war; Thev
tried how not to do it. how to exasperate the
people Shall we be charged with doing the
Mr.. Drake could see no occasion for any hot
haste in passing this bill, and did not see how
any faith could be broken If it was not passed
poniHg the bill He had an amendment to in
sertSa proviso that should the Legislature of
said said state at any time hereafter assume to
scind or withdraw its ratification of the fifteenth
anne mendment, such attempted action shall oper-
ate to prohibit any further representation of
such state In Congress, and shall reduce it to
ceding the passage of this act. He said the first
voice had come from New York, resembling its
assent to the fifteenth amendment The Demo-
every State Legislature that they get control of
viii withdraw its assent; and he did not intend
that these rebel States should have the power
The bill was further debated by Messrs.
Warner, Wiley, Stewart, Sawyer, Wilson, and
Fowler, until O'Clock p. m. when the Senate
~ent INTO executive session, and shortly there
after adjourned.
HOUSE.-After our report closed
Mr. Beck, (ky.,) from the Committee on Ap-
PropIiat;lons. reported bill making an annual
Academy at West Point. The bill appropriates
Sl3,oCO for the purpose specified.
MIR. Kelsey, On. w. from the same committee,
reported bill appropriating $50 900 900 for the
payment OF pensions for the fiscal year ending
June so, 1872.
Both these bills were made the special order
for Thursday.
Mr.. Asper (Mo.) introduced bill to provide
Tor the gradual increase of national CURRENCY
and the retirement of United States Treasury
notes. The bill proposes an increase of the
national currency notes to $500 900 900, to be
proPortoned among the several States and
Territories. To secure the withdrawal of the
United states Treasury notes the Secretary of
the Treasury Is authorized to direct 30 per cent
duties to be paid in United States Treasury
notes, which are TO be cancelled and no new
notes to be issued in their stead To further
provide for the retirement of the notes. the Sec
retary is authorized to issue bonds payable in
per cent. coin interest.
Mr.. Prosser (Tenn.) introduced a bill the
preamble Of which sets forth the necessity for
education, and states that the proportion OF IL
hterate population is steadily increasing to an
alarming extent. The Commissioner of E,luca-
ton is directed to cooperate with any State,
territory, county, municipal or local Organiza-
ton in establishing and maintaining public
sCHoVir, prONlutu sucn organization guaran-
tees 10 pay one-half of the expense, and are un-
able to pay the whole. The bill transfers to the
Department Of Education all that portion of the
Bureau of Freedmen, Refugees and Abandoned
Lands pertaining TO education, and all moneys
held in trust for the education of the Indian
tribes, and all moneys hereafter appropriated
Tor that purpose. The bill further provides that
all schools established by the Government shall
be under the charge of the Department of Ed
ucation. and 1t apprOpriates for the current fiscal
wear ending June 80, 1871, the following sums
For building, enlarging and repairing school
houses, SS00,OO0; for books. school apparatus,
&c, $50 ,00O for salaries of inspectors superin-
the Indian tribes. S4Go 900. Referred to Com
mittee on Education and Labor.
Mr.. MOrr1ll (Me.) presented bill providing
that the second and third sessions of each Con-
gress shall commence hereafter at II O'Clock III.
on the nrst Monday of January, annually, in
0therwise ordered by law. Referred to the Ju-
dietary Committee.
Also, the following, which as referred tn the
civil Service Committee: That no person NOT a
citizen of the United Stats shall hereafter he
appointed to any Office or clerical position therc-
States, and any person not citizen of the said
states now holding office or position shall be
sImmarily discharged therefrom.
MI. Hoar presented a bill providing that
whenever the widow of deceased officer or
soliier shall hereafter have forfeited her PEN
SION by marrying again, the dependent mother,
father, or other relative Of such officer or sol.
cier shall from the date OF such remarriage be
entitled to such pension as he or she would have
zen entitled to II there had been no widow.
Referred TO Committee ON Invalid Pensions.
House bill No. 220, which provides for
change OF the mode in the payment of pensions
was taken up. Pending discussion, and without
NDfV 70 l..