Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-25
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.

1 NO4NUhNAN'CfJ-O-
SENATE.
The House amendment to the Political
Disability Bill was concurred IN.
A Searching Inquiry.
Salisbury moved that the President be
asked for a copy of the commission or
authority issued to Gen. Ames as Pro-
yisional Governor of Mississippi.
RadicaIism Repudiatcs its Bant-
ling.
Mr. Williams offered resolution that to
add to the present irredeemable paper cur
rency of the country, would be to render
more difficult and remote the resumption
| of specie payment; to encourage and foster
! the spirit of speculation; to aggravate evils
| produced by frequent and sudden fuctua-
tions of values; to depreciate the credit Of
the nation andcheck the healthful tendency
Of legitimate business to settle down upon
a safe and permanent basis, and, therefore,
| in the opinion of the Senate the existing
volume of such currency ought not to be
increased. Agreed to without discussion.
Equal Rights.
The bill to secure to all persons equal
protection of laws In respect to life and
property, was considered during the
morning hour without action.
The GOrdian Knot.
The action of the admission of Senator
elect Revels of Mississippi, was postponed
at the suggestion of Mr.. Sherman, to ac-
comodate Messrs. Fepton and Patterson,
who desired to make speeches on the fund
ing bill, but were compelled to be absent
after to-day.
The Question of Funding.
Mr.. FentOn desired an amendment of
the present bill so as to authorize simple
bond at a per cent in the sum of
one thousand or twelve hundred millions,
not taxable by Federal State or local au-
thOrities, payable in not less than forty and
not more than fifty years and at the same
time retiring fve-twenty and ten-forty
bonds and effecting a gradual contraction
bya gradual ABSORPTION of greenbacks IN
new securities, which would result in the
resumption of specie payment
He believed the interests of the people
required positive reduction not only in
the nominal, but in the virtual rate of tax
alton. The system of taxation should also
be simplfed so it should apply to few
commodities andselect Injuries, rather than
the necessities of life.
After replying to the previous remarks
of Morton, Fenton said in conclusion that
he deemed the success of the funding
scheme desirable, although it would be, in
his Judgment, greatly improved by the
amendment he had indicated. 1t is desir-
able not only because it would involve
reduction Of interest but to decrease it
would put an end to the clamor which
threatens to violate the public faith and
impair the public credit.
Free hanks
Mr.. Patterson spoke upon financial top
les in which he showed the necessity of a
circulation which should either be gold or
redeemable in gold, and that there was
natural limit to such circulation; that it
was desirable to establish a system of free
banks, by funding greenbacks and gold
certificates, and also refunding the same
securities which are held for banks at rates
Of four and a half per cent
If loans were all negotiated there would
be the saving Of S34, 900, 600 annually Of
Government interest, and this placed as a
sinking fund would discharge the debt in
twenty-six years, and if the Government
put out 81. POO, 600, OG0 of loan, we should
save SIS, 900. 600, which would discharge
the debt in little over a generation. A
new loan might enable a reduction Of
taxation 500, 600, 600, which now consti-
tutes surplus revenue. He would not
recommend so sweeping a measure, but
thought it would he Just to relieve the in
dustry of the country to the extent of one
half Of that amount.
The OctarOOn.
The Mississippi subject was then taken
up, the question being upon the motion OF
Mr.. Stockton TO refer the credentials of Mr..
ReveIs to the Judiciary Committee.
Mr.. Salisbury supported the proposed
reference upon the ground entertained by
his political associates in the Senate,
that under the Constitution Mr.. Revels
was not eligible to a seat in the Senate.
Mr. Drake, during the remarks of Mr..
salisbury. made a statement that Revels
was neither a negro or a mulattO, but an
octaroon, and that he made the statement
out of compassion for the mental suferings
of his friend Salisbury upon the prOba-
bility of being compelled to associate in
the Senate with jet-black negro.
Disabilities.
Mr. Wilson asked unanimous consent to
enter a motion to reconsider the vote by
| which the House amendment in reference
to political disabilities was concurred in.
Mr. Fowler objected, and the motion
was deferred until tomorrow.
4 Question OF Color.
Mr.. Howard believed the proof of Rev
| els election conclusive, and that the only
| issue now was upon the acceptance or re-
| lection Of him on account of color. He
| Howard maintained that every person
| born in the United States, who has not
| been a slave, was a citizen. He would
| carry this doctrine so far as to assert that
| even a hlackman born a slave was to be
| held a citizen from his birth. The bred
| Scott Decision, in his opinion, had sunk
| into eternal deriSiOn and contempt.
Nj Williams remarked that Chief JUS
tice fancy expressly limited the bred
Scott Decision to those with pure African
blood in their veins, and whose ancestors
| had been sold as slaves 1t appeared that
| Revels was a man with large proportion
of white blood, and it followed necessarily
that some of his ancestors were not slaves.
| Upon the whole. in view Of all authorities,
legal and otherwise, Revels had always
been a citizen of the United States.
The Name OF Jeff. Davis Invoked.
Mr.. Cameron narrated the particulars OF
an interview between himself and Jeiter-
son Davis Just prior to the war, and before
the latter had left the Senate, during which
he declared to Mr. Davis his own convlc-
ton that slavery would cease from the mo
ment the first gun was fred upon the flag
Of the country, and that his (Davis) seat
would. some day, in the justice of God, be
occupied by a negro.
He considered the attempt of the Sena-
tor from Oregon to argue that this man
had more white than black blood in his
veins as unworthy of any Senator, in view
Of the great services of colored soldiers.
Without further action upon the subj eel
F the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.