Evening star., 1870-02-11
EVENING STAR.
CONGREssIONAL
Conclusion Yesterday Preceedinss.

SENATE After our report closed-the Mis-
EsiPpi bill being under consideration
Mr. Stewart made some remarks in opposition
to tHseting conditions, and then referred TO the
statement made by Mr.. Sumner during the
debate on the Virginia bill that he Mr.. Sumnerl
Was the author of the colored suffrage clause in
the first reconstruction act. This statement he
tNr. stewart denied, and proceeded to read
from the proceedings at the time to show that
MFR. Bingham of the House, was the first member
II Congress who proposed to incorporate colored
Suffrage III the reconstruction acts; and Mr..
Bingham had informed him that Mr. Sumner
never suggested the matter TO him.
WI Sumner begged the Chair TO notice that
he had been no volunteer in these personalities.
He had not attacked the Senator from Illinois.
(Mr. TTumbull,) Dsr the Senator from Nevada.
(Mr. Stcwart.) nor had he yesterday attacked
the Senator from New York, (Mr. Conkling)
Mr. : then had read from the desk his speech.
lie then said no statement in il had been con-
tIoveIted- He had said it was on his motion
that the cOlored suffrage clause was incorpo-
rated in the reconstruction bill, and the Senator
MI. Stewart had not said word to call thu.
statement in question. God forbid that he (Mr.
Sumner) should ever attempt to take one iota
of the credit due to his associates of this or the
other HOUSE in this great controversy. He (Mr.
y hCSitated To reopen this matter. but il was
due to himself. He then read from resolutions
relative 20 the disposition To be made OF the
rebel States, introduced by him in January,
1871 which he said was the beginning OF recon-
>truction. He also read from resolutions of simi
Var import introduced by him from time to time.
lie also read from numerous letters written and
received by him, showing that upon the death
of President Lincoln he had Iabored to impres;
upon Mr.. johnson the necessity Of adhering to
the Congressional reconstruction policy and
in>uring the enfraDchi-ement of the cOlored
race at the SOuth. as the only means of future
tranquility. He said Mr.. johnson, shortly after
his accession to the Presidency, had assured
him that his (-IohnsOn'Sl views upon recOnstruc-
tIOn exactly coincided with his own, and upon
the faith OF this assurance he MIR. Sumner)
returned 20 his home; but upon the President
proving recreant, he had written to warn him
Of the danger OF his threatened course and the
evil consequences to result from il. Mr.. ). fur
ther read from his speeches at various times on
the same subject. tending to show, a. he de
clared, that his claim WAS we'll founded when he
asserted that he Was the author OF col0red suf-
fT5gr.
Mr. sherman said all this personal controversy
vas not pertinent at all 10 the subject under dis
cu>slOn. AMI II was very immaterial. He was
convinced that no one could deny to MIR. Sum-
ncr consistent, earnest, and early advocacy of
Tie rights OF the eolored man. Why should that
Senator take up an hour OI the valuable time of
the Senate in the useless task Of defending his
record on this subject. lie (Mr. 81 thought
there would have been just a. much necessity
for George Washington to have defended him
self from a charge of disloyalty to the Colonies
as there il nos in the Senator from Massachu-
setts defending his record the subject of
equal rights.
Mr.. Stewart again criticised the remarks of
Dir. Summer. He said 10 one denied the earnest
advocacy of that Senator of human rights in the
abstract, but where Is his legislation. He is a
grand theOrist; there are his pamphlets but they
are not statutes. All his theories require a man
OF more practical brain to put them into effect.
There has hardly been a Senator here for the
last five years that has not more of his work on
the statute books than the Senator from Massa-
chusetts.
Mr.. Drake would only saw that every Senator
here to-day must feel that this is one of the days
OF the S'natc's degradation.
Mr. Thurman said one strange revelation
brought out to-day was, that these recOnstruc-
tion acts involving such great political ques-
tiOns, were decided, not in a constitutional body.
but in n party caucus. Was the fifteenth amend
ment decided in the same way; that amendment
which did not enfranchise one of the many
thousands now deprived nj the ballot in West
Virginia and in Missouri; and did it mean that
a man with white skin cannot vote, and a man
with a black skin can?
Mr. Trumbul sand the Senator from Massa-
chusetts had three times made an incorrect as
sertion in regard To him, (Mr- L, asserting that
he Mr. III was first to last the persistent enc
my of reconstruction. From first To last there
= not one act on the subject of reconstruction
that he Ar. t. had not voted for. In the face
Of this how could the Senator from Massachu-
who had himself net voted for some of these
acts The Senator had also reiterated his asser-
lions relative to the action of the judiciary Com
'mittee on the Virginia matter, after re Mr. T..
mad denied them. and his denial had been cor
rObOTated by both Mr.. COnkling and Mr.. Car
Ienter-
Mr.. Sumner said the Senator (Mr. TrumbulD
reminded him Of a sich man lying on an uneasy
bed, and there he should let him lie. He would
nov ask tHc Senator from MlSSOurl whether,
the remark he had made a short time ago, he
alluded 10 him. (Nr. S.?)
MIR. Drake said his remark had no personal
application; he meant the thing itself, these per-
sonal controversies, which he thought were only
to degrade the Senate ~ the United States in
the eyes CT the whole country.
The Senate then adjourned.
Hot SE.-After our report Closed
On motion of Mr.. Dawes. (Mass, > the House
resolved itself into Committee of the Whole
and resumed consideration OF the Legislative
Appropriation bill. the pending question being
upon the paragraph in relation 10 the Capitol
police
After discussion, Mr.. Negley's amendment 10
increase the compensation was rejected.
Dir. Butler moved To strike out 800 900 for
mileage OF members
MIR. Fitch said that tie members from the Pa
chic coast. against whom the amendment was
leyeleJ. had no opportunity TO transact any
other business. His friend from Nassachusetts
thr- Butlrr) could he away couple of weeks.
and 60 10 Boston andtry "A lawsuit. Laughter
NJ lngerson (ln-) advocated Mr.. Buffers
rC>oiutlOn- and the House should set exanpln
of etOnCmy by reducing its own income. Ha
was not only in favor of reducing mileage, but
alsO of the salaries of members.
Mr. Kelley Pa said these period iical ATTEMPTS
To reduce the salaries of members was mere
buEc, nlbe.
Mr.. Farnsworth OIl) agr eed with the views
expressed by Mr.. Kelley, and in the course OF
his remarks he said that Mr.. Butler could we'll
afford 10 dispense with his mileage a. he made
good deal OF money outside, (allIdIny tJ his
MI. LaiiiH n. Y } said that when the bill in
cTeasin9 The pay was passed there was one III
Jcrity IN its favor. BY reference to the pI05e
be found that the gentleman from Illinois N r.
inser>olll voted in the affirmative. The gentle
man i therefore responsible for the passage OF
the bill. tGreat laughter
MT. insersOH replied that times had now
changed Were circumstances now "a they
were when the bill passed, he should not vote
iOr decrease. At that time times were. be tier
ara there was more money in the country
MS irnark produced roars of laughter on the
fCor and in the galleries.
MI Cox y. J thought this was the largest
't bate ON the smallest matter he had ever seen
IN The House. Ii was saving of candle ends
ahd cheese parfHgs, while more weighty matters
were PASSED over. lie yesterday introduced a
resolution calling upon the Secretary OF the
Navy Tor Information, which would have demon
Straied TO the House where the large expendi-
lures occurred; this was objected to by gentle
me N on the other side Of the House. and by the
friends OF the gentleman from Massachusetts
tHT- butler- who had come over to honor him
tNr- toN} with his attention and presence and
nc sas sensible of the honor conferred. IMr
Entler was at this time standing ON the Demo-
cratic side, within few feet Of Mr.. Cox.l Mr.
Cox, continuing his remarks, said the gentle
man irOni Nevada Mr.. Fitch had accused
The gentleman from Massachusetts OF leaving
his seat and place in the House and ccips
Esmc 10 attend TO his professional dIities
He proposed to defend the gentIennan trom
Ia>saC husetts. He Mr.. Butlerl would not 90
away. but was always here when there was s3y
trouble. tLarghterl The gentleman wanted
IA.