Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-17
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.

| WASHINGTON. Feb. l6-HoUse bill to
! provide for furnishing artificial limbs to
disabled soldiers was discussed and amend
ed by extending its provisions to soldiers
| of the Mexican war; Other amendments
were offered but not agreed to or not
acted upon. including proposition by Nr.
Edmunds to strike from the bill the sec
| ton providing for Communication in money,
which was rejected by q against 81. The
bill was then laid aside, and the consid-
Grafton of the Mississippi bill recalled.
mississippi and China
MIR. Gates said that in justice to himself
and high appreciation of the Senator of
Wisconsin, Mr.. Carpenter, he voluntarily
withdrew whatever of personal character
was contained in his recent reply to that
Senator's position. Referring to Chinese
question, he said the. greatness and glory of
our Government would be further Illus
trated by extending to the Chinese and their
religion the same liberation and freedom en-
joyed by all races and religions under the
protection Of the Government.
Mr., Stewart madea arraigument against
the constitutional power of Congress to i'm
pose unwarranted conditions upon Missis-
sippi. In reply to the question by Mr..
Edmunds, Mr. Stewart said he did believe
the condition prohibiting any change of
the Constitution of Mississippi in the pre-
sent provision for school rights and privi-
leges for citizens of the United Ssates was
constitutional.
Mr. Edmunds inquired upon
what ground the Senator voted for
the same condition IN the case Of Virginia,
if he believed it unconstitutional.
Mr. Stewart said he was anxious to put
Mississippi in the Union, and would vote
for this bill TO admit her, with conditions
in it; though he did not believe that Con-
gress had any constitutional power to i'm
pose such conditions.
Mr.. Wiley said he opposed the condi-
tons upon Virginia, but after they were
imposed, voted tor the bill containing
them. If the Senator from Vermont (Mr.
Ednunds) and others, acting with him,
thought there was an improperly on the
part of those who opposed the conditions
upon Virginia as unconstitutional, and af-
terward voted for the bill, he (Willey)
would rtlievo himself of any charge of in
consistency, and stand fairly on the obi
cations Of his official oath by moving re
peal of the action Of the Senate.
He there fore submitted an amendment to
repeal so much of the Virginia act as de-
olared the State admitted to representation
upon certain fundamental conditions there
in expressed.
Mr.. Morton asked why if the Senator
desired to be consistent he did not include
all States which were admitted on condi-
tons
Mr. Wiley said the pledge of Congress
had been aiven to admit the late rebellious
States to representation upon their doing
certain things. Mississippi and Virginia
had complied with all these requirements,
while the pending bill in its very inception
declared Mississippi to have republican
government; therefore, conditions to make
her government republican were superhuous
Mr.. Edmunds denied that Congress had
ever entered into any bargain to construct
any State upon certain conditions. He
proceeded to review the subject in detail,
referring to what were called admonitions
and threateningso of popular storms of which
New England had been warned to take
heed. He sand the principles upon which
the institutions of that section were es-
tablished could never be overthrow, and
that wisdom of her belief in the power of
the Government to preserve in peace what
it had maintained in war would be idicated
in future.
Motions for an executive session, and to
adjourn, were defeated, the former by one
and the latter by two votes.
Joseph =. Fowler.
Mr.. Fowler then addressed the Senate
against the power of Congress to impose
conditions. Adjourned.