Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-03-22
F0RTy-FIRST CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings,
TUESDAY, March o.


Also, from same COMMITTEES. I'm favor NJ ,ra.e
nitely postponing the resolution OF Mr. Ferrv
that hereafter all treaties for the anuex sficv ~
the entire territory Of any foreign Power ehan
| be considered in open Session. As the Senator
| from Connecticut was not row in his seat ne
(Mr. S. he would not now AK for action on the
| report Of the Committee.
Mr. Sherman. from the Committee on Finance
reported that the bill OF Mr.. Samnerto strength
en- the legal reserves and 10 promote return 90
| specie payments, be indefinitely postponed;
which report was concurred in.
Mr.. HamIin introduced bill to incorpor.t-
the American Union Academy OF Science and
Arts. .-.H
Mr. Wilson introduced bill In behalr OF inyen-
tcrs. Referred to Committee on Patents.
Er. Harlan, from Committee on Indian Az
fairs, reported with amendments bill To promote
the civilization, of the Indians and 70 prepare
them for the rights OF citizens.
Mr.. johnson introduced bill TO divide the
State of Virginia into two judicial districts.
Referred 20 Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. Anthony called up the resolution TO print
| 1900 copies Of the report OF the Special Com
mittee on the decline OF American commerce.
Mr.. Chandler opposed printing anything that
emanated from this committee. IL had resolved
itself into a travelling concern, and was going
about all last summer, and the only thing that
was worth finding out il had not as yet dlscoy-
cred, and that was that in the last nine years
the whole commerce Of the world had under
gone change. Now, outside of the United
States, no wooden vessels were built, but iron
which had greater capacity. and were more
tect their own wooden house, they might as well
bring in a bill TO protect q wooden Mandrake
against the horse-rakes, or to protect the sickle
against the reaper. This whole thing h q fraud,
is cheat. Ii is absurd that he was unwiil-
ing that the Senate should, even by printing
this hnmbug report, seem TO give countenance
10 it, When the subject properly came up, he
should give his views more st length.
Mr.. Wilson said the Senate did not commit
itself by ordering the printing OF this docnme nt
which was a matter OF courtesy only; and there
a Qal Of Nalu Ia ;-s.
ton I'M the report
Mr.. Hamlin argued in favor OF the principles
Mr.. Chandler said il was impossible for the
ip-buildeTs of Maine 10 compete with the ship
builders OF the old world where labor is 80
much cheaper; and he repeated that this report
was a fraud and cheat
After further discussion, the resolution 20
print vas adOpted-yeas 2s, nays IA.
Mr.. Conkling called up the adverse report OF
the Judiciary CoInmitte on the case OF Adelbert
Ames, Senator elect from Mississippi.
The report Of the Committee was read, con-
Guiding with the following:
Resoiced, That Adelbert Ames is not eligible
to the seat in the Senate TO which he has been
appointed.
MIR. Conkling said the conclusion to which the
committee had come was arrived At with great
reluctance, and there was not one member OF
the committee but regretted il; and had personal
feelings only been allowed to enter into the con-
siderauon OF his claim, the report would have
been different. He would nov say that the CON-
mittee were unanimous in their qualification in
feeling assured that now General Ames was eli-
Slble, and his constituents would now cheerfully
again return him to the Senate. The question
for the committee was whether Gen. Ames was
eligible at the time Of his appointment, dan
70 and that question the committee considered
il in an entirely impcrsOnal light: and the COM
mittee thought that every Democrat and every
Sbsst ss Re N no hi should vote th.
the political household that he is The Constitu
tlon requires that a person TO be eligible as .
Senator shall be an inhabitant OF the State
Tor which he is elected at the time when
elected. II il provided that he sbouId
be an inhabtant when he was admitted
the course OF the committee would have been
very plain and easy. Now the question was
whether General Ames was an inhabitant of the
State OF Mississippi on that day in January
when he was elected, and he (Mr c. would
prove that General Amcs was not an inha biz mt
at that time. Mr.. Z. then quoted from Webster
ana other leNlcographeTs as to the meaning of
the word " inhabitant'' contradistnguisbed
from the term " resident" He then read
from the proceedings of the constitutional
Convention that the committee. in report
ing on the qualifications of Senators, first
re- Tep9Tted that that he he s;nt .hoa,d ss rs.idsns"
The term resident" was struck out and ..iu
habitant' inserted, TO mean one who was COM
pletely identified with the locality. Mr.. G.
quoted from the case Of John Bailey. in the
House OF Representatives, in lS2s. Now, did
Gen. Ames 90 to Mis-, issippi with the intention
OF residing there: No; he was sent there by
superior authority. To proceed under orders
HoUSE.-Mr. Brooks, Mass. } from the Com
mittee on Elections, reported that Mr.. George
H. Booker, Representative from the Fourth
Virginia District, was entitled 20 his seat and
the case was made the special order ior March
3lst.
M. Poland, w.t. who had originally objected
TO Nj. Beokcrs admission, on the ground that
he could not take the oath required by law, Also
presented a preamble, setting forth Mr.. Book
ers disloyalty. and a resolution declaring HIM
nnf Arlfr lah m his A.
had falsely taken the test oath.
HE regular order OF business was demanded
and the House resumed consideration of the re-
port made on Thursday last by the Committee on
Mines and Mining reporting adversely upon the
bill TO repeal the Sd section Of the act OF july
1865, in relation TO the Sutro tunnel.
Welded 70 Mr.. Fitch (Nevada), who ADDRESSED
the House in favor OF the bill and against Mr..
Sutro's claim TO the royalty allowed by the sec
ton proposed TO be repealed. He denounced
the imposition of this ROYALTY as an outrage
upon the miners. and as calculated TO do great
injury to the mining interests Of the country.
1t was a burden OF which the miners of his
State and Of California wanted to be relieved,
and IL not relieved IL would afford an evidence
that the voice Of the lobbyist was more potent
here than the Representations OF the Represen-
tatives who were supposed 70 know what their
constituents needed. IL had been asserted
that the Bank Of California was behind this
bill; but in spite OF any allusion of that
character he would do his duty for what
he believed to be right and Just. In the time OF
the nations greatest need, when we ABSOLUTELY
required money, the Congress of the United
States had refused TO embsrrass the mining in
terests by tax TO raise revenue; and now it Vas
proposed to put q more crushing tax upon the
miners by compelling them to paw a ROYALTY to
Mr. Sutro. who had never complied with the
contract made with the miners in relation TO
the tunnel. Ii had been asserted that this vas
question between the miners and Mr. Sutro.
and one for judicial Investigation, but be de,
med this, and insisted that It was for the House
70 decide il.
Mr.. Ferriss On. " took the door in favor Of
the report OF the committee, and pending con-
siderstion the morning hour expired, and the
oalI went over until to-morrow.
The House then resumed consider alton Of the
bill reported some time ago from the Commit
tee on Territories in relafton TO Utah, and to
enforce the laws Of the United States against
polygsmy, and Mr.. ward IN. ~ addressed the 4
house in favor Of the bill. He went ovee the \
whole field Of the outrage and degradation Of /
polyosmy and conteDded that the moral senti- 4
nenf of the age demanded that Congress should \
enact some law that would put an end to the 4
practice. Mr.. Ward spoke sf ssme length In /
advocacy Of the bill
AxorHHR SrATnNAx PASSING AwAY.-Hon 4
George Ashman, who accidentally fell upop the /
Ire in Sprfp gneld, Mass, the place OF his resI-
depce. short time since, injured his hin thereby
and has been great sufferer ever since He ex- /