The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-15
Rumored Issue between the President
and the Secretary Of the Treasury.
tBy associated Press.l
CONGRESSIONAL.

[By associated Press.l
Congressional.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.-House.-Tbo re-.
solutions of the National Board of Trade
for the improvement Of the Louisville ca.
nal, the improvement of the mouth of the
Mississippi river, and the prevention Of
bridges obstructive to navigation, were pre-
sented to-day.
A resolution for q Worlds Fair at Phila-
delphia in 1876 was introduced. ..-.
The House considered the bill for ga
full and general grace and amnesty, and
oblivion Of all wrongful acts, doings, or
omissions of persons engaged in the war of
toe late rebellion" The exceptions are as
follows: Persons educated at West Point
or Annapolis, members Of either House of
the Federal or Confederate Congress, heads
of Federal executive departments, judges
| of Federal or Confederate courts, members
of conventions who voted for or signed or.
dinances of secession, Governors Of States
that were In rebellion. Confederates who
treated cruelty or otherwise than according
| to the usages of war Federal prisoners,
persons entrusted with funds which they
have not accounted for. all deserters and
bounty.jumpers.
The property exceptions are as follows
All property wherein the United States
or third parties have become vested by sale,
forfeiture. or confscation. and lands used
now or heretofore for Federal cemeteries.
Every right Of action and liability arising
under any law, ordinance, or contest in aid
of rebellion, shall be deemed invalid.
Mr.. Butler reported the bill, and in eX-
PLANTATION OF it said that it was drawn nutdtis
mutandis from the amnesty bill passed by
the English Parliament after the Scotch re-
bellon of 1T45. He quoted from the pre-
| ambe and body of the act, and referred to
the exceptions i'll it, among which were all
persons by the name of McGre2or and all
who had been In favor of having the French
army invade Great Britain. He said he
wished that the state Of the country was
such that all Of the exceptions could be
struck out, but such was not the state Of
the country.
The bill swept out everything that had
been done wrong on one side as well as on
the other. He said that no more suits could
be brought for acts done during the war,
either by those who warred against the
United States or by those who warred in
it's behalf. It threw the mantle of charity
over all. The bill excepted the leaders OF
the rebellion, but why should they not be
excepted? They had played for empire,
and lost, and should now take the penalty
of the loss. 1t would be seen that the first
exception only applied to those military
and naval officers OF, the United States who
had received their education at West Point
or Annapolis, and did not apply 10 officers
who had not been so educated.
AS to the provision referring to national
cemeteries, he said he thought 1t time after
hearing eulogy in the Senate on General
Lee that the idea that these cemeteries could
be in any way tempered with should be put
an end to. If the Union soldiers did any
thing during the war they certainly con-
quered land enough to be buried in. He
wanted this bill passed flor no other reason
| than that this question might be settled for
ever. An objection had been made to the
bill that it was not general amnesty. He
WAS not the most forgiying of men, and he
trusted that he was not the most vlndic-
tive. He could remain nnforgiving so long
as his neighbor, and he could forgive an
honorable opponent quite as early as his
neighbor; but when he Gid forgive he for.
gave all over, and when he did not forgive
! he remembered all over.
| Mr.. Lawrence asked how many persons
the bill would relieve.
Mr.. Butler replied that it would relieve
everybody in the South who was under le-
| gal trouble or veXation. 1t would relieve
every man who held post-otiice, or was
sheriff or constable before the war, and had
taken an oath to support the Constitution
As to the excepted clauses, all they had to
do was to come to Congress hereafter and
petition for the removal Of their disabli
ties.
MI. Beck, of Kentucky, offered substi
tute tor the blu removing the disabilities Of
IaIlpersons who participated In the rebel
lion, eXcept-trst, those educated ut West
Point or Annapolis second, ex-members
Of the Federal Congress; third, persons
who were heads Of the executive depart
ments of the United States, or Ministers
tIenipotcntiary, or Ministers resident, OF
Judges of any court of the United States.
MIR. Farnsworth offered substitute fol
the whole bill, as follows: 49,.
"That I'LL disabilities imposed by the 30
section of the 14th amendment Of the Con
stitution are hereby removed"
MIR. Bingham moved substitute for the
first section OF Mr.. Buffers bill removing
the political disabilities of all persons e1
cept such as were members of the Unltec
States Congress in the years 1860 or 1861, OF
were, in either OF such years, officers OF the
army or navy, heads Of departments
Judges, and Ministers of the United states
and also except all persons who, in viola
ton of the fourteenth amendment, have
| held Office since the 1st of June, 1870.
MIR. Butler announced his purpose te
have the vote taken on the bill 1T 3 O'Clock
Mr. Beck opposed the bill. he said that
he would have offered such substitute q:
that offered by Mr.. Farnsworth, but he
feared the House might not be prepared to
vote for q general removal of disabilities
but might vote for bill In which certain
classes were excepted. If Mr. FarnsWorth'i
substitute was not adopted, he hoped hi
would be. He argued that nlne-tenths o
! the matter in the bill was matter over which
the Reconstruction Committee had no Ju
/ risdiction, but belonged properly to the
Judiciary Committee; and he feared
that if the bill were passed by sim
ole majority that it would be contended
that it was valid in reference to all The
subjects in it That did not require o two
thirds majority, while with regard to thu
removal of political disa bilities it would no
he valid. instead of being bill granting
general amnesty it was one of pains ant
penalties, and making odious diserimina
ltiops. He had never seen bill that wa
further from carrying out the objects whicf
it professed to carry out. 1t added lnsu.
to injury, lie believed that the hepubn
can party and the Republican press desired
! to have general amnesty, anu that part!
7 had lost State after State by Congress re
fusing TO pass such bill, ann it would con
II tinue to lose State after State so long
Congress maintained that position.
4, Mr.. Potter, OF Wisconsin, adVocaIau In
adoption OF MI, FarnsWortRs substitute