The New York herald., 1870-01-15
FoRTY-TIRsT CONGRESS-.
Second Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. IA, 1870.

Me-, for an appropriation Tor the support OF the
destitute poor Of Washington.
petition was presented by Mr.. SCOTT, (rep.) OF
Pa, from the Lehigh and Schuylkill region Of Penn.
sylvania, setting forth that the Special commits
sioner Of the Revenue In his report mad incorrectlp
estimated the cost OF the manufacture OF pig iroa.
Mr.. DRAKE, (rep.) OF NO., presented petition IN
favor OF the abolition Of the ranking privilege.
lie declared himself not only In favor OF the propo-
stion, but wished to incorporate with 1t another
reform by discontinuing the immense publications
OF public documents and thereby lcssening the ex-
pense OF the government.
BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. PRATT, trep) OF Ind, from theIJudiciary Com
mlttee reported favorably bill relative to the ac-
acknowledgements OF deeds In the District OF Columbia
Mr.. WILEY, rep.) OF w. Va, introduced bill TO
abolish the franktng privilege and establish letter
carrier system in cities OF 1000 inhabitants Referred
to the Committee on Post Oflces ana Post Roads.
Mr.. SCOTT offered a resolution requesting the Sec.
retary OF the Treasury to communicate to the Senate
information or data upon which the Special Com
missioner OF the Revenue had oased his statements
relating to the average cost OF the manufacture OF
American pig iron in the valley or the Cumberland
and anthracite regions OF Pennsylvania.
wHisKEY SEIZURES IN CALIFORNIA.
Mr.. Cole uep.l OF CAL, addressed the senate In
troduced by nm, setting forth the seizure in san
Francisco, last August OF 1000 barrels OF distilled
probabv Of their release by the internal revenue
authorities In Washington upon alleged er pa1t6
representations OF the owners, and nstructing the
Commissioner Of Internal Revenue to hold the said
spirits subject TO determination by the United states
courts. lie said that the seizure had beeh pro-
perry made by the San Francisco authorizes,
and tnar the subsequent recommendations
OF Supervisor Fulton, deputed to examine
insufficient examination ana under improper inilu-
ences. The liquor imported and stamped as high
wines, he said, had been shown by chemical analy.
mi
saccharne tmatter In justice 10 his constituency he
felt required to inter2ose nis protest against the
further fraudulent introduction OF distilled spirits
into California to the prejudice OF home produc-
tlon and home industry, and to the sole advantage
Of the wnskey rings OF Kentucky, Ohio and the East
He also criticised as an ndgnity to the community
there the action OF the officials, Fulton and Cowan,
recommendaion Of persons n to m Vacancies
the once Of Collector Of Internal Revenue
in inslead & OF dschargmg la the duties to- which
tlsatng the alleged frauds Of the Internal
Rete iue Department, he complained they had shown
mcompetency for satisfactory investigation by the
appointment OF incapable officers agents for that
purpose Instead OF institutlng Investigation on
tue spot far as he nad learned the only result OF
the Investigation by Supervisors Fulton ana CowaB.
sent out by the department, and whom he styled the
western whiskey emlssaries,n was the arrest OF
two small lads Tor selling matches without license;
this, top, in view OF the charges OF fraud and in-
iquity that had been made. He said the small dis.
tricG OF san Francisco had paid as much tax as the
whole ten metropolitan districts OF New York. lie |
read various correspondence on the subject OF the
to "A quarter OF Million
Mr. SHERMAN, rep.) OF Ohio, said that while the |
matter remained undecided fhe Commissioner |
labored under the smart OF implication upon his |
integrity. The Senator from California actuateJ by
strong feeling OF State pride, and to allow CaIor-
there had brought his case here; but tnat Senator
must know corn coud not be produced anywhere In |
the world so cneapy as in the Mississippi Valley |
aud, therefore, while California might produce an
article OF better quality sn0 could mol compete with
the former district In point OF quantity He justified
the course Of Commissioner Deano and said that upon
being informed that seizure had been made, not |
lor tue purpose 81 enforcing the revenue laws but
TO create Obstacles In the way OF commerce between
New York ana san Francisco, that tlat ollccr
promptly selected Mr.. Fulton, supervisor con-
nected with his Office whose ability was conceded,
not connected herewith, to go to SAP Francisco and
with the duties oi tIet appointment, and regStisd
the liquor to be us Ii purported-ordlnary whiskey
and therefore not liable TO cOnfscati0n. Upon one
hand the allegation was that 1t was rectiled whIs
able. lie thought the term "whiskey emissaresu
applied to the Internal Revenue Department un-
merted, and THAI the head oil that department. had
discharged all HIS obligations fully and faithfully.
THE Virginia BILL.
Mr. FERRY. trep.) of Conn.,, SAID that in the light
of the history or The past SIX months Virginia had,
with the utmost good alth, 80 far as the action or
Aer people at the polls was concerned done all that
tAe reconstruction laws required Whatever other |
Senators might do he would not by his ON vote,
violate the good faith III which he acted en-, by
imposing upon her the conditions precedent to
restoration, she was given to understand her rcstor
ton would be accomplished by complying with
those conditions. The bil!, as reported by the Ju-
dietary COMMITTEE proposed to carry out this pledge
and he would vote 1or it, He was opposed TO une
amendment OF Mr. Edmunds because Of its am
blguous character and the liability OF It's beilg
Inherently interpreted bclievlng that the present
events IN Georgia, where the G9vernqM was
exercising power equal to that OF the sd reign
OF England, and q military commission Was IN
session to decide upon the qualifications OF men,
bers Of the Legislature, should admonsh the Senate
OF the necessity OF great Caution TO prevent an apuse
OF power under Congressional legislation. He feared
the question really was whether, as a result OF war;
we are TO have hereafter great imperial republic,
exercising authority through the functions or the
central government in all parts of the land, or
whether some little semblance at least Of the old
system OF local sefgOvernment was to be preserved.
To assume that Virginia should be longer excluded
because the election IN that State mad not proved
satisfactory TO Congress as 1t might have been
would be unworthy tne self-respect Of the Senate.
MIR. HOWARD, (rep.) OF Mich said the only secu.
ry for Congress now was the positive enactment OF
an act to exclude and prohibit from seats in the yir
glnia Legislature all persons not entitled to them
under the fourteenth amendment. lie was surprised
10 hear from his republican friend from Connecticut
(Mr. Ferry the democratic argument that Con-
;ilisn. He considered such apprehenslons mere iilu
slons and believed there was nothing In the condl
ton OF Virginia which would justify Congress in
foregoing Such precautions as the circumstances re-
CURED He believed that State had learned the cost
and penalty OF the war against the Union; and II she
ever again reared her head in war against the ma
tional authority she would not have lett to her a
foot OF sol to stand upon.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Wiley to the
amendment OF Mr.. Edmunds was modified SO as to
read, ''that before any member OF the Legislature
shall take or resume MS seat or any officer OF sad
State shall enter upon the duties OF his Office he
shall take and subscribe TO the oatn prescribed
amendment"
Tne amendment was agreed to.
The Senate then voted upon the amendment OF
Mr. Edmunds as amended, winch was agreed to-
yeas 45 nays 13.
Mr. WILSON, (rep.) OF Mass, offered further
amendment imposing certain fundamental condl-
tons similar to the proposition reported by the
House Reconstruction Committee.
n. 1.,S
sition Congress would impose upon Virginia per-
petual prohibition from ever excluding from the
polls any person account of drunkenness or ina
bility to read and write. Under 1t that state could
not prevent drunkards, or persons OF infamous
character. wholly llterate aud incapable OF SUD-
scrlDing their names to an oath ito true deverance
make between the people and the prisoner ut the ba
from sitting jures; could persons OF different
color be separated in schools. lie submitted whether
the senate ready to determine ponce regulations
for Virginia, which, however oDnoXlous, should be
perpetual.
voc being taken OH Mr.. Wilson'S amendment
1t was not agreed to-yeas 23 nays IS.
MIR. DRAKE (rep) OF Mo-, offered an amendment