Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-04-06
Our Washington Letter.


u unA~NNi luNiAt7N w WV N"l''Nt.'' '''N '''''
SIGN of Texas, the announcement of the ratiiica
ton Of the fifteenth amendment, and the long
able and somewhat acrimonious debate upon the
admissions Of General Amcs rs Senator from Mis-
sissippi, have conspircd to MI the galleries o
Congress with interested spectators, and to iurn'
ish the newspapers with abundant subjects loi
comment.
Senator Sherman succeeded, by the exercise oil
much legislative ingenuity, in getting the Texas
Bill taken out Of the hands Of the Judiciary Com
mittee Of the Senate and on Wednesday, by a
combination Of strategy and force, he drove every
thing that stood before it OIL the track or showed
it forward. As soon as the bill was reached, it
was promptly passed, and the Senators elect
Messrs Hamilton and Flanagan sworn in,
and took their seats upon the republican side
Upon being returned to the House, the amend
mcnt Of the Senate, striking out the proyiso at
tached 10 the bill in the House, was promptly
concurrcd in, and the bill passed by vote Of 1871
10 80. This proyiso, which was attached 10 the
| bill by Mr.. Bingham Of Ohio, was b. the effect
that nothing contained in this bill of rc-admission
should affect the conditionupon which Texas was
originally admitted into the MON One of these
conditions was that Texas might be- subdiyided
| into four States, irberqH RGrry dopd stjV.
| The judiciary Committee Of the Senate construed
the effect of the Bingham proyiso to be such that
it might hereafter be claimed that this clause in
the act Of rc-ndmission, had rccstablished sln-
very in Texas, or in the future States into which
it might be divided As it could -ubserye no use
fW purpose, and might he the fruitful occasion Of
future trouble, it was stricken out which action
was concurrcd in hy the House
As soon as the State was declared entitled TO
admission, Mr. Paine tof wisconsin,, chairman
of the Committee ON Elections reported that the
credentials Of the four members elect from Texas
were regular in form, and that they were there
upon prima flcie entitled to their seats
Mr. Shank. GOT lndiana) objected to one OF the
members, Mr. John G.. Conner, taking his seat
until bis case had been fully Investigated upon
its merits, and reported upon by the Committee.
Aside from the fact that his seat was contested,
Mr. Shanks proceeded to lay before the House a
most damaging array Of charges against Capt,
Conner. lie explained that the family OF the
gentleman in question resided in his district
and that few years ago he appointed him as a
cadet 10 the naval school at Annapolis, from which
institution he was dishonor,bly dismissed Sub
sequenty his friends procured him an appoint
ment as captain in the army, in which capacity
he was sent 10 Texas Here, according 10 Mr.
Shanks, he soon became the worst outlaw in the
State, not only melting and encouraging the re-
bellious feeling in the State, but treating the sol
ders under his command with the most revolving
and fendsh cruelty A1ilayis were read, show
that Capt Conner had inflicted such terrible
punishments upon the col5rcl soldiers Of his com
pany that many Of them had been mamed and
crippled thereby for life Flogging his men upon
the bare beck with raw hide, until the skin was
cut from the desh, was the lighteSt punishment
inflicted for the most triliug offences. The ani-
dayits further detailed the sckeuing particulars
OF other terrible forms of punishment, which an
executor Of the t,mnd lnquistion would have re-
yoted from inhicting. Other ahdayts showed
that according 10 his own b1astiul admissions
made in some Of his campaign speeches, in which
he gave it as the result Of his experience that
the lash was the only argument that the MINER
could comprehend, he had declared that be had
escaped conviction by court-martial, by bribing
his victims not to testify against him. II one
half of Mr. Shanks' charges are true, saint Dom
mac or Torquameda would blush 10 own him as
an associate
During tae discussion that cusued, Gen But
Ter, lngersoll and others sustained the motion OF
Mr. Shanks, which was opposed by the members
of the Election Committee, on the ground that
this was not the time for tie House To enquire
into the personal qualifications Of the members
elect, but that the presentation of the proper ere
dentials carried with it the pr,ampfou which
for the present was conclusive, that the party had
been regularly elected and was personally quail
fed. The House Sustained this view. and Capt.
Common, with the others, came forward and WIS
sworn in. Immediately upon taking the oath be
obtained the floor for the purpose Of pers1 NAL ex.
PLANTATION, when instead Of denying the charge-
made by Mr.. Shanks, he proceeded to arrigu his !
motive in making them. Turning upon Batter, /
he informed the Speaker chat it was has deliberate
opinion that the gentleman from Massachusetts. .
had mistaken his calling, and that he would have
succeeded much better as a low comedian which
was no doubt intended to utterly annihilate the
General but which didn't
Capt Conner is the youngest looking member
ever seen upon the a)or Of Congress, being only
twenty-five years of age, and booking much
younger,
The debate on the admiSsibiiity OF Gen. Amc,
rs Senator from Mississippi, which had occupied
much time in the Senate, was closed By his ad-
mission TO his seat on Friday, By vote of 10 10 I2
The judiciary Committee had reported against
his admission, on the ground that he was not
-eSideHf Of Mississippi at the time Of his election.
n the sense contemplated by the Constitution. 49,
This report Mr.. Sumner moved to amend, by strik
ng out the word not, " 80 as to make il read
that Adellert Ames IS eligible to the seat. etc.
Shich was finally adopted by the senate as above
'ated-the Judiciary Committee all voting in the
negative. This act completed the restoration oil
Mississippi and Texas, and Immediately thereupon
he President transmitted special message To
congress, accompanying the official proclamation
y the ratification OF the fifteenth amendment -
inns message Is the most remarkable document
ver issued by Gen. Grant and will live side Inv
lde with the Declaration OF Independence and the
emancipation Proclamation It's golden sentences
Deserve to he inscribed upon our walls in letters Of
,od as the old Caliphs Inscribed the f,yorite ex-
'reSsions Of the Prophet or better still il shoud
'e read and remembered by every citizen Of the {
United States, and its spirit incorporated into our
avs and our institutions.
On order that the rights conferred by this ex.
ension OF our Magma Charta" may not be
'ept or uken by fraud or force, from those upon
whom they are conferred, Senator Morton intro
uced in the Senate on Friday hill providing.
" That II any person shall prevent hinder control or
nlmuae, or shall attempt TO prevent hinder control
ntlmidate any person from enjoying or In exercls
ng Tue right or suffrage 10 whom the light Of suffrage is
ecured or guaranteed by the anecnth amendment To
ne Constitution OF the United States by means of brlb
~ threats or threats OF depryng such person OF en-
or occupation or Of electlng such person from
ented house, lands other property or hy threats Of
eusng 20 renew leases or contracts for labor or by
Tending shall be deemed guilty Of inisdeneanor and
pom convection thereof shall be imprisoned for not lees
han sixty days nor more than six months and fined in
ny sum not less than five hundred dollars nor more
han one thousand dollars,
SEC. 2 That II any person shall hinder delay pre-
cut W o1.truet or attempt To hinder delay prevent
oustIuct any person from voting at any Presidential
congressional state, county town, municipal eec, a
ION IN any state Territory district account of