Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-05-18
Congress.

In the Senate Thursday Mr.. Wilson's sub
stitute for the House Army bill was amended
and passed
In the House the bill to revive American
Commerce was debated Considerable pro
gress was made with the Tariff bill. In the
evening session bill defining the duties of
pension agents was passed.
In the Senate, Friday, May Is, Mr.. Sum
ner introduced bill supplementary to the
Civil Rights bill, to secure " equal rights =
for negroes on railroads and steamboats,, and
in hotels, theaters, common schools, colleges,
churches, juries, &c. Mr.. Sumner said that
when this bill should become law he knew
OF nothing further necessary in the way of
legislation for equality in this republic An
interesting debate the woman question
arose during the consideration of the Appro-
priation bill. Mr.. Trumbull proposed an
amendment making the pay of female clerks
in the departments equal to that of male
clerks Several Senators spoke in favor of
the amendment, but Mr.. Williams of Oregon
opposed it, because the men had families to
support, which the women had not, and Mr.
Cragin opposed it because the female clerks
were sick and absent from duty half of the
time. The subject was not disposed of The
House of Representatives went ahead with
the Tariff bill in committee, and figured over
the duties on flour, wheat, fruit, and vege-
tables. The tariff on potatoes was raised
to IS cents per bushel, to protect New Eng
land against the competition of New Bruins
wick.
Neither House was in session Saturday.
The features of the Congressional proceed
ings Monday was the virtual dismissal of the
Tariff bill for this session. Mr. Schenek,
the father of the bill, yielded to Mr.. Dawes,
who desired to make a motion to 90 into
he
Mr.. Dawes went further, and moved that all
prior orders be postponed until after the dis
oussion and passage of the appropriation
bills now before the committee. This was
carried by vote of ayes 90, nays IL. The
Senate passed another bill giving away the
peoples domain to a railroad corporation in
Minnesota. Mr.. Stewards bill to enforce
the fifteenth amendment led to debate, in
which Messrs. Stewart, Morton, Vickers,
Thurman and Ferry participated.
The House passed the Judiciary Commit
tees bill to enforce the fifteenth amendment
Mr.. Schenck from the Committee on WAYS
and Means, reported bill to reduce internal
taxes. Ii proposes a reduction of thirty-three
millions on internal taxation, but retains
the income tax at the old rate of FIVE per cent.
Mr.. Cox offered resolution to instruct the
Reconstruction Committee to report bill
for general amnesty forthwith. MIR. Randall,
to test the feeling of the House, moved to
table it, and his motion was defeated by yeas
81, nays Sc. The resolution was referred.
In the Senate Tuesday the 18th Amend
ment bill came up in order. Senator Ferry
proposed a modification of his amendment,
the purpose ofwhich he stated to be to prevent
creating any further disabilities than now
existed He asserted that the Republican
party of the north were in favor of removing
political disabilities The entire Republican
press of New York, with its mighty influence
ind circulation, were in favor Of the pending
bills on the subject. Senators Morton, Saw
Ier and others spoke.
Senator Revels having been called upon,