The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-02-02
Congressional.
CONGRESS-.
CONGRESS.
Butler, Bingham and FarnsHOrth.
WASHINGTON, January "a 1870.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

A large number of bills We're introdue-
ed
Mr.. DAWES, from the Committee on
Appropriations, reported the legislative,
executive and Judicial appropriation bill;
1t was ordered printed and made the special
order for Wednesday next.
Mr. DAWES stated to the House that
the figures composing the bill compared
with the estimates, and that there were
several legislative provisions IN the bill
rendered necessary IN order to cut OIL
'abuses. He moved to suspend the rules
so that an order should be made that the
usual point of order cannot be made
against those provisions in committee Of
the whole. After considerable discussion
the motion was agreed to.
The House then proceeded to business
on the Speakers table as follows: The
reply of the General of the army to call
for information in Mr.. Brooks resolution
as to authority of certain military officers
acting as a committee of elections IN the
Georgia Legislature, stating that they are
not acting as snch committee, but as a
board outside of the Legislature to assist
General Terry in the execution Of his most
unpleasant office and duties imposed on
him by act of Congress.
Mr.. BROOKS addressed the House on
the subject, contending that the military
authorities had no power whatever to in
terfsre with the organization of the Legis-
lature of Georgia. 1t was an entire as
sumption on the part Of General Terry and
his subordinates, and was utterly lawless.
Governor Bullock had introduced q rail-
road master, who had not been elected
to any legislature, to preside over the
Legislature He hoped he was not mis-
informed in being told that General Sher-
man and General Grant were about send
ing special messenger to Georgia TO cor
rect these illegal proceedings.
Mr.. MORGAN protested against these
accumulative acts of usurpation, not
only on the part of Congress but on the
part of the Executive.
Mr.. BUTLER, of Massachusetts,, defen-
ded the Executive and General Terry. He
said General Terry had only done what
General Meade had done on the first or
ganization of the Georgia Legislature
undertaken to find what members were
eligible That was authorized by all the
reconstruction act.
Mr. BROOKS asked Mr. Butlerto point
to the acts giving such authority.
Mr.. BUTLER said he was ready to give
all that information on the principle of
the carpenter, testifying in court, who was
asked how far he was from the place where
| the incident occurred, and answered -four
feet two and half inches from it - and
being asked how he knew that so accurate
/ ly, replied that he thought that some fell
| low would be fool enough to ask him that
question, and he measured it. Lrughter. ]
| He referred to section II of the act of
July 19, 1867, giving authority to the
General of the army to act IN this recon
struction matter. He knew there had
come up a report from the Associated
Press of the South, which never reported
in favor of loyalty, but always in favor OF
secession and rebellion, and he hoped to
see that monopoly put down, that General
Terry had organized a military commits
sion to try a member of the Georgia Leg
islature for perjury but that was not so
He had only appointed aboard Of Govern
ment officers to find out who We're and
who were not eligible He spoke where
of he knew when he affirmed the action
of General Terry had been and would be
sustained by the Administration, and that
Georgia would be reconstructed in the in
terest of loyalty.
After further discussion between Messrs
BUTLER, MORGAN, VOORHEES, and
others, the papers were referred to the
Committee on Reconstruction.
Mr.. FARNSWORTH Rhoved to pas;
over all intervening business on the
Speakers table, in order to take up the
Virginia bill with Senate amendments
Mr.. ELDRIDGE inquired whether any
opportunity for debate was to be given
but Mr.. FARNSWORTH- declined tC
make any promises on the subject. The
motion was agreed to, the Democrats
voting in the negative.
{ The bill was then taken up and the Sen
/ ate substitute Was read.
Mr., FARNSWORTH moved TO concu
: in the Senate substitute, not however, be
cause if its provisions were presented or
iginally he would have supported them
Some of them he thought very bunglingl-
; drawn, and they would do more harm
! than good; but he made the motion be
E cause he thought to throw the question
} open again to the sea of discussion, an
to keep Virginia longer out Of representa-
/ tion would be a greater evil than TO adop
J the Senate bill.
Mr.. cox asked whether the passage {
the Senate bill would not be yielding u
the position of the House without even
chaace of Committee of Conference.
d Mr.. FARNSWORTH replied that wa
: q question for the House.
! Mr.. BINGHAM said it would be born
l on the journal of the House that moi
. than three to one of the members ha
i I declared for the admission Of Virglni
j without conditions That vote woul
commend itself to the approval of ii
I. country. He had no apology to mai
2IiI here or elsewere for the position whiC
Il he had been assuming, and which he no
e reiterated-that it was not in the pow
y of Congress by exacting fundamental col
ditions in the admission of State to Il
n force what could not be legitimately enfor
OF ed on all other States That being so,
Is asked that the State Of Virginia be adm
as IS ted under the Senate bill. He eulogiZ
VI the Constitution of Virginia as. being mo
Us liberal than the Constitution of any Sta
le west of the Alleghenies. Hhe thought tn
1n under this bill Virginia could be subject
to conditions which might not be lmpos
0I on New York or Ohio, he never woU
oI vote for the bill.
- SIR. COX suggested that the Senate
y, was as obnoxious as the bill reported
~ the Reconstruction Committee and viii
r was voted down by the House.
We Mr.. BINGHAM replied that 1t was !
n quite so obnoxious. He hoped the Hol
~ would concur In the Senate amendmen
M His chief purpose was to state to thegt
,-S tlemen on his own side of the house
Mr.. BUTLER, of Massachusetts
,of Which side of the House is that? [Laui
ate ter.
I've I've Mr.. BINGHAM Gndignantly)-l
ms gentleman is very wise-wise beyond
ia years. He cannot read me out the pa
- - with which ! associated, nor can
re- blot out my record Yulgarity is not v
for assumption is not power. There was
it, accession for the inquiry.
MIA "a wits feather and FOOLS rod,
as An honest mans the noblestwork of G
o Laughter, and much excitement on
hts floor
ion 4lr. BUTLER took the floor; and
interest in the discussion seemed to be
the increase. He said he would be
d, where the gentleman from Ohio had
tho off, not with misquoting, but simply to
.go, that he had never threatened to read
lty, gentleman out of the Republican pa
!, or Nobody could do that but him
5hts Whether he had done that in passing
nds n6s Virginia bill through the House by 5