The New York herald., 1871-12-06
FORlY-sECOND CONGRESS.
Second Session
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. s, 1871.

KS AMENDING THE PENSION LAW.
BY Mr.. COOPER, tdem.) OF Tenn,-A bill to amend
the law relating to pensions to soldiers and the
widows Of soldiers OF the or 1912, by removing
the disqualification based on having given aid or
sympathy TO the rebellion. t.i
~ 4 DISTRICT COURTS IN LOUISIANA. .t.e
Also q bill TO re0rganlze the District Courts Of the
United States In Louisiana. Tabled. .,.t..
e THE DABIEN CANAL EXPEDITION.
BY Mr.. ANTHONY, rep, Of r. la resolution
directing the Secretary OF the Navy TO furnish 10
the senate the report OF tho expedition OF the
United States steamer under Captain Selfridge to
the Isthmus Of Tehuantepec. Adopted. sV
X ki BRANCH MINT AT NEW ORLEANS. fs
ny Mr KELLOGG, irep.) OF La.-Asking the secre.
Branch Mint at New Orleans. Tabled.
3nNl STEAMSHIP LINE IN THE GULF.
BY MT. kELLOGG-A Dill authorizing = steamship
serysce N the G1lf Of Mexico Il directs the Post
the 1estattatnabe terms, With American citizens,
for sns conveyance oI the mails N Ainercan built
SstHfen New orleans an and @ several Mexican ports
THE HABBAs CORPUS IN SOUTH CARoLINA--MR.
lt BLAIRS SPEECH. f9sief Nt N
Mr.. BLAIR. fderD.) OF No. moved to take up hts
resolution introduced yesterday asking the 1resi-
dent inform the Senate by what authority nc has
suspended the constitution ana laws of the United
states and OF south Carolina In several counties OF
This resolution contemplates obtaining from the
President detailed account OF the manner I'm which
he has exercised tine extraordinary authority con.
ferred upon him by Congress. l understand that
large numbers OF citizens have been arrested for
alleged crimes In South Carolina, In the counties
designated, and that OF those arrested nne-t
were arrested for alleged crines committed before
the passage OF the act OF April TO- giving the Presi
dent this authority have In the papers state
ments Of the names OF the parties arrested and the
crimes alleged to nave been committed Dy them, ald
they appear to be the same incidents or clrcuIn-
stances IN regard TO which the Committee on Out
nssses 4 These al occurred uroT 70 me
passage OF the act under which the President pro-
clalned martial law, and these arrests appear to
have been made for OFFENCES or alleged offences
committed anterior to the time that the federal
Courts mad any jurisdiction whatever and anterior
to the time wnen the authority was conferred upon
Mr. EDMUNDs, trep) Of VT. dnterrnpting, asked
resolution was In order on motion to take up
me CHAIR declared That 1t was not i1ag
Mr. MORTON, Gep.l Of ind.--lt occurs to me that
the substance OF TINS resolution was pretty well
answered yesterday by the Presidents Message;
but aside from tnat, this resolution can be much
port OF the Investigating Committee. For this
reason shall vote against taking 1t M. Hei i
Mr.. BLAIR-ihe Presidents Message does not give
us any Information all In reference the matter
about which this resolution asks information. This
resolution asks ior ,,n the names Of inc parties ar,
by them and the times at which they alleged TO
have been committed, and none OF these are given
IN the Presidents Message. The President states
tnat the testimony taken by the Committee on
southern Affairs amply sustains him In his procla-
nation Of martial law. DO not know how he got
tnat iniOrmatlon; certainly Dy any report from
Tie committee No one was authorized by the com
mittee TO make anv such report to the President,
and member OF lt can give my opinion that
the facts elected by the committee do not Justify the
proclamation OF maj tial law, and suspecs that
himself. While am not astonshed that The Presl-
dent should have exercised the extraordinary
powers conferred upon binl-his education and MS
genius being arbitrary make him iavor arbitrary
measures-l am astonishcd ut the scrvilify OF Con-
Qrcss in submitting the rights Of citizens TO s dts
creliOn, and l believe that IL becomes us. having
given him such authority to ask him 10 tell US how
he has exercised II.
MT. CONKL,NG, rep) ofN. Y.-I think the reason
assigned by the senator from Indiana (dr. Morton)
against taking up this resolution now good one,
and beg 10 add another resolution calling for
information upon any appropriate subject Is always
entitled 10 consideration and indulgence and par
ticularly when good iath IN all respects ~ part OF
OF 1T. But this resolution, among other things Is
full OF assertion and niimati0n which may fall snort
OF assertion. Although 4 90 not propose now TO
ascuss the verify error OF the resolution in that
regard, II Is enough that ~ contains 80 much OF that
kind OF matter that u does not IN my estimation
fall fairly within the category OF resolutions seek
ing information: and therefore should vote AGAINST
taking II up or at any time, unless this matter
were eliminated; unless It were reduced to q real
resolution OF inquiry, In which case there might
perhaps be no objection 10 II, ut least none OF the
kind that now specify.
the motion TO take up was Iost-yeas IL, nays
45-only Mr.. Upton, among the republicans, vodDg
In the Affirmative.
the RETIREMENT OF cATAcAzy
BY MT. CAMERON, rep.i OF PA resolution call
ing on the President for the onicia correspondence
en- the retirement or Mr.. Catacazy. Adopted.
THE EIGHT-HoUR LAW.
The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate the
House Dill declaring the meaning OF the EIght-hour
law
Mr.. TRUMBULI, trep) OF ILL.,, offered an amend.
ment aoollsnng the law.
Mr. WILSON, rep.) Of Mass, urged the immediate
passage OF the bill.
Alter some discussion the Senate, at twenty .Gve
minutes past Vne adjourned