Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-03-15
Congress,

Mr. FentOn of New York made a long
speech in the Senate on Monday. thoroughly
review ing the existing condition of the Gus
toms service pointing out many abuses and
frauds upon the government in the collection
of revenue He advocated as a reformatory
measure that faithful and capable officer
should not be removed from Office during his
allotted term of service, except for a suff-
cient and evident cause, and submitted the
following additional section to the bill, which
was referred TO the committee on finance:
That all officers of customs requiring the
concurrence of the Senate shall be appointed
for term of four years, and shall hold their
offices respectively until their successors shall
have been appointed and duly qualified, and
such officers shall not be removed during the
term of such appointment except for a sufi-
cient cause and before any removal shall be
made the officer shall be furnished with q
copy Of the charges against him. and have
an opportunity of being heard in his own
defense.
A resolution was submitted by Mr.. An
thony, limiting the business Of the present
session of Congress to legislation for the pro-
lection of the South against Ku Klux out
RACES, which was laid over until tomorrow.
In the House, Mr.. Farnsworth moved 4
suspension of the rules in order to paoo a
joint resolution, now offered by him, that
from and after the passage of this iOint reso-
luton no tax or duty be levied or collected
on foreign coal agreed to, 1872 to 81, Mr.
Dickeys motion to adjourn being defeated j.,
81 to %.
Dir. Randall of Pa then offered a bill pro-
viding that from and after the passage of
this act. tea and coffee be placed on the free
list, and no further duty be collected on the
same, which also passed, al to 40, a
motion to adjourn being rejected, So to 81.
Mr. Wilson of Indiana introduced a reso-
luton declaring the 18TH l4th and 10Th
amendments to the constitution of the Uni
ted States duly ratified by three-fourths OF
the States, and that no State has the right
to withdraw it's ratification after once given
and further, that Congress has the right to
impose the Publications of the amendments
as a condition precedent to representation in
Congress. A preamble to the resolution re-
fers to the action of the democratic members
of the Senate of Indiana.
Mr.. Cox, of New York, asked for a divis-
ion of the question SO as to have distinctive
votes on that part of the resolution declaring
! the amendments valid, which he thought
correct, and accepted the situation.
The speaker said that under q suspension
of the rules the resolution could not be di-
| vidod.
The question was taken and decided in the
negative, 10 to 10, two-thirds not voting and
the House adjourned.
Mr.. Braxton of Virginia offered bill to
quiet the title to Arlington and sppropria-
ting $500 900 to pay Mrs. Lee for the prop
erty. Its reference was moved to the Jude
airy Committe. On motion of Gen. Butler
/ the bill was laid on the table.
! In the Senate March l4th, Mr.. Sumner
| presented memorial from inhabitants of San
| Domingo protesting against annexation.
/ The House bill TO repeal the duty on coal
was read for the first time, but Mr.. Hamilton
/ objected to it's second reading, and it was
| laid over.
| The bill to authorize the reissue of ma
| tional bank notes in exchange for mutilated
bills was passed.
In the House a bill to remove political
disabilities was under consideration, the dis
cussiOn being merely upon an amendment
offered by Mr.. Poland, making exceptions.
The amend ment was agreed to, 1I3 to 81
The question being taken on the passage o
the bill as amended, it was rejected, I20 t.
50, not a two-third vote in the affirmative.