The New York herald., 1871-03-19
WASHINGTON.
Senator Sumner Contemplating Another
Raid on the President.
Tho Texas Senatorship-General Rey.
nolds Left Gut in the Cold.
~~>~~~~~-~<0~N~~~~~~---~-
Spirited Debate in the Senate Over
Southern Affairs.
>>>>~~o~~~~~<s~~<<>r~~S>~~~~~
Senator Sherman Goes for the
Ku Kluxes.
Proposal to Limit the BUSH ess
Of Congress.
General Legislation Discouraged
an Both Houses.

WASHINGTON, March IS, 1871.
The Condition OF Affairs at the soutn-Scnator
Sherman Going for the Ku KiuxeS.
The debate on the condition OF affairs at the South
was fairly opened In the Senate to-day on the pro.
position OF Senator sherman TO instruct the Judiciary
Committee report bill for the suppression the
Ku Kluy. Sherman himself delivered the first
speech. 1t was very radical and took the broad
ground that the Ku Klux should be put down by the
strong arm OF the government. Sherman is not
usually an extremist, nor a seusationallst. He Is
man OF such careful statement that what he says
generally has great weight with his fellow Senators.
Many Of his colleagues surprised to-day to hear
hs strong denunciation OF the Ku Klux, and not a
few came TO the conclusion that there
must be something IN 1t. Sherman informed
the Senate. before starting out, thar he had given
the whole subject careful, patent investigation.
ana what he was about to say was the result of his
deliberate convictions. He confined himself to
bare recital OF facts, without attempting to point
out any remedy, excep, in general way. The
remedy he proposed to leave TO the Judiciary Com.
mitiee. His speech received marked attention, anu
Is generally spoken Of tonight as very able. Sena
tor Stevenson, of Kentucky, replied to Sherman.
Unfortunately for him. and for the democratic SIDE
Of the senate, he admitted nearly all Sherman had
charged. lie denied that Kentucky was any worse
than other States, and asserted his willingness to
hunt down the Ku Kux, II there were
any. Sherman turned the tables on him
Dy producing copy OF Stevenson's an
nual message while Governor OF Kentucky,
wherein he distinctly admits the existence OF bodies
OF armed men whose combinations are too powerful
10 be dealt with by the civil law. Bayard, OF Della
ware, a member OF the Southern Outrage Committee,
has the hoor for Monday Nearly all the Senator'S
on both sides OF the Chamber intend to deliver
speeches during the discussion OF this question: and
the debate promises 10 be prolonged for many days.
The Texas SenatOrs-ilr. Hamilton Entiticd
to the Seat.
The Committee on Privileges and Elections in their
report to-day say that in pursuance of the several
acts OF Congress for the reconstruction OF the State
Of Texas, the Legislature convened on the sh and
completed It's organization on the 10th OF February,
1870 On the second Tuesday after lts organization
The Legislature elected Mr.. Morgan c. Hamilton
United States Senator Tor the term commencing
March 4, 1871. Tie same Legislature, on the same
day, elected Mr. Flanagan for the term ending
March 3, 1876, and Mr.. Hamilton for the term ending
March 8, 1871. These last TWO elections were to MI
vacancies then existing and both OF these Senators
admitted to ther seats. BY the constitution
Texas there was another session OF the same Leeis
Mure, after election OF Mr. Hamilton and
before the expiration Of his term. This session
second Tuesday after its organization the Legisla
ture proceeded to the election OF senator for the
term commencing March a. ls7l-the same term
Tor which Mr.. Hamilton had been elected at the
preceding session. General Reynolds was reported
10 nave been elected, although the certificate
terred 10 The committee was not signed By the Gov
ernor The reason assigned for the election OF General
Reynolds that the Legislature had authority TO
elect Mr.. Hamilton at the time OF his election. The
committee decide otherwise, and say, in reporting
IN favor OF the election OF Mr.. Hamilton thattne case
Is precisely like that or Mr.. Gilbert OF Florida set
ued at the last session. The report was unanimous
and having beea adopted by the Senate, Mr.. Hainil-
ton viii on Monday take his seat.
Revision of the Laws-Eariy Complcti oil
tic Work Desirable.
Messrs. Abbott ana Barringer, members of the
Statute Revising Commission, have addressed q
letter 10 the committees of the Senate and the House
Oh the revision Of the laws, recommending some
changes In the arrangements for thar work. with q
view Of greater exDedti0n In order TO secure the
completion of their report before the expiration OF
the new Congress. They give the following ac-
count Of what has been accomplished since last fa
when the present Board OF Commissioners COM
menced their labors. the result OF tie winters
labor may be thus stated
system OF classification, comprising sevcnty-slx
an outline drafted by the former board, has been
adopted, after careful examination of It's appii-
cation u Gil tue statutes, and distinct collection
has been naae IN convenient form for eXpedtlous
revision OF every existing provision or law deemed
appropriate 10 each head or title OF the cassifica
tOn These collections stand arranged In inde-
pendent portfolios, and any one OF them may be
taken as the basis ioi drafting Il title OF revised
statutes upon the subject Wilcn IL Includes with
good degree OF conndence that 1t Will present or
bring TO The notice OF the draf;sman all laws neces-
sary to be considered Ia framing that title.
Thus, although title has been completed, an
equal and considerable progress mas been made
upon every one OF the seventy-sX titles under
which tile commissioners propose to arrange the
entire work. The statute reyiving the Commission
allows TILL the summer OF 1918 for completing the
work but the writers think that II certain changes
IN organization aud method are made III season it
Is not Impossible 10 complete the revision 50 That
IL can come before the present Congress. Tails
would be advantageous for The following reasons:-
Fost-The revision is needed. From every quar-
ter assurances are received that tile United states
Revised statutes are desired now, not i've or SIX
years hence; but, 1, 1t wee possible Immediately.
Second-Any extension OF the term involves an
actual increase the aggregate labor TO be per
formed from the advance in legislation. The
statutes passed AT each session must be embraced
la the revision: and they come up for consideration
in way which much Increases the difficulty of
dealing with them. As between an undertaking TO
revise the laws within two years and an under
taxing TO revise them IN i've, the additional tnree
years of legislation would I'LL, very probably, one
OF the years.
can be brought before the fory second Congress at
It's session commencing December, 1872 the result
will be tnat the same body o. legislators which VIII
direct the initial labor Of revision Will have op-
pOrtunlty to pass upon the result. This VIII avoid
The disadvantages which have 50 often proved fatal
to extensive plans OF law reform, arising from
changes in the composition o the legislature. What
arrangements Congress Will be pleased to make Tor
the consideration OF so extensive measure of legs
latlon as fhe one now contemplated we do not an
ticpate. Whatever they are 10 bc they are slmplt-
ned by expedition. The convenience OF Congress
and the ultimate adoption OF the work would proba-
bly, be promoted by tie Commls soners reporting the
various titles as rapidly as practicable submitting
the last one AS early the opening OF the last ses-
sion oi Lie Fortysecond Congress, December, 1872.
The Mississippi Disturbances Being Invcsti-
gated.
Governor Alcorn, OF Mississippi has addressed
telegram to Senator Ames and Representatives,
horphis Harris and Pcrce, in which he says that the
late outrages at Meridian being legally nvesti
gated; tnat some disturbances have taken place
along tie Alabama border but that there Is dinl-