Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-12
Forty-second Congress First Session,
WASHINGTON, D. c., April II.
SENATE.

Mr.. Edmunds took the floor in favor of the
house kukluX bill as amended by the senate.
Mr.. Ames spoke in yerifcation OF his state
mcnt of the condition of his state, and in reply
TO certain remarks by Mr.. Blair, which he re-
garded as personal to himself, and his late col
league Mr.. Revels.
MIR. Trumbull opposed the amendments from
the judiciary committee, as making the bill OBJ
noXious. To the objection made TO it, in the
house, that it went TO the extent of
Furnishing persons for violating state law
without any reference to the constitution or
laws of the United States, he did not think
that even the senator from Vermont, Mr. Ed
munds, would assume that congress should
pass general criminal code for the states of
the Union 1t is understood by the members of
the house that the bill, as passed by that body,
went no further than to protect persons in the
rights guaranteed them by the constitution and
laws of the United States, and did not undertake
to authorize one citizen of q state to assert his
rights in the federal courts, or in any other way
against another in the same state. That such
was the purpose of the bill, was now urged as
prcteXt for the proposed amendments. After
referring to the extent to which the bill had been
enlarged by the committee, Mr. Trumbull went
on to combat the theory that, under recent con-
Stitutional amendments, our government had
become centralized, and its principles changed
He denied that the fourteenth amendment con-
ferred any rights of citizenship not contained
originally in the constitution, while that amend
InCllI cOuDleu COUHTcSS 10 protect q cltlZen from
discrimination against his rights by state, IL
did not allow congress to exercise police power
to the destruction Of state authority. Congress
had no right to substitute federal for state
courts. The latter were nearer the people, and
nearer the administration of Justice between
man and man, brought to the people themselves
When the federal government took to itself the
entire protection of the individual citizen of a
state, in his person and property, it would be an
end to state government, resulting in an unwise
change in our governmental system. He then
criticised each of the amendments, and alluded
to the danger to be apprehended, in unnecessary
and unjustfable suspensions of the habeas
corpus.
Without a vote on the bill the senate adjourned,
HOUSE.
The house early in this morning session took
up and proceeded to the consideration of the de-
ficiency bill.
Mr.. Dawes made brief speech in explanation
showing that the bill was necessity in the first
instance as it passed the house, but the senate
had made it the receptacle for all sorts of indie
pendent legislation until the amount was sweled
to considerably over one million dollars The
committee had reduced it as much as possible.
Speeches against the bill, as amended by the
senate, were made by Messrs. Beck, Cox, Banks
and others.
Mr. Dawes said one senate proposition was TO
establish magnificent public park in Washing
ton, with splendid bridges and sparkling foun-
tains and grand obelisks, sweeping out of ex-
istence the filthy canal full of dead mems bones
and other uncleanness. Mr.. Dawes exhibited to
the house a plan of the proposed park, and
caused much laughter by his Claude Melnotte
description of it, Another proposition was for
reprnting the national currency; but, as the
house, at the last session, had laid on the table
a bill for that purpose the committee recon-
mended non-concurrence.
Mr. Cox condemned deficiency bills on general
principles, as proofs of unthrift and extrava-
and cniH la Unfa ON, fbn -
resolution yesterday proved that the democracy
was for reform and the republican party against
it. Why should the democracy believe the poo
pie when they asked for such relief They an
swered by a kukluX howl. But this issue of
revenue tariff made by the New York state con-
venton, would be the issue of 1872.
Mr. Beck said he urged the Importance of two
items in the bill, that of $4,000 for feeding GER
tain tribes of Indians, which, he said, was the
only way to prevent an Indian war, and that
of 5000 900 for life saving stations on the New
Jersey and Long Island coasts, which, he said,
the house could not avoid.
Mr.. Brooks argued at length against the bill
and the financial policy of the administration,
claiming that the government was now raising,
by taxation, surplus revenue of S100,O0O,OO0,
the natural result being to encourage the lobby
and tempt the country to demand enormous ap-
preparations. He held that the ordinary ex-
penses of the government should not be over
eighty millions annually, and that-incuding
ihdan expenses, ana interest on the public
debt,-the appropriations in 1871 should be only
S256,O00,00O. While giving the secretary Of the
treasury due credit for reduction of the public
debt, he reminded the house that for every dollar
ofrevenue that reached the treasury, the fax-pay
ers paid at least three dollars, so that, when the
debt was reduced $100,000,0 900, The people had
paid $500, 100000 for it. The tariff and revenue
laws should be revised. He could point out PIC
articles on which import duties were levied, from
which the government only received $3.50 OOO
| All these articles should be placed on the free
list Congress should also, before adjournment
largely, If not abolish, the duty on salt, and
abolish the duty on hides and leather, lumber
and potatoes. Mr.. Brooks further urged that
congress should take immediate measures for