The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-18
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
WHAT CONGRESS is DOING.
The Value of a Presidential Pardon.
WASHINGTON, February IT
SENATE.

SENATE.
Fenton presented the petition Of leading
New York merchants, asking the correction o.
| abuses In the customs regulations. The appropria
tions were resumed. An amendment 10 strike from
! the legislative, executive and judiciary section
clause inserted last year by Senator Drake, wa,
proposed, which prohibited as evidence in the
Court OF Claims certain Presidential pardons
The amendment authorizes as evidence any
pardon or amnesty granted before the sup
preston OF the rebellion, under the proclamation
| OF President Lincoln. This amendment not tc
| apply to suits in the Court OF Claims, arising
under the act OF March 9Th, ITO provide for coiec
| tlon Of abandoned property, and the prevention
OF frauds within the insurrectionary Districts
The claims opened by this amendment are about
ten millions. The amendment does not help per
SONS pardoned by President Johnson after
April, 1865. The amendment was rejected, nine
teen to thrty-two. Trumbul reviewed 9
portion OF the amendment repeating the proVise
| Of the law which makes pardon an evidence ol
| the guilt of the party accepting It, Conklng
argued that pardon was virtual confession
guilt. TFumbull's amendment, that pardon should
| not exclude the pardoned party from the Court o.
Claims, was carried by the casting vote Of the
vice.Presldent. The debate was quite bitter, and
showed no disposition to give the Southern
claimants generally more generous consideration
than heretofore.
Senator Davis, Of Kentucky, made an argument
before the Senate commerce committee against
the proposed national charter for the Cincinnati
and Southern Railroad. Mr. Davis thinks the
constitutional grant to regulate commerce be-
tween the States does not cover such proportions
HOUSE.
JONES' Of Kentucky, presented petitions In favor
Of the Cincinnati and southern Railroad. The
House went into committee on the army appro
priatlons, and speeches were limited 10 half an
hour. The BILL appropriates tventy-seven and.
half millions. The committee rose without &C
tion. The conference report on the bill territorial
izng the District Of Columbia passed and goes to
the President, who will undoubtedly approve it,
The balance Of The day was occupied in loca! iegls
lation.
GENERAL NEWS.
The appropriation committee Of the House have
agreed upon $4,000 for the New Orleans Gus
tomhouse. Among the nominations are ]. NIL
ton Turner, Minister to Liberia; ozeas Mewgsn,
u fIUIlud, COusut elo 0l9uSS. SonHi
E. ". Foster, Of Arkansas, surveyor.general for
the District Of Louisiana: - Rarniey, collector
Of customs at Wilmington, n. c.; 8. G. Trott, post
master at Charleston, 8. G.
The case OF Blye and Kennard against the
United States, from Kentucky, will soon be ar
gued before the Supreme Court. The question Is
whether the second section OF the Thirteenth
amendment, authorizing appropriate legislation
by Congress 70 carry into effect The first section
or the amendment, vested Congress with the con-
stltutdnal power 70 enact the civil rights bill Of
April, 1855. The.case.of Knox against Lee, from
Texas, will be argued in the Supreme Court early
next week. 1t involves the connscation of-prop.
erty under the Confederate Government and the
legal tender question.
A curious question, growing out Of the collision
In San Francisco harbor ia, whether foreign
Prince car sue In the Supreme Court.