Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-04-12
CONGRESSIONAL.


~
session of Congress.
The democratic side will be baief in ar,
guing the kuklux bill which will probably
pass by Thursday.
The proceedings indicate nm .ndiourn-
ment on Saturday.
"a HOUSE.
Hale's bill providing for nearly IA uiver-
sal amnesty was referred to the Comm littee
ON the Preidents Message-the only live
eommittee in the House. An early and
favorable report is possible.
Bllis We're introduced allowing the Ma M
phis and Savannah railroad to enter publ ic
lands granting lands to the Selma am 1
cur railroad, and also to the Kansas City :
and Memphis railroad
The amnesty bill passed under n suspen-,
sion of the rules
The following passed by q vote of 120 tos
21:
ResoIced That this House reafiirms the
resolution adopted on the 18th of Deem
Der, 1870 by the House of Representatives..
of the 4lst Congress declaring that
the true principle of revenue re-
form points to the abolition of
the internal revenue system, which was
created as a war measure to provide for ex-
traordinary expenses, and the continuance
of which involves the employment, at the
cost of millions of dollars annually, of an
army of assessors, collectors, supervisors,
detectives, and other officers, previously
unknown, and requires the repeal, at the
earliest day consistent with the inainte-
nance of the faith and credit of the govern
ment, of all stamp and other internal
taxes, and that property adjusted rates
should be retained on distilled spirits, to-
bacco and malt liquors so long as the legi-
innate expenses of the government require
the collection of any sum from internal
taxes.
The House, by q vote Of 11S to ~, passed
modified Kuklux bill. The following is
succinct statement of the bill rs passed
with omissions and additions. The sub
stitute Is TO strike out the second, third
and fourth sections of the original bill
The second section of the original bill made
! it II felony for two or more persons to con-
spire together to do any act in violation of
the rights, privileges and immunities Sc
cured by the Constitution Of the United
States, and punishable in the United
States courts.
! The third section provides that in all
cases of insurrection, domestic violence
unlawful combinations or conspiracies
which so far obstruct the execution of the
State laws rs to deprive any portion or
class of people of the rights, privileges and
immunities secured by the Constitution and /.
| laws, and if any State, through its proper
authorities, fails or neglects to apply for
! National aid, the President may use the
National forces to suppress such insurrec-
nations and conspiracies, and to arrest Of
Tenders and deliver them to the Marshal of
the District.
The fourth section provides that when
ever such combinations become so power
full as to overthrow or set at defiance State
authorities, and when the punishment of
offenders and the preservation of the pub
lie safety shall become impracticable, it
shall be deemed rebellion, and the Presi-
dent may after proclamation suspend the
privileges of the writ of ho6eos c0rDats
which provision shall continue until June
lst, 1872.
The substitute for the second section
makes it felony for two or more persons
conspiring together to overthrow the Gov
ernment, or TO levy war against it or to
oppose by force the authority of the United
States, or by force to take or seize the
forts or property, or by force, or in
timidation, or threats, prevent any
person from accepting or holding any Fed
eral Office, to prevent him from discharging
the duties of the Office to leave the State or
District where his duties may be lawfully
performed, or injure him in person or pro-
nerty, on account of the lawful discharge
of his duties, or threaten or injure Wit
ness or juror in the United States Court
or conspire together to deprive any class
of persons OF. the equal protection of the
laws, of equal privileges and immunities
under the laws, or prevent or hinder the
authorities of the State from securing all
i'll the equal protection of the laws and
comforting upon the party injured the
right of action for damages, suits to he
brought in the United States Courts.
The substitute for the third section pro-
vides that in case of insurrection, dolnes-
tic violence, unlawful combinations or
conspiracies, that shall obstruct or hinder
the execution of the laws of the State and
United States, so rs to deprive any class of
persons of the rights, privileges and inn
munities named in the act, and the au-
thorities of the State shall be unable or
fail for any cause to afford protection. and
shall fail or neglect TO apply to the
President for aid, such fact shall
be deemed denial of the equal protection
of the laws, and il shall be lawful for the
President to employ the national forces to
suppress such disorders and TO arrest of
Tenders and deliver them over to the Mar
shall The substitutes for the fourth sec
ton authorizes the President, after procla-
nation, to suspend the privileges of the
writ of habeas corpus until the lst of June,
| 1872, and that whenever in any State the
unlawful combination shall be 80 numeT-
Gus and powerful as to be able by violence
| to overthrow or set at defiance the auth0ri-
ties of the State, or when the State authOri-
ties are in completely with such eOnlbina-
| ton, all persons arrested under the suspen-
sion of the hd6eas corpus must be taken
before Judge of the Federal Court, ana IL
no indictment is found at the pending or
| first subsequent session, the prisoner shall