The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-12-06
FORTY SECOND CONGRESS I'd Session
TUESDAY, December 9TH, 1871.
SENATE


Mr.. Kellogg introduced bill to1 author
ize mail steamship service in the Gulf of
Mexico between the port Of New Orleans
and certain ports of the republic of Mexico.
Mr.. Blair moved to take up the resolu-
ton offered by him yesterday, calling on
the President for his authority to declare
martial law in certain counties of South
Carolina. Mr.. Blair said the resolution
contemplates that the President shall lay
before the Senate the manner in which he
has executed the extraordinary powers
conferred upon him by Congress. lie had
heard that of the many citizens of South
Carolina arrested, nine-tenths of them had
been arrested charged with crimes commit
ted before the act of April 20, 1871. The
facts alleged in connection with these Of
fences he recognized as having been brought
to the attention of the Ku-KluX committee
anterior to the passage of the Ku-klux act.
Mr.. Edmunds suggested that it was not
proper to discuss the merits of the resolu-
ton on motion to take up, and the Vice
President so decided
Mr.. Morton said much of the information
called for was given in the message of the
President, and he also considerered that it
was best to delay action until the report of
the committee in the late insurrectionary
States had been submitted.
Mr.. Blair said the information called for
was not given in the Presidents message.
The President says he had information to
justify him in his action, but does not
state from whom he received it. lie GER
tainly did not get it from the committee,
for the committee had authorized no one to
give him any information, and as member
e H., L. f., I \ e ~,
opinion that no facts had been brought be-
fore the committee, which would justify
his action.
Mr.. Conkling was opposed to taking up
the resolution for the reasons stated by
Mr.. Morton, and further because the reso-
luton was not in the nature of good faith.
1t was full of assertion and intimations.
The motion to take up was then put and
lost-ayes, II nays, 45.
Mr.. Kellogg introduced bill to reorganze
the district courts of the United States in
the State of Louisiana.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Mr.. Wells introduced bill to make ap.
preparation for site i'll st. Louis for a Gus
tom-house and postoffice building. Referred
to Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds.
Mr.. Hill introduced bill authorizing the
Postmaster General to issue one cent "cor-
respondent" and s'post" cards. Referred
to the Committee on Postoffices.
On motion of Mr.. Dawes, the House
went into the Committee of the Whole on
the Presidents Message, with Mr.. Wheeler
in the chair.
Mr.. Dawes offered resolution to refer
the several parts of the Presidents Message
to the appropriate committees.
Mr.. Wood objected to the proposed re-
terrence of certain matters to the select
committee on the insurrectonary States.
There was no such standing committee
in this House. He denied that there were
any such things in this country as insur-
rectionary States. A committee was APP
pointed at last session to investigate certain
matters in the South, and its functions
ceased when that duty had been per-
formed. 1t was improper to refer any
thing to the committee, as it would con-
tinue it, and that was not intended.
Mr.. Dawes said he could not enter upon
a discussion of a question of fact with Mr..
Wood, and that gentleman must know that
there is such a committee of the House as
that on insurrectionary States.
Mr.. Wood denied that the committee was
intended to be continued in existence be-
yond the present session of Congress.
Last Congress we had committee called
the Committee on Reconstruction, and the
gentleman's colleague from Massachusetts,
(Nir. Butler,) made numerous efforts to
have it continued The Committee on In
surrectionary States will cease after it shall
have reported to the House. A reference
of business to it was a recognition of the
md hn off, af 4,
would be to continue it. He was opposed
to making committees in this manner.
Mr.. Dawes said that if simple reference
would continue committee, then this COM
mittee would already be continued. because
matters had been referred to it yesterday.
The committee has not reported yet, and
until it does report, certainly all matters
pertinent may be referred to it. The COM
mittee was made to inquire into disorders
in the South, and no one could say whether
its continuance would be necessary until
after the report had been submitted.
Mr.. Wood said that instead of leading
TO order, the committee was one which was
calculated to promote disorder. He (Mr.
W. would go as far as any gentleman in
the House, or as far as the administration,
to promote peace and order in the South !;
but this was not the way to do it, and he
protested against continuing committees
as agencies to promote disorder in the
South.
Mr.. Dawes hailed with JOY the announce
ment of Mr.. Wood that the latter would
unite with the Republicans and the admin
istration for peace and order at the South,
and if that was done he thought peace and
order would soon be at hand
Mr.. Maynard said the committee refer
red to was started for special purpose,
and he thought the report would demon
strate not only the necessity of its original
organization, but the necessity of continu-
ing it. He did not want it to be thought
that this proposition of reference was
mere sde-winder to continue the commit
tee.
After further discussion, the subject was
referred to the Committee on Appropria-
tons by vote of 100 to IS.
The country, lust now, has very Sc