The Van Buren press., 1871-03-14
c. B. NEAL,
CHARLES MINOR,
JosEpH A. MEEK,
ayers in Impeachment.
House., March 2.
[ .(Signcdl ]
Adjourned.

Mr. Neal rising to question OF priyi
ige, offered the following;
WHEREAS, The greater part ofthe pres
ent session Of this General Assembly has
been consumed and wasted in political
strife and personalities unbecoming the
representatives of the people and
WHEREAS, A continuation of such q
course can result in no good to the State,
but great injury to the people;
Therefore, i move that all cases, re-
ports and questions arising, in any way,
upon cases ofimpeachment be postponed
until, and made the special order Of toe
day, Saturday, tho llth day OF March,
1871, except questions which may arise
out OF the impeachment ofthe Governor
and Chief Justice Of this State,
That any aud all eases, questions and
reports in any way arising on and con.
ceIning any ana all contested seats in
this house, or any change, in any way
whatever, in regard to the seat Of any
member on this door, or in the organiza
ton of this house, be and the same is
herohy postponed until March 1. 1871,
Several members expressed themselves
in favor Of the resolution, which was
adopted by vote of II TO 3.
The house then went into committee Of
the whole Mir Smith in the chair on
the omnibus disability bill.
Mr. Waters thought some system
should be adopted, Each applicant. un.
der the constitution. should accompany
his petition with ailidavits showing that
he is entitled to be relieved He moved
that every person who desires to have
his disabilities removed, be required to
accompany his petition with sworn af-
iidavit that he has not opposed the acts
of Congress or reconstruction thereun
der, since the convention Of 1868, ac
companied by the allldavits Of three citi-
zens to the same effect.
Mr. Pettigrew held that when party
pettioned, that should he taken as sufl
cient evidence of his compliance with the
constitution. He thought the gentleman
from Phillips (Waters) was cndeavering
to throw obstacles in the way He be.
lieycd every man had the right to vote,
and if he comes up here in good faith,
and says he has returned to his allegiance,
we should not require furtherproof
Mr.. Ham opposed all the motions and
amendments, because ne thought nothing
could be accomplished by any Of them.
If he was required to get aflidavits to
sustain these petitions it would be put Off
so long nothing could he done. We are
now acting under oath, and in recon
mending certain names do SO with that
Mr.. Owen appealed TO every candid
man in the house il the object for which
disrranchisement was enacted had not
been accomplished The end having
been attained, the necessity for lisfran-
chisemcnt had passed away. Iappeal to
you to answer me, if it has not had det-
rimental effect? Why we have been sit
ting here for two months investigating
frauds arising out of this very question
The people of this country have been
sworn and rcsworn until he feared an
oath was fast losing its sanctity. II col
lecting taxes from people and denying
them representation is not n .grievous
burden what is He claimed that when
ever q citizen presented a petition, by
that act alone he showed that he had re.
turned to his allegiance. Do they resist
the collection of taxes? Do they resist
the lawsF No. Then where is the ne.
cessity for continuing these disfranchise-
ments any longer? Take it on politi
cal basis hold the republican party
will make friends by it. He claimed to
be as true republican as any man OH this
fioor-but he held his to be an inherent
right; and if these gentlemen want TO
build up the republican party, he warned
them to strike the shackles from the
bondmen of Arkansas. He opposed the
whole batch % amendments and substi-
tutes. He believed the men who had pc
titioned for the removal Of these shackles
did so in good faith, and that the gov
ernmcnt would be as safe in their hand 3
as his. There was time that if these
men had voted for the constitution they
could be enlranchised. But would you
ask a man to sell. his conscience 1t is
no argument to saythat they shodld not
now he believed because Of that fact 1t
was his right to vote against the consti
tuition.
The committee rose and asked leave
to sit again at 3 O'Clock.
Mr.. Neal on behalf Of the impeach-
mcnt managers, reported that they had
announced the impeachment Of Governor
CLAYTON at the bar OF the senate