Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-02-01
Congressional.

The bill for the abolition Of the income
tax was passedby the Senate on the 18th,
after a debate in which all ;he arguments
for and against the tax were stated.
Among the reasons urged for the reten-
ton Of the tax was that its abolition, in
face Of the opposition Of the Secretary Of
the Treasury, would be equivalent to a
vote Of want of confidence in that officer,
which would, under like circumstances,
in England, cause the Ministry to retire
at once. But the Senate evinced a will
ingness to submit even 10 the inflietion
Of such a disasters as Secretary BoutwelPs
resignation, and passed the bill by a ma
jority Of one. 1t applies to the Income
tax Of 1870, the repeal taking effect from
the 3Ist Of December, 1869. As the tax
on salaries Of government officials was
deducted up to the lst Of July, 1870, II
would appear to be but just and proper
that the mount so exacted from them
should be refunded. The bill will now
go to the House, where its success Is not
so very assured.
The only other business done by Con-
gress yesterday was the passage OF the
| Pension Appropriation bill in the Senate
and the consideration Of the ApprOpria-
ton bill in the House.
The House, on Friday, under the lead
| Of Mr.. Hooper, Chairman Of the Com
mittse Of Ways and Means, executed
a flank movement upon the Senate, IN
/ the matter Of the repeal Of the income
| tax. The seventh section of the first
/ article Of the constitution provides that
all bills to raise revenue shall originate
in the House of Representatives, and as
this was a bill to reduce the revenue, II
was sagely and logically held that it
/ came within the meaning Of the con-
stitutional provision. Precedents were
/ found in the past history Of legislation
for hat position, and accordingly the
! Speaker ruled that the question was one
OF privilege; ; and the House thereupon
/ adopted, without discussion, and with
| out going through the process Of a vote
by yeas and nays, a resolution direct
ing the return to the Senate Of the bill
passed by that body on Thursday, re-
pealing the income tax, With a respect
/ ful suggestion that it is within the prov
ince OF the House OF Representatives
alone to originate such a measure.
The work Of Congress, on Saturday,
was at a stand still. The Senate was not
in session, and the House, laying aside
all business, devoted the day to speech
making, Mr.. Calkin laying down the
principles of international law in con-
nection with the Alabama claims. The
question of Civil Service Reform was
discussed by Mr.. Armstrong, Of Penn
sylvania, . member Of the committee
on that subject, has agreed to report a
Joint resolution Is q substitute for all
the pending propositions. This measure
gives control to the whole question TO
the President, with authority to pre-
scribe rules and regulations for the ad-
mission Of persons into the i service,
and 10 employ suitable persons 20 con-
duct inquiries relative to the qualihca-
tons and fitness OF applicants for ONCE.
This proposition seems to be free from
the objections TO which most of the other
plans Of civil service reform are liable,
and it would certainly, if adopted, rem
edy some of the evils complained Of
Mr.. Bingham, on Monday, submitted
q report to the House, from the Judi
ciary Committee, on the memorial of
Victoria Woodruff and other women,
claiming the right to vote under the
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments.
His report maintains that the claim of
the memorialists Is not q subject for the
action of Congress, but for legislation by
State governments.
A despatch was received, on the 3Oth
ultimo, from Victoria, which says that
the Legislature of British Columbia has
accepted the proposals for confederation
with Canada.
The resolution adopted by the House,
rendering a reception to the Irish eIiles,
was called up in the Senate, on Tuesday,
the 3lst ultimo, by Nj. Fenton.