Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-02

Mr.. Falnsworth argued in favor of the bill
and remarked that when the two gentlemen
from Tennessee, Mr.. Maynard and Mr.. Aruell,
were declaimng against it, he could almost
fancy it was the ghost of Hamlet's father cry
ing: "Swear! swearl swearH Qaughter) as if
the test oath were the gleat panaCea for the woes
that the south was suffering under. The intelli-
gent white people of the country could not be
damned up by any such means, Sooner or
later they would break down the dam. II the
government of Tennessee had passed liberal
laws, and allowed the disfranchised people to
come back into the fold and vote and hold office,
they would not had any of the trouble in that
state which they now had. the great trouble
in Tennessee had been caused by disfranchse-
ment.
Mr.. Arnell-"T deny it."
Mr.. Farnsworth-"II was so to great extent
in Missouri. There were Acknowledgement and
disqualification there, aud you see the result.
There will be Il revolution in every state where
you attempt this thing. You cannot, in re-
publican government, prevent intelligence from
having its voice in the affairs Of the government.
You cannot do it,"
Mr.. Butler of Massachusetts closed the debate.
He said he had reported the bill as the mouth
piece of the committee on reconstruction, but
he could not support it. Every giving way con-
gress had so far allowed, had been the death
knell of some black or white friend of the I'M
ion. That was the difficulty which he found in
the way of this bill. He hoped the iron-clad
oath would never be repealed. He referred to
the kukluX Outrages.
Mr.. Jones OF Kentucky interrupted and asked
Mr.. Butler, in an angry tone: "What do you
mean, sir, by kukuX? Answer me thatP
Mr.. Butler, without noticing the question,
went on to say that congress was relaxing and
giving way to rebels all the time.
Mr.. Jones of Kentucky-"When did you ever
give way, sir? | mean in the right directonp
Mr.. Butler-'We gave way when we admitted
that gentleman to his seat" (Laughter.)
Mr.. Jones-"No sir! but we gave way when
we admitted you to your seat, rebel to the con-
sttution and the Union"
The Speaker-using the gavel frequently
"The gentleman from Kentucky is out of order"
Butler and Jones both attempted to make
themselves heard, and the speaker decided them
both out of order.
The debate being closed Mr.. Arnell moved to
lay the bill on the table. Negatived.
The bill then passed-11S to Sand it now
goes to the president.
The bill enacts that persons eligible to office
under the 18th amendment, who cannot take
the iron-clad oath, may take, instead, whenever
assuming any government office, the oath pre-
scribed by congress for persons whose legal dis
abilities have been removed.
The judiciary committee reported a number
of bills, which were passed, among them the
following: Dividing Ohio into three and Yir-
ginia into two judicial districts; authorizing
the appointment of an assistant attorney gen.
eral; directing the secretary OF the treasury TO
pay judgments recovered against collectors of
customs for money paid in excess Of duties al
lowing the discharge of convicts sentenced by
Imprisonment and fine, when the term Of inn
prisonment has expired and they make
an affidavit before the United States
commissioner that they have no means
of satisfying the fine; allowing cases to be APP
pealed from the court OF claims to the supreme
court, when the consent of the former court is
given; and providing that where a railroad
company is operating in a state, and has its
offices, they shall be deemed citizens of the state
in so far thatit shall not be permitted to remove
causes brought against it by citizens of that
state from the state courts to the United States
courts.
The Judiciary committee presented a MAORI
ty report against, and a minority report in fa-
vor, of Mrs. Woodhull's petition for woman suf-
frage, both of which were ordered printed and
recommitted.
A bill also passed, from the judiciary COM
mittee, allowing parties in certain cases to tes-
tify, making the laws of each state govern as to
the competency of witnesses, in al criminal trials
in the United States courts in such states.
Mr.. Bingham, fromthe same committee, re-
ported bill to amend the act of the 31st of May,
1870, to enforce the tights of citizens of the
United States to vote in the several states.
The bill went over till tomorrow.
MIR. Lynch offered resolution in reference to
the consolidation of the Kittery and Charles
town navy yards, which was referred.
The speaker appointed Messrs. Logan, Scofeld
and Butler, of Massachusetts, conference COM
mittee on the bill to abolish the offices of admiral
and yice-admiral.
Adjourned.