New-York tribune., 1871-03-29
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
XLIID CONGRESS-IsT SESSION.
TIE INSULT TO FRED DOUGLAss-DIsCUssIoN OF
THE sANTO DOMINGO RESOLUTIONS THE
KU-KLUX BILL IN THE HOUSE.
lBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBCsgl
WASHINGTON, Tnesday, March

WASHINGTON, Tuesday, March o. 1871
In the Senate, to-day, Mr. Sumner offered resolution
OF inquiry concerning the exclusion Of Frederick Doug
lass from the dinnertable OF the Aqua Creek steamer.
ana Mr. Kellogg resolution looking to the acquisition
OF the Mexican States OF Sonora aud chihuahua Both
RESOLUTIONS were excluded under the rule requiring
inous consent Mr.. Bayard obectng to the one and Mr.
SHERMAN 10 the other Some discussion took place
MI Anthonys resolution amending the rule prescribing
the order OF business admit Of the consdera-
ton OF any Dill In reference to the South which may
cent from the House OF Representatives. The Democratic
Senator's professed TO in the resolution an intention
TO pass by OF the previous question whatever bill
the House may send over Although Mr.. Anthony as
cured Of his entire innocence Of any such design
and protested that there was no "cat under the
meal bag" they would be satirhed and
consumed the morning hour in the effort T. polti
ical capital. At O'Clock, Mr. Summers san;o Domingo
resolutions came up as unfinished business, and Mr..
Howe concluded his argument in reply to Mr. Sumner.
which cut Off by the adjournment yesterday. lie
was followed by Mr. FreiDghuysen who pronounced
an eloquent eulogium the services OF Gen Grant
during the Rebellion and deprecated the attack made
upon him by Mr.. Sumner Mr. schurz was the last
speaker His arragnment Of the President was, II pos
sble more than that OF Mr Sumner. Long ana
excited cooquies occurred between Mr.. schurz on the
one side, and Mr.. Morton and Mr. Howe on the other.
The Missouri Senator, unlike Mr. Morton, yesterday, VINO
roughly refused yield to him for question, politely
suspended his remarks every few minutes to answer inc
many questions asked him by the advocates Of santo
Domingo annexation. As the evening wore on, MI
schurz indicated desire to reserve the remainder of
what he had to say for tomorrow, and Mr. Sumner,
therefore, moved Executive session In opposition to
that rule OF courtesy which has always prev He'd in the
Senate, Mr. Stewart objected to this and co|ed for tho
Yeas and Nays the motion, but he could not get su
fcent number Of Senators to sustain his objection and
the motion for Executive session carried, Mr.
Stewart and Mr. Conkng only voting In the negative.
ne do To n Ia
continue two three days longer Mr. schurz All
nouncod this afternoon that he will speak hour and
half tomorrow He will be followed by Mr.. Morrill, Of
Vermont in support OF Mr. Summers resolutions. Itis
supposed that several Senator's will speak against them
After the reading OF the KuKlux bill repdted to tho
House by the Special Committee this morning leaders
both sides OF the House announced the pscy which
would govern their respective parties In the debate just
beginning The Republicans disavowed any purpose 10
limit the debate to call the previous question as long
there is desire the other side to continue the dis
cussOn while the Democrats agreed to resort to no par
lamentary tactics to prevent passage OF the bill,
prolong the session. Mr. ehelabarger then opened
the debate with explanation OF the bill,
and an able and exhaustive argument prov
ing the constitutionality Of each section OF
the bill, and the right conferred Congress
by the Xlyth Amendment 10 the Constitution to enact
such law. Mr.. Kerr. who is generally conceded to he
the ablest constitutional lawyer the Democratic side
of tho House, followed Mr.. Shellabarger, and made
ANALYSIS of the XIVth Amendment to prove that il
ferred no new powers the Federal Government. He
claimed that fourth section OF the ConSttution
aures the President when the State Government are
unable TO preserve peace to their assistance when
called by the Governor or Legislature Of the State
and that this provision is in itself sufficient for all
emergencies He also argued that the provision OF tho
bill allowing the President to suspend writ OF ba-
beas corpus is unconstitutional the definition OF
the Rebellion" inserted IN the BILL way oh
Waiting this difficulty Mr. Kerr then took up and cr
csed sfoti. the several sections OF the bill, character
izlng as "mOnstrous" the power conferred upon the
President by the third section. At o'clock there seemed
to be little disposition TO proceed. but Gen ught0n,
after some minutes delay, took mp the debate and made
strong argument OF protective legsation,
which the House adjourned.
The members OF the House who put their names upon
the Speakers s today as desiring speak upon the
Ku-Klux BILL were Messrs Hoar, Archer, Cox, Cook.
Mercur McHenry, Beck, Perry, FarnsSorth Lewis.
sheldon Hawlcy, Buckley, Arthur. Holman, swan, and
Perez. Other will be added tomorrow. While
all the outward indications point 10 the passage OF the
shelaBareer bill IN the House by party vote this
sult cannot be regarded fully assured An undercur
OF opposition s developing among number OF Con
seryative Republicans, who have serious doubts about
! the cOnst.utiOnaty OF the measure. Three leading
Republican members expressed in conveTation, to-day
! their conviction shat the second section Of the
bill is clearly unconstitutiOna aud their determination
not to support it, They deny that the XIYth
Amendment authorizes the United states 10 interfere
State laws for he protection of lie and property
when not called TO do by the state authorities and
support OF their position refer to the fact that in lG
| Mr.. Bingham reported, from the Committee Recon
structon, amendment to the Constitution proposing
TO give to the General Government the very power
claimed to be given by the XVIII Amendment.
long debate ensued covering pages Of The Globe in
which the measure attacked by many leading Re-
pubcans subversve Of the powers rights Of tho
States, and it finally recommted 10 the Committee;
and when tho measure that subsequently became the
| XIYth Amendment was debated, it understood
TO have none the Objectionable features that caused
the defeat Of Mr. Binghams first proposition Other Re-
publicans express q fear that the shclabarger bill
will prove adequate remedy for the evil
existing at the South, unless enforced by army OF
men, and that any weak attempt 10 execute the
law will aggravae the troubles They say that II tho
law fails restore order the South, the Republican
party will have to bear the odium Of the failure and be-
Sides will be attacked for having passed n unconsttu'
tional law destructive OF the rights OF he STATES al Is
not probable. however, that the Republicans WHO thhK
| the bill unwise unconstitutional VIII oPpoSe tho
measure as whole bat will offer amendments 70 strike
out the second section and make maerla ihounoauohs
in the third and fourth sections An EFFORT 10 add Gen
eral Amnesty section will be made The success o
| these amendments will depend much upon 'ne acton
Of the Democrats II they vote against thenn 'he ou
will probably come TO final vote SUBSTANTIALLY as re-
+od from the Committee. The bill cannot pass the
ou.e In any shape before the middle or next week. ana
uben Il reaches the Senate it will be referred to the Ju-
d,a committee there to be amended and perhaps set
80 f,r ome measure ginated In that Committee. The
ouestion will occupy the Senate for at least week 20
that about weeks may be expected 10 espse peofs
! onv legislation ia finally adopted.
The senate Finance Committee held meeting, to-day,
and Informally discussed OF the questions likely 10
come before next Winter. The sentiments expressed
in meetings thus far TO indicate that the Commit
,e will favor revision OF the Tariff, though not on the