Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-01-25

in Washington The San Domingo excite
ment has subsided, and nothing has arisen to
take it's place.
THE SENATE.
The Senate has had an exciting and ami
mated debate on the condition of affairs in
the South, in connection With the papers
sent to the Senate by the President, contain
ing statements Of Ku-Klux outrages in the
South. Mr.. Morton moved the appointment
of a special committee of investigation, with
power to send for persons and papers. The
Democrats assailed the motion as partisan;
and the Republicans defended it as necessa-
~. A committee was appointed to make
the investigation.
The Senate has discussed at considerable
length bill to pay to the States interest on
the moneys expended by them in raising
troops during the recent rebellion. Senator
Morton has charge of the bill A vote was
taken yesterday laying aside the bill to take
up another measure, which indicates that
the bill will not pass this session. 1t has
been hitherto, believe, contrary to the pol
icy and practice of the government to allow
! interest on any claims.
The Senate has also, after considerable de
bate, passed bill relinguishing to the State
of Ohio the national jurisdiction over the
soldiers asylum in Gen. Schenck's district.
1t is supposed that this bill, if it becomes a
law, win make the soldiers in the asylum
voters in Ohio. The Democrats, of course,
opposed it. They are not yet quite ready to
trust the votes Of soldiers.
Efforts have been made during the week
to consider various land grants and subsidy
schemes on the Senate calendar. and a day
has been fixed for the consideration of sew
eral schemes to give subsidy to steamship
lines. The Senate is usually pretty liberal
in the subsidies, and will, no doubt, vote
millions to the schemes but they will not
have so easy a time in the House. Senator
Hamlin of Maine introduced last week a
bill for government aid for a line direct from
Portland, Maine, through New Hampshire,
Vermont via Rutland, and New York, 81
connect with other lines for Chicago in the
western part of New York. The reason
given for the subsidy is to secure cheap
freghts for grain to supply the seaboard
consumers. The grant asked is for loan
Of government credit to the extent Of $50. 900
per mile Of the proposed road. Whether
Senator Hamln meant his proposition as a
Joke may be doubtful; but it can hardly
have any serious consideration in Congress
THE HOUSE.
The House has accomplished little except
to pass some of the appropriation bills
Bills have been reported, or are ready to re
port. for the admission of Colorado and New
Mexico as States, although neither territory
has a population as large as that required
for single member of Congress. But some
body in these territories wants place in the
United States Senate, and there is no way o.
getting there except by this machinery. Tn,
State Of Oregon-which ought still TO he
territory-has less than 100 900 inhabitants
and Nevada has less than $4,000, yet they
each have two United States Senators
is about time to stop this manufacture o
States out Of these small populations.
Mr. Sargent Of California has INTRODUCED
a bill for the admission Of L tab as n State
which provides that the Constitution shall
contain an article forever irreyocable with
out the consent Of Congress, to the eifec
that after the admission Of that State al
persons shall be forever prohibited from
contracting any bigamous, Polygamous o.
plural marriages, or relations Of concubinage
He thinks the Mormons, If they can enjoy
their present multiplicity Of wives, will b.
content to stipulate that the next generation
Of Mormons shall be limited to one wife each
1t is not likely, however, that such a BIZ
will pass this session. The question of po
lygamy in L tab is an ugly one to deal with
at the best, and thus far polygamy ha
managed to hold its own against the fedora
government. There has been any quantit
of denunciation of it, but measures to pu
} a stop to it have amounted to little and tn
future gives little promise of being an i'm
provement on the past.
The House has had sharp hght,-and tn
result is as yet undecided over a land gran
: in Wisconsin. The votes taken on the bi
Thursday were close, and the majority va
first for and then against the measure. TIL
indication from these votes is that the Ian
grabs on the Speakers table will not &C
through this session.