The Portland daily press., 1872-01-30
LxIID CONGREss-.SECOND SESSION.
SENATE.
THE CONTENTIOUS WITNESS

THE CONTENTIOUS WITNESSES.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29-The morning houl
was consumed in the discussion of the resolu
ton for the arrest of Gist and Camp, who re
fused to testify before the Ku Kiux Committed
| in South Carolina.
The following bills were introduced and re-
ferred:-By Mr.. Blair, authorizing the SecTe
tary of the Treasury to pay for cotton seized Dy
the agents of the United States after June oo
| 1865; by Mr. Howe, allowing homestead settlers
| who were burned out in the States OF Mime.
sofa, Wisconsin and Michigan until the LIST OF
| January, 1873, to rebuild on and occupy the
| homestead lands.
The amnesty bill was in ORDER but was post
| poned till tomorrow with the understanding
that no vote should be taken.
THE ApPoRrIoNMENT BILL a..
The apportionment bill was taken up, and Mr..
Morrill, of VT, resumed his remarks. He pre-
ferred the Senate substitute to the House bill,
and did not favor an increase of the number OF
Representatives, believing that small House
could do the business of the country better than
large one He criticised the House bill as
unjust to several States, and said that If the
ratio of representations which it applied TO
Vermont were to be applied all over the Union
1t would give an aggregate of only go members
instead of 2S3, the number provided for in the
bill, but it was not against Vermont or New
England alone that the House bill would DIS
criminate. 1t would do injustice to at least fif-
teen States, of which only two were in New
England, anu IL favored the large StateS at tue
expense of the small ones.
The question was on the first amendment re-
ported by the Judiciary Committee, providing
that the House shall consist of the present
number-243 members-instead of 2S3, as pro-
posed in. the House bill.
Mr.. Morrill,, of Vermont, moved to amend so
as to make the number 292. LOst-yeas IL.
nays 81.
Mr.. Edmunds again argued that the House
bill would violate the constitutional require
ment that there shall be equality of representa-
ton. He admitted that it was impossible to
avoid some inequality where fractions of popu-
lation were concerned, but expressed the opin-
ion that exact justice would be nearest approx
mated by reverting to the rule which was fol-
lowed up to 1S41, of disregarding fractions al
together.
The other amendments reported by the COM
mittee were rejected, except the last, which
was adopted-yeas q, nays %. The section
provides that should any State, after the pas
sage OF the act, deny or abridge the right of
any of its male citizens to vote at any election
named in the 14th amendment, except for par
ticipatiOn in rebellion or other crime, the num-
Der of its representatives shall be proportion
ately reduced.
Mr. Pomeroy moved to strike out the fifth
section, which prohibits the admission of any
new State until it has sufficient population to
entltle 1t to one representative. Lost-24 to 49,
Mr.. Patterson moved to amend so as to give
Vermont and New Hampshire three members
Other amendments were offered and rejected,
and the bill, having been considered in COM
mlttee, was reported to the Senate and the
amendment made concurred in-34 to 10. The
bill was then passed, all the Senators voting aye
except Messrs. Edmunds, Hamilton of Mary
land, Morrill, of Vermont, Norwood Patterson,
salisbury and Vickers. Adjourned.
HOUSE.
Bills were introduced admitting pine timber
and lumber free; limiting the time for the pre-
sentatiOn of claims against the government
Tor building ten sloops of war; for the improve
ment of Norwalk harbor, Conn. for the i'm
provement of navigation in the mouth of the
Connecticut river; repeating the stamp tax on
syrups, preserves and vegetables; and one by
Mr.. Butler, granting woman suffrage; to arm
and equip the whole militia of the United
States; extending the jurisdiction of the Light
House Board; allowing half of customs dues
to be paid by legal tenders; repeating the duty
on printing type and material allowing women
to vote and hold Office in the territories; for the
retirement of national bank notes and the SUBJ
stltutlon OF treasury notes; for the withdrawal
of all fractional currency and for general
banking law. Several memorials were present
ed. e"
A resolution was adopted instructing the
Public Building Committee to inquire into the
feasibility of procuring for the government
title to Independence Hill and Square
A bill was passed removing the political dis
abilities from several citizens of Georgia and
Tennessee.
A bill for the recognition of state of war
between Spain and the Republic of Cuba and
declares both ports entitle to belligerent rights
including the right of each to carry their re-
spective flags in the waters of the United
States, was introduced by Mr.. Voorhees, of In
dina, who moved suspension of the rules and
the passage of the bill. u.
After debate, the bill was referred to the
Foreign Committee.
The Diplomatic Appropriation bill was re-
ported specially ordered for Thursday.
The total sum appropriated by the bill is
The bill removing political disabilities from
half dozen persons in Georgia was passed.
Mr.. Getz of Penn, asked leave to offer
resolution for an investigation into the authori-
ty by which Seneca sandstone was used in the
foundation of the new State Department build
ing.
Mr.. Negley of Penn, objected
MIR Getz wished to move to suspend the rules,
but had not the floor.
Mr.. Burdett of Missouri, offered resolution
inquire whether materials for steamship build
ing can be supplied by the United States, and
f6s R g{oSs RstwssR ae@estie and
FINAL ADJOURNMENT.
Mr.. Dawes of Mass, called up the Senate
concurrent resolution for final adjournment on
the 29th of May. He wanted an expression of
the will of the House SO it should be under
stood in good time. The resolution was un-
usual; not only in origin but also as to the time
Of introduction. His own idea however was
that Congress could as well adjourn on the 29th
of May as on the 10th of July, provided that
the time fixed was long enough in advance !
Mr.. Farnsworth of ILL.,, wished to have the
resolution referred to one of the leading Com
mittees of the House-Appropriation or Ways
and Means. The Senate had not yet passed a
single bill and yet had passed the resolution of
final adjournment. Everything had to give
way to that demand. Amnesty must be post
poned and the revision of the tariff and inter-
nal aevenue laws. There is no use in blinking
at the matter 1t appeared to him as plain as
day that the adoption of the resolution meant
no revision of the tariff at this session and no
revision of taxation. 1t meant that the House
should do the bidding of certain gentlemen,
Pass some of the appropriation bills SO that
they might run their departments and let the
members go home with their fingers in their
mouths and their mouths in the dust. The
resolution should be referred to one of the Com
mttees he mentioned and let that Committee
be responsible for its report
Mr. Garfield, Chairman of the Committee on
Appropriations, reminded the House that hith-
erto, for several years past, there had been a
preliminary session of Congress in which the
House had been organized and committees ap-
pointed and the subjects of legislations prepar-
ed, That was not so now, as that law had been
very unwisely repealed. He was not ready now
to the limit of the session fixed for the Goth
OF May He favored the reference of the re-
solution either to the Committee on Ways and
Means or the Committee ON Appropriations
Mr.. Brooks of N. Y, reminded the Chair
man of the Committee eff Ways and Means,
(Dawes) that the committee would not be pre-
pared to report bill for the revision of the
tariff and internal revenue before next April
He thought therefore the adoption of the reso-
luton at this time was equivalent to saying
that the government would continue to collect
from the people one hundred millions a year
beyond the necessities. Other important sub
jects which Congress should pass upon before
adjournment were the resumption of specie
payments and the relations of the United States
with Spain and England.
Mr.. Dawes did not admit that the Committee
on Ways and Means would not be ready to re-
port bill to reduce taxation before April next
He thought it might be done much sooner If
the House thought it unwise to fix SO early
day for adjournment it should say so now and
that was the reason he called up the resolution.
Mr.. Butler of Mass, favored the adoption of
the resolution believing short session would
be beneficial to the commercial interests of the
country. He reminded the members of the
probable prevalence of fevers in Washington
during the hot months of June and thought for
our own sakes-for the sake of the country and
for the sake of the party there should be an