Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-01-26
WAsHTNeToN, January %.
REEATE.


sEEATE.
Senator Harlan presented q memo
rial from the ChoctaW Indians protest
ing against the establishment of Ter
ritorial government In the Indian
Territory.
senator Sawyer presented a resolu-
ton OF the South Carolina legislature
insuucting their senators to vote for
the supplementary civil rights bill.
Senator Ffelinghuysen, in present.
ing petition in reference to the duty
on cast-steel, spoke against any reduc-
ton OF the duty at present.
Senator Wilson reported a bill to
lease a portion of the Presidio reser.
vatiOn TO San Francisco for public
park.
Senator Cole asked for the immedi-
ate consideration of the bill, but Sem
atOr Hamilton objected. The bill
leases some sixteen hundred acres.
Senator Sawyer entered motion to
reconsider the vote of yesterday on
the Chicago relief bill.
senator Wright introduced bill in
reference to certain swamp lands in
Iowa.
Senator Wilson introduced bill to
prohibit the importation of South
Sea Islanders by American citizens.
He said that the slave trade in these
islanders had recently sprung up.
Senator Logan moved the immedi.
ate consideration OF Senator SaWyer's
motion to reconsider the Chicago re-
iei bill. Passed.
A bill was reported from the COM
mittee on commerce authorizing the
postmaster-gsneral to contract for an
American line of mall steamers from
New Orleans to the Mexican and Gu
ban ports.
Senator Chandler said he had asked
SENATOR Sawyer to make the motion
because Its passage would do a great
injury TO his constituents in Mich gan,
the lumber merchants.
Pending the discussion the amnesty
bill was taken up.
Senator Logan asked to have it
temporarily laid aside.
Senator Hill said he now felt an in
creased interest in the amnesty bill,
because there was a vacancy ON the
supreme bench OF Georgia, and the
governor was anxiously waiting the
passage Of this bill, which would re-
lieve some Of the ablest jurists in the
State and give him wider choice In
dlling the vacancy.
The bill was then taken up, and
Senator Morrill,, of Maine, addressed
the senate at length in favor OF the
bill and in opposition to Senator Sum-
ner's amendment. He said the very
hrst step In process of reconstruction
was necessarily amnesty, in order to
qualify those who were to take
part in the reorganized governments.
the assumed disqualification made
amnesty great civil, political ana
moral necessity at the end of the war,
and in accordance with that principle
the question OF a general amnesty
had Osen long ago settled. The ques
ton now before the senate was
whether it would pass bill granting
an amnesty not quite universal but
so nearly 80 as TO put tinal eud to
special legislation on the subject. He
was convinced that 1t would be wise
TO pass this bill. He also remarked
that Senator Summers amendment
was unconstitutional and ought to be
n jected. This bill was an assertion
of equal civil, political and social
rights for all men in hotels, churches,
schools, theaters and everywhere.
This was all well, and he hoped the
day would come when we should be
all so thoroughly imbued with the
principles Of justice, humanity and
christianity as to take all men, with
out distinction OF color, to our firesides
and b9sOms, :. certainly 1t was not
within the province of congress to en-.
force this bv direct legislation.
Senator MOrrell criticised In detail
the provisions Of Senator Summers
bill, and argued that congress has no
power to enact them into law except
so far as they applied to common car
riers, and he warned the senate
against disregarding the constitution
al line OF separation between the Fed !
eral and state governments, upon the |
preservation OF which the stability Of /
the Republic depended.
Senator Flanagan followed. He was |
In favor OF the amnesty bill /
and also OF the amendment, bat /
there were men at the South for /
whose relief he would not vote
Jefferson Davis, for instance. He /
criticized Horace Greeley for going
bail for Davis, and announced his |
own belief in the good old doctrine
that Americans should rule Amer
ica."
The amnesty bill was postponed and
made the special order for Monday at
one O'Clock the final vote not to be
Iaken until Tuesday.
A resolution TO adjourn till Monday |
was lost.
The apportionment bill was taken
up, and the senate went into exeeu-
ive session, and soon after adjourned.