The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-01-23
xLIId CONGRESS..sE SECOND SESSION
SENATE.

WASHINGTON Jan. 22-Several Civil rights
petitions were presented.
Mr.. Blair introduced a joint resolution in
structing the President to open negotiations
with Spain for the cession of Cuba. Laid over.
A bill for the relief of Chicago went over by
the expiration of the morning hour.
A bill from the Finance Committee was in
troduced. 1t not only admits iron and building
material free, but gives the Internal Revenue
| Commissioner the discretionary power to ex-
empt the sufferers from revenue taxes. 1t is to
| go into effect Immediately and to last till the
! close of the next session of Congress.
Mr.. Ramsey reported the postal telegraphy
| bill
Lands, reported without amendment, bill to
| enable honorably discharged soldiers and sail
| ors and their widows and orphans to acquire
homesteads on public lands.
| Mr.. Cole from the Committee on Appropria-
| lions reported without amendment the House
| bill making good the deficiency in post office
appropriations caused by the Mccartney de-
| falcation.
MRS. LEE AGAIN -f..
| Mr.. Lewis of Va, presented petition from
| Mrs. Lee, widow of the late Robert E. Lee, set
| ting forth that the darlington estate was be-
queathed to her by her father in 1857, and was
occupied by herself and family and that it was
sold for non-payment of direct tax of $500,
and by order of President Lincoln bid in by the
| United States for $26, 600, no portion of which
|
The petitions urges that the above named pro-
ceedings were insufficient to pass legal or val
id title to the United States because the act of
| Congress under which said sale was made is UNI
constitutional, the constitution authorizing to
exercise exclusive jurisdiction over such places
only as are purchased by the consent of the
| State in which they are situated, for the pur-
pose alone of erecting forts and other needful
| buildings.
| tits further argued that the general govern
ment has never attempted to exercise any ex-
elusive legislationor to call in question the juris
diction of Virginia over that portion OF the
| County of Alexandria; also that the sale of the
| whole HOO acres to pay tax of ninety dollars,
while the tract was clearly devisable and the
sales OF portion amply sufficient to pay tax
upon it, was unconstitutional.
| 1t is also asserted that the amount of this tax
was duly rendered to the tax commissioner be-
| fore said sale. In view of these circumstances
the petitioner asks Congress to appropriate
| 100000 to purchase the estate from her where
upon she will give the government a clear title
THE AMNESTY BILL.
The amnesty bill was taken up as unfinished
business.
Mr.. Edmunds had the floor but was unable
from other engagements to proceed with his re-
marks.
Mr.. Davis of KY, moved to lay it aside infor-
mally for the consideration of his resolution of
inquiring whether the President conferred pub
lie offices in return for presents and was guilty
ton thereof for an inquiry of the expediency of
law forbiding any person in the service of the
United States to receive any gift or appoint any
relative to office.
Messrs. Conkling and Morton were willing to
have the resolution taken up but not by laying
the amnesty bill informally aside because that
would enable any Senator to cut off the debate
by calling for the regular order
Mr. Sumner opposed laying the amnesty bill
aside otherwise than informally, and thought
Mr. Davis Oupht IN no aIlOWa6 To falx
resolution and make his speech in the ordinary
way.
Mr. Conkling said this was very extraor-
binary resolution and he desired it fully discuss
ed and pressed to a vote.
Mr. Davis considered the resolution extraor-
binary, but that the subject and the occasion
were amply sufficient to justify it. He wanted
to beard the lion in his den. The office of
the Chief Executive Magistrate is said to be
the fountain OF honor, but it is the fountain of
dishonor and abuse and corruption in our
country. He wanted it purified by free, man.
ly unfettered and unfaltering investigation :,
Within few days we have seen the Presi-
dent published as defaulter to the amount of
and driven by the denunciation of the papers or
some other cause, he was forced to make good
the amount of the defalcation.
Mr. Sherman suggested that Davis was dis
cussing the merits of the resolution although it
was not before the Senate.
Mr. Davis suspended his time of remark and
at the further suggestion of Mr.. Sherman, that
the question would cause long and exciting
debate which would postpone the amnesty
bill, he consented to withdraw the resolution for
the present but would again bring it before the
Senate.
The amnesty bill was taken up, the pending
amendment being Mr.. Sumner supplementary
civil rights bill.
Mr.. Morton suggested to Mr.. Sumner to
strike out all relating to church and cemetary
organizations.
Mr.. Robertson moved to lay the bill aside and
take up the last amnesty bill passed by the
House.
Mr.. Trumbull supported the motion and hop
ed the Senate would pass the last House am
nesty bill without amendment, and if Mr. Sum-
ner should persist in offering the civil rights
bill as an amendment he hoped the Senate
would declare it out of order as it In fact was
He also expressed the hope that Mr. Summers
bill would never pass in its present form.
Messrs. Conkling and Morton opposed the
motion.
Mr.. Morton said Mr.. Sumner had agreed to
accept the amendment suggested by him to-
day.
Mr.. Thurman supported it and repeated his
opinion expressed when idr Summers amend
ment was first offered that it was unconstitu-
tional.
Mr.. Nye opposed the motion and advocated
Mr.. Summers amendment. He said those at
the South who are so anxious to be allowed to
come back to Washington and take part in
ed men ride in the same cars with them, lest
otherwise they should not be allowed to come
at all. He had heard that this civil rights bill
is unconstitutional, but if it is, then the con-
stitutinn should be amended
Mr.. Robertson said he intended to vote for
Mr.. Summers bill, but thought it anwise to
tack it on to this amnesty bill
Mr.. Thurman said he knew too much to ex-
pect to make the Senator from Nevada (Nye)
understand the constitutional argument, but
for the benefit of Ottnrs who VIC laSS diSpocad
to ridicule the constitution, he would point out
some particulars in which he thought the bill
unconstitutional which he did at length. With
out action the Senate adjourned
HOUSE,
Numerous bills were introduced including
one to promote and sustain American fisheries;
authorizing the construction of ten staem sloops
of war; repeating the income tax; securing pub
lie lands to actual settlers; amendatOry to the
Constitution to make congressman illegble to
the Presidency or Vice presidency; bill for sup.
pressing polygamy, and enabling the people of
Utah to form State Constitution and State
government; bill appropriating, $4,000 for the
bill remitting duties on ship building materials
came up. Mr.. Hale of Maine urged the i'm
portance of the bill. Mr.. Cox of New York
offered an amendment allowing the purchase
of foreign vessels, but the previous question
cut it off
After short discussion, the bill was referred
to the Ways and Means Committee.
Mr.. Dawes OF Mass presented report of the
Ways and Means Committee GIL the subject of
the negotiation of the funded debit with a reso-
luton declaring thai the Secretary of the Treas
ury, in negotiating the loan authorized by the
act of July 10, 1870 had neither increased the
bonded debt nor incurred expenditure contrary
to law, It was ordered to be printed, to be
called up for future action.
Mr. Kerr of Indiana, in representing the
views Of the minority of the Committee, said
thai the minority report would probably be pre-
sented SO
The bill introduced on last Monday by Mr..
Holman of Ind, extending the time for pre-
ed by extending the time to the 3Oth of Janua-
ry, 1873, and passed. -..
Mr.. Carter of Va introduced bill establish
ing a tax on all descriptions of manufactured
tobacco, at a uniform rate of 16 cents per pOnnd
and asked to have it put upon passage. Mr..
Dawes of Mass. objected, and the bill was re-
ferred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Butler of Mass offered a resolution for
the survey of Long Point, in Salem harbor.
Referred to Committee on Commerce
Mr. Plat of Va offered resolution instruct
ing the Committee on Ways and Means to re-
port at their earliest convenience, on the tax of
manufactured tobacco. Adopted
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Mr.. Farnsworth Of III, offered a resolution
instructing the Committee of the District of
Columbia to inquire into the allegations of the
memorial of the tax payers of Washington,
| charging all sorts of corrupt practices on the
| board of works under the new territorial gov
| eminent.
II -tr Inclr o.,I