Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-01-18
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE

SENATE
WAs41NeTea, tan. l7.-Bills were in
tradec;;G as fellows: s-rf - -
BY Mr.. Cole to admit tea and coffee.
by Mr.. Wilson for the relief of East Ten
| nessee University.
Mr.. Trurnbuii called up the bill to restort
the records of the United States Courts O
Northern Illinois. After discussion tn,
bill went over.
Kentucky's Claims.
By Mr.. Stevenson to indemnify Ken
lucky and other States for expenses incur.
red In the dpfente OF the United States
The bill provides that the State of Ken
tucky shall be refunded the expenses in.
| CURED for all the troops thereof that acted
in concert with and in aid of the troops O.
the United States ard were ifiade subject
to the orders o. United States officers. com
manding, whether or not mustered into the
service.
The Labor Commission.
Mr.. Sawyer from the Committee on Ed.
ucation and Labor, reported with amend.
ments, bill to provide for the appointment
of a Labor Commissions an amendment to
fix the salary Of the Clerk or the Comfnis.
sion at Sl;400 per anntim, and make an ap-
propfiation of sic, 400 for all salaries Of the
Commission, and 81 900 for stationery and
postage.
Amnesty.
The bill was discussed until Mr.. Sumner
called for the regular order, being the am
nesty bill. The pending amendment was
the supplementary civil rights bill, upon
which Mr.. Sumner addressed the Senate.
He read greet mass of testimony, con-
sisting Of addresses at meetings, resolutions
OF cOlOred conventions, and letters from
representative colored men and private in
dividuais, setting forth the grievances of
which they complain, and unanimously ex-
pressing an earnest desire for the immediate
passage Of supplementary civil rights bill.
He read for two hours, and closed with an
appeal for this as an amendment to the gen
eral amnesty bill, so that the Rebels might
always remember that amnesty came to
them coupled with justice to the colored
race.
Mr.. Frelingheysen criticised the praise
olOgy Of SumneI's bill and proposed some
verbal amendments.
Mr.. Sumner would consider and accept
them if possible.
APuritan Speech.
Mr.. Frelixheysen speaking as to the
merits Of the bill said he was not entirely
satisfied that the sentiment of hatred has
died out of the South, and | do not more
than half like the idea of tempting those
who still remain in hostility to this govern
ment to take part in the politics of the
country. l would rather that they, by be-
ing ineligible, should be made to
stand aside, and l think that 40
years hence when they and we will be all
in our graves, it will be found that it would
have been better for the future of this coun-
try that we had left at least a feeble mark
OF disapprobatiOn against the greatest crime
ever peTpeuated. l am, by no means, clear
that we are fulfilling the purpose of the
18th amendment, and therefore, think it
quite important that we should keep and
enforce the exceptions contained in the
bill as Bit came from the House, in order
that some vitality may be left in
that amendment and that there may
be something upon which it may operate.
| am brought, however, probably to vote
for the amnesty bill with the exceptions by
two or three different considerations: In
the first place have respect fort the opinions
of other people, and think that there are
other persons 10 whom may very properly
defer my judgment. | have the greatest
respect for the opinion which has been ex-
pressed by the representatives of the people
in the passage of This bill. l have great re-
spect for the opinion of the President ex-
pressed in his recommendation that the
amnesty bill should become a law.
Here Mr.. Frelinhuysen took occasion to
eulogize the Presidents wisdom, ability and
fdeljty.l
give my vote in favor of amnesty in
some degree, because of the opinion ex-
pressed by the representatives ofthe people
and by a President in whom l have conf
dence. 1t may 9e, too, that there are in
teliigent men in the South who are eX-
clUded from holding Office and who would
benefit the public if they were again en-
trusted with power. l am willing, at all
events, to try the experiment to see if there
is yet further power in the mild and hui
name policy which we have ever adopted
towards those who wickedly rebeled against
Us.
Mr.. Wilson gave notice that he would
move to amend Hoarss Labor Commission
bill so as to have ) commissioners instead of
three to serve two years instead of one and
TO be paid $4,000 instead of $1,000.
Mr.. Carpenter gave notice that Thursday
he would call up his resolution cOndemning
he civil service reform and address the
Senate upon it.
Without action on the bill the Senate ad-
Ourned.