New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-26


Hearing to Rice Producers-Ku.Klux
for Information.
WASHINGTON. January 25.-The Senate
to-day confirmed James ". Locke = Dis
trict Judge of the Southern District of
Florida.
.Senate-The Choctaw Indians petition
against the territorial government.
The amnesty bill was resumed.
Mr.. Morrill,, of Maine, made long speech
in favor of the BILL but against the Sumner
amendment.
Mr.. Flanagan followed, in favor of the
bill and the amendment.
The amnesty bill was postponed until
Monday.
The appOrtionment bill was made the spe-
cial order for tomorrow.
The Judiciary Committee of the Senate
will report against woman suffrage. as
right under the constitution
Mr.. Morrill,, of Maine, in his speech
on the amnesty bill to-day, said that the
government having prosecuted the war
lutte political disability of 100000 Of peo-
BILE. and the absolute overthrow of the le
gitimate governments of ten States. the
very first step i'll the process of reconstruc-
tion was neces 'arily amnesty. in order
to qualify those who were to take
part in the reorganized governments.
The assumed disqualification made am
nesty great civil. political and moral ne
cessity at the end of the war. and in accord
ance with that principle the question of
general amnesty had been long, long ago
settled. The question now before the Sen
ate was whether it would pass bill grant
ing amnesty, not quite universal, but so
nearly so as to put an END TO special legisla-
ton on the subject.
He was convinced that it would be wise
to pass the bill he had leen brought to
that conviction by the Pre- ident's recon-
mendation and by the Recommendation of
the kukluN committee, and by his own
Judgment. AS to the amendmeu Mt proposed
by Mr.. Sumner, be was not only opposed to
its adoption, but he believed that it never
ought to have been entertained as an
amendment to this bill; first. because it
involved different rule of legislation, re-
quiring only a majority vote; and second.
because although it involved very delicate
constitutional questions. it had not been
considered by a committee.
The Senator said Mr.. Summers bill was
unconstitutional, and was an assertion of
the equal civil. political and social rights of
all men in hotels. churches, schools, theatres
and everywhere. This was all well, and he
hoped the day would come when we should
be all SO thoroughly imbued with the prin-
clpleS OIL Justice, humanity ana cnflStldNlCy
as to take all men, without distinction OF
color, to our firesides and bosOms; but. GER
tainly, it was not within the province of
Congress to enforce them by direct le.isla-
ton.
Mr.. Morrill, criticised in detail the pro-
visions of Mr.. Summers bill. and argued
that Congress had no power to enact them
into law, except so far as they applied to
common carriers, and he warned the Senate
against disregarding the constitutional line
of separation between the federal and the
State governments, upon the preservation
of which the stability of the republic de-
pended.
The Ways and Means Committee to-day
gave hearing to the rice men. Senator
Sawyer spoke few words against reduc-
ton of the duty on rice.
Colonel Owens, of Georgia, who is rice
planter, showed the difficulties OF such pro-
ducers, and cOntradicted the assertions OF
merchants of the North. who ask for re-
ductiOn, stating that rice planters are
making much money.
House-The President is called upon for
all proceedings under the ku-klux bill in
South Carolina, with the names of all pris-
oners and the condition respecting the
safety of life and property in North Caro-
lina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Mississippi,
Texas and Louisiana.
The naval appropriation bill for over
$l7 100000 was made the special order for
Tuesday.