The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-02-02
LXIID CONGRESS- SECOND SESSION.
SENATE.

Asia and Europe.
Mr.. Lewis in personal explanation said
ne favored equal colored rights and will vote
for the civil rights bill.
A bill was introduced by Mr.. Morrill, of Me-,
authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to dis
tribute among the officers and crew belonging
| 10 the steamer Kearsarge while engaged in the
| capture and destruction of the Alabama $3.50,
OOO as prize money in lieu of the bounty au-
thorized by the act of June 80, 1864; providing
that that the money be not paid to the assig-
nees OF marines, but only to themselves or le-
gal representatives.
fishing drawback on all foreign materials used
IN the construction of American built vessels;
increasing the compensation of letter carriers
to $l20O per annum and re-establishing the
branch mint at New Orleans.
A resolution to reconsider the Chicago relief
bill was debated until the expiration of the
morning hour, when the amnesty bill was taken
up.
THE AMNESTY BILL.
Mr.. Carpenter made an argument in favor of
the principle of Mr.. Summers amendment, but
against the provisions forbidding the exclusion
from churches as unconstitutional and also I'M
desirable for the colored people. If this OBJ
lection was obviated by an amendment he would
insist if those who wanted amnesty did not &C
cept this civil rights bill he would let them
walt for amnesty.
Mr.. Carpenter said he should vote for the
civil rights bill but would offer substitute
leaving out the provision applicable to churches
MI. Thurman asked Mr. Carpenter whether
his substitute retained the provision relating to
schools
Mr.. Carpenter-Yes sir
Mr.. Thurman-I remember listening to an
argument by the Senator year or two ago. in
which he combatted the idea that the federal
government had any right to interfere with the
schools and would like to know on what prin-
ciple he now claims for the federal government
the right to interfere with education in the
States?
Mr.. Carpenter-The question is easily ans
wered What 1 doubted then was whether
Congress had the power to enter Upon a gov
eminent scheme of education in the States and
appropriate money to support schools, but
while reflection led me to doubt still more
have no doubt of the power of this government
under the constitutional amendments to say
that the colored man shall have his rights in
common schools and ON that subject hope the
Republican party will never back one inch. The
destruction seems to me perfectly clear between
voluntary institutions whether incorporated or
not, which ought not to be interfered with and
those institutions which are founded and main
tanned for the general good and at the public
expense.
Mr.. Thurman-The question is not whether
colored people shall have the benefit of the
public schools, the question is whether the pow
so that while you do not give colored people the
benefit of common schools, you shall be COM
PEELED to give it in particular way.
MIR. Carpenter-I ask whether under this
Constitution we cannot provide that no State
shall exclude a colored man from, for instance,
the right to bring suit or produce witness,
and does that take away from the State the
right to regulate their courts? Not at all; but
it does say to them that in this particular, you,
shall not discriminate
Mr.. Davis of Kentucky, said Mr.. Summers
amendment was to be put upon the amnesty
bill for the purpose of defeating it. Those who
insisted on the amendment knew very Welt that
the Southern people would rather do without
amnesty than accept it saddled with such con-
sdltions, and for one he would say that human
ingenuity could not devise proposition of the
character of the civil rights bill that he would
accept. He then discussed at great length the
history of the doctrines of secession, the uncon-
stitutional acts of the Republican party and
announced that having been born in land of
freedom, he would go down to his grave in the
assertion of the right of free thought and free
speech.
Without reaching vote the Senate went in
TO executive session and soon after adjourned
until Monday.
The debate was resumed ON the Ways and
Means Committee report on the syndicate me-
gotiations and Mr.. Maynard of Tenn, MEM
Der of the committee defended the Secretary of
the Treasury, supporting the resolution of the
majority of the committee.
Mr.. Kelley of Pa, followed on the same side
of the question, and asked what sort of an out
cry the Democrats would have raised if the Sec
Rotary of the Treasury had refused the offer of
foreign bankers to take $136, 900, 600 of the pub
lie debt at five per cent. and had continued to
pay per cent? He ridiculed Mr. Cox of N. Y,
pretensions to public virtue in this matter, con-
trssting with it the ring frauds of mayors and
referring to the fact that Mr. Cox had spoken
at meeting in New York in favor of the re-
election of Mike Norton, Tweeds Lieutenant
to the Senate of the Stbte of New York
Mr.. Cox said in his speech on that subject he
condemned the ring frauds. He hoped the COR
ruption of the men who managed the public af-
fairs of n. Y. to the humiliation of the Demo-
cratic party, would not form a justification in
the House for this syndicate transaction. As to
Mike Norton, he had presentedonl the reform
ried against him by purchased Republicans
Mr.. Kelley said he had to resume the floor.
Mr.. Cox of New York, said it was time.
Uaughter)
Mr.. Kelley would not pause to ask who
bought up the Republicans, but they Were GER
tainly bought up by largesses from millions
stolen by Tweed, Norton q Co.
Mr.. Eldredge-They We're cheap men.
Kelley-Tnat was not necessarily so as the
man who stole $40, 900 could afford to buy
(Laughter) He did not mean to assail Mr.
Cox who was pure in his personal character,
butwas nevertheless a partizan.
Mr.. Dawes of Massachusetts,, chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee, closed the debate.
If the charges made against the Secretary of
the Treasury that he chad made transactions
with the syndicate in defiance of law were true
and If the House pronounced it true that fact
would deal blow at the credit of the nation
more severe than any it had sustained even
from rebellion and war. He argued that it
was not in defiance of the law but it was carry
ing out the law according to its plain object
and purpose and under the very necessities of
the case The Secretary has been arraigned,
not Tor want OF economy, but for violation of
the law and to that arraignment he had plead
ed and had VIGOROUSLY shown that he had not
violated but executed the law Surprising the
syndicate had made such profits as alleged and
made them at the expense of the government,
which was not the case, what profit had the
United States made out of the transaction? In
negotiating $2O0,000000 ofifve per ceut bonds
| and withdrawing the same amount of six per
| cent. bonds, it made a saving of $1,000, 600 q
! year or $20,000,000 at the end of ten years.
That put at interest would make $26, 900, 900 at
the end of ten years. The present value of
that saving was $14, $40, 600 If the calculation
were carried out on the whole, one billion five
| hundred million dollars for thirty years-when
the longest bond shall cease-the saving in in
terest invested semi-annually at six per cent
value of that saving was $3.50, 100, 900, the bene
fit of the success of funding that $1,000, 0O(
did not end there; it had so strengthened
| American credit abroad as to render it certain
| that the balance of the debt could be funded al
! four per cent. In that connection he read 8
letter of Assistant Secretary Richardson, dated
| London, Dec. 3d. relating to conversation
which the writer had with the Governor of the
bank of England, who is represented as saying
that until recently he had always thought The
| debt could not be funded but that it had beer
shown that the resources of the country wer'
so universal and the determination to maintain
| the credit so fixed and settled that we should
soou be able to borrow money at four per cent
Such sentiments expressed by the Governor o
the bank of England, could not fail to have
favorable effect on American Securities.
The Secretary might turn from this puny ar
raignment to the public judgment upon hi
course. Having reduced the public debt abou
$500, 900, 900 and having by funding 100000,
600, not only saved $26, 100000 but assured tn
saving OF $4,000 900 more and whateve
might be the vote of the House ON the resolu
ton the Secretary could turn to that other AM
greater verdict of the American people and o
the countries of Europe.
A vote was taken and the resolution declar
ing that the Secretary of the Treasury in nego
tiating the loan had neither increased the bond
ed debt nor incurred expenditure contrary +
law was adopted. Yeas ITO nays Sc.
INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL.
The House then went into Committee OF tn
appropriation bill.
After the Committee got through forty page
of the bill and while thirty pages were unread
an arrangement was made that the COMMITTEE
rise and report the bill allowing a certai