The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-01-23
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON, January p.
SENATE.

Mr.. Sumner presented numerous
| petitions in favor Of the passage OF the
supplem entary civil rights bill; also
a memorial of the colored people o.
the United States assembled in Con
vention at Columbia, South Carolina,
for the same.
Mr.. Cole presented a memorial OF the
merchants and other prominent citizens
on tie Pacific coast for a Uniform
system ofcoinage.
Mr.. Blair introduced joint resolu'
ton instructing the President to open
negotiations with Spain for the cession
ofCuba. Laid over.
Mr.. Wright, from the Finance com
mittee reported a bill for the relief OF
the Chicag sufferers with amendments
The bill as amended allows free impor.
tation OF all goods sent from abroad
for the relief of the sufferers; also tree
importation OF all building material
used for or to be used upon the grounds
burned over; also the suspension OF the
collection of taxes from persons who,
in the opinion of the Commissioner ol
Internal Revenue, have suffered
material loss by the FIRE; the suspe,n'
sion is not to continue beyond the
close Of the next regular session of Con
gress, it is to 20 into effect Immediately
after it passage instead Of dating back
to October 9, 1871. The bill went over
by the expiration of the morning hour
Mr.. Ramsay, from the committee on
Postoffices and Post Roads, reported
the postal telegraph bill, and said the
committee hoped to bring it up before
adjournment. In almost every other
civilized country the cost of telegraphlc
messages had been reduced to about
the rates proposed in this bill, and ii
was important that the subject should
be considered here without unnecessary
delay.
The amnesty bill was called up as
unfinished business
Mr.. Edmunds had the floor, but was
unable, owing to other engagements, to
proceed with his remarks.
Mr.. Davis, OF Kentucky, moved to
Law aside the amnesty bill Informally,
for the purpose OF taking up his resolu
ton directing the committee on Re
trenchments to inquire whether the
President has conferred public offices Of
trust or profit in return for presents,
and has been guilty Of any other mis-
conduct. He offered a modification of
it directing the committee to inquire
into the expediency OF Congress passing
a law forbidding any person in the
service ofthe United States to receive
any gift, or to appoint any OF his rela'
tions to Office.
Messrs. Conkling and Morton agreed
to have the resolution taken up, but
not by laying the amnesty bill! aside
informally, because that would enable
any Senator to cut off the debate by
calling for the regular order.
Mr.. Sherman said the President had
been attacked by Mr.. Davis in such a
manner that if he persisted 10 making
any further remarks he must expect
the whole subject to be opened up, as
others could be compelled to reply, and
he gave notice to friends OF the amnesty
bill that if they amend it now he would
not agree to take it up again unless it
was understood that it was to be set
out.
Mr.. Thurman appealed to Mr.. Davis
not to stand in the way Of the amnesty
bill.
Mr.. Davis then said he would now
forego making his remarks, but gave
notice to the Senate that he would
make them at the first opportunity, and
did not care if the most excited debate
that had ever taken place in the Senate
should spring up. He was determined
that this matter should be probed to
the bottom. The President had con-
fessed himself defaulter 10y coming
forward and paying the amount which
had been standing against him for
twenty years.
Mr.. Lewis presented petition OF
Mrs. Mary R. Lee, widow of Robert E.
Lee, setting forth that she alone had
any interest in the Arlington estate
that the title OF the Government to it
was defective, and asking an appropria-
ton of 100000, in consideration Of
which she will convey to the United
States all her right to the property.
Referred to the committee on Claims.
Mr.. Fenton introduced bill giving
$4,000 per trip to the New York and
Mexican Steamship Company for semi
monthly mail service between New
York and Vera Cruz, and other Mexi-
can ports. e.
The amnesty bill was then proceeded
with, and after some debate Mr.. Robert
son moved to lay it aside, in order to
proceed with the amnesty bill lately
passed by the House, which extends
the scale OF amnesty so as to embrace
members of Secession Conventions.
An objection was made to this by
by Messrs. Conkling, Morton and
others.
Mr.. Sumner stated that he should
renew his civil rights amendment.
Mr.. Thurman argued that it was
greatly unconstitutional, and pending
the debate, without action, the Senate
adjourned at 4:3O P. NJ.