New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-31
Pennsylvania STATE CONVENTION
CONGRESS.

Internal Revenue Bill Einished-EnfOrce-
ment Act and supplementary Civil
Rights BiII-ObjectiOn to their Refer
ence-Quarantine Regulations on the
GuIf-COniirmRtiOn of Private Land
CIaims-Act Extended-Van Trump's
Personal Observation-Disclosures of Menu
bers of Louisiana investigating Conn
mittee.
WASHINGTON, May 30.-Se4ate.-The Sem
ate has finished the internal revenue bill.
The tax on whisky remains at seventy
cents per gallon, but on tobacco a uniform
tax of twenty-fOur cents per pound was
agreed on, being an increase of four cents
on the House rates. Export bonded ware.
houses for tobacco were abolished. but all
tobacco now in bond is allowed to remain
for twelve months, though no new entries
are allowable.
Mr.. Scott from the select committee on
Southern Outrages, reported a bill to amend
the enforcement act and the supple,
mentary civil rights bill, which were read
the first time Mr.. Bayard objected to
a second reading of the bills. He ques-
toned the propriety of the reference
of these bills to this committee which had
been originated for a special purpose, and
certainly not to take cOgnizance of such
matters as were included in these two bills.
He (Mr. Bayard) did not even know that
these bills had been referred to the commit
tee until it met yesterday. The proper
reference for these bills was the Judiciary
Committee.
The Vice President stated that it was per
fectly competent for the Senate to refer
bills to any committee.
Mr.. Kellogg called up the House bill re-
garding quarantine regulations on the Gulf
and Atlantic coasts, which passed, with
Senate amendments, and goes back to the
House.
HOuSe.-Considering the tariff tonight
The House to-day passed the Senate bill
extending the act of june y, 1860, in rela-
ton to the confirmation of private land
claims in Florida, Louisiana and Missouri,
with an amendment prepared by Mr.. Shell
don, authorizing the confirmation of all
claims on proof of possession by the claim
ants and those from whom they derive the
title since the session to the United States
of the territories out of which said States
were formed. The extension is for three
years, and it it believed that under the act
all claims may be easily and satisfactorily
settled.
Mr.. Van Trump, rising to personal ex-
PLANTATION in respect to charge against his
official conduct as a member of the sub
committee in the Ku-Klux investigation,
sent to the clerks desk and had read an
article from the Columbia (SOuth Cardinal
Union, quoting from the Baltimore AnleTi-
can, to the effect that Van Trump had de-
clined examining an important witness, a
distinguished Democratic lawyer, who
knew and could disclose too much of the
Ku-Klux history. He denounced the state
ment as false in every particular.
Stevenson, another member of the same
subcommittee, also made some remarks,
and in respect to Van Trump, he bore tes-
timony to the great zeal, activity and en-
ergy exhibited by his colleague, and to his
honorable and high-minded conduct in the
whole matter.
Mr.. Poland, chairman of the Ku-Klux
Committee, also made some remarks, par
ticularly in contradiction Of a statement
by Mr.. Van Trump that Senator Scott had
a special spy along with the subcommittee.
Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts, inquired of
the Speaker whether there was any posi-
bility of compelling vote on the enforce
ment bill so long as motions to suspend the
rules were interposed.
The Speaker replied there was not.
Mr.. Butler-Then / move the House ad-
journ. [Laughter.l
Mr.. Butler renewed his amendment to the
force bill.
The Speaker ruled that the privileges of
report at any time by the Outrage Commit
tee lapsed when any member moved q sus-
pension of the rules.
This viii almost entirely exclude all yio-
lent partisan legislation this session.
Reports were to-day made in the House
Of Representatives by members of the COM
mittee appointed to inquire into the origin
and character of the difficulties in Louis
lana, etc. Messrs. SchOfeld the chairman,
and McCrary give circumstantial account
OF them, but do not recommend action on
the part of Congress.
They say the trouble was not between
the government and officers of louisiana |
on the one side and the officers OF the |
United States on the other, but between |
friends and opponents of the admInlstra- |
tiOn of Governor Warmoth. 1t was mainly |
a division or a quarrel among the leaders
of the Republican party, in winch many OF
the federal officers were actlVe leaders,
some on one side and some on the other.
The leaders of the Democratic party also
Darticipated in it, sometimes IN alliances |
with one faction. and sometimes with the |
other as interest or consideration of duty |
seemed to require. The part taken by the
federal officials in the quarrel, whether wise
or unvyise, seems to have originated entire
ly with themselves.
There was no trace of any interference by
tbe administration at Washington. This /
was attested by the declarations of the
officers themselves, as well as by the fact |
that they were very much divided in their
affiliations. Smith, of New York, eoncurs
in the above report, with additions and
qualifications, and says it is not to be
denied that in the new and disturbed
condition of things in Louisiana,
some unscrupulOus persons have got into
office in Louisiana. The men who go to L
the South to hold Offices and return when
they lose Office are not confined to any po-
itical party, The troubles in that State /