Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-01-16
xuld CONGRESSES SESSION.
PrsoEsdlsss Of the H0Bss and Senate Yes
tsrdsy.
WAsHIEsToE, January Is.
SENATE

SENATE.
Senator GoldthWaite, of Alabama,
was sworn in.
Senator Cole presented q petition
from the Chinese dealers on the Pa
cifc coast for a reduction OF the duty
on rice.
The vice-president said that peti.
tiOns Of foreigners should be received
at the State department. The ques-
ton was taken, however, and the pc.
ton EeierreG.
Senator Fenton presented q petition
from Hon. George r. Selden and over
one thousand other citizens Of ROches.
ter, praying for 8 reduction OF the
tariff TO q revenue basis, and especially
1Or the removal Of duties upon salt,
coal and pigirOn.
Senator EtmOnds presented thirty
two petitions from Vermont for the
repeal OF the duty on salt.
senator Chandler, from the commit
tee on commerce, reported, without
amendments, the bill to promote the
construction OF the Cincinnati and
Southern railWsy-being the bill in
trOduced by Senator Sherman last
March, authorizing Messrs. Green
wood, Bishop, Hooper, Heidelbach
and Ferguson, as trustees, to construct
and maintain q raillOad between Gin
cinnsti, Ohio, and Chattanooga, Ten
nessee.
Senator Blair offered q Joint resolu-
.4lon directing the ku-klux committee
TO inquire into the affair in Louisiana
Senator Edmonds objected, 80 it
went over.
At one o'clock Senator Summers
supplementary civil-rights bill came
up, when he addressed the Senate.
He said that slavery, in a modified
and disguised form, still existed, in
90 far SIS the cOlored people were de-
MED equal rights; and il must be abOl-
ished before the great work would be
complete. He reviewed the hard
ships aud indignities suffered by the
CoIOred people, and cited the eminent
cases Of Frederick Douglass and Lieu
fenant-GOvernOr Dunn. He denied
that equal rights before the law was 8
question Of social equality. Equality
In ali institutions created or recog-
nized BY law was not q question Of
society. Separate hotels and convey
Rnces were but artificial substitutes
risbly an inferior article. He cited
old English law on the subject Of inns,
or hotels, which were bound to re.
ceive all persons without distinction,
and the decision In this country sus-
tanning the same principle, which ap-
plies with equal force to public con-
veyances, common schools, theaters,
etc. He dwelt at length on the sub
tect Of public schools, giving illustra-
lions OF the hardships imposed on the
,eolored children by their exclusion.
IA declared that by the decree against
sIsJaly all semblanee Of apology for
Trsi2sice to color was removed. In
eoncIl,sion, Mr.. Sumner regretted that
fhe President, In his message, favored
s1enesYv- while be said nothing OF the
dissbiIifies inflicted on the colOred
s,aopIe- hut he took courage when he
thought that the proposed generosity
70 the rebels could not fail 70 quicken
the sentiment Of Justice which he now
invoked. He disclaimed any senti-
meut OF personal hostility tOWar@
those who assailed the republic, bu
while willing to be gentle with formerI
enemies, he could not forget his duty
TO his feliOW-citizens, white and black,
who stood by the republic. There
were strong reasons why this measure
OF Justice to the colored race should be
united with amnesty, especially since
the latter Is pressed, and clearly, be-
tween the two, pre-eminenee should
be accorded tO that for equal rights
for all.
Senator Vickers followed. he said
he would not undertake 70 answer
Senator Summers speech on his sup
Elementary civil-righ hts blu, because 1t
required no argument to demonstrate
the gross unconstitutiOnality OF that
measure. he then read long argu-
ment Ia favor of the pending general
amnesty bill.
At the conclusion Of Senator Wick
eFs' speech, the Senate went into ex-
ecutive session, and soon sfter ad-
puFned.