The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-01
The Amnesty Debate i'm the
Senate.
Passage Of the Bill Requiring the Re-
funding Of the Dividend Tax.
Mexican Outrages in Arizona
and Texas.
Awards by the United States and British
Mixed Commission.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 81. 1872.
Debate the Amnesty 6ilI-Chandler a
Simon Pure Republican.
The Senate was interesting to-day only to those
interested in stalk" It degenerates daily and
more into mere speaking machine Amnesty was,
as usual, the only subject of debate consldera-
ton after the morning hour. During that Mr.. Scott
procured the passage Of his bill requiring the re-
funding OF the dividend tax collected contrary to
law, as now appears, during four months OF last
year. This Dill has had a strong pressure brought
IN It's favor, as all the leading railroads are in
terested.
Senator Chandler took the floor in opposition TO
amnesty. AS Mr. Salisbury devoted yesterday In
part to eul0gy OF the democracy, and Mr.. Schurz
shaping policy FOR the "liberal republicans Mr..
Chandler, In order to vindicate his right to the posi-
ton OF party "whip,n seems to have deemed 1t
necessary that his time should be gwen to a vlnd
caton and eulogy of the "Simon pures' Of repubi
canlsm; and must be confessed that, barring the
sound and fury manner, the tearing Of a passion to
tatters and the temper with which he goes at thing,
that the Michigan Senator performed his allotted
task In q very effective style. He marshaed the
past work Of mis- party In o taking way, and con-
trasted with the democratic record and the prom
lse OF the liberals" Toward the close OF his
speech, which was evidently made for campaign
purposes the Senator seemed to recollect what the
bill was before the Senate, and thereon proceeded
to pronounce against 1t In positive way. MI. Sum-
ner followed, chiefly In reply to MIR. Nor
ul, OF Name VINO had made legal
argument against the civil rights amendment, ex-
pressing the opinion that 1t was unconstitutional,
as embracing the idea Of interference with the
dOmiciliary rights OF the citizen. Mr. Sumner Occu-
pied an hour, and was answered briefly but with
considerable power and effectiveness, Dy Mr.. Nor
rl. When he closed the Senate adjourned, though
some of the friends OF the pending measure en-
deavored to press 1t to vote. Apparently there Is
little intention OF doing this on the port OF the
nority.
The Secretary nnd the Syndicatc-s. 8. Cox
the Report of the Committee.
The most important question which has yet come
up for discussion by the Fortysecond Congress oc-
cupied the attention OF the House to-day. The
report Of the Committee on Ways and Means sustain
Ing Mr.. BOutwells Syndicate transactions coming
up for action, the minority on the committee were
SO far from understanding the question at issue that
they virtually agreed to the wnItewasn-
Ing conclusions OF the majority and
only woke up to the opportunity they had
lost after It was thrown away. But even Messrs
Kerr, Beck and Brooks insisted on ventilating
views, which they only acquired after they mad been
hoodwinked, In set speeches instead OF plain,
concise and straightforward report. No such
singular spectacle was ever presented in q Legsia-
tive Assembly. The debate showed what has often
been conclusively proved In the HERALD, that the
Secretary Of the Treasury failed utterly IN mis-
Interpretation Of the Funding act OF the
last Congress, and that his negotiations with the
Syndicate had proved source of great profit to the
persons composing It, but OF positive loss to tne
country. The original Questions upon which MIR.
Cox's resolution were based and upon which the
Committee on Ways and Means overwhelmingly,
whether the act authorizing the new loan had been
misconstrued and whether the national debt had
been increased-were completely Overshadowed
by startling figures showing the immense
profits OF the Syndicate IL appears that the gentle
men composing what Mr.. Cox persisted in calling
the Sta de cat and defined being derived from sin
and cat made by commissions alone out OF the part
OF the $500, 900 loan taken by them-that L.
out OF $3.50, O00 000-not less than $77300O. Their
whole profits, including the above commissions and
the interest received py them on the sums lett
with them on deposit, amounted to not less than
s3e5a,25o. The expenses are varously est.
mated al from $4,000 to $40oO 900, thus leaving
net profit $3.50 900 OF not less s3 400 OO0
1t Is plain that II they made this immense sum of
money somebody must have lost It; that II 1t was
lost at all was lost by the Treasury, and that con.
sequently the law OF Congress must have been vio-
lated and the public debt permanently increased,
Should the Syndicate be allowed to place the
whole loan OF Sl5Jo,0Oo,oo0 as Secretary Boutwell,
might well feel himself justified In asking them to
do II Congress sustans him in MS past transac.
tons, the little knot Of foreign bankers who have
been manipulating the pubic credit OF the United
States may have the opportunity OF earning the
neat pagatelle Of $24,OoO,ooO. These facts are 80
plain and the blunder OF the minority on the Com
mlttee on Ways and Means in not giving them IN
inc shape OF clear and concise report
Is so patent that the democratic trucking
TO the majority on the one hand and
the vanity OF people like Beck and Kerr, who are
scarcely known TO the country, In insisting upon
speechmaktng instead Of reporting from their com.
mittee, excites good deal or comment among the
members OF the House who take an interest In the
question. With Mr.. Cox the case Is different. It
was through his resolution that the report OF the
Committee OF Ways and Means was prompted. He
Is not member OF that committee, and conse-
guently he could not be heard on q mat
ter which he had mstigated except upon the
moor of the House. All the speeches
wero W ell done; but all Of them were at variance on
very essential points, and the only really bold
ground taken by anybody was that taken by MIR.
Cox. He represented the idea Of all the leading
merchants and bankers Of the country when they
asked Congress 10 pass such laws that hereafter
all purchases or sales Of the loans or bonds OF
the United States shall be maze By inviting public
competition. This he sought to erect not only
through his speech, but by introducing into the
House prior 10 tins discussion the Identical bill
which MI. Boutwell, himself had offered IN the For
tieth Congress, providing for exactly such mode
OF placing fbe loans OF the United states, and de-
clarng that no percentage. reduction, commission
or compensation OF any amount or kind, shall be
allowed to any person for the negotiation, sale or
exchange OF any bonds or securities Of the United
states. And herein was the whole force OF the de-
bate and the glst Of the whole discussion. II
Inc minority OF the Committee Of Ways
AMI Means mad understood this the demo-
cratic party could have gone into the next
canvass with the war CRY against syndicates upon