Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-05-10
FOrty-SGcoDd Congress. Session
w ARLINGTON, 8.

SENATE.
Mr.. Casserly attempted to call up his res
olution offered some days ago asking infor-
nation as to the state of accounts between
the government and the existing Pacific
Railroad, but Mr.. Stewart objected, on the
ground that most Of the information asked
for was already before Congress.
Mr.. Casserly argued that Mr.. Summers
motion to substitute the civil rights bill for
| the amnesty bill was contrary to Parliamen-
tary law, and ought not to be entertained.
Mr.. Blair opposed the civil rights bill on
its merits. 4
Messrs. Wilson and Flanagan followed in
favor of Summers bill, and Stevenson against
Mr.. Ferry opposed the bill as unnecessary
and vicious, and deprecated the tendency Of
the colored race under guidance of unwise
champions to run to Congress for redress of
every real or fancied grievances, instead of
appealing to the courts as other courts do.
He moved to strike from the bill all relating
to schools. Lost.
Mr.. Blair offered an amendment providing
that the people in each city, county or State
shall decide for themselves by popular vote,
the questions, mixed or separate schools.
Mr.. Alcorn said the legislature of Missis-
sippi, in which the colored people were dom
inant, had settled the question to the salts
faction of all the people Of the State by de-
Gliding in favor of separate schools, and he
moved he would not vote to reopen the ques-
ton in any way.
Mr.. Sumner said he would let colored
man, Frederick Douglass, state the objec-
tions to Mr.. Blair's amendment.
Mr.. Alcorn said Senator Revels would re-
flute Mr.. Douglass.
Mr.. Sumner-very well; he never did it
when he was in his seat.
Mr.. Logan said Mr.. Summers bill was at
least untimely. The measure necessary for
the republican party to pass now to counter
and the action of the Senator from Massa-
chusetts tended to defeat it.
Mr.. Edmunds said the amnesty plank of
the Cincinnati platform was stolen from the
President of the United States, and he thought
that the people were not likely to desert their
President because the Cincinnati people had
stolen one of his recommendations.
Messrs. Bayard and Casserly denied that
Congress had any constitutional right to pass
the bill.
Mr.. Blairs amendment was then rejected
| % to 80.
MIR. Ferry offered as an additional section
the first section of the House general amnesty
| bill. Agreed to.
Mr.. Fenton who voted in the negative, ex-
planned that he did so because he was in IA
vor of amnesty, and feared that coupling it
with Mr.. Summers bill would tend to defeat
it.
Mr.. Foreman offered as an amendment the
second section of the House amnesty bill.
Agreed to.
Mr.. Vickers moved an amendment exclud-
ing from the operation of the bill church or.
CARNATIONS, cemetery associations, and be-
nevolent institutions incorporated by State
authority, which was agreed 20.
Mr.. Bereman offered an amendment pro-
| viding that the bill shall apply only to benev-
client institutions of public character.
| Agreed to.
| The question was then take en- on the adop-
ton of Mr.. Summers civil rights bill, amend
ed, as substitute for the amnesty bill, which
was lost 27 to 20.
| This vote brought the House amnesty bill
again before the Senate.
Mr.. Sumner then m oved his civil rights
bill as an amendment-2S to %. The Vice
President voted in the affirmative, SO the
amendment was agreed to.
| Mr.. Morton then renewed his amendment
offered yesterday, requiring persons who re.
ceived the benefit of the amnesty act to swear
that they are not and have not been within
two years a member of the Ku Klux or any
other such organization. Adopted-29 to II.
| Mr. Edmunds moved to amend so. as to ex-
clude from amnesty all members of the Seth
| Congress who aided the rebellion, whether by
going into it or retaining their seats for a
| tme-23 to "a.
Mr.. Edmunds moved to amend so as to ex-
clude all members of the Seth and 37th Con-
gress who aided the rebellion. Adopted-22
| to 2l.
| The question was taken and the bill reject.
ed, two-thirds not voting in the Affirmative
32 to %.
The Senate at 10 adjourned.
| The tariff bill was again taken up in the