The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-24

tionneat and National Park Bills In
tho sesate-EducationaI, Mining and APP
preparation Bills In tho House.
Toe principal business In the Senate yester-
day was the debate on the Amnesty bill. 1t
occupied most Of the days session. Mr.. Nor
ton, of Indiana, led of against 1t In speech
brimful Of bitterness and luminosity, but def
oient In logic and craftsmanship. He oharac-
terized the measure az one based upon sickly
sentimentalism and spurious generosity, and
declared that he would never vote Tor univer-
sal amnesty; the most that he could bring
himself to oonoede would be the bill passed
last session by the House, and which OK
cepted from amnesty members OF Con-
gress and officers Of the army and
navy who had adhered to tho rebellion and
members Of State conventions which had
passed ordinances Of secession. He no more
believed In the Cancellation of the leaders Of
the rebellion by restoring them to all their
civil and political rights than he believed in
the Cancellation Of rattlesnakes by restora-
ton of their extracted fangs. Such were the
sentiments expressed by the Indiana Senator
In regard to q measure, not only of peace and
good policy, but actually Of necessity, II 1t is
ever desired to see good order and good gov
have been so long robbed, plundered and out
ragged by the carpet-bag officials who have
been saddled upon them under the reconstruc-
ton policy Of Congress. The exclusion from
public life of the most intelligent and
influential men Of the South, whom
rehabilitate, is one cause why the State Lsgis-
latures and the highest official positions in the
South are a!ea by corrupt, ignorant and
incompetent persons. TIE time was when
the presence of such men in the Senate and
House Of Representatives gave to Congress a
much higher tone than Il has had OF late
years; and we think that the character Of our
public service generally has lost rather than
gained by their exclusion from 1t. Certainly
that is the case so far as their own States are
concerned. No one good reason was assigned
by Mr.. Morton, or can be assigned, why a com
pete, unconditional and universe! amnesty
law should not be passed Immediately. How
ever politicians may differ on the subject, there
Ia no diversity of opinion about 1t among the
people generally, who would have hailed
the measure any time within the last
five years as one Of practical good
sense, leading the way to a restoration Of the
old kindly feeling that existed between the
sections before it was embittered by the poll
ticians, and to q new era of prosperity for
those impoverished and plundered States.
The Apportlonment bill passed by the House
previous to the recess was rep>rted back yes
terday from the Senate Judiciary Committee,
with amendments reducing the number Of
Representatives from two hundred aud eighty
three, as provided in the bill, to two hundred
and forty three, the present number. This
would reduce the New England delegation, as 1t
at present exists, from twenty-seven to twenty
one New York would lose three members,
Pennsylvania two, Ohio two, Kentucky one,
while Illinois, Missouri and Iowa would each
gain two, and New Jersey, Wisconsin, Califor-
MIA, Minnesota and Kansas would each gain one.
There would be neither loss nor q gain
Georgia, which would gain one, and
Texas, which would gain two. The reason
why tue Southern States do not lose In the
apportionment, as most Of the 0ldtr States
do, is that their present apportionment is cal
cuated on the old three-fifths slavery basis,
while in the new one the whole population is
counted. Should the Senate adopt this amend
ment II will meet with strong opposition in the
House, particularly from States where the
representation will be diminished. Indeed,
we should not wonder If it were resented as q
piece of gratuitous interference by the Senate
In a matter which only concerns the other
branch of Congress.
Among the other bills reported in the
Senate was one setting al part the magnificent
valley at the head of the Yellowstone River
as a National Park. Mr.. Pomeroy, of Kansas,
who reported it, described the great natural
beauties and curiosities Of the valley, which
| is forty by forty-four miles In extent, and
which he desires to have dedicated for that
into the hands of squatters or land specu-
lators. 1t is remarkable proposition, not
only as coming from that source and with that
avowed object, considering the enormous land
grant jobs with which Mr.. Pomeroy has been
identified, but 1t Is also remarkable in ITSELF
We go for 1t, and hope to see it enacted into a
law, and then perhaps we shall propose to oele-
brate the great centennial anniversary Of the
Declaration Of Independence 10 1876, not In
the confined ouake-.5 City Of Philadeiphia, bu1
in this grand, noble, magnificent Park CT Il;
Yellowstone Valley. 49,, 49,.
The Chicago Relief bill was taken up In the
Senate, but as Mr.. Chandler proposed t
amend it by extending its scope to the numer
Gus tQyps and villages destroyed by thu