Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-01-23
FORTY-SECOND CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings.
TUESDAY, January q.


TUESDAY, January q.
SENATE.-Mr. Schurz presented petitions
from various states asking repeal OF duty on
coal, iron and salt. Referred to Committee ON
Finance.
Mr.. Sumner presented large number of pc
ttions in favor of the passage of the civil rights
bill, including one from the executive republi-
can committee of the District of Columbia, and
from the coiored members of the Georgia legs-
lature, who also state that they suffering
greatly from the outrages of the kuklux khan,
and asking further legislation to protect them.
Mr.. Trumbull presented petitions from Illi-
nois, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin asking the
reduction OF the tariff to strictly revenue stand
ard, and repeal of the duty on coal, pig iron and
salt. He commended these petitions TO his fir end
from Vermont, (Monill,) who seemed TO be
much alarmed at their number.
Mr. Morrill, said he had the utmost respect for
all petitions which came spontaneously from the
people, but such was nos the case with these,
which were gotten up by British free.trade
league in New York, and then scattered over
the country.
Mr.. Johnston stated that he had yesterday
presented the petition from Mrs. Lee, and not
his colleague, Mr.. Lewis,) as WAS stated in the
reports of the proceedings
MrTrumbull. from theCommittee on the Judi
eiary, reported, with amendments, the House
apportionment bill, and gave notice that he
would call IL up soon practicable.
Mr.. Pomery, from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported the bill to set apart the valley
near the head-waters OF the YellOw-St river
for public park, TO be under the control of the
Secretary of the Interior.
MIR. Pomeroy said the valley was about IOxi5
miles, andi was thought best TO pass this bill
at once, before any private claim ants could Law
title to any portion OF the land. In the case OF
the Yosemite Valley there were two private par
ties who claimed to have taken up portions OF
the land, and had carried the matter to the SUI
preme Court.
Mr.. Thurman objected to the present consid-
Grafton OF the bill, and il went over.
Mr.. Sherman, from the Committee on FL
nance, reported bill to authorize the importa-
uonfTee OF duty OF certain machinery intended
for mining experiments in Louisiana, which was
passed.
THE GENERAL AMNESTY BILL
was then takenup.
Mr.. Morton remarked that much misappre.
henslon prevailed as to the status OF the partic
pants in the rebellion under the 18th amend
ment. As that amendment stood, it deprived no
man man OF OF the right to vote jefferson Davis or
tuition OF the United States from voting than
any man who served in the union army. When
the 18th amendment was adopted, it was con-
coded that the time had passed when
any criminal punishment should be visi-
ted upon the authors OF the rebellion,
and il was then thought proper that they
should at least be restrained from again
taking part in controlling the government. He
believed with the Senator from New Jersey
(Mr. Frelinghuysen,) that il was a violation of
| the spirit OF that amendment for Congress TO
pass general amnesty bill. He had always
voted for amnesty to any man who had asked for
II in good faith, and would always do so, but all
the debate on the fourteenth amendment showed
| that it was not intended that Congress should
throw open the door to all, high and low, who
participated in the rebellion The disabilities
under which the leaders OF the rebellion now
rest are the only marks of disfavor which
rest upon them, the only evidence that
they nave committed any crime, and ii these
disabilities are removed twenty years from now
the children of these men will not know that
they ever committed any crime. He then
argued at some length that the granting OF
universal amnesty would not be a measure o.
expectancy, rs had been claimed. Suppose uni
Tersal amnesty was granted, and Davis and
Tn nd he Ill
places in this Senate, what spectacle of stulti-
hcatlon would We present before the world
Remove the ban from these men, and they would
most assurediy be elected to high places, gov
ernors, senators, &c. We stand, then, in the
position of acknowledging that we were ali
wrong and they were all right.
| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
half an hour had been spent by the clerk i'm
reading the journal OF yesterday, its further
reading was dispensed with, and the Speaker
in the morning hour, proceeded with the call OF
committees for reports.
Mr.. Sargent, (Cal.) from the Committee ON
the mining property OF the United States
which, after brief explanation from Mr. Sar-
gent, and one or two minor amendments, was
| Mr.. Cobb, IN. c. from the Committee on
| Freedmen's Affairs, reported a bill for the re-
| lief OF Jacob r.. Davis, of Richmond county.
| Ca, agent of the Freedmen's Bureau from
| June ], lsC6, to June 1, 1861. Passed
Mr. Hoar, Mass.) from the Committee on Ed
| ncatlon and Labor, reported back the letter O,
the Secretary of War in relation to the affairs
| OF General BallOch, and asked that il might be
referred TO the Committee on Military Affairs
So ordered.
| MIR. Perez, Miss from the same committee
reported bill TO establish An educational fund
ana 70 apply the proceeds Of the sales of the
pubhc lands to the education of the people
L lie bill Is the same as that introduced by Mr.
fcrce week ago, and referred to this commit
tee, which proposed to devote the entire pro
ceeds OF the sales of public lands to schC d BUR
poses, one-half to establish a permanent fund.
ana the other half to be distributed annually
between the states, territories, and District OF
been made public.
Mr.. Burchard (Ill.) raised the point of order
mat, as the bill proposed to appropriate Ali
moneys which might hereafter come into the
treasury from the sales OF public lands that n
must be considered in Committee of the Whole
The Speaker ruled that as il did not anpro-
pirate any money now in the treasury il did not
come under the operation of the rule.
The morning hour having expired the bin
went over, and the House, on motion of Mr..
fairfield (Ohi0,) went into Committee of fine
Whole on the legislative. executive and iudicial
appropriation bIll-Mr. Wheeler IN, VI i'm fine
and half. avn
MI. Garfield proceeded to address the House
on the bill, which he said was the first OF the
Twelve general appropriation bills and the most
important, as 1T covered all the salaries of the
country except the army and navy.
Mr.. Garfield then went into a general discus-
sion OF the subjects OF finances In Connection
with the bill.