Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-02-12
coNCRGs ssloNAL.
Proceedings of the second Session of Ihe
Forty.Sccund Congress.
WAEiIINGTON d C. Nnh n

SENATE.
Petitions pro and con about the title of
the bankrupt law were presented.
Rice, of Arkansas, introduced Il resolu-
ton directing the Committee on Elections
and Privileges TO inquire whether there
was legal government in Arkansas. Went
over under rules.
The finance bill resuming specie pay
mcnt this year and free banking neM, was
tabled, yeas 20; nays %.
The conference report about the sloops
of war was adopted 1t provides for eighty
! four to be constructed at private yards.
WASHINGTON, Feb. :.
! Mr.. Howe, from the Senate Committee
on Claims, made an elaborate report upon
| the Presidents veto message in the case of
the bill relieving j. Milton Best, whose
| property at'Paducah was destroyed for war
! purposes.
The Committee recommend the passage
of the bill notwithstanding the veto.
| In reviewing the reasons of the Presi-
dent for the vetoe, the Committee admit
that in some sense the destruction was the
| raVageS of war, but in their opinion the
! house taken from the claimant was for the
use of the Government.
The message asserts as q general principle
of both international and municipal law,
that all property is held subject not only
Il
uses (in which case, under the Constitu-
| ton OF the United States. the owner ~ en-
| titled TO just compensation but also TO be
| temporarily or even actually destroyed in
| times of great personal danger and when
| the public safety demands it, and in this
latter case governments do not admit le-
| gai obligation on their part to compensate
| the owner.
The Committee taking issue with the
| President say they have not found any
| such general principle affirmed, either in
! international or municipal law, but have
! found the very reverse TO be affirmed by
all law, both international and municipal.
| They quote numerous legal authorities and
several Congressional precedent5 in sup
| port of this view, and in reply to the Presi-
dents caution that the payment of this
claim would invite the presentation OF
demands for very large sums of money for
| necessary and unavoidable destruction Oi
! property by the army, they say the act for
| the relief of DIR. Best does not provide for
the payment of property unavoidably de-
stroyed. On The contrary, it clearly dis
! eliminates against and disclaims liability
for such payment.
Morrill,, Of Maine, reported adversely on
the bill for the international copy right.
On motion OF Norwood, of Georgia, the
/ bill relieving certain persons in Georgia
and other Southern States, of polical disa-
| bilities, was taken up. The bill was
amended SO rs toinclude some additional
names when Flanagan, of Texas, moved
/ TO insert the name of Jefferson Davis, say
| ing that if rebels Were to be relieved, SO
! freely he wished to relieve the chief one
and get done with the business. He de-
manded the yeas and nays on his amend
ment but they were not ordered. a vote
! was taken on the bill which resulted ayes
| p, nays Z, no quorum voting.
HOUSE.
Beck, from the Committee on Ways and
I Means, reported bill to amend the inter
! nal revenue law, the effect OF which he
/ explained as follows:
! The first section restored the provision
of the law OF 1862, which allowed pro-
| ducers of tobacco to sell at the place Oi
production 10 consumers, to an amount
not exceeding 500.
The second section provides TO increase
the fractional parts of barrels required Il
be stamped by including third OF barrels,
The third section provides that The mar
| who made wine from grapes raised BY
himself might sell it at the place of pro
duct:on without paying the $25 special Ia,
required. rI.
On that explanation the bill was passed
Packer, of Pennsylvan n. from the con
mitt-e on Roads and Canals, reported
bill authorizing the construction of rail