Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-03-11
FOrty.Third Congress.

opening prayer invoked Providence to re-
buke the giant demon SANDER, now stalk
ing forth and casting a shadow over all
he earth, and that the hand of the wilful
letractor as it wrote might be paralysed.
A numerously signed petition from the
business men of New York, representing
$500, 100000 of capital. was presented, pro-
esting against the assumption of the sec
"etary of the treasury in issuing United
States notes without the authority Of law
md asking Congress to put an immediate
stop to any further issue of greenbacks by
he secretary of the treasury, and cause
the retirement, at once, of the legal tender
reserve already issued.
After considerable discussion as to
whether the army bill or the centennial bill
should be taken up. during which Mr.
Sumner Ct Mass. said he thought the cen
-ennial bill might be disposed of in an hour
md suggested that it be referred to the COM
nittee on appropriations to examine and
see if the country would be willing to pay
l sum of money for the celebration, which
would be counted by millions. Refused,
30 to 16, to take up the centennial bill. the
pending question being on the amendment,
" Mr.. Morrill, of Vt making the exhibit
ton national in character, instead of inter-
national
Mr.. Stephenson of Ky. didn't believe in
inviting the crowned heads of Europe. He
wanted the 4th of July, 1876, to be day
IF thanksgiving. Let the people hang
their garlands on the tombs of our honored
forefathers; let there be a national celebra-
| lion, but Congress should take charge of
it, and the celebration should be in Wash
ing,on, Philadelphia and New York.
Without reaching a vote the Senate
adjourned
House. Bills were passed amending the
homestead laws. and for the prevention OF
the determination of fur bearing animals
in Alaska, authorizing the secretary of the
treasury to designate the months in which
| fur seals may be taken for their skins on
die islands of St. Paul and st. George, and
he waters adjacant, and the number to be
taken in or about each island.
The bill to regulate commerce among
the several states was taken up, and Mr..
McCrary of Ky, who reported the bill
! from the committee on railroads and canals.
spoke in its favor. He said the bill related
exclusively to Interstate commerce, and
he asserted it to be the right and duty OF
! Congress to regulate such commerce. The
| bill provided two things only in the nature
of reformation; first that persons engaged
in railroad commerce shall not make I'M
reasonable or extortionate charges, and
second. that they shall not make MUST dis
ordinations in the matter of charges. The
| bill was, therefore, declaratory of the com
mon law itself.
Mr.. Arthur of Ky. spoke against the bill
us being proposition in the nature of an
experimental explorer of the elasticity OF
constitutional government. He quoted
! from debates on the constitution. and from
Il decision of Chief Justice Daniels, to show
that the object Of giving Congress power
/ to regulate commerce was to establish per
| feet equality among the states rs to com
mercial rights, and to prevent unjust and
invidiOus distinctions which local Jealous
les or partial interests might be disposed
to introduce and maintain.
! WEDNESDAY. Sclaate. The centennial
bill and other matters were briefly dis
cusSed, but the event of the day was Mr.
Carpenters speech on his bill providing fol
II new election in Louisiana.
/ Mr.. Carpenter referred to the support
which the Kellogg government derived
from the national government, and cx-
pressed the belief that, if the federal troops
were withdrawn from Louisiana, the Kel-
/ logg government would not stand. There
were two questions involved us to the pas
sage of this bill First, have we the power
/ to pass it? Second, the exp diencv o
passing it. The constitution provides that
each state shall have republican form OF
government. and one of thetir requisites
of republican form of government is
that its offices shall be filled by persons
who are elected by the people The
power of Congress was derived from the
constitution, not from the tunlults in Lou
isiana, or the frauds of Durell or the Lvncl
board, and he asked every senator within
his hearing if Congress had not the power
to give the people of that state what they
had been cheated out of, namely. the RICH
to elect their own officers Should ON
government be overthrown it would be by
these steady entertainments Congress
should see at all times, that each state hat
Il republican form of government, and an,
senator declaring that Congress had no
power to interfere now, would declare t,
Kellogg and his followers, You can re
peat this thing in 1876, and in 1880, and il
1884. Congress has no power to set i
right" If Congress had no authority t,
interfere, then the McEncry government
could set itself up also by force. Niolenc,
was as good title rs fraud, and itti,
more manly. When man skulks beneath
the soiled robes of federal Judge he In.
not the manliness of the one who goes on
with sword in hand to maintain his posi-
ton. There was no question in his mine
us to the power of Congress to take up tn,
constitution of any state and declar,
whether or not it was republican in form
The power of Congress was supreme. III,
believed the Kellogg government was hcl,
up by the bayonets of the United States
sustained this hour by troops of the United
States and he wanted to know what rem
edy there was for this difficulty. The srI
preme court of Louisiana was in con>prac'
with Kellogg, and would not inaugural,
any move for reform. The state lcgisl;l
ture was in the conspiracy, and SO tn
government would not, and the peopl
could not, because the federal bavonet
were leyeled at them. The powers of til
federal government We're as sovereign
except as limited by the constitution, II
those of the ear of Russia. Congress
could declare war, tomorrow, against IN,
nation, with or without cause. 1t coul,
tax the last dollar from the pockets of til
people, or establish female suffrage, AM
put women in the army. The great argu
ment made, by the press particularly, wa
the inexpediency of ordering Il new cleo
ton, on the ground that it would be a dan
gerous precedent, but that was not soun'
logic. Calomel was dangerous medi
cine, and, as well might it be said that, be
cause doctors gave it to grown men. the
might give it to infants. There would b
no blood shed by new election. TIL
government could enforce it by the arm,
and navy, if necessary. If not, this natio
had better furl its banner, and put ii
} affairs in the hands of a receiver
House. Mr.. Arthur concluded hi
speech, and Mr.. Hurlburt of H. answcre
him.
THURSDAY. Senate. The considerable
of the bill to appoint commission to II
quire into the liquor traffic was resumed
and Mr.. Bayard's amendment, providin;
? -. oil h., &c h.,