Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-01-15
FOrty.Third Congress.

Val pClittl ItbNOINo tiiC liSICttoC- -'Ass"
other senators spoke upon the question.
H0use. Mr. Crutchfield, a Door from
Tennessee, asked leave to offer an amend
ment to the supplementary civil rights bill,
providing a penalty against any woman
who refuses an offer of marriage on ac-
count Of race. color or previous condition
of servitude.
Gen. Butler objected.
Gen. Butler made an eloquent speech
in favor of the supplementary bill. He did
not consider all men rs born equal, but he
would like to embody upon the republican
platform the doctrine, not that all men are
equal, but that every man has the right to
be the equal of every other man, if he can,
and he thought the exhibition of yesterday
showed that God had given to one Of the
negro race the power to be the equal of
the proudest man on the floor. The de-
bate had not been fruitless. In reply to
the threat that the common schools of the
Sonth would be broken up if this bill pass
ed. he said the answer of Napoleon was
apt, that France never negotiated under
threat, and showed that there had been no
common school system in the South before
the war If it was left to the southern
states to legislate, they would leave them
in the poverty and disgrace consequent
upon their laziness. He spoke of the great
alacrity with which the negroes came to
the schools, when he established them, and
one reason why he desired to recommlt
this bill was, to consider whether 1t were
wise to have mixed schools, where their
white cOnfreres would keep back the negro
children. He ridculed the sensitiveness OF
the southern people against riding in the
III ~ = ,n
same nurses and if report were true, many
had the same fathers. He described the
the charge of 5000 colored troops against
a rebel fertilization on the James river,
and said, when he rode among the dead
after the fight, he swore he would ever de
fend the rights of that race, and, God help
ing him he would keep that oath His old
time state-rights democratic ideas disap-
peared, then he became n thorough negro
lover, and appealed to the members on the
other side to get over their preiudices, as
he had. The negro has shown his bravery
in battle and docility us a citizen. They
have knowledge, bravery, culture, power,
and eloquence, and who says they shall
not have what the constitution gives them,
equal rights?
The bill providing rations for the poor in
I<pulSIttil't u.s. IL Ol bCo OII
the ground that it was not the province of
Congress to provide for state paupcr>.
MrG. f. Hoar reported a bill establish
inc an educational fund, ana spoke for it.
THURSDAY. Sudte The Senate made
but little progress on the salary bill. Mr..
Pratt's amendment, offered Wednesday,
was defeated, and n second one, offered by
him. was also defeated. His first amend
ment provided for a repeal from March ),
1875. and the second made the salaries for
the present session $500 and mileage, and
for the next session S2500 and mileage
An amendment striking out all the in
crease in the salary, including the prcsi-
dents, so that all the salaries remain rs
they were before the passage of the act of
March Sd, 1873, but this repeal not to af-
feet the salaries of the supreme court as
now established, was adopted, 30 to y, an
amendment by Mr.. Morrill, of Vt, that
mileage be allowed at the rate of half
that allowed prior to March 3. having been
previously rejected, 33 to 80, and one by
Mr. Cragin Of n. H.. adopted, that no
mileage be allowed for this session of the
43d Congress.
House, The naval appropriation bill
was debated, but no action taken.
FRIDAY. Senate Mr.. Sargent of Cali
fornia introduced bills for the protection
of society and the execution OF the laws
in Utah.
The consideration of the salary bill was
resumed and it was agreed to fix the pay
at $4,000, but to allow no mileage for this
session. Senator Clayton endeavored to
have the bill recommitted, with instruc-
tons to report on reducing all civil and
=
Nh Edmunds moved to strike out the ac-
tual individual expenses and insert &" mile
age allowed prior to March ), 1873,
which was adopted. A considerable part
of the discussion was upon this mileage
question, and it is evident that the Senate
regards the principle as the best and most
equitable of all. Senator Wright, who
has charge of the bill, has endeavored to
get Il vote upon it, each day, but there has
been no disposition on the part of the Sen
ators to settle the question yet. Every
member wants to set himself right before
his constituents, and it takes many of them
over an hour t. do So, so that the debate is
lengthening out as it did in the House. Mr..
Sargent was troubled because the presi-
dents salary is to be cut down so far us it
can be constitutionaly done. /. G., after
March (, 1877.
House. Eulogies upon deceased mem
bers, Messrs. Foster of Michigan and
Brooks of New York, were pronounced
by MeSsrs. Waldron and Cox.
Mr.Willard of Vermont, made some very
effective remarks in favor of u proposition
to refer all claims to the court of claims
where they could be passed upon under the
rigorous guards of the laws He said thai
in his experience he had found that it was
generally the honest claims that failed
while it was the dishonest, which are back
ed mp by outside workers who swarmeC
here for plumber, that were most.easily
passed through.
SATURDAY, House. This is IA day Sc
apart for those who wish to free thei
minds upon any and every subject, ant
the House was in session for genera
debate
MONDAY. Senate The salary hill wa
finally taken in hand, the republicans hav
inc determined in caucus, to have i'm
mediate action. A substitute bill otfere
by Mr. Conkling. was adopted. 1t enact
that the act of March ). 1873, except as il
: relates to the President and Justices of til
Supreme Court be repealed and puts thu
pay where it was before the grab bill wa
passed. The bill Is not retroactive btl
does not allow mileage for this session
1t also covers into the treasury all back pa,
not drawn or returned The bill wa
adopted 30 to 8.
House \ resolution opposing increase
taxation and fayoring the reduction c
appropriations was passed 221 to 3. Th
Naval appropriation bin was considered.
WILLIAMS WITHDRAwS.-TheA ttornt
General seeing how things were going
sent the following letter to the President
DEPARrMENTOF JUSTICE.
WASHINGTON. January :.
To the President;
SIR: You were kind enough thout socitatio