The Portland daily press., 1874-05-06
Fortj Third Congress-First Session.
SENATE.

On motion of Mr. Fenton the Committee on
Commerce were discharged from the further
consideration of the bill regulating the Gus
toms service.
restoring the names of disloyalists. was report
ed and placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Morrill, reported back the bill appropriate
ing $4,000 for the sufferers in Louisiana, with
an amendment adding $4,000 thereto.
Mr.. Edmunds moved that the bill expire Sep
TENDER 1st
Mr. Pease spoke of the inability of the Staae
authorities to aid the sufferers.
MIR. Alcorn said there should be great care in
the distribution of food and clothing. He re-
ferred TO the reports that the negroes had al
reedy ceased work, alleging that they are to be
fed and clothed by the government. He had a
thousand negroes on his plantation and should
uot ask the government to feed them. He
would feed them himself and when he had no
more they would starve together. If the mon
ey for building the levee had been properly ex
pended there would not have been any freshet
Mr.. Alcorn had endeavored heretofore to
have the general government take charge of
the levees and let the States pay for them as
they are able. Let the army officers have
charge of the work, the people are not afraid
of thems because they knew they would no. be
plundered by them. The economical way to
relieve the people was for the government to
take charge of these levees and give poor peo-
pie employment in reconstructing them when
suppose the federal government was going to
feed and clothe them. In the country where
he lived there were fourteen colored men to one
white man, and they were told in the last can
vass that if they would vote for and stand by q
certain ticket the land should be divided among
them.
Mr.. Conkling inquired who the persons were
who made such promises.
Mr.. Alcorn did not wish to mention names
now, he had given them upon the stump in
Mississippi. He was talking about the flood
aud how it might have been prevented. He
had no doubt there was much suffering but
thought it had been exaggerated. The Secre
tary of War should have exclusive control of
the relief fund. If the idea should get out that
the government was going to feed the colored
people there would be no more work by them.
The State of Arkansas should also be included
in the bill, as there was Suffering in that State
as well as in Mississippi and Louisiana. He
thought Louisiana was able to take care of its
poor, but the Legislature could not be convened
for Is or 20 days, and by that time those in
want wonld be beyond any aid
Mr. Conkling said before hearing the Sena-
tor from Mississippi he thought he would have
voted for the bill, but as that Senator had stat
ed the State was able to take care of its own
poor, any aid that Congress should give should
be in the nature of an advance to be returned
to the government hereafter. He inquired the
name of the person who was President of the
upper levee board.
Mr.. Alcorn said it was NJ F. Alcorn his son.
Mr. Conkling would not remain silent and
listen to insinuations that the national admin
istration was responsible for the sins of omis-
sion and commission of the Southern States
The misrue in Mississippi was not brought
about by carpet baggers OF non-residentS and
the Senator (Alcorn) might as well charge this
NAL administration he complains of upon the
Sultan of Turkey.
Mr.. Alcorn inquired if the Senator did not
lypnyu hat in
law forbiddng any one holding office in any
Southern State, unless the person should take
the iron clad oath and did he not know that
oath excluded all respectable men of that sec
ton from Office? the oath was extended even
to the voter so that respectable men conld not
vote.
Mr. Conkling said he did deny that any man
had been denied the right to vote after the
State government was organized.
Mr.. Alcorn said it was true his son was
President of the Upper Levee Board, but it
also true that the district over which he pre-
sided was the only one not overaowed to-day.
He took the office against his (Alcon's) advice
but probably did so to prevent fraud as the
contracts were about to be given out and he no
doubt did save a large snm of money in that
district. Should this appropriation be made
now the disbursement of it should be left solely
with the Secretary of War and not put into the
hands of those who were itching to get hOd of
it, and from whom the negroes would get but
little of it, The officers in this State were not
the choice of tax payers and he would rather
appeal to the Secretary than to those sa trups
placed over the people, He charged that Gen.
Ames had removed citizens from the boards in
districts now overflowed and put in their places
persons who had defrauded the people,
Mr.. Conkling said the people of Mississippi
had voted for Gen. AmeS ana made him their
Governor Notwithstanding all the Senator had
said, He supposed the gentlemen alluded to
Gen. Ames when he spoke of satraps,
Mr.. Acorn said he knew he was elected to
the Office of Governor, and he also knew he
would never have been elected to that office
had it not been for the prestige of the Govern
everywhere that the administration was at his
back, and no federal office holder dared to
speak in favor of him (Alcorn.)
Mr.. Conkling inquired by what majority
Gov. Ames was elected.
Mr. Alcorn replied $4,000 out of Republic an
majority in the State of $4,000. He (Ames)
had no more interest in the State than he (Al-
corn) had in New York, but he did not propose
to go into that question now, though he would
defend the people of his State.
Mr.. Sargent moved to recommit the bill to
the Committee ON Appropriations.
MI Cameron said he was tired of hearing
charges against the people of the y orth every
day, Whenever an opportunity offers to cen
sure theNOrth some one from toe South got up
and did it. He wanted to forget the war and
LIS consequences, ana noped there would pc au
end to these charges. If the South was poor
whose fault was it. What had she done to pay
the enormous.debt which she had brought on
the country? He had stood here and listened
to these! complaints without saying word
and had been told by his own constituency thai
they should cease, and that he should detene
his people. At first he was willing TO give two
or three times the amount mentioned in TINS
bill for the relief of those suffering, but II IL
was to be received with an attack upon the
honesty of the government and With an uh
willing hand, he would not give them cent.
Mr. Pease of Miss. said be deplored this re
construc ton debate which had been dragged
on by his colleague. He desired to repel the
insinuation that the money would be misplaced
by the State officials. Gen. Ames was an non
est man and the people of Mississippi, withou
regard to political faith, gave. him the credit O
being one
ME- Acorn said the Senator from Pennsylva
MIA (Cameron) said he was tired of these com
plants. The things of which he (Alcorn) hac
| spoken were matters of history.
Mr. Sargent's motion to recommit the bill
| was agreed to.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the
| supplementary civil rights bill.
| Mr. Gordon gave notice he would submit al
amendment to strike out the provision givinI