Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-28
Incompetent and ImbeeIIe.

al the treasury DtpdTIHnenI
Incompetent and ImbecIIe.
The line of secretaries, commencing with
Hamilton and ending with Richardson,
was like race of giants being ended by
pygmies. He regretted that the committees
report did not recommend the impeach-
ment of the three chief persons stained In
the matter, one for incompetency and in
efficiency and the two others for compiled
ty. Ii was an astounding thing that the
President had not yielded to public Opin-
ion and removed these officials instead of
acting in defiance and disregard of it. Ii
was only within a day or two that the
President had removed district official for
attempting TO tell the truth.
Mr.. Garfield related briefly the circum-
stances under which the law passed on
which the Sanborn contracts were based,
and expires sed the belief that if it had been
administered within the restrictions pre-
vided none of the great evils complained Of
would have resulted.
Mr.. kellogg believed Secretary Richard
son was as pure and honest man as ever
filed an office. If the Committee on WAYS
and Means thought he should be punished,
let that committee report articles of i'm
peachment, and not undertake by denunci-
alton and defamation to draw black lines
round his character or come into the House
with
Baby Resolutions.
of censure. Ifthe Secretary Of the Treasury
had the brain Of Alexander Hamilton and
Daniel Webster combined, he would still
have to depend upon his subOrdinates.
Mr.. Ellis II. Roberts closed the debate.
The first vote was on the amendment Of
fered by Mr.. Beck, prohibiting any Senator,
| Representative or Delegate in Congress
from acting as agent, attorney, proctor, ad-
| vOcate, solicitor or counsel for any person
in connection with the execution of the
custom or revenue laws, and it was adopted
without division.
The bill which repeals the law on which
| the Sanborn contracts were based was then
passed without division and without objec-
tion.
The Pay of Deceased Members.
The remainder of the days session hav-
ing been assigned to the judiciary Com
mittee, Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts,, chair
man, stated that under this call the civil
rights bill and the Geneva award bill would
not be reported to-day. Mr.. Butler then
reported the bill introduced by himself yes
terday, providing that the pay of deceased
member shall be given to his widow or
keir-at-law up TO the date of the election Of
his successor, whose pay shall commence
from his election. The bill passed with a
statement that later in the day a special
bill would be introduced covering the case
of Mr.. Mellish.
The Alabama Cruiser.
Mr.. Butler reported bill removing the
political disabilities of Raphael Semmes, Of
Alabama. Passed.
Military Courts.
Also the bill investing the general courts
martial with jurisdiction concurrent with
tha: of the State or territorial courts over
the crimes Of murder, manslaughter, may
hem, rape, arson, robbery, burglary and as
sault and battery, and all attempts to CON-
NIT the same by persons in the land or
naval forces. Passed.
The Negroes Get Their Rights I'm the
Territories.
He also reported a bill providing that all
colored persons residing within the limit
of the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations, at
the time the 18th amendment to the con-
stitution took effect, and their children are
declared part of these nations with all
rights to hold Office, 10 send their children
to public schools, and with all other rights
and privileges now enjoyed by those In
dians: and providing that denial of such
rights to colored persons shall be misde-
| meanor.
Mr.. Butler accepted an amendment Of
fered by Mr.. Shanks, that no provisions of
the Choctaw and Chickasaw treaty of
1856, shall be affected by the act.
After the debate as to the right of the
Government to force these negroes upon
the Indians, Shanks' amendment was
adopted, and then the bill was passed by a
strict party vote. Yeas 140, nays 81.
Mr.. Potter reported back adversely the
petition that the 18th of April, being Abra-
ham Lincoln's birthday, be declared a
National holiday.
Also petition for the election of United
States Senators by popular suffrage.
Shall Jurors Read and Write?
Also, bill providing that no person
shall serve as juror in the United States
Courts who cannot read and write the En-
glish language.
MIR. Conger opposed the bill, contending
that many foreigners who understood and
spoke the English language could not read
and write it; and Mr.. Fort suggested that
juries could not be obtained with those
qualifications in New Mexico. The bill
passed.
MIR. Poland, from the same committee, re
ported back adversely lot of petitions ask
ing for woman suffrage. Laid OH the
table.
Increasing the Federal Judicial Power
Also a bill regulating the removal of
cases from State Courts to United States