Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-30
CONGRESSIONAL.
Senate Opens Debate on the
Civil Rights Bill.
House Bill ON Americans Abroad.
SENATE.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, April 29.-The Senat,
proceeded to the consideration Of bills on
the calendar.
Senate bill declaring the true intent anC
meaning of the Union Pacific Railway acts
approved July ], 1862, July 2, 1864, and
July 3, 1866, was read, but objection was
made to its present consideration on the
ground that it caused debate and should
not be considered in the morning hour
Mr.. Wright gave notice, as the bill was
of an important nature, he wonld move to
take il up.
Mr.. Ramsey asked TO take up for consid.
Grafton the bill to revive and continue GER
tain grants Of lands heretofore made to the
Territory and State of Minnesota, 10 aid in
construction Of several lines of the st. Paul
and Pacific Railroad. Objection was made
and it went over.
VIII IL Pass.
Mr.. Wright introduced bill i'm relation
to salaries and civil service. 1t provides
for reduction from and after the first OF
October next Of ten per cent. in the COM
peusation of all officers and employees OF
the Senate, including the capitol police,
except the chief clerk, sergeant alarms
anu oooAotdhS OOOi hCCpCt, duOCANCptAliS lLc
clerks of committees, whose pay it pro
poses to cut down thirty per cent. The
bill also proposes to repeal the law OF
March 3, 1871, under which the Civil Ser
vice Commissioners were appointed and
now hold Office, and provides that clerks
shall be appointed to the various executive
departments, subject to such examinations
as the heads of the respective departments
may pass, the bill, however, providing that
clerks in eachdepartment shall be classified
geographically, to correspond with the
Congressional districts; and that, when a
vacancy occurs, it shall be filed from the
district which has the least representation,
until the clerkships, etc, be equally divi-
ded among all the Congressional districts.
Mr.. Wright also introduced bill in re-
gard to pension agents. 1t proposes to re-
peal the law which allows them thirty
cents for each voucher prepared and paid
by them.
The Court OF Claims.
Mr.. Edmunds introduced bill relating
to the Court of Claims. 1t provides that a
majority of its judges shall constitute a
quorum and that no judgment shall be rem
dered without the concurrence of such ma
jority.
Supplementary Civil Rights.
The morning hour having expired, Mr..
Frelinghuysen moved that the Senate pro-
coed to the consideration of Senate bill No.
l, known as the Supplementary Civil
Rights bill. Agreed to. The amepGments
made by the Judiciary Committee were
concurred in, and the bill was reported to
the Senate.
Mr.. Norwood said he desired to submit
some remarks on the bill, but was unable
to do so on account of severe cold, and
would be glad if Mr.. Frelinghuysen would
speak to-day, if prepared, and he (NorwoOd)
would 90 on tomorrow.
Mr.. Frelinghuysen explained the provis-
ions of the bill and said he invoked for it
the calm, impartial, bipartisan considera-
ton of the Senate. The bill was intended
to secure equal rights to white people as
well as TO the colored race. The colOred
people now produced every year about one
hundred million dollars worth of cotton
and should be vested with all rights. Con-
greSS had full power under the constitution
TO pass the bill and make the violation of
its provisions a penal Offense.
Mr.. Thurman moved to strike out the
second section of the bill. This section
imposes fine Of $500 for any violation of
the act, to be paid to the person aggrieved.
1t provides further, that the party violating
the act shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanOr and upon conviction be fined not
less than $500, nor more than $1,000, or
shall be imprisoned not less than thirty
days, nor more than one year. He argued
that the punishment provided was
Monstrous,
and besides, the section provided for double
punishment. He would offer an amend
ment reducing it.
On motion of Mr.. Boreman the Senate
went into executive session and soon after
wards adjourned.