The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-02-28
CONGRESSIONAL.

The Committee on the Judiciary, to
whom was referred the petition of L. G..
Goulet and others, asking Congress for
can acknowledgment of Almighty God
and the Christian religion in the Con-
stitution of the United States, having con-
sdered the matter referred to them, hane
reported that, upon examination even Of
the meagre debates by the fathers of the
Republic in the Convention which framed
the Constitution, they find that the subject
of this memorial was most fully and care
fully considered, and they, in that Conven-
ton, decided, after grave delibcration, to
which the subject was entitled, that, as
this country, the foundation of whose
government they were then laying, was to
be the home of the oppressed of all nations
of the earth, whether Christian or Pagan,
and in full realization of the dangers which
the union between Church and State had
imposed upon so many nations of the Old
World, with great unanimity, that it was
inexpedient to put anything into the Con-
stitution or frame of government which
might be construed to be reference to
any religious creed or doctrine.
And they further find that this decision
was accepted by our Christian fathers with
such unanimlty that in the amendments
which We're afterwards proposed, in order
to make the Constitution more acceptable
to the nation, none has ever Ieen proposed
to the States by which this wise determine
ton of the fathers has been attempted to
be changed. Wherefore, your committee
report that it is inexpedient to legislate
upon the subject of the above memorial,
and ask that they be discharged from the
further consideration thereof, and that
this report, together with the petition, be
laid upon the table.
There is proposition before the Senate
Committee on appropriations, to Danish all
matter from the mails except letters, papers
and periodicals.. The Committee will pro.
pose an amendment to the laws, so as to
provide that after the 18th of June, 1874,
conveyance in the mails of samples of
merchandise, packages of clothing, seeds,
cuttings, bulbs, roots, scions, samples of
metals, ores, and meteorological specimens,
and bound books shall cease, and all laws
authorizing such conveyances shall be re-
pealed.
The reason for proposing such repeal is
that the mails are numbered with, among
other things, bee hives, with live bees in
them, fed with honey and sheltered by
glass; boots and shoes, groceries, and other
incongruous articles, which are sent
through the mails under the provisions
that everything, except some dangerous
liquids, can be sent through the mails if
not weighing over four pounds.
The finances seem to occupy both Houses
of Congress without approaching solu
ton to the difficulty. The infationists
appear to be at present in the majority,
but what they propose to do remains a
mystery. The tendency however, seems to
be drifting further away from specie pay
ments. The south and west cry for a
further Issue OF paper money by the
Government, but how it is to cure the
evils they complain of, they fail to show.
Though the Government issue greenbacks
by the car load. the money will not 60
south or west, unless the south and west
has something to give in exchange for it.
There is more money accumulated at pres
ent at the great money centers, than the
holders can find legitimate use for, and it
is consequently being used in speculation,
and stock gambling, and all new issues
that may be made by the Government will
find their way to the same centers of spec
ulation and be employed in stock gambling.
While this will increase the price of gold
aud lead further away from specie pay
ment. it is hard to conceive in what way it
will benefit those portions of the country
which cry out for more currency. Moth
ing but bonds will buy currency from the
Government and the bonds are held in
New York, and not in the south and west,
then how are they to get the new issues of
currency they are clamoring for?
The franking bill has been defeated in
the House.