The Portland daily press., 1876-03-04
Forty Fourth COngress-First Session
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Mar. 3.
The galleries were well filled this morning
before the hour of meeting, in anticipation of
the impeachment of the late Secretary Bel
KNAPP. A majority of the audience were ladies.
The chaplain in the opening prayer said.
"Oh Lord God Everlasting, in the time of
every peril and of every darkness be Thou the
helper of these thy servants of the whole peo-
pie. Grant unto them wisdom at all times, and
grant that the men may unite together and es-
tablish whatsoever is pure. true and noble, hon
orable and just, for the honor of Thy name,
and for the prosperity of the nation.''
The chair laid before the Senate the creden-
tials of James B. Beck, Senator from Ken
lucky, for six years from March 4th. Read
and laid on the table,
Several bills were introduced and referred,
one by Mr.. Hamlin fixing the rate of postage
on third class mail matter and for other pur-
poses Referred to the Postoffice Committee.
Mr.. Morton, from the Committee on Elec-
tions, reported favorably on the Senate bill to
provide for and regulate the counting of votes
for President and Vice President and the de-
cision of questions thereon, Placed on the
calen'a ar.
Mr.. Morton gave notice that he would ask
the Senate tc consider the bill at an early
The bill to make the 22d of February legal
holiday in the District of Columbia was
amended SO as to make the 18th of February,
Lincoln's birthday, also holiday, was report
ed favoraby.
Mr. Withers of Va, objected to present &C
ton and it went on the calendar.
Mr.. WHITE moved that when the Senate adj
journ to-day it be to meet Monday next.
Agreed to.
MI Maoton presented a petition of colored
men of Texas, representing that the present
government of Texas denies them ample school
facilities and asking for such legislation as will
compel the state to maintain system of free
schools. Referred to the Committee on Judi
ciary.
Mr. Morton submitted a resolution app-opri-
ating 900 out of the contingent fund of
the Senate to defray the expenses of the inves-
tigatiOn into the facts attending the election of
Geo. E. Spencer as U. s. Senator from Ala.
bama, now being made by the Committee on
Privileges and Elections. Agreed to.
The morning hour having expired the chair
laid before the Senate the unfinished business
being the resolution for the admission of P. B.
s Pinckback as United States Senator from
Louisiana.
The pending question being on the amend.
ment of Mr.. Edmunds to insert the word mot
before the word admitted" Mr.. Edmunds ar
gued that there could be no prinuG fdcie case
unless the Senate had knowledge that the body
of men pUrporting to elect man as United
States Senator constituted the legal legisla-
ture. He referred to the frauds in Louisiana
at some length, and said the admission of
Pinchback in the face of all the facts would in
flct blow upon our constitution which would
last it to its grave. The Senate was bound to
come to result which he would be glad TO
have otherwise.
Mr.. Morton argued that in principle there
was no difference between the case of Mr..
PInchback and that of Mr.. Spencer except one
was colored man and the other was white
man. The rejection of Pinchback would be
the cousummation of the bloody scheme in
tramping down of every precedent of Senate
and to satisfy the people OF this country that
such action was just would be an ardu0us tasks
The recent history of Louisiana showed that
the white line democracy kept no faith with
the Republicans. They had recently attempted
to destroy Kellogg by impeachiug him on the
most frivolous ground. The Senate knew what
they were doing in Mississippi, and all through
the South.
MT Frelipghuysen said he proposed to vote
against the amendment of the Senator from
Utah.
Mr. Bruce spoke in favor of seating Pinch
back.
Mr.. Sherman desired to have the resolutions
of the New York Chamber of Commerce in re-
gard to finances which were presented few
days ago taken up now that they might come
up as unfinished business Monday when he
would ask the Indulgence of the Senate to
submit some remarks on them.
Mr.. Edmunds objected to displacing the
Pinchback resolution and said the Senator
could easily get the unanimous consent to
speak on Monday
MI. Cameron moved to proceed to cousidera-
ton of executive business. Several voices on
the Democrats side "Oh no, let us 60 on with
the Pinchback CASEY
Mr.. Camercn's motion was agreed to by
rising vote; yeas, 80; nays, %.
The Senate at 3 As went into executive ses-
sion and after short time adjourned until
Monday.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Anthony was given the foreign com nit
tee to print the Emma mine testimony.
Mr.. Springer Of ILL.,, asked leave to inquire
whether the recent grand jury investigation in
to the frauds has been sufficiently thorough to
expose all the defects in the laws for the collec.
tiou of the whisky tax, and to expose the per-
sons engaged in defrauding the government,
also whether any further investigation be or
dered by the House.
Mr.. Townsend objected.
Mr.. HuntOD, from the Com nittee on PEN
sions, repsrted back the bill to amend the lazy
granting pensions to soldiers in the war of 1872.
Recommtted
A large number of Senate bills were taken
up and referred.
Mr.. Banning of Ohio from the Committee on
Military Affairs, reported a bill in regard to
leave of absence of army officers 1t author
ICES leave of absence to officers on duty for go
days once in two years. for three months once
id three years and for four months once in four
years without deduction of pay or allowance
Passed.
A number of private bills passed, also some
sixty bills granting pensions.
Mr. Banning, chairman of the Committee on
Military Affairs, reported resolution calling
for copies of all kilograms, orders and cores
pondence relating to military court of inquiry
In the case of Gen. Babcock. Adopted.
The House at five o'clock adjourned. The
session to morrow is to be for debate on the
Hawaiian treaty only,