The Portland daily press., 1876-08-08
Forty Fourth Congress-First Session,
SENATE.

w AohlS0ION. ~ W., 1AuSuooO VI
Bill in reference to the wreck of the monte I
in Mobile bay was passed.
Bill extending the time for redemption OF
lands sold for taxes was passed.
Mr.. Boutwell, presented the majority and Mr..
Bayard the minority report of the committee
of Investigation into the late election in Miss
ssippi. The reports will be read to morrow.
Bill making appropriations foe claims allow
ed by the Southern claims commission was
passed.
clause of the resumption bill of 1875, and the
House joint resolution to provide for the ap-
pointment of a commission to inquire into the
change which has taken place in the relative
value of gold and silver and the effect on trade
were read and referred to the Finance Com
mittee.
Mr.. Anthony introduced bill making ap-
preparations from the contingent fund of Con
gress to carry out the provisions of the sundry
civil appropriation bill requiring an inquiry in
to the condition of the public printing, SO as to
authorize the employment OF experts. Passed.
Mr.. FIelinghuysen moved that the joint reso-
luton of the House proposing a 10th amend
ment to the Constitution prohibiting the appro-
priatiou of any school fund for the support of
sectarian schools, Sc, be referred to the Judi
ciary. He said the people of the country are in
earnest on the subject, but the amendment pro-
posed by the House did not meet the case.
Suppose any state did make such appropria-
tion, what could Congress do about it. The
amendment gives no power to Congress to Ell
force it by appropriate legislation. Another
section should be added to it giving Congress
power to enforce it. Another objection he had
to il was that it did not prohibit the appropria-
ton of money to the theological institutions to
nunneries to houses of the Good Shepherd and
similar institutions. All knew that in one
state of this Union in a decade 81 100000 were
voted to Protestant institutions. for which the
Catholics were taxed, and in the same period
several millions were given to Catholic institu-
tions for which the Protestants taxed. He sub
mitted substitute for the amendment pro-
proposed by the House, providing that no
money, property or land should be given to any
sectarian school, college institution of learn
ing or to any church, monastery or convent, and
authorizing Congress to pass such laws as may
be nee essary to give effect to the amend ment,
and moved its reference to the Judiciary Com
mittee.
Mr.. Sargent also submitted substitute and
moved the same reference.
Mr.. Christiancy also presented a substitute
to be so referred. He argued that the federal
government should be prohibited from maxi ms
appropriations for such purpose as we'll as the
states
Mr. Morton said it was very clear that a
horse and cart could be driven through the
proposed amendment sent over by the Ell ouse
1t did not prohibit state from appropriatng
money out of the general fund for the support
of sectarian schools. 1t did not prevent state
from levying general tax for the support
of such schools, but simply prohibited state
from using part of the fund set apart for
public schools for the support OF sectarian
schools. He hoped it would be properly amend
ed and sent back to the House.
Mr.. Salisbury said this was not the prop er
time to discuss this proposed amendment He
had no doubt the object of the House in pass
ing this amendment was to remedy the cry
raised for political purposes. He thought all
the objections raised against it'll were captious
Let it be amended and sent back to the House
he did not care.
The House amendment and all the substitutes
were then referred to the Committee on Judi
ciary.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the
unfinished business, being the resolution of Mr..
Morton to print 10000 copies of the message
of the President and accompanying documents
in regard to the recent trouble at Hamburg,
s. G.
Mr.. Edmunds said the proposition Just before
the Senate in regard to sectarian schools was a
perfect delusion as it came from the House.
The Senate must presume that the House had
carefully considered the subject and that the
amendment it sent over contained all that it
desired to do. He then continued his remarks
on the resolution of Mr.. Morton and said the
expense of printing the extra copies would be
less than $500. 1t had been SAID on the other
side that this was an electoneerng document
aud ought not to be printed at the pnblic ex-
pense. Every document which affected the
welfare of the people was or ought to be an
electioneering political document because the
people were entitled to know what was going
on. Were the Senators on the other side OPP
posed to this resolution because they were
afraid the people of the United States would
find out the truth?
He then referred again to She constitution of
the state of Texas, about which he had spoken
on Saturday. and argued that the state had
overthrown the system of public education and
violated the pledge to stand by that system.
10 rob ruhny, fhn
which was merely another name for an organ
lied rebellion in that state, came into power.
If it was equality before the law about which
so much had been said lately in platforms and
letters of acceptance, it was high time people
of the United States who did not believe in j
humbugs, delusions and lies should carefully
cons ider the subject.
He argued that the people OF the South did
not intend that the colored man should make
himself capable of defending his rights, either
on the farm or in the field, that was the pain
full aspect of this case which it was attemp pied
by platforms and letters to sugar over. In all
cases of murder in the South, for political reas
ons the hand of justice was parayzed and
could not go forward in prosecutions. He did
not want vengence for all these crimes in the
South but he did wish to see the calm majesty
of the law visited on the perpetrators of these
crimes He reviewed the action of Congress on
amendments to the constitution and said the
first of those who voted against the thirteenth
amendment in the Senate were Davis of Ken
tucky, Hendricks now the Democratic candi-
date for Vice President, McDougall, Powell,
Riddle and Salisbury. These men represented
the death as well as thes sentiment of faith of
the Democratic party.
Here was the Democratic candidate for Vice
President coming from free State, solemnly
himself in favor of retaining the insti
tuition of slavery when it was proposed to get
rid of it in perfectly constitutional way. That
legislation was followed by the democratic con-
vent:on at Chicago, of 1864, of which Mr.. Til
den was distinguished member, and which
declared the war for the preservation of the
Union failure. Mr. Morton said that in
course of debate on the thirteenth amendment
in the Senate, Mr.. Hendricks denied the power
of Congress or the people of the United States
to abolish slavery by constitutional amend
ment. MI. Edmunds said that, personally, be
had great respect for the Democratic candidate |