Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-01-27
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.

In the Senate, on the 18th, the Judiciary
Committee reported adversely on allowing the
accused to testify in the Federal Courts.
Several consuls, Indian agents and postmas-
ters were confirmed. The petition of General
Beauregard for the removal Of his political
disabilities was referred to the Judiciary Com
mittee. In the House, Mr.. White moved to
suspend the rules to vote on the amnesty bill
excluding Jefferson Davis. After voting on
the amendment striking out the excluding
clause, the vote was-yeas, 1866; nays, 11O.
Failing two-thirds majority, the rules were
not suspended Among the bills introduced
was one by Mr.. Vance, to open navigation on
the French Broad river; ana one Uy' Mr..
O'Brien, to amend the constitution, prohibit
ing among other things, preachers from hold
ing office under general or State Government
In the Senate, on the 18th, Mr.. Cameron,
of Pennsylvania, presented petitions from cit
izens of that State in favor of subsidy for
the Southern Pacific Railroad. A bill was
passed allowing court martials to compel CIV
il witnesses to testify, on penalty of two
months imprisonment. In the House, mum.
Der of bills were MISUNDERSTANDING them one
to allow planters to sell leaf tobacco without
license; to prescribe a penalty for mailing
obscene matter, and excluding lottery circu-
lars from the mails; to prevent the naturali-
cation of Chinese and Mongolians. The
House went into committee of the whole on
the Centennial appropriation, when Mr..
Waddell, of North Carolina, spoke at some
length, taking strong ground in favor of ma
king ample appropriations to secure credit
able national exposition. Referring to the
recent defeat of amnesty in the House, be said
that had no weight upon him, nor should it
influence any Southern member against an
appropriation for national celebration. Al
luding to the amnesty debate be said:
"One element in the House had not been heard
from in that discussion-thee element of the South
ern soldiers in the late war, of whom he was one.
They had sat in silence and taken the fire which
the gentleman from Maine (Blaine) had opened
on them, with no other feeling than that of graft
tude for having escaped from so terrible an ene-
my as he (Blaine) must have been during the
when that gentleman's hair was silvery and his
natural force perceptibly abatng, he could devel-
op such intensity of spirit, how must his plume
have waved in the fore part of that conflict which
had occurred at time when he (Blainel was young
and strong and healthy. Laughter That ele-
ment had not yet spoken. 1t could not be goad-
ed into the discussion. On the contrary, it had
exhibited spirit which he believed the Ameri-
can people would not soon forget. 1t had met
storm Of hate and persecution as the swan meets
the billows-with breast of down. He knew
some gentlemen who had been engaged in the
same cause with him who had not intended to
vote for the measure before that discussion but
who now intended to support it so as to set an
example of patriotism. If there were any of
them who still opposed this bill he appealed to
them to unite with him in doing an act which
could only promote the honor and advance the in
terests of the country and the peace and happiness
of the people,"
Without action the committee rose and ad-
journd.
In the Senate on the 10Th, Mr.. Sherman
presented a petition of citizens Of Ohio asking
the construction of the Southern Pacific rail.
road. A similar petition was also presented
by Mr.. Wallace, of Pennsylvania, from citi-
zens of that State. The bill amending the
charter of the Freedmen's Bank passed.
Pending the discussion of Mr.. Davis bill
providing for an investigation of the treasury
department, the Senate went into executive
session and adjourned. In the House, several
speeches were made on the centennial appro-
priation bill. Only two members spoke
against the bill-Messrs. Cochrane, of Penn
sylvania, and Mr.. Tucker, Of Virginia, who
opposed it on constitutional grounds. In the
course of his remarks, Mr. Tucker eulogized
General R. E. Lee.
The Senate proceedings of the 10th are un-
important. Mr.. Sargent introduced postal
telegraph bill, providing for telegraph lines
to connect with post-ofhces, allowing COM
bination of postmaster and telegrapher and
fixing the rates of charges for transmitting
messages. In the House, the Post Office Com
mittee reported unfavorably on the bill re-
ducing first class mail matter to one cent per
half ounce.
In the Senate, on the 21st, Mr.. Sherman
presented the memorial of the National Rail
road Convention recently held in St. Louis,
asking aid for the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Referred to the Committee on Railroads. The
House was occupied during the day in eulo.
gizing Vice. President Wilson.
In the House, on the 22nd, the debate on