Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-07-06
FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.

Mr.. Booth presented memorial of mer
chants of San Francisco demonstrating
againstithe proposed amendment 70. the ship
ping act.
Mr.. Hamlin, from the Committee on Post
Oiilces and Post Roads, reported back hume
rous petitions relative 10 the sale of enve-
lopes and also relating TO postage on third.
class NAL matter, and other memorials In
relation to postal matters, and asked to be
discharged from their further consideration
the matters TO which these refer having been
bill.
Mr.. CoDkling presented a memorial of the
con mis sioners of immi grafton AS king certain
legislation. Referred. Also, a Dill to regu-
late In M grafton. ReferreI to Committee on
Commerce.
Mr.. Sargent called up his resolution in re.
lati0n 10 Chinese tmmi grafton, and offered
substitute declaring that In the opinion of
the Senate no relations should be entered
into with the government OF Great Britain
and China 10 change existing treaties so as
To prevent the great influx of Chinese, COO
lies and criminals into this country.
Mr.. Sargent, In reply TO a question, said
and ninety mine out of a hundred of the wo,
men were brought TO this country for i'm.
moral purposes.
Mr.. Edmunds said this was a subject too
important and In some respects too critical
10 be acted on on the jump. IL should have
careful consid GRAFTON oy the Committee on
Foreign Relations. He appealed TO Mr.. SAr-
gent not 10 force vote without reference.
Mr.. Sargent said he should resist a motion
to refer, because the subject had been COO
sidered in the Senate since the 10Th OF April
because be had early in the session presented
the petition OF twenty thousand people as x
ing some action, and because The subject
had been before the Committee on Foreign
Relations. There had been two great con
ventions recently. The republicans, Dy a
three fourths vote, had spoken in a way to
show their sympathy for the Pacific states
while the democratic convention had gone
much further than the resolution he mad
offered; and he thought the question should
be met fairly by the Senate. He proposed to
call the yeas and nays on the question, that
the people could see where the Senate stood
Mr.. Edmunds said he did not suppose any
Senator would be driven to vote for the
resolution without reference through fear
OF appearing on the record as In favor OF
reference.
Mr.. Merrimon said there were two sides
TO the question, and the subject should be
carefully considered by the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
Mr.. Hamilton said the people of the Paci-
ne states had worked up the political con-
ventions 20 see which would bid the highest
What had become OF all the speeches that
were made day before yesterday about the
home of the oppressed, the land of the free
&c? Because labor was cheap on the Psci,
fc coast they would get rid of IL. 1t could
be seen that there was an alliance be-
tween those who disliked the Chinese, the
negro and the Indian TO exterminate them,
and IL would be done unless the republic in
terfered for their protection. Better, said
he, pull out the tail of the eagle, clip his
wings, and say no more about q free country
Mr. Sargent denied that the conventions
mad been worked up, and said the Senator's
Idea of a free country was that 1t was re
ceptacle OF the criminals and diseases OF
the whole world. The Chinese were coming
upon the PacI ic coast like the frogs of Egypt
and the number increased every year. He
outrsges TO show the unfitness OF these pan,-
pie 10 become American citizens il they de-
sired, which they did not.
Mr.. Hamlin opposed present action on the
o q 10 II to aaf fn.-s
the Senate, being the body To ratify treaty
not TO dictate the terms OF a treaty to the
Executive.
Mr.. Morton said his sympathies had been
ELECTED by the gentleman from California
but he thought the resolution too broad to be
acted on In The morning hour. he proposed
substitute that committee OF three Seua-
tors be appointed TO inquire into the charac-
ter, extent and effe CT OF Chinese immi grafton
into this country, win power TO visit the
Pacific coast for that purpose, and to send
for persons and papers, and to report al the
next session OF Congress.
Mr.. Sargent said ne would be willing to
accept that in place OF his resolution.
Mr.. EdmuDds insisted on his motion 10
refer, and the yeas and nays were ordered.
The motion To refer was rejected-yeas, I6;
nays, 30.
Mr.. Sargent then accepted the substitute,
and II was agreed TO.
At twelve O'Clock the Senate proceeded 10
the trial OF the articles OF Impeachment
against VIM. w. Belknap.
After the journal OF the last trial day had
been read, Mr.. Lynde, from the m anagers
asked IL the witnesses summoned by the
prosecution were present.
The Clerk was directed to call the names
OF those summoned, and the witnesses to rise
and respond when their names were called.
Some twenty seven names were called,
and the following responded, viz: Z. p. Bart
lett, Caleb p. Marsh, and G. NJ. Morton.
Mr. Lynde asked that attachments might
be issued for the witnesses who had not re-
sponded, with the exception of those VINO
had been told they would be notified wnen
wanted.
On motion OF Mr.. Edmunds, action on this
motion was deferred until tomorrow.
Mr.. Carpenter said there were at least line
names on that list that had not been fur
nished the defence. He wanted to know
Mr.. Lynde said thac the additional wit
nesses were found necessary after the list
had been made out for the defence. Mr..
Lynde said he would ask the indulgence of
the Senate while he referred TO the paper
presented by Mr.. Black on the last day of
The trial on the subject OF less than two
thirds of the Senate having voted that the
Sene te had Jurisdiction, and proceeded TO
argue against the grounds assumed, when
Mr.. sherman objected TO its discussion, the
question having already been decided.
Mr.. Lynde said he did not care to proceed,
and the chair did not rule on the point OF
order.
Mr.. Lynde then proceeded with the OPEN
ing argument for the prosecution.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr.. Lord IN. ", on behalf of the managers
of the Impeachment of w. w. Belknap, Of
fered a resolution authorizing the Clerk of
the House TO appear before the high court of
impeachment at the request of the mana
"ers, with such papers as may be demanded;
ard that the Committee on Expenditures OF
the War department be authorized TO APP
pear and testify in the case. Adopted.
The House then resumed consideration OF
the Geneva award bill, the question being
upon the adoption of the minority report of
the committed by Mr.. Knott as a substitute
for Mr.. Lord Is bill.
Thesubstitute was rejected; yeas, IS; nays,
I49.
Mr.. Holman then moved lay the bill ON
the table, and the motion was rejected by
yeas, 90; nays, 113.
The bill was then ordered to be engrossed
and was read q third time as follows:
Sec 1. That 1t shall be the duty OF the
Court of Commissioners OF Alabama Claims
in the mode and subject to all the condi-
tions, limitations and provisions OF chapter
459 of the laws OF the 43d Congress except as
changed and modified by this act, to receive
and examine the claims mentionet in Sec
ton two OF this act, and To en- ter judgment
for the amounts allowed therefor In two
clauses. Such claims TO be filed with the
clerk OF said court within SIX months from
the passage OF this act, and said court is
heYebv continued until Julv d 1877.