The Portland daily press., 1876-01-13
Fort; Fourth Congress-First Session.
SENATE.

constitution of the United States prohibiting
the appropriation of money or property for any
purpose, directly or indirectly to any reli gious
body or sect. Referred t. Judiciary Commit
tee.
Mr. Anthony, from the Committee on Print
ing, reported bill to amend section S,767 of
the revised statutes in relation to a contract for
furnishing paper for public printing Mr.. An
thony said the bill enabled the congressional
printer to shorten the advertisements for such
proposals without detrment to public service.
The bill was passed.
Mr.. Dorsey introduced bill to place all COL
ored troops VINO enlisted in the army on an
equal footing with other soldiers as to bounty
and pensions. Referred to Committee on Mil
itary Affairs.
Mr.. Davis of W. Va. said he gave notice a
few days ago that he would address the Senate
to-day in record to the public debt, expendi-
lures of government &c he now desired to
submit resolution calling for the appointment
of committee TO examine the books of the
treasury department, and accordingly submit
ted resolution for that purpose aud gave no.
tice that he would address the Senate in regard
thereto tomorrow. Ordered printed and lie on
table,
Mr.. Cragin, from tie Committee on Nav al
Affairs, reported favorably on the bill to secure
attendance and payment OF witnesses before
military courts. He said the bill was similar to
the present law which applied to the army
only, and the object of this bill was to extend
tuc SdHc pOWcr " udtdl COuTG EldTIldl.
Mr. Edmunds said there was some doubt as
to the coRstitutionality of the present law. lie
did not believe that power should be given to
any judge or advocate to arrest and imprison
citizens.
Mr.. Whyte said naval courts martial now
have the power under the revised statutes TO
punish witnesses for refusing to testify. He
thought this bill was intended to regulate the
pay of such witnesses.
Mr.. Logan said naval courts martial had
power to punish only those who belonged to
the navy, but had not power to punish citi-
zens: The bill was placed on the calendar,
After the expiration of the morning hour,
the Senate resumed the consideration of the
resolutions reported on Monday last in regard
to the president pro tempore of the Senate. the
pending question being on the motion of Mr..
Thurman to indefinitely postpone the resolu-
ton declaring that the Office of president pro
tenn. of the Senate is held at, the pleasure of
the Senate.
Mr. Edmunds of Vt. spoke against the post
poned resolution.
He argued that the general law in regard to
deliberative bodies which elected their own Of
ficers was that in absence of any provision Civ
ing to them another presiding officer they
might elect one and remove him at pleasure
The President pro tempore of the Senate could
not ever become Vice President of the United
States. When the duties of President devolved
upon him he did not become President of the
United States. but simply discharged the du-
ties of that office for the time being. Speaker
of the House of Representatives could be
changed at any time at the pleasure of the
House. 1t was so held by Jefferson and all
parliamentary writer's.
Mr.. Wallace differed from the rest of the
committee, and claimed that the President of
the Senate is also an officer of the United
States
that the House Of Representatives had power
TO remove its Speaker at will
Mr.. Stevenson of Ky. said the practice of the
government for 20 years had been against the
argument of the Senator from Indiana. He
argued that the Senate could not touch the
came President of the U. S., should such con-
tiDgeuCy happen.
Mr.. Thurman saw no occasion for the Senate
giving any opinion upon the question involved
in this resolution. There was no reason for the
third resolution being here unless it was pro-
posed to make motion to proceed to an cleo
ton OF President pro tempore. He argued
that ii the President of the U. S. was to die
and the President pro tenn. of the Senate &C
cepted the Office of President of the o. S, he
could not preside over the Senate longer Moth
ing was more Inconsistent with the spirit of
our constitution than to invest the same man
with both legislative and executive power.
After further debate by Mr. Alcorn of Miss,
Edmunds, Thurman and others, vote was
taken on motion of Thurman to indefinitely
ed, yeas Is, nays 3S
Mr.. White of Md. submitted the following
amendment to Sd resolution:
Until the happening Of the contingency
provided for in the 9th section of the act OF
Congress approved March LIST, 1892, when he is
authorized to act as President of toe United
States
Rejected, yeas IS, nays 33.
Mr.. Stevenson gave notice that after the res
olution was DISPOSED of he would offer resolu-
ia, ft,nk- 14s~
investigate the whole question referred to in
the debate and report such measures as )ud
provide against any contingency which might
possibly arise by the death of the President.
Vice President and President pro tempore of
the Senate.
Mr.. Thurman moved an executive session.
Lost.
The question being on the passage of the Sd
reso ution as reported by the committee, it was
adopted, yeas a. nays 10.
The question then being on the 4th resolution
declaring that Hon. Thos. w. Ferry, the Sena-
tor from Mich. who was elected President pro
tenn. of the Senate at the last session, is now
President pro teua-, Mr.. Edmuds suggested
that t be Withdrawn, as it was inconsistent
with the Sd resolution, besides Mr.. Ferry was
last elected President pro tempore at this ses-
sion just before the holiday recess.
Mr.. Morton accepted the suggestion of Mr..
Edmunds aud withdrew the 4th resolution.
Senate at 4 o'clock adjourned till tomorrow
HOUSE.
At 2 o'clock the House resumed the consid-
GRAFTON of the amnesty bill and was addressed
by Mr. Garfield of Ohio.
make an inquiry as TO the continuance of the
debate. He remarked that over 1000 bills had
been intro luced and almost none passed. He
understood that % gentlemen had Indicated
their intention to speak on the amnesty bill
He wished the debate should terminate as soon
as possible SO that the House might proceed to
necessary business.
Mr.. Randall said he proposed to move the
previous question in an hour after Mr.. Garfield
should conclude.
himself, and not Mr.. Randall, had control of
the question.
The Speaker said he would rule upon that
point when the occasion should arise.
Mr.. Garfield commenced his remaks on the
course which the debate, especially Of yester.
day had taken.
During Mr.. Garfelds speech Mr.. Platt of
New York, read telegram received by him
from b +. Tracy, late commander of the mill.
tary post at Elmira, stating that facts justified
him (Platt) yesterday in his denial of inhu-
mainly or neglect in the treatment of prisoners
at Elmira
Mr.. Walker Of New York, rose on the Dem
ocratic side of the House, saying that he lived
within II miles of Elmira and endorsed the
statements of the telegram. Applause on the
sue.
Mr.. Hill of Ga, dsclaimed any purpose in
his remarks yesterday of charging inhumanity
on anybody about Elmlra, or anywhere else.
He had only read the letter from the New
York World as evidence of the cruelties insep.
arabic from prison life, and he had wound up
the statement by saying that the official rec
Ords showed the relative mortality to be great
er among Southern prisoners at the North
than among Northern prisoners at the South.
A member-Do you caarge that the mortal
ity among confederate prisoners at the North
was owing to cruelty?
Mr.. Hill do not undertake to say to what
the mortality on either side of the line was at
tributable. I say it was attributable to those
horrors inseparable from prison life anywhere,
and intended my point against striving to
work up those horrors of the past and to keep
alive strife which ought to be buried. Gap
plause.)
Mr.. Garfield remarked that even on the ties
timony of the anonymous letter read yesterday
by Mr.. Hill, the post of Elmira bad been locat-
in as healthy place as there could be found in
the State of New York He called, atte alton
to the fact that the place in which the confed-
crate prisoners who had died at Elmra were
buried hadibeen enclosed and cared for by the
administration which had been characterized
by the gentleman from Georgia as malignant.
ferocious, constitution hating and South hat.
ing.
Mr.. Hill remarked that at the last time of
decorating the graves in the South, the South
ern people united with some Northern soldiers