Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-07
CONGRESSIONAL.
ESPECIAL By TELEGRAPH TO THE REoORD-usros.l
House..

WASHINGTON, February 6th.-The Speaker laid
before the House the letter from the Secretary OF
the Treasury asking an appropriation of $4,000 to
enable him to maintain a revenue steamer on the
coast OF Alaska. Referred
Consideration was resumed of the bill relieving
the political disabilities of John Owen of Virginia
Conger opposed the bill, on the ground that the
petition alluded to the war, "of the Confederacy,"
while the Fourteenth Amendment mentioned the
"war of insurrection."
Goode replied that there was nothing in the Four
teenth Amendment which required any petition,
and while it had been the practice of Congress to
require every person to make application for relief
in respectful terms, no form OF petition had been
heretofore prescribed. 1t seemed to him too late in
the day-ifteen years after the termination of the
war-to take departure like this, and make man
write the words =" traitor and "rebel" with his
hand on his own brow, and get down in the dust
and cry "Unclean," before this great Government
would consider his petition.
Conger replied t. Goode. Had it come to this?
Was there statute of limitations rebellion and
treasonY Why the petitioner here, if not to say
he had been engaged in rebellion against his Gov
eminent, and to ask to have his disabilities
moved? Why not let every man come and say that
he had been engaged in the 90 late unpeasantness."
The House had too often heard those rose colored
names for the rebellion to have them reprinted in
the public records. There was a constant, nsidOus
continuous effort being made on the other side of
the House to incorporate in the literature
of the House smooth sounding words for
rebellion and treason and instruction, until if any
one used the good OldfaShiOned words he was i'm.
mediately rebuked. He expressed himself as sur
prised that many of his Republican colleagues
had voted last Friday for disability bill similar to
the present one. Thank God he was not one Of
those who had such a record. He hoped his
marks would call the attention of the people and
soldiers of the North to this tendency, his
side of the House, to forget all the dismal horrible
past and smooth it all over by the application of
new kind of literature in the proceedings of the
House.
Young Fills and Goode were To renIy Int Wood
objected, the ground that furthur discussion
unwise and improbable.
The vote on the passage of the bill was-yeas l66,
navs 46.
The House then went into Committee of the
Whole-Finley in the chair-on the private calendar
The House having been in committee for about an
hour, and not single bill having been agreed to,
owing to objections being made, principally by War
rem and Sparks, Boyne moved that the committee
rise
Coffroth hoped the motion would be withdrawn.
II there gentlemen who did not desire soldiers
to obtain pensions, he wanted their to go on
record.
Sparks-That allegation against gentlemen object
ing is out of place, unfounded and untrue, so far
as it relates to me. The gentleman passes special
bills for in his district to the prejudice of my
district.
CONGRATULATIONS speak louder than words
Sparks-I will not appeal from the Pension Office
to you.
The motion to rise was defeated.
IL becoming evident however that but little bust
ness could be transacted the committee finally rose
after agreeing to two pension bills, and the House
adjourned until Monday.