Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-02-16

were agreed to up to the fifth sec
ton, which authorizes the President
to grant amnesty to the classes of
offenders who were guilty before the
passage of the act of bigamy, polyg-
amy or unlawful habitation, on such
conditions as he shall think proper.
The wholesale exercise of pardoning
power contemplated in this section,
was objected to as trenching upon
the legislation prerogative, but after
some discussion the section, as
amended, and the remaining commit
tee amendments up to the Sth Sec
ton, were adopted.
The eighth section provides for
the conduct of elections, registra-
ton and canvassing of voters, ETC.,
in the Territory until provision for
the same is made by the legislative
assembly, provided for in the bill by
appointees of board of five per
sons, to be appointed by the Presi-
dent and confirmed by the Senate,
all of whom shall not be members
of one political party, etc.
Senator Brown moved to amend
so as to require that not more than
three of the board shall be of the
same political party.
Several members debated this sec>
tion until at 4:50 when motion for
an executive session was lost by ayes
Il, noes %, and after several efforts
to secure an arrangement for voi
on the bill, interspersed with mo-
tions to adjourn, it was finally ar +.
ranged that the measure should be
proceeded with Immediately after the
morning business to morrow and the
debate upon it closed at $50 p. 10.
Upon this understanding Senator
Edmunds, in charge of the bill, con-
sented to an adjournment.
Senator Cooke, on the executive
committee, introduced bill appro-
priating 100000 for continuing the
improvement of the Galveston har
Dor, Texas.
At $50 the Senate adjourned.
WASHINGTON, D. c., February II
The following bills were reported ::
By Mr.. Vance, of North Carolina,
from the committee ON patents, for
the extension of letters of patent for
an Improvement in the Eclipse cotton
gin. Placed on the private calendas
By Mr.. Orth, from the co nmittee
on foreign affairs, adversely to the reso-
luton originally offered by NJ. Robin
son, of New York, calling on the At
torney-General for his opinion as to
whether. if Joseph Warren Keifer,
Alonzo B. Cornell or Charles Carroll
should be arrested in the British
empire, without having committed
any crime, the English government,
by suspending the writ of habeas
corpus, could lawfully detain him on
an definite suspicion, without trial,
or without the right of the United
States to demand his release.
Mr.. Robinson, of New York, de-
sired to debate the resolution,
but the Speaker held that the pend
ing motion to lay it upon the table,
was not debatable. The resol ution
was tabled. Yeas, III; Nays, 1O3.
Mr.. Orth also reported adversely
the resolution requesting the Press
ident to communicate all the CORES
pondence with the British govern
ment, on file in the State department,
in reference to the case of D. II.
O'Conner, citizen of the United
States, now imprisoned in Ireland.
Mr.. Orth stated that the papers re-
ferred to had already been asked for
by a previous resolution of the
House, under the guise of parliment-
airy inquiry.
Mr.. Cox, of New York, managed
to get in a few remarks in support
of both these resolutions, declaring
that there was underlying, first, the
great principle of American citizens
ship, and that, second, it was neces-
sary to show the State Department
that Congress was unjust in the mat
ter. The House refused to lay the
resolution upon the table, II against
| 70. Mr.. Cox thereupon offered an
amendment requesting the President
to obtain for D. Fl. O'Conner and
other American citizens now impris-
oned under the suspension of ha-
beas corpus by the Briti-h Govern,
ment in ireland, without trial, con
viction or sentence, a speedy and
I fair trial or prompt release.
A point of order was raised that
the amendment was not germane to
the subject, and the Speaker sus-
tanned the point
This started lively debate, in
which Mr. Robson, of New York,
led eff, and bore the chief part. He
questioned the manhood of any
member who would vote to table
such resolution. He declared that
he had not been able to get a fail
play on the floor He had been re-
| pressed and sit upon by the com
mittee on foreign affairs, and the
State Department alone seemed to
be unaware of the fact that
Americsn citizens were imprisoned
in leland.
Mr.. Robinson then proceeded to
name some of the American citizens
imprisoned in Ireland There was
Mr.. McLinceny, of California, who
had a certificate of naturalization on
which was engraved the American
eagle; but the tyranical despot paid
no more attention to it than if it
were crow or cormorant. Another
prisoner was Michael Hart, of Mas
sachusetts. Would Massachusetts,
stand by and let citizen rot in a
foreign prison? No country, ancient
or modern. had reeled with an