Ordered, That it lie on the table. Mr. Wilson presented a petition of officers of the army praying the passage of the bill "to equalize and fix the pay of officers, and to establish the pay of enlisted soldiers in the army." Ordered, That it lie on the table. Mr. Patterson, of Tennessee, presented a memorial of citizens of Tennessee, praying an appropriation for the improvement of the Tennessee river. Ordered, That it lie on the table and be printed. Mr. Patterson, of Tennessee, asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a bill (S. 655) granting pension to Paulina Jones, of Greene county, Tennessee; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Patterson, of Tennessee, presented papers in support of the claim of Paulina Jones to a pension. Ordered, That they lie on the table. Mr. Ferry asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a bill (S. 656) to remove political disabilities; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Ramsey asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a bill (S. 657) to abolish the franking privilege; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Robertson asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a bill (S. 658) to relieve from disabilities Franklin J. Moses, a citizen of South Carolina; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Kellogg asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a bill (S. 659) to relieve from legal and political disabilities certain persons engaged in the late rebellion; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Pomeroy asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a joint resolution (S. 182) extending the operations of the Freedmen's Bureau for a limited period in certain States; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Kellogg asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a joint resolution (S. 183) to extend the provisions of the act of July 4, 1864, limiting the jurisdiction of the Court of Claims to the loyal citizens of the States of Louisiana and Arkansas; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Ferry asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a joint resolution (S. 184) for the removal of political disabilities; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. On motion by Mr. Harlan, Ordered, That M. N. Radovich have leave to withdraw from the files of the Senate his petition and papers. Mr. Sumner submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the President of the United States, if in his opinion. not incompatible with the public interest, be requested to communicate to the Senate any information possessed by the Department of State concerning recent transactions in the region of the La Plata affecting the political relations of the United States, and the republic of Paraguay, the Argentine Republic, the Oriental Republic, and the empire of Brazil. Mr. Yates submitted the following resolution for consideration. Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy be requested to furnish to the Senate, if not incompatible with the public interest, a copy of the proceedings of the board of admirals, which assembled in Washington under the act of January 24, 1865, to examine and recommend for promotion officers of the navy who distinguished themselves by gallant and meritorious conduct during the rebellion, together with a list of all officers recommended for promotion by said board and the names of those who were promoted upon such recommendation. On motion by Mr. Drake, The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution submitted by him on the 20th July last, proposing an amendment to the 38th rule of the Senate in respect to proceedings on Indian treaties; and, After debate, Ordered, That the further consideration of the said resolution be postponed to to-morrow. On motion by Mr. Morrill, of Maine, at half past 12 o'clock p. m., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1868. Mr. Cornelius Cole, from the State of California, Mr. George Vickers, from the State of Maryland, and Mr. Willard Saulsbury, from the State of Delaware, attended. The President pro tempore laid before the Senate a letter of the Treasurer of the United States, communicating copies of his accounts of receipts and expenditures for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1865; which was read. Ordered, That it lie on the table. The President pro tempore laid before the Senate a letter of the Treas urer of the United States, communicating copies of his accounts of receipts and expenditures, adjusted for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1866; which was read. Ordered, That it lie on the table. The President pro tempore laid before the Senate a letter of the Comptroller of the Currency, communicating, in obedience to law, his annual report; which was read. Ordered, That it lie on the table. Mr. Pomeroy presented a petition of citizens of Maine, and a petition of citizens of Massachusetts, praying that in any amendment of the Constitution to extend or regulate suffrage, no distinction be made between men and women. Ordered, That they lie on the table. Mr. Wilson presented the petition of Virgil C. Gilman and others, praying that a pension be granted to Daniel B. Lewis, of Nashua, New Hampshire. Ordered, That it lie on the table. Mr. Cameron presented the memorial of George Given, a soldier of the war of 1812, praying to be allowed a pension. Ordered, That it lie on the table. On motion by Mr. Morrill, of Vermont, Ordered, That George W. Tarleton have leave to withdraw his petition and papers on the files of the Senate. Mr. Williams asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a bill (S. 660) to aid in the construction of the Oregon branch of the Pacific railroad; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Drake asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a bill (S. 661) for the relief of Lieutenant Colonel John W. Davidson, of the United States army; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Sumner asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a bill (S. 662) to carry out the reconstruction acts in the State of Georgia; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Nye asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in a joint resolution (S. 185) for the relief of William B. Whiting, a captain, formerly a commander, in the navy of the United States, on the reserved list; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to be printed. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. McPherson, its Clerk. Mr. President: The House of Representatives has passed the following bills, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate: H. R. 1460. An act regulating the duties on imported copper and copper ores. H. R. 1482. An act to restore the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Department of War. The bills last received from the House of Representatives for concurrence were severally read the first and second times, by unanimous consent. Ordered, That they lie on the table. The bill (H. R. 1276) for the sale of the Hot Springs reservation, in Arkansas, received from the House of Representatives for concurrence at the last session, was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent. Ordered, That it lie on the table. On motion by Mr. Robertson, The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 658) to relieve from disabilities Franklin J. Moses, a citizen of South Carolina. On motion by Mr. Davis to amend the bill by inserting after the words "South Carolina," in line five, the words: and all other citizens of the State of South Carolina, It was determined in the negative, On motion by Mr. Drake, Yeas 9 44 The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are, Messrs. Bayard, Davis, Dixon, Doolittle, Ferry, McCreery, Norton, Patterson of Tennessee, Saulsbury. Those who voted in the negative are, Messrs. Anthony, Cameron, Cattell, Chandler, Cole, Conkling, Conness, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Edmunds, Fessenden, Fowler, Frelinghuysen, Grimes, Harlan, Harris, Howe, Kellogg, Morgan, Morrill of Maine, Morrill of Vermont, Nye, Osborn, Patterson of New Hampshire, Pomeroy, Ramsey, Rice, Robertson, Sherman, Spencer, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Tipton, Trumbull, Van Winkle, Wade, Warner, Welch, Willey, Williams, Wilson, Yates. So the amendment was not agreed to. On motion by Mr. Pomeroy to amend the bill in line six, by inserting after the words "article of," the words the amendments to, so that the clause would read, by reason of the 3d section of the 14th article of the amendments to the Constitution of the United States be, and the same are hereby, removed," It was determined in the affirmative; and no further amendment being made to the bill, it was reported to the Senate and the amendment was concurred in. Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time. (Yeas.. It was determined in the affirmative, {Nays. Those who voted in the affirmative are, 46 6 Messrs. Anthony, Cameron, Cattell, Chandler, Cole, Conkling, Conness, Messrs. Davis, Dixon, Doolittle, Fowler, McCreery, Saulsbury. Resolved, That the bill do pass, two-thirds of the senators present voting in the affirmative. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein. The President pro tempore laid before the Senate the report of the Surgeon General of the army of the United States, communicating, in obedience to law, a copy of the contract made by him for the care, support, and treatment of sixty transient paupers in the city of Washington, in accordance with the act of July 27, 1868; which was read. Ordered, That it lie on the table. The President pro tempore laid before the Senate the report of the Surgeon General of the army of the United States, communicating, in obedience to law, a statement showing the amount of expenditures for the completion of Providence Hospital up to December 1, 1868; which was read. Ordered, That it lie on the table. On motion by Mr. Trumbull, Ordered, That the Secretary read the Calendar of business, laid upon the desks of senators at the commencement of the present session, and that the Senate proceed to finally dispose of such subjects therein as to which no objection shall be made. On motion by Mr. Edmunds, at half-past 12 o'clock p. m., The Senate took a recess until 1 o'clock p. m.; When, A message from the President of the United States was announced and laid before the Senate by the President pro tempore, who directed the Secretary to read the same; and, While the message was being read by the Secretary, Mr. Conness objected to its further reading and moved that it be dispensed with. After debate, Mr. Conness withdrew his motion to dispense with the further reading of the message; and, Mr. Cameron having renewed the said motion, After further debate, On motion by Mr. Edmunds, at 20 minutes before 2 o'clock p. m., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1868. Mr. Charles R. Buckalew, from the State of Pennsylvania; Mr. John Pool, from the State of North Carolina; and Mr. F. A. Sawyer, from the State of South Carolina, attended. Mr. Anthony submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the committee appointed to inquire whether improper or corrupt means have been used, or attempted to be used, to influence the votes of members of the Senate in the trial of impeachment of the President, with power to send for persons and papers, &c., be, and the same is hereby, reappointed. Mr. Anthony submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the joint committee appointed at the first session of the present Congress, and continued at the last session, to revise and fix the pay of the officers of the two houses, be, and they are hereby, reappointed. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof. Mr. Anthony submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the select committee, to whom were referred certain railroad bills at the last session, be continued during the present session. Mr. Anthony submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That there be added to the standing committees of the Senate a committee to be called the Committee on the Revision of the Laws of the United States, to consist of five members. On motion by Mr. Anthony, and by unanimous consent, it was Ordered, That so much of the thirty-fifth rule of the Senate as requires the appointment of the standing and other committees to be made by ballot be suspended. Mr. Anthony submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the following be the standing committees of the Senate during the present session; and also the select and joint committees authorized to be appointed: On Foreign Relations.-Mr. Sumner, chairman; Mr. Fessenden, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Harlan, Mr. Morton, Mr. Patterson of New Hampshire, and Mr. Bayard. On Finance.-Mr. Sherman, chairman; Mr. Morgan, Mr. Williams, Mr. Cattell, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Morrill of Vermont, and Mr. Warner. On Appropriations.-Mr. Morrill of Maine, chairman; Mr. Grimes, Mr. Howe, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Cole, Mr. Conkling, and Mr. Buckalew. On Commerce.-Mr. Chandler, chairman; Mr. Morgan, Mr. Corbett, Mr. Morrill of Vermont, Mr. Kellogg, Mr. Spencer, and Mr. Vickers. On Manufactures.-Mr. Sprague, chairman; Mr. Yates, Mr. Abbott, Mr. Robertson, and Mr. Dixon. On Agriculture.-Mr. Cameron, chairman; Mr. Cattell, Mr. Tipton, Mr. Welch, and Mr. McCreery. |