The NAYS were: Messrs. Archer, Baker, Barnes, Beck, Boyer, Brooks, Burr, Cary, Chanler, Fox, Getz, Golladay, Grover, Haight, Hotchkiss, Humphrey, Thomas L. Jones, Kerr, Knott, Marshall, Niblack, Phelps, Pruyn, Randall, Ross, Sitgreaves, Spalding, Stone, Taber, Tift, Van Auken, Wood, Woodward, Young-34. Hunter, Ingersoll, Johnson, Judd, Julian, Kellogg, Kel- | the resolution was agreed to-yeas 128, nays 34, sey, Kitchen, Koontz, William Lawrence, Lincoln, not voting 60. Loughridge, Marvin, Maynard, McCarthy, McKee, Mercur, Miller, Moore, Moorhead, Mullins, Myers, Newcomb, Niblack, Norris, O'Neill, Orth, Paine, Perham, Pettis. Pierce, Pike, Pile, Plants, Poland, Polsley, Price, Prince, Randall, Raum, Robinson, Roots, Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Shanks, Shellabarger, Sitgreaves, Smith, Starkweather, Stevens, Stokes, Stover, Thomas, Tift, John Trimble, Lawrence S. Trimble, Upson, Van Aernam, Van Auken, Burt Van Horn, Vidal, Ward, Henry D. Washburn, William B. Washburn, Welker, Whittemore, Thomas Williams, William Williams, James F. Wilson, John T. Wilson, Windom -116. Removal of Disabilities IN SENATE. 1868, December 9-Pending the bill to relieve from disabilities Franklin J. Moses, of South Carolina 64 Mr. GARRETT DAVIS moved to add the words, and all other citizens of the State of South Carolina." Which was disagreed to-yeas 9, nays 44, as follow: The preamble was then agreed to—yeas 135, nays 34, not voting 53. Brooks, Burr, Chanler, Fox, Getz, Glossbrenner, Golladay, Counting the Electoral Vote. IN SENATE. 1869, February 6-Mr. Edmunds submitted this concurrent resolution: Whereas the question whether the State of Georgia has become and is entitled to repreYEAS-Messrs. Bayard, Davis, Dixon, Doolittle, Ferry, sentation in the two houses of Congress is now McCreery, Norton, Patterson of Tennessee, Saulsbury-9. pending and undetermined; and whereas by the NAYS-Messrs. Anthony, Cameron, Cattell, Chandler, joint resolution of Congress passed July 20, Cole, Conkling, Conness, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Ed-1868, entitled "A resolution excluding from the munds, 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, Trumbull, Van Winkle, Wade, Warner, Welch, Willey, Sherman, Spencer, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Tipton, Williams, Wilson, Yates-44. [No general disability bill was passed at either the third session of the Fortieth Congress or the first session of the Forty-First.] The Representation of Georgia. IN HOUSE. 1869, January 28-Mr. Paine, from the Committee on Reconstruction, reported the following preamble and resolution: electoral college votes of States lately in rebellion which shall not have been reorganized," it of the States lately in rebellion should be rewas provided that no electoral votes from any ceived or counted for President or Vice President of the United States until, among other things, such State should have become entitled to representation in Congress, pursuant to acts of Congress in that behalf: therefore, Resolved by the Senate. (the House of Representatives concurring.) That on the assembling of the two houses on the second Wednesday of February, 1869, for the counting of the electoral votes for President and Vice President, as provided by law and the joint rules, if the counting or omitting to count the electoral votes, if any, which may be presented, as of the State of Georgia, shall not essentially change the result, in that case they shall be reported by the President of the Senate in the following manner: "Were the votes presented as of the State of Georgia to be counted, the result would be for for President of the United States, votes; if not counted, for - for President of the United States, votes; but in either is elected President of the United States; and in the same manner for Vice President. Whereas it is provided by the reconstruction act, passed March 2 1867, that until the people of the lately rebellious States shall be by law admitted to representation in Congress, any civil government which may exist therein shall be deemed provisional only, and that no persons shall be eligible to office in sach provisional governments who are disqualified for office by the fourteenth amendment of the Constitution of the United States; and whereas it is reported that the legislature of Georgia has expelled the col-case ored members thereof, and admitted to their seats white men who received minorities of votes at the polls, and that members of said legislature who had been elected thereto by the votes of colored men joined in such action, and that twenty-seven disqualified white men hold seats in said legislature in violation of the fourteenth amendment of the Constitution and of the reconstruction acts of Congress; and whereas Senators from Georgia have not yet been admitted to the Senate of the United States: therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on Reconstruction be ordered to inquire and report whether any. and if any, what, further action ought to be taken during the Fortieth Congress respecting the representation of Georgia in this House. Under the operatior of the previous question, February 8-It was adopted-yeas 34, nays 11, as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Cameron, Cattell, Cole, Conkling, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Edmunds, of Maine, Morrill of Vermont, Morton, Nye, Pool, RamFrelinghuysen, Howard, McDonald, Morgan, Morrill sey, Rice, Robertson, Ross, Sherman, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Tipton, Warner, Welch, Willey, Williams, Wilson, Yates-34. NAYS-Messrs. Buckalew, Davis, Fowler, Hendricks, McCreery, Norton, Patterson of Tennessee, Saulsbury, Trumbull, Vickers, Whyte-11. IN HOUSE. February 8-The rules were suspended-yeas 97, nays 18, not voting 107- -so as to enable the House to take up this resolutiɔn. The vote was as follows. Buckley, Benjamin F. Butler, Cake, Callis, Reader W. Clarke, Sidney Clarke, Clift, Cobb, Corley, Covode, Dawes, Donnelly, Driggs, Eckley, Edwards, Ela, Thomas D. Eliot, James T. Elliott. Fields, French, Hamilton, Harding, Haughey, Chester D. Hubbard, Hulburd, Hunter, Julian, Kelsey, Loan, Maynard, Mo Kee, Morrell, Mullins, Newsham, O'Neill, Orth, Paine, Perham, Pettis, Pierce, Prince, Roots, Shanks, Stevens, Stover, Upson, Van Aernam, R. T. Van Horn, Van Wyck, Vidal, Ward, Henry D. Washburn, Whittemore, Thomas Williams, William Williams-63. YEAS-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Banks, Beaman, Beatty, | Banks, Benton, Blackburn, Boles, Boutwell, Bowen, Washburn. Welker, Whittemore, William Williams, James F. Wilson, John T. Wilson, Windom-97. Niblack, Phelps, Randall, Ross, Taber, Van Auken, Van Trump, Woodward, Young-18. The resolution was then taken up, and concurred in. PROCEEDINGS UNDER THIS RESOLUTION. On Wednesday, February 10, the two houses met in the Hall of the House for the purpose of opening and counting the votes for President and Vice President. The President of the Senate then proceeded to open the certificates of the electors of the several States, authorized to be represented in the electoral college, for President and Vice President. Upon the certificate of the electors of Louisiana being read * Mr. Mullins objected to the counting of the vote of Louisiana, upon the ground that no valid election of electors had been held in said State. The SENATE withdrew, and voted That the votes of the electors of the State of Louisiana be counted-yeas 51, nays 7, as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Buckalew, Cameron, Cattell, Cole, Conkling, Conness, Corbett, Cragin, Davis, Dixon, Doolittle, Drake, Edmunds, Ferry, Fessenden, Fowler, Frelinghuysen, Grimes, Harlan, Harris, Hendricks, Howe, Kellogg, McCreery, McDonald, Morgan, Morrill of Vermont, Osborn, Patterson of New Hampshire, Patterson of Tennessee, Pool, Ramsey, Rice, Ross, Saulsbury, Sawyer, Sherman, Spencer, Sprague, Stewart, Tipton, Trumbull, Van Winkle, Vickers, Warner, Whyte, Willey, Williams, Yates-51. NAYS-Messrs. Chandler, Howard, Nye, Robertson, Sumner, Thayer, Wilson-7. The HOUSE voted to count the vote of Louisi ana--yeas 137 nays 63, not voting 22, as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Axtell, Baker, Barnes, Barnum, Beaman, Beatty, Beck, Benjamin, Bingham, Blaine, Blair, Boyden, Boyer, Bromwell, Brooks, Broomall, Buckland, Burr, Roderick R. Butler, Cary, Chanler, Churchill, Coburn, Cullom, Delano, Deweese, Dickey, Dixon, Dockery, Dodge, Eggleston, Eldridge, Farnsworth, Ferriss, Ferry, Garfield, Getz, Glossbrenner, Gol laday, Gove, Gravely, Grover, Haight, Halsey, Hawkins, Heaton, Higby, Hill, Holman, Hooper, Hopkins, Hotchkiss, Asahel W. Hubbard, Humphrey, Ingersoll, Jenckes, Johnson, Alexander H. Jones, Thomas L. Jones, Judd, Kelley, Kellogg, Kerr, Ketcham, Kitchen, Knott, Koontz, Laflin, Lash, George V. Lawrence, William Lawrence, Lincoln, Logan, Loughridge, Mallory, Marshall, Marvin, McCarthy, McCormick, McCullough, Miller, Moore, Moorhead, Mungen, Newcomb, Niblack, Nichol son, Norris, Nunn, Peters, Phelps, Pike, Pile, Plants, Poland, Polsley, Price, Pruyn, Randall, Raum, Robertson, Ross, Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Selye, Shellabarger, Sitgreaves, Smith, Spalding, Stark weather, Stewart, Stokes, Stone, Taber, Taffe, Taylor, Thomas, Tift, John Trimble, Trowbridge, Twichell, Van Auken, Burt Van Horn, Van Trump, Ellihu B. Washburne, William B. Washburn, Welker, James F. Wilson, John T. Wilson, Windom, Wood, Woodbridge, Woodward, Young-137. NAYS-Messrs. Delos R. Ashley, James M. Ashley, For law governing this point, see Political Manual for 1868, p. 119, or Hand Book of Politics for 1868, p. 397. The SENATE returned, and the vote of Louisiana was then counted. The certificates of all the States except Georgia having been read, and that of Georgia having been read, Mr. Benjamin F. Butler submitted the following objection to counting the vote of Georgia: First. I object, under the joint rule, that the vote of the State of Georgia for President and Vice President ought not to be counted, and object to the counting thereof because, among other things, the vote of the electors in the elec toral college was not given on the first Wednes day of December, as required by law, and no excuse or justification for the omission of such legal duty is set forth in the certificate of the action of the electors. Second. Because, at the date of the election of said electors, the State of Georgia had not been admitted to representation as a State in Congress since the rebellion of her people, or become entitled thereto. Third. That at said date said State of Georgia had not fulfilled, in due form, all the requirements of the Constitution and laws of the United States known as the "reconstruction acts," so as to entitle said State of Georgia to be represented as a State in the Union in the electoral vote of the several States in the choice of President and Vice-President. Fourth. That the election pretended to have been held in the State of Georgia, on the first Tuesday of November last past, was not a free, just. equal, and fair election, but the people of the State were deprived of their just rights therein by force and fraud. The SENATE withdrew; and voted That, under the special order of the two Houses respecting the electoral votes from the State of Georgia, the objections made to the counting of the electors for the State of Georgia are not in order-yeas 31, nays 26, as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Buckalew, Cattell, Conness, Corbett, Cragin, Davis, Diron, Doolittle, Ed munds, Fowler, Frelinghuysen, Grimes, Hendricks, Kellogg, McCreery, Morrill of Maine, Morrill of Vermont, Morton, Patterson of New Hampshire, Patterson of Tennessee, Ross, Saulsbury, Sawyer, Sherman, Sprague, Stewart, Tipton, Vickers, Whyte, Williams-31. NAYS-Messrs. Cameron, Chandler, Cole, Conkling, Drake, Ferry, Fessenden, Harlan, Harris, Howe, MeDonald, Morgan, Nye, Pool, Rainsey, Rice, Robertson, Spencer, Sumner, Thayer, Trumbull, Van Winkle, Wade, Warner, Willey, Yates-26. Mr. Howard offered this resolution: Resolved, That the electoral vote of Georgia ought not to be counted. Which, being entertained as in order, was disagreed to-yeas 25, nays 34, as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Abbott, Cameron, Chandler, Cole, Conkling, Drake, Harlan, Harris, Howard, Howe, Kellogg, McDonald, Nye, Osborn, Ramsey, Rice, Rober son, Sawyer, Spencer, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Wade, Wilson, Yates-25. NAYS-Buckalew, Conness, Corbett, Cragin, Davis, Dixon, Doolittle, Edmunds, Ferry, Fessenden, Fowler, March 16-The HOUSE passed it—yeas 111, terson of New Hampshire, Patterson of Tennessee, The House voted on the question, Shall the vote of Georgia be counted? Yeas 41, nays 150, (not voting 31,) as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Ambler, Armstrong, Arnell, Asper, YEAS-Messrs Axtell, Baker, Barnes, Barnum, Beck, Boyer, Brooks, Burr, Cary, Chanter, Eldridge, Farnsworth, Getz, Glossbrenner, Golladay, Grover, Haight, Hawkins, Holman, Hotchkiss, Humphrey, Johnson, T. L. Jones, Kerr, Knott, Marshall, McCormick, Mungen, Nicholson, Phelps, Pruyn, Randall, Ross. Sitgreaves, Taber, Tift, Van Auken, Van Trump, Wood, Woodward, Young-41. NATS-Messrs. Allison, D. R. Ashley, J. M. Ashley, Baldwin, Banks, Beaman, Beatty, Benjamin, Benton, Bingham, Blaine, Blair, Boles, Boutwell, Bowen, Boyden, Bromwell, Broomall, Buckland, Buckley, Benj. F. Butler, Roderick R. Butler, Cake, Callis, Churchill, Reader W. Clarke. Sidney Clarke, Clift, Cobb, Coburn, Corley, Covode. Cullom, Dawes, Deweese, Dickey, Dixon, Dodge, Donnelly, Driggs, Eckley. Edwards, Eggleston, Ela, Thomas D. Eliot, James T. Elliott, Ferriss, Ferry, Fields, French, Garfield, Goss, Gove, Gravely, Halsey, Hamilton, Harding. Haughey, Heaton, Higby, Hill, Hooper. Hopkins, Chester D. Hubbard, Hulburd, Hunter, Ingersoll, Jenckes, Alexander H. Jones, Judd, Julian, Kelley, Kellogg, Kelsey, Ketcham, Kitchen, Koontz, Laflin, Lash, George V. Lawrence, William Lawrence, Lincoln, Loan, Logan, Loughridge, Mallory, Marvin, Maynard, McCarthy, McKee, Miller, Moore, Moorhead. Morrell, Mullins, Newcomb, Newsham, Norris. O'Neill, Orth, Paine, Perham, Peters, Pettis, Pierce, BILL TO STRENGTHEN THE PUBLIC CREDIT. Pike, Pile, Plants, Poland, Polsley, Price, Prince, Raum, Robertson. Roots, Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Selye, Shanks, Shellabarger, Starkweather, Stevens, Stewart, Stokes, Stover, Sypher, Taffe, Taylor, Thomas, Trimble, Trowbridge, Twichell, Upson, Van Aernam, Burt Van Horn, Robert T. Van Horn, Van Wyck, Vidal, The SENATE returned, and the vote of Georgia was counted in the manner provided by the concurrent resolation, and Ulysses S. Grant was declared duly elected President, and Schuyler Colfax Vice-President of the United States for four years, commencing on the 4th day of March, 1869. For the Further Security of Equal Rights in the 1869, February 11-The Senate passed the following bill without division: FORTIETH CONGRESS, THIRD SESSION. Be it enacted, &c., That the word "white," wherever it occurs in the laws relating to the District of Columbia, or in the charter or ordinances of the cities of Washington or Georgetown, and operates as a limitation on the right of any elector of such District, or of either of the cities, to hold any office, or to be selected and to serve as a juror, be, and the same is hereby, repealed; and it shall be unlawful for any person or officer to enforce or attempt to enforce said limitation after the passage of this act. IN HOUSE. March 2-It passed, without a cail of the yeas and nays. March 3-It was presented to the President (Johnson), and "pocketed." FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION. March 8-The SENATE passed the same bill, without a division. The bill was approved by President Grant, March 18, 1869. Fortieth Congress. IN HOUSE. 1869, February 24-This bill passed: AN ACT to strengthen the public credit, and relating to contracts for the payment of coin. Be it enacted, &c., That in order to remove to discharge all just obligations to the public any doubt as to the purpose of the Government interpretations of the laws by virtue of which creditors, and to settle conflicting questions and such obligations have been contracted, it is hereby provided and declared, that the faith of the United States is solemnly pledged to the payment in coin, or its equivalent, of all the interest-bearing obligations of the United States, except in cases where the law authorizing the issue of any such obligation has expressly provided that the same may be paid in lawful money or other currency than gold and silver: Provided, however, That before any of said inmature, or be paid before maturity, the obliga terest-bearing obligations not already due shall tions not bearing interest, known as United States notes, shall be made convertible into coin at the option of the holder. SEC. 2. That any contract hereafter made specifically payable in coin, and the consideration of which may be a loan of coin, or a sale of property, or the rendering of labor or service of any kind, the price of which, as carried into the contract, may have been adjusted on the basis of the coin value thereof at the time of such sale or the rendering of such service or labor, shall be legal and valid, and may be enforced according to its terms; and on the trial of a suit brought for the eorcement of any such contract, proof of the real consideration may be given. Yeas 121, nays 60, (not voting 41.) as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Anderson Arnell, Delos R. Ashley, James M. Ashley, Axtell, Baldwin, Banks, Barnum, Beaman, Benjamin, Benton, Blackburn, Blaine, | Barnes, Barnum, Beaman, Benjamin, Blackburn, Blair, Pending the passage, Mr. Niblack moved to strike out the first section, which was lost-yeas 54, nays 130, (not voting 38,) as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Archer, Baker, Barnes, Beatty, Beck, Bowen, Burr, Roderick R. Butler, Cobb, Coburn, Deweese, Donnelly, Eggleston, Ela, Eldridge, Farnsworth, Fox, Getz, Golladay, Goss, Gravely, Grover, Haight, Hawkins, Holman, Hopkins, Humphrey, Hunter, Inger soll, Johnson, Thomas L. Jones, Kerr, Knott, Loan, Marshall, McCormick, Mungen, Niblack, Orth, Pike, Pruyn, Ross, Shanks, Stevens, Stokes, Stone, Taffe, Tift, Van Auken. Van Trump, Henry D. Washburn, John T. Wilson, Wood, Young-54. NAYS-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Anderson, Arnell, Delos R. Ashley, James M. Ashley, Axtell, Baldwin, Banks, Barnum, Beaman, Benjamin, Benton, Bingham, Blackburn, Blaine, Blair, Boutwell, Boyden, Boyer, Bromwell, Brooks, Broomall, Buckley, Cake, Chanter, Churchill, Reader W. Clarke, Sidney Clarke, Clift, Corley, Cornell, Covode, Cullom, Delano, Dickey, Dixon, Dockery, Dodge, Driggs, Eckley, Thomas D. Eliot, James I. Elliott, Ferriss, Ferry, Fields, Glossbrenner, Gove, Griswold, Halsey, Harding, Heaton, Higby, Hill, Hooper, Hotchkiss, Chester D. Hubbard, Richard D. Hubbard, Hulburd, Jenckes, Alexander H. Jones, Judd, Julian, Kelley, Kellogg, Kelsey, Ketcham, Kitchen, Koontz, Laflin, Lash, George V. Lawrence, William Lawrence, Logan, Lynch. Mallory, Marvin, Maynard, McKee, Mer cur, Miller, Moore, Moorhead, Mullins, Myers, Newsham, Norris, O'Neill, Paine, Perham, Peters, Pettis, Phelps, Pierce, Pile, Plants, Poland, Pomeroy, Price, Prince, Raum, Robertson, Roots, Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Shellabarger, Smith, Spalding, Starkweather, Stewart, Stover, Taber, Taylor, Thomas, Trimble, Trowbridge, Twichell, Upson, Van Aernam, Burt Van Horn, Ward, Cadwalader C. Washburn, William B. Washburn, Welker, Whittemore, Thomas Williams, William Williams, James F. Wilson, Windom-130. Mr. Allison moved to strike out the second section, which was lost-yeas 72, nays 100, (not voting 50,) as follow: February 26-The bill was reported back from the Committee on Finance, amended so as to read as follows: AN ACT relating to the public debt. Be it enacted, &c., That in order to remove any doubt as to the purpose of the Government to discharge all just obligations to the public creditors, and to settle conflicting questions and interpretations of the laws by virtue of which such obligations have been contracted, it is hereUnited States is solemnly pledged to the payby provided and declared, that the faith of the ment in coin, or its equivalent, of all the obli gaions of the United States, except in cases where the law authorizing the issue of any such obligation has expressly provided that the same may be paid in lawful money or other currency than gold and silver. SEC. 2. That any contract hereafter made specifically payable in coin, and the consideration of which may be a loan of coin, or a sale of property, or the rendering of labor or service of any kind, the price of which, as carried into the contract, may have been adjusted on the basis of the coin value thereof at the time of such sale or the rendering of such service or labor, shall be legal and valid, and may be enforced according to its terms. the first clause of the second section by making February 27-Mr. Henderson moved to amend it read as follow: That any contract hereafter mide specifically payable in coin shall be legal and valid, and may be enforced according to its terms. Which was not agreed to-yeas 10, nays 35, as follow: senden, Henderson, Pomeroy, Ross, Stewart, TrumYEAS-Messrs. Cole, Conkling, Corbett, Dizon, Fes bull-10. NAYS-Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Cameron. Cattell, Chandler, Conness, Cragin, Davis, Doolittle, Drake, Edmunds, Ferry, Frelinghuysen, Harlan, Howe, Kellogg, Morton, Nye, Osborn, Patterson of New Hampshire, McCreery, McDonald, Morgan, Morrill of Vermont, Ramsey, Rice, Sawyer. Sherman, Sumner, Thayer, Wade, Welch, Willey, Williams, Wilson-35. Mr. Bayard moved to strike out the second section, which was not agreed to-yeas 7, nays 36, as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Chandler, Cole, Davis, Doolittle, Fowler, Howe, Wade-7. YEAS-Messrs. Allison, Baker, Beatty, Beck, Benton, NAYS-Mers. Ames. Anderson, Archer, Arnell, Delos R. Ashley, James M. Ashley, Artell, Baldwin, Banks, YEAS-Messrs. Cole, Davis, Henderson, Morton, Pomeroy, Robertson, Ross, Spencer-8. NAYS-Anthony, Cattell, Conkling, Conness, Corbett, Cragin, Dizon, Edmunds, Ferry, Fessenden, Frelinghuysen, Grimes, Harlan, Harris, Howard, McDonald, Morgan, Morrill of Maine, Morrill of Vermont, Nye, Osborn, Patterson of New Hampshire, Sawyer, Sherman, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Tipton, Wade, Warner. Welch, Willey, Williams, Wilson-34. The bill, as amended by the report of the Committee on Finance, was then passed-yeas 30, nays 16, as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Abbott, Cattell, Conkling, Conness, Corbett, Cragin, Dizon, Edmunds, Ferry, Fessenden, Frelinghuysen. Grimes, Harlan, Harris, Howard, Morgan, Morrill of Maine, Morrill of Vermont, Nye, Patterson of New Hampshire, Robertson, Sawyer, Sherman, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Tipton, Willey, Williams, Wilson-30. NAYS-Messrs. Cole, Davis, Doolittle, Fowler, Henderson, Hendricks, McCreery, McDonald, Morton, Osborn, Patterson of Tennessee, Pomeroy, Ross, Spencer, Wade, Welch-16. The title was amended so as to read "An act in relation to the public debt." March 2-The House non-concurred in the amendments of the Senate, and a committee of conference (Messrs. Schenck, Allison, and Niblack) appointed. Same day-The Senate insisted on its amendments, and appointed Messrs. Sherman, Williams, and Morton a conference committee. March 3-The committee reported the following bill: AN ACT to strengthen the public credit, and relating to contracts for the payment of coin. Be it enacted, &c., That in order to remove any doubt as to the purpose of the Government to discharge all just obligations to the public creditors, and to settle conflicting questions and interpretations of the laws by virtue of which such obligations have been contracted, it is hereby provided and declared, that the faith of the United States is solemnly pledged to the payment in coin, or its equivalent, of all the obligations of the United States not bearing interest, known as United States notes, and of all the interest-bearing obligations of the United States, except in cases where the law authorizing the issue of any such obligation has expressly provided that the same may be paid in lawful money or other currency than gold and silver. But none of said interest-bearing obligations not already due shall be redeemed or paid before maturity, unless at such time United States notes shall be convertible into coin at the option of the holder. or unless at such time bonds of the United States bearing a lower rate of interest than the bonds to be redeemed can be sold at par in coin. And the United States also solemnly pledges its faith to make provision at the earliest practica ble period for the redemption of the United States notes in coin. SEC. 2. That any contract hereafter made specifically payable in coin, and the consideration of which may be a loan of coin, or a sale of property, or the rendering of labor or service of any kind, the price of which, as carried into the contract, may have been adjusted on the basis of the coin value thereof at the time of such sale or the rendering of such service or labor, shall be legal and valid, and may be enforced according to its terms; and on the trial of a suit brought for the enforcement of any such contract, proof of the real consideration may be given. Same day-The Senate agreed to the reportyeas 31, nays 24, as follow: YEAS-Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Cameron, Cattell, Chandler, Conkling. Conness, Corbett, Cragin, Dizon, Drake, Edmunds, Ferry, Fessenden, Frelinghuysen, Harris, Howard, Morgan, Morrill of Maine, Morrill of Vermont, Nye, Patterson of New Hampshire, Ramsey, Sherman, Stewart, Sumner, Trumbull, Van Winkle, Warner, Willey, Williams-31. NAYS-Messrs. Bayard, Buckalew, Cole, Davis, Doolittle, Fowler, Hendricks. Kellogg, McCreery, McDonald, Morton, Norton, Osborn, Patterson of Tennessee, Robertson, Ross, Sawyer, Spencer, Sprague, Thayer, Tipton, Vickers, Wade, Whyte-24. Same day-The House adopted the reportyeas 117, nays 59, (not voting 48,) as follow: ley, James M. Ashley, Axtell, Bailey, Barnes, Barnum, YEAS-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Arnell, Delos R. AshBeaman, Benjamin, Benton, Bingham, Blair, Boutwell, Bowen, Boyden, Brooks, Broomall, Buckley, Cake, Callis, Chanler, Churchill, Reader W. Clarke, Sidney Clarke, Clift, Corley. Cornell, Cullom, Dawes, Dickey, Dixon, Dodge, Eckley, Thomas D. Eliot, James T. Elliott, Ferriss, Ferry, Fields, Garfield, Gove, GrisHotchkiss, Richard D. Hubbard, Hulburd, Jenckes, wold, Halsey, Haughey, Heaton, Higby, Hill, Hooper, Alexander H Jones, Judd, Julian, Kellogg, Kelsey, Ketcham, Laflin, Lash, George V. Lawrence, Lincoln, Logan, Lynch, Mallory, Marvin, Maynard, McCarthy, McKee, Mercur, Miller, Moore, Moorhead, Morrell, Mullins, Myers, Newsham, Norris. O'Neill, Paine, Perham, Peters, Phelps, Pile, Plants, Poland, Price, Prince, Raum, Robertson, Robinson, Roots, Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Shellabarger, Smith, Starkweather, Stevens, Stewart, Stover, Sypher, Taber, Taylor, Trowbridge, Twichell, Upson, Burt Van Horn, Van Wyck, Ward, Cadwalader C. Washburn, William B. Washburn, Welker, Whittemore, James F. Wilson, Woodbridge-117. NAYS-Messrs. Adams, Archer, Baker, Beatty, Beck, Boyer, Bromwell, Burr, Benjamin F. Butler, Roderick R. Butler, Cary, Cobb, Coburn. Cook, Deweese, DockGolladay, Goss, Haight, Harding, Hawkins, Holman, ery, Donnelly, Eggleston, Eldridge, Farnsworth, Getz, Hopkins, Hunter, Ingersoll, Johnson, Thomas L. Jones, Kerr, Knott, William Lawrence, Marshall, McCormick, Shanks, Sitgreaves, Stone, Thomas, Tift, Trimble, Van McCullough, Mungen, Niblack, Orth, Pruyn, Randall, Ross, Aernum, Van Auken, Van Trump, Henry D. Washburn, William Williams, Stephen F. Wilson, Wood, Woodward, Young-59. The President (Johnson) "pocketed" the bill. [For other votes on this subject in first session, Forty-First Congress, see a subsequent chapter.] TENURE-OF-OFFICE ACT. Fortieth Congress, Third Session. IN HOUSE. 1869, January 11-A bill to repeal an act regulating the tenure of certain civil offices, passed March 2, 1867, was introduced by Mr. H. D. Washburn, and read a first and second time. The previous question on the engrossment of the litical Manual for 1867, pp. 50, 51; and Hand Book of For copy of the act, and votes on passage, see PoPolitics, pp. 176, 177. |