Be it enacted, <&e., That for the better security of persons and property in Mississippi, the constitutional convention of said State, heretofore elected under and in pursuance of an act of Congress, passed March 2, 1867, entitled "An act for the more efficient government of the rebel States," and the several acts of Congress supplementary thereto and amendatory thereof, and as organized at the time of its adjournment, is hereby authorized to assemble forthwith upon the call of the president thereof; and in case of his failure for thirty days to summon said convention, then the commanding general of the fourth military district is hereby authorized and required to summon by proclamation said convention to assemble at the capital of said State; and said convention shall have, and it is hereby authorized to exercise, the following powers in addition to the powers now authorized by law, to wit: to appoint a provisional governor; to authorize the provisional governor of said State to remove and appoint registrars and judges of elections under said acts of Congress, who shall not be voted for at elections within their own precincts; to submit to the people of said State the constitution heretofore framed by said convention, either with or without amendments; to provide by ordinance that the votes for and against said constitution and for and against the clauses thereof submitted by this act to a separate vote, together with the votes cast for and against all State and local officers voted for under said constitution, shall be forwarded to the provisional governor by the judges of election, and shall be counted in the presence of the provisional governor, the general commanding the military district of Mississippi, and such committee as the.convention may appoint for that purpose; and it shall be the duty of said provisional governor, commanding general, and committee to make proclamation of the result of«such elections; to pass laws exempting a homestead not exceeding $1,000 in value, and household furniture, mechanical and farming tools, provisions, and other articles of personal property necessary for the support of a family, not exceeding$500 in value, from seizure or sale upon process for the collection of debts; which laws shall continue in force until repealed or modified by the legislature to be elected under the Constitution; and to pass such ordinances, not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States, as it may deem necessary to protect all persons in their lives,, liberty, and property: Provided, That said convention shall not continue in session for more than sixty days: And provided further, That the districts unrepresented from any cause in the convention at the time of its adjournment shall at once proceed to elect duly qualified persons to take seats in said convention. The election of such delegates shall be held under the direction of the commanding general, in accordance with the provisions of the act of Congress approved March 2, 1867, entitled "An act for the more efficient government of the rebel States," and the acts supplementary thereto; and certificates of election shall be awarded to the candidates receiving the highest number of votes: And ho, That said convention may submit

any one or more provisions of said proposed constitution to a separate vote.

Sec. 2. That the several ordinances which may be passed by the constitutional convention of said State within the limitations as herein provided, shall be in force in said State until disapproved by Congress, or until Mississippi shall have adopted a constitution of State government and the same shall have been approved by Congress: Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall deprive any person of trial by jury in the courts of said State for offences against the laws of said State.

Sec. 3. That the military commander in said State, upon the requisition of the provisional governor thereof, shall give aid to the officers of the provisional government of said State in preserving the peace and enforcing the laws, and especially in suppressing unlawful obstructions and forcible resistance to the execution of the laws.

Sec. 4. That the said provisional governor may remove from office in said State any person holding office therein, and may appoint a successor in his stead, and may also fill all vacancies that may occur by death, resignation, or otherwise, subject, however, in all removals and appointments, to the orders and directions of the President of the United States; and the President of the United States may at any time remove the said provisional governor and appoint a successor in his stead.

Sec. 5. That if at any election authorized in the State of Mississippi any person shall knowingly personate and falsely assume to vote in the name of any other-person, whether such other person shall then be living or dead, or if the name of the said other person be the name of a fictitious person, or vote more than once at the same election for any candidate for the same office, or vote at a place where he may not be lawfully entitled to vote, or without having a lawful right to vote, or falsely register as a voter, or do any unlawful act to secure a right or an opportunity for himself or other person to vote, or shall, by force, fraud, threat, menace, intimidation, bribery, reward, offer, or promise of any valuable thing whatever, or bj any contract for employment, or labor, or for any right whatever, or otherwise attempt to prevent any. voter who may at any time be qualified from freely exercising the right of suffrage, or shall by either of such means induce any voter to refuse or neglect to exercise such right, or compel or induce, by either of such means, or otherwise, any officer of an election to receive a vote from a person not legally qualified or entitled to vote, or interfere to hinder or impede in any manner any officer in any election in the discharge of his duties, or by either of such means, or otherwise, induce any officer in any election, or officer whose duty it is to ascertain, announce, or declare the result of any vote, or give or make any certificate, document, or evidence in relation thereto, to violate or refuse to comply with his duty or any law regulating the same, or if any such officer shall neglect or refuse to perform any duty required of him by law, or violate any duty imposed by law, or do any act unauthorized by law relating to or affecting any such vote, election, or the result thereof, or if any person shall aid, counsel, procure, or advise any such voter, person, or officer to do any act herein made a crime, or to omit to do any duty the omission of which is hereby made a crime, or attempt so to do, or if any person shall by. force, threat, menace, intimidation, or otherwise prevent any citizen or citizens from assembling in public meeting to discuss or hear discussed any subject whatever, or if any person shall by any means break up, disperse, or molest any assemblage, or any citizen in or of such assemblage when met or meeting.to discuss or hear discussion, :as aforesaid, or shall by any means prevent any citizen from attending any such assemblage, every person so offending shall be deemed guilty Of a crime, and shall for such crime be liable to indictment in any court of the United States of competent jurisdiction, and on conviction thereof shall be adjudged to pay a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or less than one hundred dollars, and suffer imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years nor less than six months, in the discretion of the court, and pay the costs of prosecution.

Sec. 6. That no officer of Mississippi shall buy or sell treasury warrants, or claims of any sort upon the treasury of the State, or of any county or district thereof. All taxes and moneys collected by any officer shall be paid into the appropriate treasury; and any collector who may receive warrants in payment of taxes shall file with the treasurer a schedule, made under oath, of such warrants, with the name and residence of each person from whom any such warrant may have been received'. Any person who shall violate this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as is prescribed in the fifth section of this act.

Sec. 7. That the courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction of cases arising under this act.

Sec. 8. That the poll-tax levied in any one year upon any citizen of Mississippi shalL not exceed $1 50, and all Taws'in said State for the collection of taies and debts shall be uniform, and every citizen shall be entitled to all the exemptions and immunities in these respects of the most favored citizen or class of citizens.

^sec 9. That all lands which shall hereafter be forfeited and sold for non-payment Of any tax, impost, or assessment whatever, in the State of Mississippi, or under proceedings in bankruptcy, or by virtue of the judgment or decree of any court in the said State of Mississippi, shall be disposed of only by sale in separate sub-divisions not exceeding forty acres each: Provided, however. That such portion of said land shall first be offered for saleas can be sold with the least injury to the remainder.

April 1—Its further consideration was postponed till the first Monday in'December next— yeas 103,, nays 62, (not voting 31,) as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Allison, Archer, Armstrong, Axtell, Bailey, Beck, Biggs, Bird, Blair, Brooks, Burr, Calkin, Cleveland, Cowles* Crebs, Cullom, Dawes, Deweese^Zh'cftinson, Dixon, Dockery, Eldridge, Farnsworth, Ferriss, Finkelnburg, Fitch, Garfield, Getz, Gilnllari, Golkiday, Griswold, Haldeman, Hale, Hamhleton, Harnill, Hawkins, Ilawley,. Hoag,: Mohnan, Hopkins, Eoichkiss, Jenckes, Johnson, Thomas L. Jones, Kerr, Laflin, Loughridge,

Lynch, Marshall, Mayham, McCarthy, McCormick, McCrary, McNeely, Mercur,Moffet, Jesse H.Moore, William Moore, Morgan, Morrell, Morrill, Mungen, Niblack, O'Neill, Packer, Palmer, Peters,Poland,Pomerpy, Potter, . Randall, Reading, Reeves, Rice, Rogers, Schenck, &cfa/maker, Scofield, Shanks, Stocum, Worthingron C.Smith, William Smyth, Stevens, Stiles, Stokes, Sto7ie, Strickland, Swann, Sweeney, Taffe, Tanner, Trimble, Twichell, Van Auken, Voorhees, Cadwalad,er C. Washburn, William B. Washburn, Wells, Wilkinson, Willard, Eugene M. Wilson, Winans, Woodward—103.

Nays—Messrs. Ambler, Arnell, Asper, Beaman, Beatty, • Benton, Bingham, Bowen, Boyd, Buffinton, Burdett, Benjamin F. Butler, Roderick R. Butler, Cake, Cessna, Churchill, Amasa Cobb, Clinton L. Cobb, Coburn, Cook, Conger, Donley, Duvall, Ela, Fisher, Hay, Heaton, Hill, Hoar, Alexander H. Jones, Judcl, Julian, Kelley, Kelsey, Knapp, Lash, Lawrence, Maynard, Eliakim II. Moore, Negley, Orth, Packard, Paine, Phelps, Prosser, Roots, Sargentj Sheldon, John A. Smith, William J. Smith, Stevenson, Stoughton, Tillman, Tyner, Upson, Van Horn, Ward, Welker, Whittemore, Williams, John T. Wilson, Witcher—62.

The Public Credit Act.

. This bill became a law March 18. 1869, being the first act approved by President Gbant:

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 diie 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 practicable period for the redemption of the United States notes in coin.

March 12—It passed the House—yeas 97, nays 47, (not voting 49.) as follow: ^

Yeas—Messrs. Allison, Ambler, Ames, Armstrong, Arnell, Asper, Axtell, Bailey, Banks, Beaman, Benjamin, Bennett, Bingham, Blair, Boles, Boyd, Buffinton, Burdett, Cessna, Churchill, Clinton L. Cobb, Cook, Conger, Cowles, Cullom, Dawes, Donley, Duval, Dyer, Farnsworth, Ferriss, Ferry, Finkelnburg, Fisher, Fitch, Gilfillan, Hale, Hawley, Heaton, Hoar, Hooper, Hotchkiss, Jenckes, Alexander H. Jones, Judd, Julian, Kelsey, Ketcham, ^Knapp, Lafliri,'Lash, Lawrence, Lynch, Maynard, McCrary, MeGrew, Mercur, Jesse H. Moore, William Moore, Morrjll, Negley, O'Neill, Packard, Paine, Palmer, Phelps, Poland, Pomeroy, Prosser, Roots, Sanford, Sargent, Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Sheldon, John A. Smith, Worthington C.Smith, William Smyth,. Stokes, Stoughton, Strickland, Tanner, Tillman, Twichell, Upson, Van.Horn, Ward, Cadwalader C. Washburn, William B. Washburn, Welker, Wheeler, Whittemore, Wilkinson, Willard, Williams, Winans—97.

Nats—Messrs. Archer, Beatty, Beck, Biggs, Bird, Burr, Benjamin F. Butler, Roderick R. Butlerj Amasa Cobb, Coburn, Crebs,, Deweese, Dickinson, Eldridge, Getz, Golladay, Hawkins, Uolman, Hopkins, Johnson, Thomas L. Jones, Kerr, Knott, Marshall, Mayham, McCormiclc, McNeely.Moffet, Mungen, Niblack, Orth, Reading, Reeves,. Rice, Shanks, Joseph & Smith, Stiles, Stone, Strader, Sweeney, Taffe, Trimble, Tyner, Van Trump, John T. Wilson, Winchester, Woodward—47.

March 16—It passed the Senate—yeas 42, nays 13, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Boreman, Brownlow, Cameron, Cattell, Chandler, Conkling, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Edmunds, Fenton, Ferry, Fessenden, Gilbert, Grimes, Harris, Howard, Kellogg, McDonald, Morrill, Nye, Patterson, Pool, Pratt, Ramsey, Robertson, Sawyer, Schurz, Scott, Sherman, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, 'Tipton, Trumbull, Warner, Willey, Williams, Wilson, Yates—£2. ■:

Nays —Messrs. Bayard, Carpenter, Casserly, Cole, Davis, Morton, Osborn, Rice, Ross, Spencer, Stockton, Thurman, Tickers—13.

Pending the consideration of this subject, the following proceedings took place:

In House.

1869, March 12—Mr. Schenck introduced the bill passed at third session of Fortieth Congress, and "pocketed" by President Johnson-. (See page 13-3.95.)

Mr. Allison moved to strike out the second section; which was agreed to—yeas 87, nays 56,' as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Allison, Ames, Archer, Bailey, Beaman, Beatty, Beck, Biggs, Bingham, Bird, Bo wen, Burr, Benjamin F. Butler. Cake* Cessna, Amasa Cobb, Coburn, Cnllom, Davis, Deweese, Dickinson, Dyer, Eldridge, Farnswoi'th, Ferriss, Ferry, Fitch, Getz, Golladay, Haldernan, Hale, Uamill, Hawkins, Hay, Hoag, Holman, Hooper, Hopkins, Ingersoll, Jenckes, Thomas L. Jones, Kelsey, Kerr, Knapp, Knott, Lawrence, Loughridge, Lynch, Marshall, Mayham, McGormick, McNeely, Moffet, Jesse H. Moore, Morrill, Mimgen, Niblack, O'Neill, Orth, Reading, Sawyer, Seofield, Shanks, Worthington C. Smith, Stevenson, Stiles, Stone, Stoughton, Strader, Swann, Sweeney, Taffe, Trimble, Tyner, V^n Horn, William B. Washburn, Welker, Wells, Wilkinson, Willard, w illiams, Eugene M. Wilson., John T. Wilson, Winans, Winchester, Witeher, Woodward—87.

Nays—Messrs. Armstrong, Asper, Axtell, Banks, Benjamin, Bennett, Blair,.Boles, Boyd, Buffinton, Burdett, Roderick R. Butler, Churchill, Clinton L. Cobb, Conger, Cowles, Dawes, Dockery, Donley, Finkelnburg, Fisher, Garfield, Gilfillan, Heaton, Hoar, Johnson, Alexander H. Jones, Judd, Julian, Ketcham, Laflin, Lash, Logan, McGrew, Mercur, William-Moore, Packard, Paine, Palmer, Poland, Pome.roy, Prosser, Roots,, Sanford, Sargent, Schenck, Sheldon, John A. Smith, Stokes, Strickland, Tanner, Twichell, Ward, Cadwalader C. Washburn, Wheeler, Whittemore—56.'

The bill was then passed by the vote previously given.''.'

In Senate. M/arch 9—The following bill was reported from the Committee on Finance: A Bill to strengthen the public credit, and relating to contracts for tire 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 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 interest-bearing obligations not already due shall mature.or be paid before maturity, the obligations 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 w7hich, as carried into the contact, may have been adjusted on the basis of the com 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.

March 11—Mr. Howard moved to insert the word "written" before "contract" in the 2d section where it first occurs; which was agreed to.

Mr. Sumner moved to strike out the 2d section; which was agreed to—yeas 28, nays 15, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Bayard, Boreman, Carpenter, Casserly, Conkling, Corbett, "Cragm, Ferry, Fessenden, Gilbert, Harris, Kellogg, McDonald, Norton, Nye, Pratt, Robertson, Sawyer, Schurz, Scott, Sprague, Stewart, Stockton, Sumner, Thurman, Trumbull, Tickers, Wilson—28.

Nays—-Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Brownlow, Drake, Grimes, Hamlin, Morrill, Morton, Osborn, Patterson, Ramsey, Ross, Sherman, Warner, Williams—15.

Mr. Thurman moved to add to the 1st section the following proviso:

Provided, That nothing herein contained shall apply to the obligations commonly called fivetwenty bonds.

Which was not agreed to—yeas 12, nays 31, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Bayard, Boreman, Casserly, Morten, Norton, Osborn, Pratt, Ross, Sprague, Stockton, Thurman, Vickers—12.

Nats—Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Brownlow, Carpenter, Conkling, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Fenton, Ferry, Gilbert, Grimes, Hamlin, Harris, Kellogg, McDonald, Morrill, Nye, Patterson, Ramsey, Sawyer, Schurz, Scott, Sherman, Stewart, Sumner, Tipton, Trumbull, Warner, Williams, Wilson—31.

Mr. Morton moved to strike from section 1st the words, "authorizing the issue of any such obligation;" which was not agreed to—yeas 14, nays 32, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Bayard, Brownlow, Casserly, Morton, Norton, Pomeroy, Pratt, Robertson, Ross", Spencer, Sprague, Stockton, Thurman, Tickers—14.

Nats—Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Boreman, Carpenter, Cattell, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Fenton, Ferry, Fes, senden, Gilbert, Grimes, Hamlin, Howard, Howe, Morrill, Patterson, Ramsey, Sawyer, Schurz, Scott, Sherman, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Tipton, Warner, Willey, Williams, Wilson, Yates—32.

March 15—This bill was then laid aside, and the House bill taken up and passed by the vote given above.

Amendment to the Tenure-of-Offlce Act.

This bill passed both Houses, and became a law:

An Act to-amend "An act regulating the tenure of certain civil offices.'-1

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first and second sections of an act entitled "An act regulating the tenure of certain civil offices," passed March 2, 1867, be, and the same are hereby, repealed, and in lieu of said repealed sections the following are hereby enacted:

That every person holding any civil office to which he has been or hereafter may be appointed, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall have become duly qualified to act therein, shall be entitled to hold such office during the term for which he shall have been appointed, unless sooner removed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, or by. the appointment, with the like advice' and consent, of a successor in his place, except as herein otherwise provided.

Sec. 2. Andbe it further enacted, That during any recess of the Senate the President is hereby empowered, in his discretion, to suspend any civil officer appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, except judges of the United States courts, Until the'end of the next session of the Senate, and to designate some suitable person, subject to be removed in his discretion by the designation of another, to perform the duties of such suspended officer in the mean*time; and such person so designated shall take the oaths and give the bonds required by law to,, be taken and given by the suspended officer, and shall, during trie time he performs his duties, be entitled to the salary and emoluments of such office, no part of which shall belong to the officer suspended; and it shall be the duty of the President within thirty days after the "Commencement of each session of the Senate, except for any office which in his opinion ought not to be filled, to nominate persons to fill all vacancies in office which existed' at the meeting of the Senate, whether temporarily filled or not, and also in the place of all officers suspended; and if the Senate during such session shall refuse to advis-e and consent to'aii' appointment in the- place of any suspended officer, then, and not otherwise, the President shall nominate another person, as soon as practicable to said ssssion of the'Senate for said office.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted; That section three of the act to which this is an amendment be amended by inserting after the word " designation," in line three of said section, the following: "or expiration of term of office." Approved, April 5, 1869.

The final vote was as follows:

In House, March 31.

Yeas—Messrs. Allison, Ambler, Ames, Armstrong, Arnell, Asper, Bailey, Banks, Beaman, Bennett, Bingham', Blair, Boles, Boweti. Buffinton, Burdett, Benjamin F. Butler, Roderick R. Butler, Cake, Cessna/Churchih1, Amasa Cobb, 'Clinton L. Cobb, Coburn, Cook, Conger, Cowles, CulLom, Dawes, Dixon, Dockery, Donley, Duval, Ela, Ferriss,- Finkelnburg, Fisher, Fitch, Garfield, Gilnllan, Hale, Hawley, Hay, Heac.on, Hill, Hooper, Hopkins, Ingersoll, Jenckcs, Alexander H. Jones, Judd, Kelsey, J£nappr Laflin, Lash, Logan, Lynch, Maynard, McCarthy, McCrary, McGrew, Mercur, Eliakim H

Ik Senate,.llarch 31.

Yeas—Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Boreman, Brownlow, Buckingham,Cameron,Carpenter, Chandler-Conkling, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Edmunds, Fenton, Ferry, Gilbert, Grimes, Hamlin, Harlan, Harris. Howard, Kellogg, Morrill, Nye, Osborn, Patterson,. Pomeroy, Pool, Pratt, Ramsey, Rice, Sawyer, Schurz, Scott, Spencer, Sumner, Tipton, Trumbull, "Willey, Williams, Wilson, Yates—42.

Nats—Messrs. Bayard, Casscrly, Davis, McOrcery, Spragne, Stockton, Thurman, Vickers—8.

Peeliminaey Votes.

The following is the action of each House in detail:

In House.

1869, March 9—The bill to repeal the tenureof-office act was introduced by Mr. Benjamin F. Butler, and read a first and second time and passed—yeas 138, nays 16, (not voting 39,) as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Adams, Allison, Ambler. Archer, Asper, A&tdl, Bailey, Banks, Beaman; Beck, Bennett, Biggs, Bingham, Blair, Boutwell, Bowen, Boyd, Buffinton, jBurdett, Burr, Benjamin F. Butler, Roderick R. Butler, Cake, Cessna, Churchill, Clarke, Cleveland, Amasa Cobb, Clinton L. Cobb, Coburn, Gook, Conger, Crebs, Cullom, Davis, Dawes, Deweese, Dickey, Dickinson, Dyer, Eldridge, Ferry, Finckelnburg, Fisher, Fitch, Gilfillan, Golladay, Griswold, Haldeman, Hale, Hamill, Hawkins, Hawley, Hay, Heaton, Hill, Hoag, Hoar, Hoiman, Ingersoll, Johnson, Alexander H. Jones, Thomas L. Jones, Judd, Julian, Kelley. Kelsey; Kerr, Kctcham, Knapp, Knott, Lash, Logan, Loughrrdge, Marshall, Mayham, McCormick, McCrary, McGrivv, McNeely, Moffet, Eliakim H. Moore, Jesse H. Moore; Morrill, Negley, NiUack, O'Neill, Orth, Packard, Packer, Pain6, Palmer, Peters, Phelps,Pomeroy, Potter, Vrosser, Randall% Beading. Rico, Rogers,!Sargent, Schumaker, Scofie4d, Shank?. Sheldon, Slocwm, John A. Smith, William J. Smi:h, Stevenson, Stiles, Stone, Stoughton, Strader, Strickland, Sivann, Sweeney, Trimhle, Twich^Vl, TynejrJJpson, Van Ankpn,Ystn Horn, Van Trump, Voorhees, CadwaMder C. Washburn, William B. Washburn, Welker. Wetos, Wheeler, Williams, Eugene M. Wilson, John T. Wilson, Winans, Winchester, Witcher, Wood, Woodward—-138.

Nats—Messrs. Arnell, Boles, Farnsworth, Ferriss, Hotchkiss, Jenckes, Lawrence, Maynard, Schenck, Worthington C. Smith, Stokes-, Taffe, Tillman, Ward, WKittemore, Willard-IG.

In Senate,,

March 11—It was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary—yeas 3(1, nays 25, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Brownlow, Buckingham, Carpenter, Cattell, Chandler, Conkling, Cragin, Drake, Edmunds, Ferry, Gilbert, Hamlin. Harris, Howard, Howe, Morrill, Norton, Nye, Patterson, Pomeroy, Ramsey, Rice, Sawyer,-gchnra; Seott, Stewart. Sumner, Tipton,.Trumbull, Williams, Wilson, Yates—34.

Nays—Messrs. Bayard, Boreman, Cameron, Casserly, Corbett, Davis, Fenton, Fessenden, Fowler, Grimes, McCreery, McDonald, Morton, Pool, Pratt, Robertson, Ross, Sherman, Spencer, Sprague, Stockton, Thayer, Thurman, Vickers, Warneiv-25.;

March 24—Mr. Trumbull reported the bill from the Committee oh the Judiciary, amended

repealed sections the following are hereby enacted: That every person holding any civil office to which he has been or may hereafter be appointed, by and with the advice and consent of

appointed, unless sooner removed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, or by the appointment, with the like advice and consent, of a successor in his place, except as herein otherwise provided.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That during any recess of the Senate the President isliereby* empowered, in his discretion, to suspend any civil officer appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, except judges of the United States courts, until the end of the next session of the Senate, and to designate some suitable person, subject to be removed in his discretion by the designation of another to perform the duties of such suspended officer in the me\ain time; and such person so designated shall take oaths and give bonds required by law-, to (-be, taken and given by the suspended officer, and shall during the time he performs his duties be entitled to the salary and emoluments of such office,; no part of which shall belong to the officer suspended. It shall be the duty of the President', within thirty days .after the commencement of: each session of: therSenate, except for any office; which in his opinion ought not to be filled, to nominate persons to fill all vacancies in office which existed at the meeting of the Senate, whether temporarily filled or not, and also in the place of all officers suspended, and if the: .Senate during such session shall refuse to advise and consent to an appointment in the place of any suspended officer, and shall.also refuse lp.y: vote to assent to his suspension, then, and n$t otherwise, such officer, at the end of the session, shall be entitled to resume the possession of the office from which he was "suspended, and afterwards to discharge its duties and receive its emoluments as though no such,, suspension had taken, place.

Which was agreed to—yeas 37, nays 15,. as

follow:

. Yeas—Messrs.Abbott, Anthony,Boreman, Brownlow, Buckingham, Carpenter, Cattell, Chandler, Conkling, Cragin, Drake, Edmunds, Ferry, Gilbert, Hamlin, Harlan^Harris, Howard, Kellogg, Morrill, Osborn, Patterson, Pratt, Ramsey, Rice.- Saw37er, , Schurz, Scott, Spencer, Stewart, Sumner, 'Tipton, Trumbull, Willey, Williams, Wilson, Yates—37. j

NAYS^-Messrs. ■,Bayard, Oasserly, Ddvis, Fessenden, Fowler,, Grimes, McCreery, McDonald, Norton, Ross, Sprague, Stockton, Thurman, Vickers., Warner—15.

. Ik. House.. March 25—A motion to refer to the: Committee on the Judiciary-was. agreed to—yeas 94,, nays 79,; not voting 23.

, March 26—This vote was reconsidered, without a division, and the Ho,us,e refused to concur in the amendment of the Senate-r-yeas 70, nays $9, (not voting 27,) as follow:

; Yeas—Messrs, Ames, Armstrong, Asper, Bailey, Bea,man,.Beatty, Benton, Bingham, Boles, Burdett, Roderick R. Butler, Cessna, Churchill, Clinton L. Cobb, Coburn, Cowles, Dixon, Dock'ery, Donley, Duval, Ela, Farnsworthv Ferriss, Finkelnburg, Garfield, Gilfillan, Btawley, Hill, Hooper, Hotehkiss, Inge.rsoll, Jenekes, Kelley, Kelsey, Ketcham, Iviiapp, Laflin, Lash, William Lawrence; Lynch, Maynard, McCarthy, McGrew, Merqur, Eliakim H. Moore, William Moored Packer, Poland, Pomeroy, Prosser. Roots,' Sanford, Sargent, Sawyer, Sehenck, Seofield, Shanks, William «T. Smith, William Smyth, Stevens, Stougliton, Strickland, Taffe. Tillman,

Twichell, Ward, Welker, Wheeler, John T, Wilson, Winans—70.

Nays—Messrs. Allison, Ambler, Archer, Axtell, Banks, Becker-Biggs, Bird, Blair, Boyd, Brooks, Buffinton, Burr, benjamin F. Butler, Calkin, Clarke, Cleveland, Amasa Cobb, Cook, Conger, Crebs, Cullom, Davis, Dawes, Deweese, Dickey, Dickinson, hycY,Eldridge,FerYy, Fisher, Fox, Getz, Golladay, Grisivold, Haight, Haldeman, Hambler tow, Hawkins, .Hay, Heaton, Hoag,, Hoar, Holman, Hopkinsi Johnson, 'Alexander if. Joiies, Thomas L. Jones, Julian, Kerr, Knott, Logan, Loughridge, Marshall, Mcvyftam, McCrary, McNeely, Moffet, Jesse H. Moore, Morgan, Murigen, Nihlaclc, O'Ne.ill^Orth,Packard, Paine, Palmer, Phelps, Randall, Reading, Reeves, Rice, Rogers, Schumaker, Sheldon, Slocum, John A. Smith, Joseph S. Smith, Stevenson, Siuann, Siveeney, Tanner, Townsend, Trimble, Tyner, Upson, Van Horn, Van Trump, Cadwalader C. Washburn, William B. Washburn,.Wells, Whittemore, ^Wilkinson, Williams, Eugene M. Wilson, Winchester, Witcher, Wood, Woodward—%$.

In Senate.

'March30—Amotion to recede from its amendments was lost—yeas 20, nays 37,.as follow: . Yeas—Messrs. Bayard, Casserly, Cole, Davis, Fenton, Fessenden, Fowler, Grimes, McCreery, McDonald, Morton, Pool, Robertson, Ross, Sprague, Stockton, Thayer, Thurman, Tickers, Warner—20.

Nays—Messrs. Abbott, Anthony,Boreman, Brownlow, Buckingham,. Cameron, Carpenter, Cattell, Conkling, Cragin, Drake, Edmunds, Ferry, Gilbert, Hamlin, Harlan, Harris, Howard, Howe, Kellogg, Morrill, Nye, Patterson, Pomeroy, Pratt, Ramsey, Rice, Sawyer, Schurz, Scott, Spencer*, Sumner, Tipton, Trumbull, Willey, Williams, Wilson—37.

A committee of conference was then voted, and Messrs. Trumbull, Edmunds, and Grimes appointed conferees.

In House.

March 30—A motion that the House recede from its disagreement was lost—yeas 61, nays 106. The conference was granted, and Messrs Benjamin F. Butler, Cadwalader 0. Washburn, and Bingham were appointed the managers.

March 3.1—The committee of conference reported, recommending certain amendments, (to make the billstand as it finally passed,) and the report was adopted—in the House, yeas 108, nays 67; in the Senate, yeas 42, nays 8, as printed above.

On the Effect tff the XVth Amendment.

1869, March 22—Mr. Johnson moved a suspension of the rules so as to enable him to submit this resolution1:

Resolved, That in passing the resolution for the fifteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States this house never intended that Chinese or Mongolians should become voters.

The motion to suspend the rules was lost— yeas 42, nays 106, not voting 48. The Yeas were Messrs. Archer, Axtell, Bird, Brooks, Burr, Calkin, Crebs, Dickinson, Eldridge, Fitch, Golladay, Haight, Haldeman, Hambleton Hamill, •Hawkins, Holman, Johnson, Thomas L. j~ones, Kerr, Knott, Mayham, McNeely, Potter, Randoll, Reading, Reeves, Sargent, Sloci^m, Joseph S. Smith, William J. Smith, Stiles, Stone, Strader, Siuann, Van Auken, Van Trump, Wells, Eugene M. Wilson, Winchester^ Wood, Woodward.