Mr. Maynard moved that leave be granted to the said claimant for a seat to occupy a place in the hall pending the investigation of his claim. Pending which,

After debate,

Mr. Maynard moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered, and under the operation thereof the said motion was disagreed to.

The Speaker then proceeded, as the regular order of business, to call the States for resolutions;

When

Mr. Lynch, on leave, introduced bills of the following titles; which were severally read a first and second time, referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, and the former bill ordered to be printed, viz:

H. R. 1461. A bill to provide against undue expansions and contractions of the currency; and

H. R. 1462. A bill to allow a drawback upon articles used in the construction of vessels.

Mr. Boutwell, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1463) declaring who may vote for electors of President and Vice-President and for representatives in Congress; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Dawes submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and, under the operation of the previous question, agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire whether any legislation is necessary to secure to government employés uniformity of compensation under the eight-hour law and an adminis tration of the same according to its true intent, and that they be authorized to report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. Boutwell submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and, under the operation of the previous question, agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on Reconstruction be directed to examine into the condition of public affairs in Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas, and to report as soon as practicable what measures, if any, are necessary for the better protection of life, liberty, and property.

Mr. Pike submitted the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, viz:

Resolved, That in the judgment of this house justice to the public creditor and sound policy demand there should be no further delay in the payment in gold of the United States notes commonly called greenbacks; and the Committee of Ways and Means are hereby directed to report a bill providing that measures be taken at once to effect that purpose.

Mr. Eliot, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1464) continuing the Freedmen's Bureau in Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Affairs. Mr. Eliot submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of repealing the acts of July 13, 1832, and June 30, 1834, concerning tonnage duty on Spanish vessels.

Mr. Wood submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to this house, if not incompatible with the public interest, copies of the letters of instruction to the American minister at London, relating to the settle

ment of the so-called "Alabama claims," and any subsequent correspondence with him or the British government on that subject.

Mr. Kelley, on leave, introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 363) proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States; which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Broomall submitted a concurrent resolution to amend the Constitution of the United States, so as to prohibit qualifications of suffrage based upon race or parentage; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Broomall, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1465) amending the laws providing for the naturalization of aliens; which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on Reconstruction, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Morrell, on leave, introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 364) requesting the President to recall Reverdy Johnson, minister to England; which was read a first and second time.

Mr. Banks moved that it be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Pending which,

Mr. Randall moved that it be laid on the table; which motion was disagreed to.

The motion of Mr. Banks was then agreed to.

Mr. Banks moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to.

Mr. Miller, on leave, introduced bills of the following titles, viz:

H. R. 1466. A bill to reduce the number of assessors of the United

States revenue;

H. R. 1467. Á bill repealing so much of the third section of the general bankrupt law approved March 2, 1867, as directs the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States to nominate and recommend registers in bankruptcy, and to vest that appointing power in the President of the United States;

which were severally read a first and second time and referred as follows, viz:

H. R. 1466, to the Committee of Ways and Means;

H. R. 1467, to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Randall submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on the Rules be requested to inquire into the expediency of introducing an amendment to the joint rules taking from all committees of conference the power of increasing in amount any item of appropriation bills in which the two houses have concurred, or of introducing any new item of appropriation not previously considered by the House or the Senate.

Mr. Scofield submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and, under the operation of the previous question, agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on Reconstruction examine into the condition of public affairs in Georgia, and that the committee have power to send for persons and papers.

Mr. Cullom moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to.

Mr. Banks submitted the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, viz:

Resolved, That the President be requested to use the good offices of this government for the purpose of obtaining from the Russian government a prompt and just consideration and settlement of the claims of Benjamin W. Perkins, and other citizens of the United States, arising under contracts with said Russian government made pending the Cri

mean war.

Mr. Banks moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to.

Mr. Archer submitted the following resolution, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be requested to report a bill appropriating the sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to reimburse President Johnson for the expenses incurred by him in defending himself in the impeachment trial.

Pending which,

Mr. Archer moved the previous question;

Pending which,

On motion of Mr. Kelsey, the said resolution was laid on the table. Mr. Whittemore, on leave, introduced bills of the following titles; which were severally read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Reconstruction, viz:

H. R. 1468. A bill to remove the disabilities of F. J. Moses, a citizen of South Carolina.

H. R. 1469. A bill to remove the disabilities of Andrew Ramsey, a citizen of South Carolina.

Mr. Tift presented a resolution of the house of representatives of the State of Georgia, in regard to the removal of political disabilities; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Kellogg, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1470) to provide for the improvement of the bay and harbor of Mobile; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Commerce. Mr. Schenck submitted the following resolution, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on the Revision of the Laws be instructed to inquire what amendments to the laws relating to naturalization are needed to give greater security and purity to elections, and particularly whether there ought not to be such provisions enacted as1. To confine the power of receiving declarations of intention to become citizens and of issuing letters or certificates of naturalization to the courts of the United States and the higher courts of record of the several States.

2. To require uniformity of proceedings in all such cases in the several courts so authorized.

3. To require that each such certificate of declaration or letter of naturalization shall be signed by the judge presiding in the court from which the same may be issued, as well as attested by the seal of the court and signature of its clerk.

4. To require, under proper penalties, a complete record to be kept of all the steps and proceedings had in the case of each such application, including a full copy of the certificate of declaration issued, or letter of naturalization granted, and the testimony in full on which any such letter was granted; and also a full and convenient index of the names of persons naturalized.

5. To authorize letters of naturalization hereafter to be issued in four years after the arrival in the United States, but conditioned only to take

effect so as to confer rights of citizenship one year after the date of such issue.

And that the said committee be instructed to report at as early a day as practicable by bill or otherwise.

So the House refused to lay the resolution on the table.

The resolution was then agreed to.

Mr. Schenck, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1471) to further regu

late brevets in the army; which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered to be printed. . Mr. William Lawrence submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and, under the operation of the previous question, agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be directed to inquire into the expediency of providing by law that it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to sell from time to time the surplus gold in the treasury not required for paying the interest on the public debt, and to apply the proceeds, with any surplus money in the treasury, in liquidation of portions of the public debt in such manner as may be authorized by law.

Mr. Bingham, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1472) to provide for an election in Virginia; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Reconstruction.

Mr. Spalding submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing by law for the speedy resumption of specie payments by the government of the United States; and that said committee be requested to report on this subject at as early a day in the present session as may be practicable.

Mr. Spalding, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1473) for the relief of Alexander W. McCormick; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Cary, on leave, introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 365) to repeal the tenure-of-office act; which was read a first and second time. Pending the question on its engrossment,

On motion of Mr. Maynard,

Ordered, That it be laid on the table.

Mr. Scofield moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to.

Mr. McKee submitted the following preamble and resolution; which were read, considered, and, under the operation of the previous question, agreed to, viz:

Whereas experience has demonstrated that the naturalization laws of the United States are not such as to advance and promote the best interests of the nation; and whereas whatever may have been necessary in the early days of the republic, in the way of strict naturalization laws and stringent rules and regulations for the admission of aliens to citizenship of the United States, and for long periods of residence previous to such admission, such necessity now no longer exists; and whereas the best interests of the country and our whole people demand that the avenues to citizenship be made plain, short, and simple, to the end that, by a liberal policy, we encourage and invite men of culture, of industry, and enterprise to our land, encourage migration of foreignborn persons, and thereby more rapidly increase, build up, and develop the vast resources of our country: Therefore,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Revision of the Laws be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill repealing all the existing naturalization laws, and providing that in future naturalization shall only be made in United States courts, upon the oath or affirmation alone of the alien desiring to become a citizen, without any previous period of residence being required; and that such person, upon taking an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and