Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-01-04
CONGRESSIONAL.

Tuesday, December 20.
SENATE.-M. Brodhead presented men,
oral from tho Philadelphia Board of Trade,
asking Congress to take measures for the re-
lief of DR.. Kane.
Also, petition from the same source asking
for improvements in the Delaware Bay.
Mr.. Brodhead then gave notice that he
would call up earl y next week, a bill for the
relief of the soldiers of the war of 1912.
Mr.. Summer submitted the following res
olution: That the Committee on Commerce
be directed to consider if any legislation be
needed in order to secure the wages of mer-
chant scamen in case of wreck" Passed.
Mr.. Foot presented petition from j. Sid
ney Smith, asking tor the establishment of a
Polytechnic Institution in the city of Wash
ington,
Quite number of unimportant and local
bills were then presented and referred.
HoUsE.--The House passed tho Senate
joint resolution, reappointing Rufus Choate
and Gideon Hawley regents of the Smithson-
ian Institution.
Mr.. Whitefeld introduced bill to aid Kan
sas in the construction Of railroad in the
said territory Thisg gave rise to much laugh
ter.
The bill was referred to tho committee on
public lands.
On the motion of Mr. Bridges it was resell
we'd, That the judiciary Committee be instruct
ed to inquire into the expendency of prevent
ing by law the importation Of foreign paupers
into the United States and report the bill at
the earliest possible date
Wednesday Dec. q.
SENATE. A communication was received
from the Secretary of War relative to the inn
provement Of the Black River rapids.
A petition was received from VIM. H.
Brown, concerning apparatus for the relief of
wrecked vessels.
Mr.. Badger of North Carolina moved that
the Senate adjourn till Friday. During the
holidays, very few Senators would be in their
seats. 1t was not right, therefore to transact
any important business, and he hoped the
Senate felt disposed to adjourn till Friday,
and from Friday till Tuesday, when the SEN
ate would be full, and the members prepared
to dispatch business correctly.
The Senate, without transacting any other
business adjourned till Friday. with the uu-
Outstanding that it would then adjourn till
Tuesday.
HoUsE.-Mr Farley of Maine, from the
Committee on Territories, reported back, with
amendments, the Seuate bill authorising the
construction of a subterranean line of tee-
graph from the Mississippi or Missouri river
to the Pacific Ocean. Referred to the Com
mittee of the Whole
The House went into committee of the
whole on the Army appropriation bill. This,
together with the bill making appropriations
for the General Post Office, was subsequently,
reported to the House. There was no debate
upon them.
Mr.. McDougal of California wished to
amend the Army bill by appropriating $780,
900 for the purpose of demonstrating how far
camels can be used for transportations over
deserts.
The Speaker ruled the amendments out of
order, on the ground that the law does not
authorize such appropriations.
Mr.. Benton, of Missouri made an ineffec-
tuaI effort to amend the post Office appropria-
ton bill, so as to authorize the Postmaster
General to contract for carrying the mail from
Independence, Mo-, to San Francisco, in
coaches, wagons and sleighs. The contractors to
open the road and charge a moderate toll for
travellers.
Both bills passed.
Mr.. McDougal of California presented Col.
Fremont's narrative describing his last explo-
rations, which was ordered to be printed.
Mr.. Whitefeld of Kansas introduced bills
for the erection of public buildings in Kansas,
and providing for the construction OF roads
and bridges and the improvement of rivers in
the Territory, aud for geological surveys, as
well as to exempt certain town cites from sale
or presumption, and to establish post roads.
All were appropriately referred, and the House
adjourned.
Friday, Dec, 80.
| s.sATr'-The annual appropriation bill for