The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-12-17

caDte only 10 the yea 1000.
Without action the Senate held a
short executive session and ad-
jOurned.
HOUSE-A dill was introduced Y
Williams, of Indiana, to pay the bat
ance Of the bounty to non-commis-
stoned officers houorably mustered
ont.
A bill was offered by Kerr to regu-.
late and limit the admiralty jurisdic-
tion of the United States Courts.
A bill was introduced by Julian to
Six the time for the election of Repre-
sentatives and delegates to Congress.
Briggs introduced joint resolu-
ton Of the Michigan Legislature,
relative to the customs and excise law.
A joint resolution was introduced
by Baldwin to abolish the bonded
warehouse system.
A bill was introduced by Hooper,
of Massachusetts, to prevent the de-
probation of currency, by prohibit
ing the circulation as money Of any
thing not authorized by law.
By Hubbard, Of Virginia, a bill
to facilitate the resumption of specie
payment The bill provides that af-
ter the 1st day of January, 1868
twenty per cent. of all duties on i'm
ported goods may be paid in United
States notes; after the 1st of July,
1869, forty per cent; after the 1st
day of July, 1870, sixty per cent; af-
the 1st day of July, 1871, eighty per
cent, and after the 1st Of July, 1872,
the whole amount
By Brooks, in relation to legal
tender notes. The bill provides that
the Finance Committee Of the Senate
and the Committee on Ways and
Means of the House, shall inquire
into the expediency, first, of making
legal tender notes receivable in part
per cent. after the 1st of January,
1868, ten per. cent. after the 1st of
March, 1868, and, second, Of repeal
ing the legal tender Act on all con-
tracts made after the 1st of March,
1868, or, if not repeating it, enabling
contracts to be made payable in gold
and silver. All appropriately re-
ferred..
Benjamin offered resolution re-
citing that the President, in his an
nual message, had seen fit, in utter
disregard of popular will, as express
ed In the election of the members Of
the Fortieth Congress, to recommend
the repeal of the Reconstruction Laws,
the effect Of which would be to remit
the Government of the late rebellious
States to rebel hands, and abandon
the entire loyal element there to the
will of traitors, and that it is emf
nently proper that the House should
| respond in emphatic terms to so ex-
! traordinary a proposition, and resolv-
ing that the House will never consent
to take retrograde step from its ad-
! vanced position in promoting the
cause of equal rights, nor to deviate
from its fixed purpose of protecting
all men as equal before the law; and
/ that there is no reason to doubt that
| the restoration of the rebellious
1 States is being successfully accom-
/ plished on firm and enduring basis,
and that no good reason exists why
! the reconstruction acts should be re-
pealed.
Kerr moved to lay the resolution
on the table, which was negatiyed.
The resolution and preamble was
adopted by a strictly party vote.
Butler moved to suspend the rules,
to enable him to offer resolution de-
claring that, in the judgment of the
House, all Indebtedness to the nation
ought to be paid in exact accordance
with the acts of Congress; that is to
say: all loans enacted to be paid In
gold, to be so paid; and all loans not
so enacted to be payable, ought to be
paid in the lawful money of the
| United States. The rules were not
suspended.
The Speaker presented a message
from the President, transmitting cop
les of papers relating to the trial of
Albert Rusk, Of Indiana, in New Or
leans, and stating that no action in
President. The message was referred
to the Judiciary Committee. The
Endorsement on the papers by the
Secretary of War, Gd interim, is that
the crime was a most fearful and
trial for murder by Military Com
acts, and sentence should be carried
into effect.
The House went into Committee of
the Whole, with Bromall in the
Chair, and considered the Deficiency
Appropriation Bill, which appropri-
ateS $118,592, and, after debate, re,
ported it back to the House, which
attached to it, by vote of 73 to 20,
an amendment giving twenty per
cent additional to all civil employees
in Washington whose compensation
is under $1,000. The bill was then
tabled.
The Deficiency Bill was again in
troduced and passed without any pro-
vision for additional compensation
The House refused to suspend the