The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-02-15
CONGRESS.

establishments of ''lOyal Government"
in that State. They were referred to
the Committee on Reconstruction.
The bill to amend the various acts in
relation to naval affairs was reported
from the committee on thatsubject and
the bill providing for the payment of
invalid pensions was reported from the
Committee on Finance. The Secretary
of the Treasury was instructed to in
form the Senate what amounts have
been realized from the sale of cotton or
other property under the several acts
of Congress, and whether any portion
of such amounts have been returned to
claimants and if Oby whose authority,
what the amounts were and the names
of the claimants. The bill restricting
the jurisdiction of the Court Of Claims,
so as to prevent payments for quarter
masters stores, &c, taken in the South
ern States for the use of the Federal
army, was taken up, amended and pass
ed. Communications were received
from the Secretaries OF War and the
Interior in relation TO the Fort Phil.
Kearney massacre. The House iii Com
mittee of the Whole proceeded to the
consideration of the Bankrupt bill and
several amendments were proposed
and adopted. Mr.. Sumner offered an
amendment providing that the Judge
shall administer the test oath to all in
solvents before proceeding to consider
their petitions. After some discussion
the amendment was ejected-ycas 10,
nays 80. The committee SOOnafter rose
and reported the bill to the House and
it was rejected by a VOteOf yeas 70, nays
u. A reconsideration of the vote was
moved, but without taking a vote the
Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.-A report was received from
the Committee on Indian Affairs in
relation to alleged frauds in the Indian
Bureau. The report was ordered tO'be
printed and rec0mmitted. The pres
ence of Gen. Phil. Sheridan in the hall
of the House was announced and re-
cess of five minutes was taken in order
that he might be presented to the MEM
bers thereof A bill was passed to in
crease the pension paid to Samuel Down
ing, the last surviving soldier of the
Revolutionary war. The report of the
Committee Of the Whole, recommend
inc that the enacting clause of the For
tification Appropriation bill be stricken
out so as to defeat the bill, was agreed
to-yeas 81, nays 66. A number Of bills
Of no general importance were report
ed from theCOmmittee on Military AT
fairs and disposed of. X cOmmunlca-
ton was received from the Secretary OF
the Interior in relation to the massacre
at Fort Phil. Kearney. A statement
of the accounts of the General Govern
ment with the state of Texas was re-
ceived from the Secretary Of the Treas
ury. The House in Committee of the
Whole took up the Indian ApprOpria-
ton bill and several amendments were
offered and agreed to. The committee
then rose and reported the bill to the
House. The House soon after adjOur-
ned.
SENATE.-A bill was reported from
the Committee on Military Affairs pro-
viding for a temporary increase of %
per cent. in the pay of army officers. A
bill was introduced fixing the second
Monday in October as the time for choos-
ing electors for President and Vice
President. The bill regulating the ten
ure of civil offices was taken up, the
question being on the House amend
ment including Cabinet officers in the
provisions of the bill. A long discuss
ion enSued. Mr.. Dixon stated that when
the proposed amendment to the COnstl-
tuition is taken up he will offer an a.
melumeIIU WDIcfI 10 oubotontioify tie
same as the one now said to have been
sent to the Legislatures Of the Southern
States. Mr.. Salisbury, of Delaware,
madea speech in which he denounced
Mr. DiXOn's amendment, and stated
that the Democratic party would not
approve Of it, and he hoped that no
Congressional menaces would induce
the Southern States to adopt it. AVote
was then taken on the pending amend
ment to the bill regulating the tenure
of civil offices and it was rejected-yeas
II, nays 2S. TIE Senate then went into
executive session and at its conclusion
adjourned.
HoUsE.-The Senate bill amendatOry
of the several acts in relation to copy
rights was taken up and passed. The
Indian Appropriation bill was taken up
and after sOmediscussiOn was recon-
mitted to be considered in Committee
Ofthe Whole, with instructions tOStrike
out all appropriations except such as are
necessary to carry out existing treaty
StipulatiOnS. A communication was re-
ceived from the President enclosing a
list Of the States which have given Off
cial notice oftheir ratification Of the
constitutionala amendment. The States
named are Connecticut, Tennessee,
New jersey, Oregon, Vermont, West
Virginia, Kansas, Missouri and New
Hampshire. A number Of bills were
reported from the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs and disposed of; among
them were the following which were
passed.: Bill extending the jurisdiction
of the Court of Claims so as to provide
for payments for quartermasters' stores
furnished to the United States army;
bill allowing the Secretary Of War to
adjust the claims Of the Washington,
Georgetown and Alexandria Railroad
for its use by the United States uring
the late war; and a bill fixing the rights
OF volunteers as a part of the United
States army. The House cOncurred in
the Senate amendments to the bill re-
stricting the jurisdiction Of the Court of
Claims in relation to claims for furnish
ing supplies to the United States army,
and also to the amendment to the bill
fixing the duties of the Clerk OF the
House in preparing the list of Repre-
sentatives in Congress. The bill to reg
uIate the civil service OF the United
States WAS taken UP and discussed. A
motion was made to lay the bill on the
table. which was agreed tO-yeas II,
nays g.. A motion was then made to
reconsider the vote by which the bill
was laid on the table but was after
wards Withdrawn. Mr.. Stevens, from
the Committee on Reconstruction, re-
ported a bill to set aside the existing
Governments in the Southern States
and to form those States into military