The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-12-16

CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON, Dec 7, 1869.
HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, Dec. Z, 1869.
HOUSE.
/ On motion Of Mr.. Schenck th
House at one to-day resolved int
Committee of tho Whole ON th
state of the Union, Mr.. Ferry in tn
chair.
The distribution of the President
message among the several commit
tees came up. On the usual resolu
tions making such distribution, SOM
discussion arose in regard to the pro
per committees to whom certain
portions of the message should b,
referred.
In answer to the question by Mr.
Cox, as to whether the Committe,
of Ways and Means or the Commit
tee on Banking was to take charg,
of matters connected with the re
sumption of specie payments, Mr.
Schenck said there was no ,specia
reference made to that subject in tht
resolutions. 1t seemed to occupy .
sort Of doubtful ground between the
two committees, and he had suppos
d it would be better to leave the
two committees to endeavor, By
communication with each other, tS
dispose of it with some degree o.
unanimity in the action between
themselves.
Considerable discussion arose in
regard to the proper reference ol
that portion Of the message in regard
to the inter oceanic canal across the
Isthmus of Darien-the committee
on Foreign Affairs, the special com.
mittee on Navigation and the commit
tee on Commerce, to which the rcso.
lutioLs assigned it, all claiming it,
After an unsuccessful attempt to
change it, the resolutions were re.
ported to the House and adopted.
A number OF bills were introduced
and appropriately referred, among
which were the following:
BY Mr.. Dawes-A bill TO reor-
ganize the Treasury Department and
fix the pay Of it's officers.
By Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts,
A bill to repeal the tenure -of.ofiice
act, and a bill abolishing the frank.
ing privilege.
BY Mr.. Williams-A bill to repeal
the duty on salt, coffee, Writing and
printing paper.
By Mr.. Finkelburg-A bill to es.
tablish uniform system Of naturali-
zation.
BY Mr.. Wood-A bill to prevent
members Of Congress from accepting
or holding any place of trust under
the President.
By Mr.. Ingersoll--A bill to prohib-
it the sale Of coin on the part of the
United States, and to provide for the
redemption of United States legal
tender notes in coin at par.
Mr.. Paine, chairman Of tho com.
mittee on Elections, reported back
the credentials Of four Alabama
members, with tho recommendation
that they be sworn in. The oath
was thereupon administered to
Mcssrs. Hays, Sherwood, Heffiin and
Dox.
Mr.. Butler of Tennessee, presented
the credentials Of two Virginia mem.
bers, which were referred to the
committee on Elections.
The House then proceeded at the
regular order Of business to the call
of the committees for reports.
Mr.. Ketchum presented . petition
of citizens of Poughkoepsie, asking
Congress to accord bvlligerent rights
to Cuba.
After the transaction of some un-
important routine business, the House
adjourned.
SENATE.
A large number of bills were intro
duced and laid on the table, prepara-
tory to reference. Among them were
the following:
By Mr.. Carpenter--To secure and
protect freedom oftransit within the
United States. It is intended to
protect citizens of the United States
from arrest under civil process, while
passing from one place to another, in
any of the Territories of the United
States,
By Mr.. Corbett-To amend exist
ing laws relating to internal revenue
By Mr.. Thayer--To amend the
homestead laws; to require the plant
ing of trees on homestead settlements
BY Mr.. Morton-A joint resolution
declaring the State Of Virginia re
stored to her normal relations to the
Union and the Government of the
United States, and entitled to repre-
sentation in Congress.
Mr.. Sumner introduced the follow
ing bill to amend the banking act and
promote a return to specie payments
Be it enacted, &c. That so much Ct
the banking act as limits the issue Of
bills to $500, ,OOO,O 900 Is hereby. re
pealed, and existing banks may b.
enlarged and new banks organized a,
the discretion Of the Secretary of the
Treasury, but no more bills than are
now authorized by the banking ac,
shall hereafter be issued unless the
Secretary, at the time OF their ISSUE
can and does cancel and destroy .
like amount of legal tenders; and tn,
increase OF bank bills hereby author
ized shall not exceed fifty million dol
lars per year, which amount shall be
distributed by the Secretary Of the
Treasury AS to equalize. as near as
possible, the banking interests Of the
different States.
Mr.. Sumner briefly gave his reas
ons in favor Of the bill.
Mr.. Trumbull introduced bill t
relieve members of Congress from
Importantly, and to preserve the i'll
dependence of the different depart
ments of the Government.
The bill prohibits men bers Of Con
gress or delegates from directly OF
indirectly soliciting or recommend
ing appointments to office by tn.
President OF the heads Of depart
ments, except such recommendation
is in writing in response to tho writ
ten request of the head Of tho depart
ment asking information, and ad
judges such an act misl =, amor
punishable by q fine Of rot igs- tha.
one Thousand dollars for each offense
The bill ais2 provides that it shall
not ac III Cor the PreSi,lont q
Ia !a4 tianrt,r.. nt TO q,