The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-02-17
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON, February 16.
SENATE,

The bill to aid the Green Bay and
Michigan railroad was passed.
The bill authorizing the transfer of
lands by the Union Pacific railroad to
the Denver city railroad was passed.
A resolution was passed for the ap-
pointment of committee of three on
the Inauguration ceremonies.
The House bill for loaning money
on United States bonds was passed.
The bill for the relief of Leonard
Pierce, late Consul at Matamoras, by re-
funding him Sill 900 paid during the war
was passed.
Mr.. Drake presented the credentials OF
Carl Schurz, Senator elect from MISSOURI
MIR. Morrill,, from the committee on
Finance, reported, with an amendment,
the House bill forbidding national
banks to certify checks not drawn
against balances.
Mr.. Cattell, from the same committee,
reported a substitute for the House
bill regulating the reports OF national
banking associations.
Mr.. Sumner moved to take mp the
Joint resolution, giving a pension to
Mrs, Lincoln, which was carried.
He then moved to fill the blank with
the words " five thousand dollars"
The report of the committee on Pen
sions was read, setting forth that they
could see no legal grounds on which
Mrs. Lincoln's request can be granted.
Mr.. Drake opposed the resolution as
proposing dangerous innovation upon
the pension law.
Mr.. CONFESS moved to erase the word
"pepsion" and insert the word "allow-
ance."
Mr.. Hendricks opposed the resolution
Mr.. Howard favored pension but OPP
posed an allowance.
Mr.. Van WiHkle defended the action
of the committee on Pensions, though
he would favor giving her suitable
sum annually in some other form.
Messrs. Morton and Yates favored a
pension.
Mr.. Van Wrinkle said he had been in
formed that Mrs. Lincoln had got $50,
900 Of her husbands estate, which, with
the balance of his salary for the year in
which he was killed, gave her $4,000, a
very comfortable provision for single
lady whose children were grown up and
otherwise provided for.
Mr.. CONFESS withdrew his amend
ment.
Mr.. Sumner supported and Mr.. Upton
opposed the resolution, which at the
expiration of the morning hour gave
way.
Mr.. Morton moved to suspend the or
der of business to take up the bill to re-
peal the tenure of office law. If that bill
should be passed with the amendment
by the Judiciary committee the Presi-
dent would probably veto it, and if it
should be passed as it had passed the
House, Internationally repeating the
law, and its passage should be within
ten days of the end of the session, the
President would probably kill it by
withholding it, and leave the tenure of
Office act as legacy to the next admins
tration. The bill was of great political
Importance, and in order to prevent the
possibility Gifts failure it was necessary
thatit should be passed within a day
or two.
Mr.. Edmunds said he had tried sew
eral times to get the bill to repeal the
tenure of office bill before the Senate,
and he desired that it should be speed
lily acted on.
Mr.. Sherman was in favor of disposing
of the bill repeating the tenure OF. Office
act which he thought had operated in
iuriously to the public service by pre-
venting the collecting of revenue and
being a great inducement to frauds.
He wished to see it Internationally re-
pealed: then he would be in favor of per-
| fectinp the constitutional amendment,
After further discussion as to the or
der of business, Mr.. Fessenden despair
ing of Getting any further business done
to-day, moved to adjourn, but after
wards substituted motion to proceed
to executive business. The motion was
carried and at 1:45 the Senate went into
executive session, and soon after took Il
| recess.