Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-02-09
CONGRESS

farliy Qisposed Oh Inc judiciary Committee
were DISCHARGED from the further consideration
OF female suffrage petitions referred to them. as
the question was now befJre the Senate. The
Committee on Foreign Relations reported bill
relative to teIegraphic communication between
the United States and foreign countries An
evening session was ordered for Thursday. to-
consider private bills. The consular and Din
lomatic Appropriation bill was taken up, the
question being an amendment of Patterson, of
New Hampshire, to reduce the appropriation for
the salary Of three judges at Cape Town, Sierra
Leone and New York., the said judges being
appointed under the provisions of the treaty
with Great Britain to suppress the slave trade.
long discussion .ensued but no FINAL action was
duced to establish Department of Home AT
fairs. The Senate then adjourned .a.
q HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The Com
mlttee on Reconstruction reported resolution,
which was adopted, calling upon the Secretary
of war for information whether any district
commander has turned over for trialto civilian
thorities of any reconstructed State any person
sentenced by military tribunals while such
States were under military authority, and while
such person was serving ontlthe sentence of
military court. A resolution was adopted call>
ing upon the Secretary of the Navy for tile cor
respondence of Rear Admiral Davis concerning
was called up and after several amendments
had been offered, it was recomniitted The
House determined to consider pension bills ON
Tuesday evening OF next week. A bill was
passed for the construction of bridge across tie
East River at Brooklin, NY A message was
received from the President transmitting GER
tain correspondence in relation to the imprison
ment Of the Fenians in Great Britain. Also
message in relation to the arrest of American
citizens in Paraguay, The House agreed to the
Senates amendments to the bill in relation to
the holding of office in the unreconstructed
States of Texas and Virginia The Indian Ap.
preparation bill was considered in Committee of
the Whole, but no action of i'm portance was Ia
ken. The House then took recess until III
o clock T. NJ.
= Ecepiag Sessioa.--The House met at !, 3OP..
NJ. and the internal tax bill was taken up
Several amendments were made to the bill
Mr. Moorehead moved that the bill to provide
for the better safety of life and property from
the dangers Of petroleum and it's products, and
Tor other purposes be inserted as substitute
After some debate, Mr. Mooreheads motion
was defeated After further discussion the
committee rose, and the House adjourned. 1ss7
SENATE "Wednesday, Feb 5rd A memo
rial of citizens of Baltimore, protesting against
any further delay in the operations OF the Bank
rnpt law was presented by Mr.. Whyte The
Patent Office appropriation bill was reported
without amendment from the Committee on
Appropriations. The judiciary Committee re-
ported a bill to amend the judicial system of the
United States, which makes some alteration in
the present organization of the Supreme Cours,
and provides Tor the appoio; ment of United
States Circuit Judges. The Consular and Di.
plomatic Appropriation bill was then taken up
and the discussion on the amendment reducing
the salaries OF judges appointed under the pro-
visions OF the treaty with Great Britain to sup
press the slave trade was resumed An amend
ment offered by Mr.. Whyte was adopted, which
provides that the consent Of British Govern
ment shall be requested to annpi that portion of
thp treaty OF 1862 providing for mixed courts.
The bill. was otherwise amended and finally
passed. The constitutional amendment provi-
ding tor universal suffrage as passed by the
House, was taken up and read but NO action ta-
ken OMIT. The Senate then adjourned. A1s 7
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,. The Print
ing Committee submitted report in relation to
alleged frauds In the matter OF stationery con-
tracts with the Patent Office, and resolution
requesting the Secretary OF the Interior to with
hold further payments on such contracts for the
present. The resolution was adopted. A bill
was also passed requiring that estimates Of sta
tlonery required shall be submitted to the Con
gressional printer by the heads of departments,
and the Congressional printer shall invite pro
posals by advertisement IN the papers of the
principal cities, and the same shall be opened
py the Jontlcommitee on printing OF the two
Houses, and the contract awarded to the lowest
bidder A bill was passed providing for al
bridge over the Connecticut river. Messrs. |
Florence scannel and Henry johnson, of New
lork, were brought before the House, in Gus
tody OF the Sergeant alarms, charged with
contempt ~ refusing to appear before the com
mltteet OF investigation upon the New York
election frauds. They stated that they would
answer the questions asked by the committee
and were taken from the bar of the House by
the Sergeant-as arms. The 4tCommittee on
Roads and Canals reported bill for a railroad
between Washington and New York. Mr.. Cook
delivered speechln favor oft. The Indian
Appropriation bill was taken up and amended
In COMMITTEE ofthe Whole q It. was then res
ported to the House The House soon after
took a recess until 1901 NJ. q 1asla 1ao 20
20 Etentng Sesston. The Tax bill was taken up,
VIXEN the House RESUMED its session, beginning
at the ESD section An ainendment to the
253d sectlon, which relates to- the tax on in
comes by exempting military and1 avail pensions,
was agreed to. Pending discussion on other
amendments, the committee Found itself with
out quorum, and the section was passed for
the present. The rest ofthe bill was then read,
and at 1920 the House adjourned. .3'ale
SENATE. - Thursday, Feb h-After the
transaction OF some unimportant business, the
discussion, OF the proposed amendment to the
Constitution providing for uni, ersal suffrage, as
passed Dy the House, was resumed and contlp
ued during the day. A number of speeches
were made both for and against the amend
menf, but without taking any action it was tenn
porarly laid aside. The Patent Office Appro
prlaton bill was taken up and passed. The
Senate then took recess until 80 o'clock, P. |
Ecensng Session-A number Of bills report |
ed from the Committee ON Private Land Claims
were taken, Up and disposed of. III 9ere Il
HOUSE OF REPRE ENTATIVE the House
disposed of the cases of the witnesses brought |
before the House on Wednesday for contempt
Henry johnson was discharged without pay
ment OF costs, the committee reporting that his
failure to appear before them in New ork was
In consequence of a MISUNDERSTANDING Scam
nell was then brought forward and a resolution
was reported tor his discharge upon the pay
ment OF costs Of arrest. This was adopted and I
the witness was discharged. Mr.. Archer pre-
sented the petition Of one hundred and thirty
one leading firms and associations OF butchers
OF baitimore, praying reduction OF the tariff
on SALT 1t was referred to the Committee OF
ways and Means. A bill was passed In rela-
ton to the tonnage duties on Spanish vessels.
1t repeals the acts of July, 1882, and July,
1854 and allows Spanish vessels to come Into
ports OF the United States upon the same terms
as vessels of other nations, when the ports from
whleh said vessels come do not discriminate
against vessels of the United States. A bill
was passed to reimburse Frederick Slade, Col
lector OF the Fourth MARYLAND district for loss-