Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-12-22
NO. 4.
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.


illustrative of the land resources of the country
was discussed.-Mr. Carpenter introduced a bill
hxlng the salary Of the Chief Justice of the Su
preme Court at Sl2 coo, and Associates at SO COO
referred to Judiciary Com1oittes BY Mr. sumner
bill putting medical practitioners on footing of
equality in the Disurick of columbia, without dis
tnction of color.-By Mr.. TrumbulI bill relative
to the appellate jurisdiction Of the Supreme Court
by Mr. stewart, a resolution restoring to private
entry the land withdrawn for the benefit of the 8.
T. Il. R.-By Mr.. Drake, bill TO establish uni
form time for holding elections for electors for
President and Vice President of the United states
and Representatives il Congress in all the states OF
the Union-By Mr.. Stockton ex- -mpting tn lie proper
ty OF charitable institutions from tax duty. Re-
ferred.-A bill removing disabilities from certain
persons was passed.
HoUsE-A petition was received asking
arepeal of the tax o. hides; asking removal of du-
! ues on coal; oy Mr. Shanks, q bill for the recon
structon of Georgia according to the plan recon-
! mended by Pre- sident Grant; by Mr.. Stevenson TO
place the folio wing articles on the free list: Tea
coffee, molasses syrup, Meada or cane juice, rice,
salt, lumber hides, stains for printing paper, and
iron in pigs by Mr.. Fox, resolution creating q
committee to enquire into the recent YvaiI Street
gold panic; by Van Trump, resolution from the
/ OHIO legislature respecting the proposed 18th
amendment by Mr.. Loughridge bill to continue
the supply of artificial limbs to soldiers. The cen
sus bill was then taken up and considered. Mr..
Butler was in favor of having the census taken by
| the officers of the internal reyenue.-Ar. ScOfeld
thought the old mode of taking it by q. S. Mar
shas was better, as many had had experience
! Butler argued in favor of the revenue officers;
they had plenty of trained clerks with little to do.
Mr.. Maynard thought well Of Buffers prOposi-
ton.-Mr. Garfield said that the ''tax gaherer'
was odious to the people, and he said il would be
necessary also to appoint many new assistants,
as under the marshals. s.-Mr Allison said 1t would
seriously interfere with the duties of the assessor
for six months at least.-Mr. Wood of New York
city, at first inclined to favor the idea of Mr.
Butler, but he considered the census work too i'm
portant to be prejudlced, as ii would be- by putting
1t in the hands of the revenue cullectors-NTr
Butler closed the debate with sharp reference to
the peculiarities of New York city. His PROPOSE
uon was lost only 2 favoling. Mr.. Lawrence in
troduced n bnlto punish election frauds and Mr.
Davis, bill to impose tax on fictitious and samb
ling Gales of gold. The House then adjourned
HOUSE Dec. 10-Bills introduced by MIR.
Rogers to remove POLITICAL disabilities from
states lately in reballion; by Strickland to extend
the time for completing military road from Copper
Harbor, Michigan TO Green Bay, Wisconsin; by
Lawrence, to abolish certain fees required of pen
slonefs; by Hay to repeal 50 much OF the internal
revenue law requires farmers and gardeners to
have produce brokers' license to sell their own
products market stalls or stands: by Coleman TO
provide TOR the sale of coin in the Treasury. Res
lutons were offered by Mercur to retrench in the
funeral expenses of congressman: by Hcag, to en-
quire into the expedlency OF recognizing cuba;
bill by IngersoQ in relation to increase OF. the
greenback issue The House then Went into Com
m1ttee of the Whole to consider the census bill.
which was discussed during the remainder of the
sitting Several amendments thereto were adopt
ed, one imposing fine of $4,000 any corpora
ton refusing to give any information required by
the act. Schohed urged the striking out OF the
acting clause of the bill which required multiple
cation Of Federal ofiicers-the amendment was re-
iected Apetition from New York containing over
1000 names was presented for the independence of
Cuba. Adjourned till Monday.
SENATE-Dec. 13th.-Carpenter from the
Judiciary Committee, reported RIoron's Georgia
construction bill with anendments,-CO COrbitb intro
duced bill to establish department of Indian af
fairs; also bill to fund the maturing debt OF the
United st tes by a self funding bond. 1t provides
Tor the of COO GOO 900 in coupon registered
bonds of 0OO each TO bear interest, the first three
years at per cent, the next three years at per
cent, do at u per cent, and twenty years
at per cent to be free from all and TO be used
in redee ming the 5-2n bonds.-Wilson introduced
bill for the regu alton of imieraton, declaring in
valid all contracts whereby immigrants pledge their
labor after arrival, and making II misdemeanort 10
extort such pledges.-Conkling bill 10 repeal the
ranking law. Carpenter, a bill providing for the
designation of Supreme Court Judges when inca
pacitated from performing their duty, and for con
tiarins, their salary FOR lfe.IarsD, bill fE GUAR
.erly payment of pensions. bill to extend
time for filing pension claims. Referred.-CQrpen
ter submitted resolution that the Spanish gun
boats should not be permitted to depart during the
| continuance of the Cuban rebellion. Laid on the
table.The Senate took up the bill regulating and
definine the powers of United States courts, which
prohibits any judge court constituted by Congress
from holding any act of Congress invalid because OF
a supposed repugnance between such act and the
Constitution of the United States. Drake supported
his bill at LENGTH which, after discussions WIS
ferred to the Judiciary Committee.
HoUsE-A large number Of bills were II
troduced and referred, among which were, to pro
vide for tie construction of the Niagara ship CANAL;
dividing Wisconsin into two districts, and for
withholding money from Indians who held white
captives.-Buter offered bill that Virginia having
complied with all requirements was emitted to
representation in Congress. Referred to Commit
tee on Reconstrucdon.-Peter offered aresolution
declaring the House to be in accord with the Pres
dent on Canadian reciprocity. Adopted.-A reso-
luton for adjournment from Dec. 22d to Jan. 5th
was adopted.-Butler reported resolution in
at Means a
bill taxing U. s. bonds per cent, to be deducted
from the interests this with other resolutions being
uuseconded went Cver.-A resolution was adopted
authorizing the Committee on Banking TO investi-
gate the of the recent gold panlc.-A p6ti-
ton for the recognition of Cuban beligerency,
signed by p 0U0 persons read and referred to
Committee on Foreign Affairs. Butler from the
Judiciary, reported the bill for repeal of the tenure
of office act, which ordered printed.-Ihe Sen
ate bill removing disabilities from certain persons
was taken up, and led to considerable discussion,
and finally adopted.--A number Of other un-
important bills were presented, after which the
House proceeded to the consideration of the Cen
sus bill
SENATE-Dec. 14th. -Trumbull offered q
resolution looking to dispensing with land offices in
states where there public land for sale.-By
Howard, resolution of enquiry as to the propriety
of dispensing with certain penalties IN the internal
revenue act by Cole, to enquire into the expe-
diency of increasing the tax distilled spirits TO
81. Laid on the table Bills were introduced, by
Drake, to increase the mail service wih China and
Japan; also to fix the terminus of the Western Pa
cifc Railroad Company.-MorriD, OF Maine. an
nounced the death of VIM. Pitt Fessenden. EuIo-
| gies were pronounced by Mr.. MorflA ana otner
Senators. djourned
HoUsE-A resolution was introduced by
| the Committee on Ways and Means to inquire into
the expediency of abolishng the offices OF collect
oTs assessors and other agents OF the Internal Rev
| enue Department, and proportioning the amount
of tax required to be raised from domestic sources
among the several states in proportion to heir pop
ulation. Referred to the Committee on Ways and
! Means.-Also Censuring the treatment OF American
citizens held as prisoners under the English gov
ernment. Referred to Committee on Foreign At
fairs-A bill by Paine, looking to an establishment
of system of meteorological signals for the pre-
vention of marine disasters-By Shanks, for fur
nishing, at cost to War Department, clothing to
| needy and INDECENT soldiers, sailors and marines in
| Soldiers Homes.-Schenck presented report from
Alaska relating to the disposition OF seal lsfnds-
Kelly presented a petition from National
Colored Labor Convention, praying that
/ public lands in the Southern States
be given to Freedmen in tracts Of 40 acres EACH
! The President sent iu a message approving bill
for the removal of disabiities.-The House then
took up the Census bill Garfield proposed TO
strike out the section fixing the number Of repre-
sentatives. which was agreed to; he also proposed
adding statistics of Telegraph, and Life, Fire and
Insurance Cos. A discussion followed, in which
| Woodward characterized Life Insurance q stupend-
Gus fraud.--An amendment was adopted requiring
statistics from bankers and brokers Cox tbousht
the bill was already so laden with iaquisitOrial
quirements that it would delay the census for ten
years.-Cobb, of Wisconsin Offered an amendment
requiring statistics of q. S. bonds held by corpora
tons and individuals in hopes the Ways and aeans
Committee would devise plan of taxing the in
terest thereof
SENATE-Dec. 15th.-Ihe bill relating to
an International Industrial Convention was dis
cussed ana laid over for the present.-kelio8g OF
fered resolution, which was agreed to, directing
the Committee on Commerce to inquire into the eX
pediency of repeating the laws rel&ti7e to the dis
tribution of fines and penalties incurred unQer tht
Sastoms laws; and also Tor increasing the salaIie
| of collectors, surveyors and naval officers at tht
principal ports.-The Senate concurr5 in the Hous
resolution to adjouro from the 22d instant to tn
9Th proximo-Brownlow occupied a half hour Il
personal ey PLANTATION of his in the Teunesse
canvass. He heartily supported the administration
and was paot in favor of Andrew johnson for Sen
ator-Carpenter called up his resolution declar
ing that the Spanish gqnboats should no
5 be permitted to depart He argued that thei
9 detention would be the only course. consisten
- with our avowed neutrality. Mr.. Sumner took
contrary view, and thought lie or the Senator from
Wisconsin misapprehended the statute on the sub
ject. Considerable discussion followed on ii
question, participated in by Carpenter, Sumner
= Howard and others. No action was taken on til