The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-15
RESOLUTIONS OFFERED

IeQLTcu uOme5tlc hOuICcS uulOu8 tito ecVcIoA
States in proportion to the population. Referred to
the Committee on WAYS and Means.
BY Mr. WAsHBURN. trep.) Of Wis.-Calling on the
Secretary Of the Navy for copy Of contracts made
by the Bureau OF Equipment and Recruiting with ].
Abcassis OF Lisbon, Portugal for COAL olive oil or
other naval supplies and information as to the char
acter OF Mr.. Abcasss, with such explanation as may
have been made by the Officers entering into such
by Mr.. Cox, ldem.) Of N. Y.-Declarlng That the
OF the treatment Of American cizens held a. p0liti-
cal prisoners under the English government; that
mo- T1 T. g condemn such rea
peratlve duty OF immediate intervention In their
behalf. Referred to the Committee on Foreign
by Mr.. SHELDON. (rep.l OF La--Callng on the Sec
rerary Of War for Information as TO the progress
Channels Of the passes Of the river to
the CUR OF Mexico Adopted. ass ss.As
BY Mr.. WILKINSON rep, Of Mln.-Calling on the
Secretary OF State for copies Of the correspondence
with the Russian government as TO the claim OF
BENJAMIN N. Perkins OF Massachusetts Adopted.
Secretary Of the Navy for copies Of the record pro-
ceedngs and all papers nc on the subject Of the
line and star rank N the navy Adopted.
Bills were introduced and referred as f0llows:--
By Mr.. PR0ssER (rep.) Of Tenn.-To define and to
extend me jurisdiction ana duties OF United States
by Mr. PAINE, (rep) Of wis.--To authorize the
Secretary OF War to provide for taking meteorologi-
ri0r OF the Continent and for giving notice on the
Northern lakes ana Atlantic seaboard Of the ap-
roach and force OF storms.
The bill rectes that the record or the marine dtsas
ters on the Northern lakes for 1868 and 1862 shows
that in 1868 there were 1164 casualties, involving
loss OF life Of 32l and OF property OF 1l4000 ana
that In 1869 there ls4 with loss Of 200 lives
and a. 900 worth OF pToperty that In 1858 there
totally lost los vessels ofte value OF 81 2o730o
and in 1869 there were 12o vessels lost OF the value
or 200. 1t rectes further that scientific Obser
vaiiOns have already shown that the course OF
afOr m f1ta Oft Ia iron n
west to the east and have made known their rate OF
progress by the preceding changes OF the barometer
and that large proportion OF the loss OF life and
property by marine disasters on the Northern lakes
might be avoided by timely notice to mariners OF
approaching storms. II therefore requires the sec.
rotary OF War TO have the necessary meteorological
observations made o. the military stations In the tn
terlor OF the Continent and on the great Northern
lakes, and to give notice on the lakes and the Atan
tic coast by telegraph, Of the approach ana force Of
storms.
by MIR. CLARKE, trep.) Of Kan.-For o grant OF
land TO the Republican Valley Railroad and Tee-
graph Company and for the disposal OF such lands
BY Mr. TANNER, (rep.) OF N. Y.-To annex West
Haven Benson and Windmill Point to the district OF
rary appropriation for the prosecution OF the work
for the improvements OF the Des Moines Rapids In
BY Mr.. HOOPER, (rep.) OF Mass.-To limit the la
biilty Of sh.powners concerning maritime liens.
Mr. qSs sp Of tSs p1t
NEVILLE n. Y.
By Mi. sHASKs, lrepl Of Ind.-For furnishing. at
the cost OF the War Department., clothing TO needy
and INDECENT soldiers, sailors and marines IN SOL
dicrs' homes.
ADMISSION OF VIRGINIA.
Mr.. WARD, (rep.) Of N. Y, asked and obtained
leave to have printed and rec0mmitted to the Com
mlttec on Reconstruction bill pending for the ad :
mission OF Virginia to representation IN Congress
upon certain fundamental conditions.
The conditions are that the constitution OF Virginia
any citizen or class OF citizens OF the United States
OF the right to vote In that state who are entitled to
vote by the constitution thereof now TO be recog-
nized, or Of the right TO sit upon uries, or OF right
to on equal participation In the school fund and
school privileges as now recognized BY such consti
tuition; provided that any alteration OF such consi
tuition may be made with regard TO the time and
place OF residence OF voters
SALE or THE ALASKA FUR SEAL ISLANDS.
from the agent Of the Treasury Department in
Alaska in relation to the disposition to be made Of
which 1t Is supposed that S500.O0o year can be
made BY the government Of those islands. Ordered
to be printed and referred to the Committee on Ways
PETITIONS PRESENTED.
Mr. SWAMI. tden.l OF Md. presented memorial
Of the medical faculty Of the University OF Maryland
Navy.
Messrs. KELLEY, MYERS and O'NRrLL, (reps) OF
Pa, presented petitions OF the Philadelphia letter
carriers for an Increased compensation.
LANDS FOR CoLoRED SETTLERS.
Mr. KELLEY presented a memorial OF the National
Coored Labor Convention praying that the sur
veyed public lands In the Southern States may be
every freedman who shall settle ON one OF said sub
divided tracts and cultivate the same for ono year
shall receive patent for the same; the title OF said
land to vest in the settler and hts heirs and TO be
nallenabie forthe period Of ten years from the date
OF the cDtry ana further, that the grants OF public
lions In the Southern States and forfeited by
OF Noncompliance with the conditions annexed
to such grants be not revived, but that the lands
tho operations OF the Homestead act.
REMOVAL OF DISABILITIES.
u Agt uRn Ana m n Hama
announcing that he had approved and signed the
bull "for the removal OF political disabilities from
The House went into Committee OF the Whole tMr.
Dawes In the chair the Census bill and the dis
cussion was resumed ana continued at cons oerable
length on the amendments offered yesterday by
Messrs. Judd and Coburn providing for an appor.
tionment OF representation next August.
nent so as 10 admit test vote to be had on Mr..
Judd's amendment. Finally the discussion was
,nens was u re,ecsedmyeas 81 nays oe a'l'sn'
Mr. GARFIELD, lrep.) OF Onto, then moved to strike
ous section twenty four which proposed TO fix the
leave the whole matter OF superintendent out OF the
bill and let that be reported ia another bIli, which
elcctng members OF the House.
Mr. ALLISON, trep.) OF Iowa, inquired Of Mr.. Gar.
field whether ne proposed TO introduce such bill
during tho present session.
MIR. GARFIELD replied that he certainly did.
Mr.. ALLISON said that with that understanding no
had no objection to tho striking out OF the section,
but added that 1t not fair leave the subject OF
apportionment to the law OF 1860, or to leave the
question open until alter the enumeration was
taken. The rate OF apportionment should be decided
before the result OF the census would be known.
After further discussion The motion was agreed to
and the section was struck out.
The section NO. 49, which requires the statistics or
railroad and canal companies and OF the coastwise
trade, and lake and inland river navigation having
been reached. Mr. GARFIELD, from the Census Com.
ntttee, offered an amendment requiring similar
statistics from express telegraph and life. nre and
Insurance companies Mr. Garfield stated that they
based all their calculations on mortality tables; that
that the average duration OF life had increased con-
sldersbly since then. Their profits were so great
that one OF the great lif0 insurance companies of
New York had lust competed one OF the most mag
niflcout noble palaces that the CITY exhibited.
Mr.. WOODWARD, tdem.) Of Pa, remarked that II
the statement which he had seen a. 10 the pr0hs OF
lie insurance companies In this country were true.
that business had become one OF tho most stupen-