Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-01-28
CONGRESSIONAL.

! w WEDNESDAY, Jan. ~. SENATE.-SeF-
eral petitions and bills of little impnr-
tance were presented and referred. Mr..
Wilson introduced two bills. one pro-
viding for five ear enlistments in the
army, abolishing Sunday drills, parades
&C., and the other authorizing one Gen
eral. three Lieutenant Generals and
several Major Generals of the army, and
abolishing the rank of Brigadier General
in time of peace, except for chiefs of de-
partment staffs. Both bills were referred
to the Committee on Military Affairs
Mr.. Sherman's Air Line Railroad bill
was taken up and opposed by Mr.
Whyte, of Mary land. Afterward an
executive session was held.
H0UsE.-Mr. Schenck, of Ohio, intro
duced bill Strengthening the public
credit by legalizing gold contracts and
declaring the bonds payable in specie or
its equivalent. The bill was referred to
the Committee of Ways and Means Mr..
FarnswCrth, of ILL.,, from the Postnffice
Committee, introduced bill stlpulating
that no franked letter shall pass free
through the mails, unless the frank is
the written autograph of person en-
titleo to the franking privilege, and also
providing that letters addressed to Con
gress shall not be forwarded free unless
legally franked. The former section OF
the bill passed, but the latter was defeat
ed. The rest of the session was consumed
in a discussion of the Denver Pacific
Railroad bill, but it did not come to a
vote.
THURSDAY, Jan. q. SENATE.-Senator
Morton made strong speech against
the right of States tO,assess and collect
taxes on through passengers. Mr.. Sher-
mans Air Line Railroad bill was taken
up and amended by striking out the.
sections relating to the Cleveland and
Cincinnati roads. No vote was taken.
HOUsE-passed a bill bringing recon-
structed Southern States under the oper-
alton of the law for the appointment of
midshipmen at the Naval Academy, and
spent the rest of the day on the Missouri
election caseof SwitZler versus Anderson
The Committee had reported for the
second time i'm favor OF SwitZler,
but the House, after four and half
hours debate, overruled the Committee
and gave the seat to Anderson by a very
decisive majority. Mr.. Shellabarger
introduced bill regulating the removal
of political disabilities.
FRIDAY, Jan. %. SENArE.-The Gre
dentials of James A. Bayard and Thomas
F. Bayard, Senators elect from Delaware,
were presented. Mr.. Drake reported,
from the Committee on Pacific Railroad,
a resolution against any more subsidies
in bonds to new railroad enterprises,
which went over. Mr. POmeroy reported
a bill in favor of another land grant. Mr.
Frelinghuysen replied to Mr.. MOrton's
speech, of the day before, against taxing
railroad travellers. Mr.. Doolittle spoke
in opposition to Mr.. Sherman's bill for a
new railroad to New York. Prof. Agas-
siz was reappointed regent of the
Smithsonian Institute.
HOUsE.-Several new bills were intro
duced and referred. The House then
resumed consideration of the Denver
Pacific Railroad. Mr.. Van Trump con-
cluded his speech against it. Mr.. Logan
submitted new substitute for the bill
before the House, which imposes addi-
ti0nal checks and guarantees on the
company. The death Of Mr.. Hine, the
Arkansas member who was assassinated
last fall. was announced by his colleague,
MIR. Elliot. Eulogies were pronounced,
and the House adjourned.
SATURDAY, Jan. %. SENATE.-Mr
Stewards joint resolution for Consti-
tutional Amendment relative to suffrage
was made the special order next Thurs
day. A resolution was passed providing
for the removal from office of persons in
Virginia, Texas, and Mississippi who
can not take the ironclad oath. Several
reports were made on matters before the
Judiciary Committee, but there was no
action upon them. Mr.. Pomersy's Pa
eific Railroad was taken up and debated,
Mr.. Sherman speaking in opposition to
it. The death of Mr.. Kinds, of Arkan-
sas, was announced, and he was eulogized
by his friends.
HoUsE.-Mr. Shanks introduced bill
for confirming the title of the Miami
Indians to certain lands in Allen and
Huntington counties, Indiana. Mr.
Boutwell's Constitutional amendment
and bill on the suffrage question calne
up. and Mr.. Boutwell, made clear and
forcible argument in favor of both meas
ures, in the progress of which he was
several times Interrupted by Eldridgr
Niblack and other Democrats, Mr.
Brooks, of New York, gave notice ofan
amendment, the purport of which is To
extend the franchise to women. Mr..
Knott, of Kentucky, spoke for two hours
against The proposed measures. Al the
conclusion of the debate the House ad
journed.
q.