Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1870-01-07
CON 9RESSIONAL SUMMARY.

SENATE-Dec. 18th. The bill relating to |
International Industrial Convention was dis
cussed, and laid over for the present Of
fered resolution, which was agreed to, directing
the Committee commerce to inquire into the ex-
pediency of repeating the laws relative to the dis
tributon OF fines and penalties incurred under the
customs laws; and also for increasing the salaries
of collectors, surveyors and naval officers at the
principal ports-The Senate concurred IN the house
resolution to adjourn from the 22d instant TO the
9Th proxlmo.-Brownlow occupied nail nour IN
personal explanation of his course in the Tennes-
see canvass. He heartily supported the admins
tration, and was not in favor of Andrew johnson
for Senator-Carpenter called up ms resoluuon
declaring that the Spanish gunboats should not
be permitted to depart He argued that their
detention would be the only course consistent
with our avowed neutrality. Mr. Sumner tcok
contrary view and thought he or the Senator from
Wisconsin msapprehended the statute on the sub |
ject Considerable discussion followed on the
question, pal ticipated in by Carpenter. sumner,
Howard and others. No action was taken on the |
resoluton.-The joint resolution regulating hours
of labor by government employees was taken up. |
Morrill, moved an amendment repeating the act
making hours days work. which he supported
in long speech declaring that as the act only ap-
piled TO men in the service OF the government IL
was ant-repubcan, and offensive to all laporlng
men.
HOUSE -Prosser introduced bill to pro-
vide for specie payments; Clarke. resolution that
public lands should be open to settlement as soon
as the Indian title extinguished; Conger. one
instructing the Committee on Commerce in rea-
ton to the establishment of harbor of refuge on
the shore of Lake Huron, Between Point au
Barques and the st. Clair river Adopted. Dyer
introduced bill increasing tax on National banks;
Hoge, offered resolution looking to inquiry into
the Avondae Mine disaster. The House then took
up the Census bill. The amendment requiring the
collection of statistics on bonds held by corpora
tons and individuals was rejected, and the amend
ment of Garfield adopted. Jenckes moved to strike
out the Agricultural schedule; rejected. The bill
was then reported to the House. The amendment
for collection of social statistics was agreed to-
SENATE-Dec. 16th.-Wilson offered a
resolution, which was adopted, looking to the pro-
lection of public meetings in the District of Column
bia.-Thurman, a resolution of inquiry as to the
designs of the United States in the Yerger case,
which went over.-Cooper introduced joint reso-
luton to close the account of John W. Forney late
Secretary of the Senate, which WIS adopt after
explanation by Cameron in which he said the &C.
counts of FOrney had been fairly adjusted.-The
Georgia reconstruction bill was taken up, and dis
cussed at length, without coming to any definite
action.-Sherman introduced bill to establish
Bureau Of Customs and Revenue; Sumner, bill
providing that the acts of the several departments
shall not be called in question by the other depart
ments, and fixing the limits of the judicial power:
Rice, bill to encourage the carrying of United
States mails to foreign countries in American steam
ships, and for the encouragement of emigration
from Europe to the United States.
HOUSE Bills were introduced, to appor-
ton the Representation of the several states for the
And Congress; to amend existing revenue laws; to
repeal the tax of ten per cent on notes of state
banks. Scoield presented letters from Secretary of
Navy, asking a lthority to enlist 800 more men
| for the Navy. Some farther amendments to the
Census bill were disposed of and the bill passed.
Allison introduced bill to fix the number of mem
bers in the House of Representatives. re-
ported bill to furnish, Eat government expense.ar
tfcial limbs and other supports, to honorably dis
| charged soldiers during life Ordered printed.
message was received from the President declin-
ing to furnish correspondence on Cuban
affairs asked by resolution
of the House House went into Committee of the
| Whole on the Presidents message. Munger, (dem J
of Ohio, made speech criticsing the financial pol
Icy Of the government, and advocating reputation
of the debt He was followed by Brooks of New
York, Kerr Of Indiana, Slocum OF New York, Ran
DAN of Pennsylvania, and others-an democrats
in sharp rebuke, declaring that the national debt
never can be, and never Will be, repudiated. Gar
field then offered resolution declaring that propo-
sion for reputation, direct or indirect, was dis
honorable, and that the House sets its seal of
demnation upon it, without distinction of party.
The resolution was passed by only one dissenting
vote.-A message was received from the President,
announcing the ratification Of the 10Th amendment
by Alabama.
SENATE-Dec. 17th.-The bill relative to
Geographic communication with foreign coun-
tries was taken up. 1t prescribes the terms on
which trans oceanic cables shall be permitted to
land in the United States. Some discussion took
place to the constitutional right of the general
government to supervise the question, in which
Sumner and Sherman were the chief disputants. -
Bills were introduced to abolish the franking priv
ilege, and to provide for reduction of army Off
cers.-The Georgia reconstruction bill was taken up,
which occupie the remainder of the afternoon and
evening session, the discussion turning chiefly on
Morton's amendment requiring the ratification of
the 18th amennment before Senators and Repre-
| sentatives are admitted At late hour vote was
reached amendment
nays Is. An amendment, by Howard, was agreed
to- by which persons who aided the rebellion would
be excluded from seats in the Legislature of Geor-
gia, except such as were forced into the service.
The bill was then passed yeas As, nays 9.-Ad.
journed till Monday.
HoUsE-Not in session.
SENATE-Dec. 20th.-Schurz introduced
bill to reform the civil service, providing for a
board to examine all applicants for office, and for
year of probation Referred.-Trumbull intro
duted joint resolution declaring Virginia entitled
to representation in Congress; Pomeroy, to charter
an American and Holland cable company Summer.
a resolution asking the President for Cuban cor
responsiveness; also bill to provide for the adjust
ment of claims of American citizens for spoiations
committed by the French prior to 1S61-Morton
reported favorably on the bill repeating the duties
On canned and preserved fish.
HOUSEHOLDS and resolutions were intro
duced by Bingham granting pensions to Surviving
soldiers and widows of the war of 1872; by Will.
iams relative to the power of Congress to regulate
tariffs by rail on roads extending through two or
more states; by Hay to distribute the number and
rank of government employees among the several
districts and territories also to require agriculu-
raj societies to take out fair licenses by Burdet to
regulate labor contracts with immigrants; by
lLoughridge to provide for payment of bounties to
/ soldiers who were discharged for sickness
contracted in line of duty; by Cobb to grant GER
tain islands to Wisconsin as swamp lands; by Cox
resolution setting forth the necessity of imme.
date return to specie payments; by Moore, as to
further legislation to suppress polygamy in Utah !;
adopted; by GetZ, instructing P. o. committee to
incorporate in a bill for abolishing the franking
privilege provision allowing newspapers to be
sent to actual subscribers free of postage; by Wood
ard asking the President if any citizens were in
military custody, and asking information concern
ing them; Washburn of Wis. from committee on
Appropriations, reported bill appropriatipg $780,,
900 for improving Des Moines Rapids, on the Mis-
sissippi River. Passed.-The House refused, by
vote of 106 to 69, to suspend the rules to admit
joint resolution declaring Virginia entitled to repre-
sentalion.-The Georgia bill was taken up, and a
lengthy debate followed, but vote was reached
when, at IL 80. the House adjourned.
SENATE-Dec. 21st.-Cragin reported an
amendment to the bill for enforcing the law against
polygamy. Warner introduced bill for the more
equal distribution of national banking capitalize
census bill was taken up, and, after discussion,
joint resolution suspending all existing laws relative
to taking the census until February 1st 1870, was
passed.-After considerable discussion on the ocean
telegraph BILL it was re-committed to the Commit
tee on Foreign Relations.-A joint resolution was
taken up, and passed, rembursing owners of steam.
boats and other vessels in loyal states taken by the
government during the war. The amount applied
for under ttic bill was $37S 900.
HOUSE Reconsideration Of the Georgia
bill was Continued, and after sharp debate in
which Bingham of Ohio, (rep.j spoke against, and
Butler in its favor, the bill passed-yeas 121 nays
51.-Bingham and Farnsworth (reps.) voted in tn
negative-A concurrent resolution extending the
of Congress from the 9Th to 10th of January
wa To A afta