The Portland daily press., 1870-12-09
NEW
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE
XLIst OONGRESS---Tbir1 sessjon.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. THE following bills
were introduced and laid on the table: By Mr.
Wilson, to prevent assessments of money upon
government employees for political and other
purposes. The bill provides that it shall be
unlawful for any head of department, collector
OF customs or internal revenue or other gov
eminent officers to receive or knowingly fail
to prohibit any such assessment, and any me-
plOyees paying such assessment shall be dis
missed from O1ice and be subject to fine not
exceeding $1,000. The bill also provides the
following addition to the oath now subscribed
to: 'and that have not during the same
time paid or promised to pay any assessment
or involuntary. contribution for political or
other purpose" 1t also forbids under the same
penalty any importer, broker, agent or other
person from making to any government official,
or employee, or member Of his family, directly
or Indirectly, any present, reward or comDen-
sation for any service promised or rendered in
connection with the duties of his office.
By Mr.: Pomeroy. amendatory of the pre-
emption laws, allowing Joint entries upon pub
lie lands by conterminous proprietors; also a
Joint resolution proposing constitutional
amendment relating 70 female suffrage.
By Mr.. Morton, providing that all elections
for President, Vice President and members of
Congress shall be elected by ballot. Mr.. Nor
ton, in reply to Mr.. Trumbull, explained that
perhaps one or two other States where the
elections were viva Uoce and not by ballot.
At II 40 the Senate went into an executive
session. At 120 an open session was held, last
ing ten minutes, when the list of standing
committees of the Senate, as agreed upon BY
the Senatorial caucus, was presented by Mr..
Anthony, announced and confirmed.
Mr.. Fowler, upon his own request, was ex-
cused from service on the committees to which
he had been assigned.
The various bills upon the table were then
distributed among the committees.
Memorials of the Cincinnati Chamber of
Commerce for legislation to prevent the COM
pletiOn of Newport bridge on the present plan,
and of Dubuque Board Of Trade for land grant
to the Northern Pacific Railroad ere present.
ed and referred.
Mr.. Anthony stated that Mr. Hamlin, upou
his own request and in view of his long service
in the Senate, was excused from committee
service the present session.
The following are the only changes in COM
mittees from those of the previous session: On
appropriations, Mr.. Edmunds succeeds Mr..
Wilson; on post Office, Mr.. Flanagan succeeds
Mr.. Aamlin; on revolutionary claims, Mr..
Hamilton of Texas succeeds Mr.. Fowler; on
District OF Columbia, Mr.. Revels succeeds Mr.
Hamlin; on patents, Mr.. Window succeeds
Mr.. Norton, deceased; on contingent expenses
Mr.. Window succeeds M. Edmunds; on en-
rolled bills, Mr.. Ames succeeds Mr.. Patterson
on the Joint select committee on retrencbment,
Mr.. Harris succeeds Mr.. Williams. All the
other committees remain as at last session.
A new committee on the levees of the Mis-.
slssippi, consisting of Messrs Kellogg, Trum-
pull, Schurz, Spencer and Bayard was also ap'
After short time in executive session, the
senate at Ills adjourned.