The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-12-15
FORTY SECOND CONGRESS- I'd Session
TiruRsnAy, Dec. IA,
sENATE.


York, asking some recognition, by pension
or otherwise, of the her0ic services and
sacrifices made by women during the war
Of the rebellion, in the capacity Of nurses in
hospitals and in the field. Referred to the
Committee on Pensions.
Messrs. Hamlin, Kellogg, and others pre-
The duty on salt. Referred to Committee
on Finance.
Mr.. Trumbull inquired OF Mr.. Sherman
when report would be made from the
Finance Committee Of the House bills re-
pealing the duty on coal and salt, passed at
The last session.
Mr.. Sherman said the committee were
prepared to report these bills at any time
with amendments. He intimated that the
amendments would cover the whole subject
of the tariff. He thought, however, it was
best for the Senate to delay any action in
this matter until the House had the oppor-
tunity to express its judgment on any tariff
measure reported from the Committee on
Ways and Means.
Mr.. Trumbull then gave notice that to-
morrow he would move to discharge the
committee from the further consideration of
these bills, in order to proceed at once with
their consideration.
Mr.. Wilson called up the House bill de-
claring the construction of the eight hour
law.
tThe bill has been pending from the last
session. 1t provides that there shall be no
deduction from the usual days pay on ac-
count Of the time for days work being
reduced from ten to eight hours.]
Mr.. Morrill, said the eight hour law was
q degradation to the workingmen of the
country. He deprecated any legislation
on this subject, and regarded any attempt
to regulate the hours of labor as preposter-
Gus.
Mr.. Trumbull said the effect of this eight
hour law had been to beget jealousy be-
tween the government employees and the
employees Of private workshops.
MIR. Ferry said this bill was to give, in
his opinion, an erroneous construction to
the eight hour law, ami construction.which
was not put upon 1t here at the time OF its
passage. The question had been directly
asked of the Senator who had this bill in
charge whether, in reducing days labor
to eight hours, it was intended to continue
the same pay given for tho laber Of ten,
and the answer had been empatically, no.
Mr.. Sherman alluded to the fact that in
consequence of different constructions hav-
ing been placed upon the law at different
government works, and twenty per cent.
having been deducted in paying the
men at some of the shops, the bill provides
that the men from whose pay such deduc-
ton was made shall now receive 1t, and he
moved that the bill be referred, so that
the amount required may be ascertained.
The bill was then referred to the Com
mittee on Finance.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Mr.. Burcliard introduced resolution
calling upon the Secretary of the Treasury
for information as to the number Of per-
sons employed in the collection of customs,
and the amounts paid the same for the fis-
cal year ending June 80, 1871 also, the
amounts paid as extra compensation the
number Of revenue cutters, and the ex-
penses of the same; the number of build
ings rented for the customs bureau, and
che amount paid for the same, &c.
Adopted.
The House then, on motion of Mr.. Farms
worth, went into Committee of the Whole
on the apportionment bill; the pending
question being upon the motion of Mr..
Butler to amend by fixing uniform day
for holding the elections.
Mr.. Stevenson moved to amend the
amendment by proviso that it shall not
apply to the States of Maine and Indiana
the year 1876. Adopted.
Mr.. Randall moved to further amend by
inserting ''and in the States of Pennsylvania
and Ohio, unless their constitutions are pre-
viously changed"
Mr.. FArnsworth urged that the bill be
hot encountered with amendments OF this
character, which could be made the subject
of subsequent legislation.
Mr.. Randall's amendment was adopted
Mr.. Kellogg moved to insert Connecticut
and Vermont, and, at the suggestion Of
MIR. McCrary Qowap inserted Iowa.
Adopted.
Mr.. Bright offered substitute to the
Funding Bill, providing that after the tota
number Of representatives shall be 243, ap.
portioned among the several States accord.
ing to the returns of tho ninth census, de.
Quoting those deprived of the right of SUI.
frage, dividing tho aggregate number o.
persons entitled to vote by 243, Disregard
ing fractions, but allowing to each State a,
least one representative, aud after such al.
lowance to give to the States having the
largest fraction until the whole number is
243-States admitted to such apportion'
ment being allowed representatives in the
same proportion, such representatives to bt
added to the original number.
The substitute was ruled out of order al
the present stage OF the bill, one substitute
being already pending.
After further discussion, the amendment
offered by Mr.. Butler, as amended, was re
lected by decisive vote.
Mr.. Bright again offered his substitute
which, he said, was the law of 1850, SO al
tered as to meet the present circumstance
He argued that this was strictly in conform
ity with the provisions OF the Constitution
of the United States; and if any State hac
disregarded those provisions the conse-
quences would rest where they properly
belonged.
Mr.. Meicur opposed the substitute as de
priving large moities in several States o
representation.
Mr.. Bright's substitute was rejected
ayes 30, noes o..
Mr.. Butler renewed his amendment pro
viding that it shall go into operation aftel
the year 1874, excepting the States o
Maine and Indiana till 1876, and further
providing that in States where there is {
failure to elect, or vacancy subsequently
occurs, the election to fill such vacancy
shall pc held in the same manner as pre-
scribed by law for filling vacancies in sucf
States mr. Territorieq