Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-03-08
Congress,

-
Senate presented none of the interesting
features which usually characterize the all
night sessions of that body. From tn
Tribune correspondence we condense the
latest proceedings;
The appropriation bills were all disposed
of at 3 A. M, and at that hour the Hous
bill repealing the duty on coal was taken up
The MARYLAND and West Virginia Senators
were rather taken by surprise, as they haC
not anticipated any further attempt to taxi
up the bill Mr.. Wiley had bid farewell
to the marble halls of the Capitol, and thu
three other Senators from the States named
cannot do much in the way of extempOrt
speaking. They were very much relieved
when Mr.. Warner of Alabama came to theil
assistance, by offering a general amnesty
provision as an amendment to the bill. He
then made two-hours' speech on the con
dition of affairs in the South, which really
did him credit, but which none OF the hall
dozen Senators who did not 90 to sleep paid
attention to, with the exception of Frank
Blair to whom he several times alluded in
severe terms. When Mr.. Warner had coz
cluded, the Senate went into Executive ses
sion remaining therein until o'clock, when
a recess was taken to 100. At this hour the
coal bill was resumed, but as 1t was very
evident it would be debated until the short
time that remained of the session was gone,
it was laid over, and the bill appropriating
$50 600 for the Sisters of Mercy at Charles
ton, which has been pending in Congress
for the last two years, was taken up. OPP
position was made to this bill, and the de-
bate was still in progress, when the hour of
noon arrived and the Vice-President pro-
nounced the third session Of the NLlst
Congress at an end.
The scenes in the House, after midnight,
were of the usual boisterous character. All
the business of the session had been cOmplet-
ed, except the passage of the Sundry Civil
AUTHORIZATION bill, on which the Senate was
still at work, and which it was not expected
would be completed in that body in time to
PASS the House, and be enrolled for the
President 5 signature before - O'Clock on
Saturday. Gradually the crowds in the
galleries began to disappear, and the few
who remained to see the end arranged them
selves in various reclining postures on the
benches for nap. few bills, principally
of a private character, were taken up and
passed When the Speaker recognized a
member, comparative order prevailed until
his measure was disposed of. But when a
vote was announced, about two thirds of the
shouting at the top OF their voices, while
the Speaker would throw himself back in
his chair, and, vigorously pounding the
table with his gayel wait for order To be
restored.
About I O'Clock the Sundry Civil Appro-
priation bill came from the Senate, with
numerous amendments. Mr.. Dawes took
the floor and explained that he had carefully
examined the amendments, and, though some
of them were not Just what he would like,
the amount OF money appropriated by the
bill had, on the whole, been reduced. and
he advised concurrence on the part OF the
House, as there was not time for confer
ence. The amendments were read and eI-
planned, and then, at about O'Clock, the
bill was passed.
Mr. Dawes then offered u resolution that
the House take a recess till TO O clock, when
it should meet for the purpose of consider
inc Appropriation bills, Conference reports,
and rules only. The word " Rules . caught
the ear of James Brooks, who, saving the
air in the most excited manner with his hat
and umbrella, shouted, " No, not rules
that's Infamous. Leave out the rules -
Some Of the Republicans asserted that no
important amendments were to be made u
the Rules, and appealed to the Speaker, as
a member OF the Committee on Rules. Mr.
Blaine said that that committee had not had
a meeting in two years. Mr.. Brooks then
said that he had heard that it was proposed
to 50 amend the rules that majority could
suspend them, and pass any measure over
the heads of the minority, no matter how
large it might be; and that, If any such at
tempt were to be made, he would say that
the House would not organize in three weeks,
for the Democrats would resist any measure
which was to bind them hand and foot, even
to the verge of revolution. II was not leg
islation, tins amending the rules at ) clock
in the morning it was itself revolution.
Mr. Garfield then sent to the Clerk s desk to
be read the amendment to the rules which
was really to be proposed, and it was to the
effect that alter the previous question had
been seconded, only a motion 10 fix the time
to which an adjournment should take place
aud n motion to adjourn should be in order.
The effect of this would be to prevent all
by means of which the minor
lty often defeat measures supporteds by the
The Democrats appealed to the
House not to agree t. any such rule, and
finally 1t was agreed TO vote separately on
the question whether the word " rules =
should be stricken out Of Mr.. Dawes 5 resO-
luton. The obnoxious word was taken out
by vote Of 81 to -, and then the resolu-
ton passed.
w hen the House reassembled the gale
ries and the floor were full, and ladies, who
could get no other place, might have been
seen in the cloak-rO0ms, a few Of them ven
turing out even upon the floor. The English
of the Joint High Commission were
also on the floor. No business of any i'm
portance was done. Mr.. Starkweather OF
Connecticut reported from the Conference
Committee on the bill abolishing the ranks
Of Admiral and Vice-Admral In the Navy,
that the conierees had agreed to abolish the
the rank after the death of those now hold
ing the offices. Considerable debate took
place on this report, and the Yeas and Nays
were ordered few minutes before - 0 clock
The list was about half called when the
Speakers gravel fell, and after pleasant
little speech, in which Mr.. Blaine thanked
the members TOR the kind expression of APP
probation they had given him, he declared
the House of Representatives of the Mist
Congress adjourned sine die.
WILL CONGRESS ADJOURN ?-The immediate