Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-04-04
PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS-.

WEDNESDAY, March 20.-SENATE.-
The bill to confirm the sales of the Shawnee Indian
lands in Kansas was reported without amendment.
Bills were introduced authorizing the construction
OF a bridge across the Mississippi River at Red
Wing. Mimi, and at Quincy H.; and granting the
right of way to the Cheyenne, Iron Mountain and
Pacific Railroad and Telegraph Company. The Chi
cago relief bin wss taken up and passed as reported
from the Finance Committee. The consideration of
the tariff bill was then resumed.
WEDNESDAY, March 20. -HousR.-A
bill authorizing the construction of a bridge across
the Ohio River was passed also a bill authorizing
the construction of a bridge across the Mississippi
River at Clinton, Iowa, for the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy Railroad. A bill was introduced to PEN
sion the widow of Admiral Farragut at the rate Of
one-fourth of his pay at the date OF his death. The
bill for the reorganization Of the civil service was
postponed -four weeks. The House then went into
Committee of the Whole on the postofhce appropri-
alton bill, and upon rising and reporting, the bill
was passed.
THURSDAY, March 21.-SENATE The
House bill, making pensions from the date of dis
charge or death of the person in whose account the
pensions are granted, was indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. West reported a bill allowing persons held as
prisoners or in hospital at the time OF or subsequent
to the issue of their commissions as ofhcers IN the
army the game pay ana emolunants as If actually
mustered III at tnat GATE, prONldeu fdtdu-
cies existed into which they could have been mus
tered had they been present with the command to
which they were commissioned. Mr.. Cragin intro
duced a bill Tor the reduction Of the number and
grades of officers in the navy, and other purposes,
providing, among other things, that the
grades of Admiral, Vice Admir- and Com
modore shall be discontinued when they be.
come vacant: that after the lapse of the
grade of Commodore, promotions to vacancies in
the grade of Rear Admiral shall be filed by a selec-
ton from the Captains; that the course of instruc-
ton for cadet midshipmen shall be after the gradu-
alton of the first class, SIX years, instead OF fsur
that the pay of alt officers on the retired list shall be
one-half or their highest duty pay at the time OF re-
tirernent, and that promotions on the retired list
shall at once be discontinued. The st. Croix land
grant bill came up, but was postponed. The tariff
ILL was next considered.
THURSDAY. March 21.-HoUsE. The
Chicago relief bill, as amended by the Senate. was
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, with
leave to report any time after Monday next. The
army appropriation bill, appropriating 29,54S, 1877,
was discussed ill Committee of the Whole until the
adjournment.
FRIDAY. March 22-SENATE.-A bill
was passed to refund to the Winona and st. Peters
Railroad company certain duties paid On iron; also
a bill defining the rights of part owners OF vessels
as to the selection of captains; also the soldiers
homestead bill. The tariff bill came up, and after
discussion tea and coffee were placed upon the free
list, by a vote of 35 to IS. Mr.. morrill,, of Vermont
moved to strike out the second section OF the OH,
reducing the duties ten per cent. on cott9ns, WOOL
ems, silks, iron, steel, and other metals, earthenWare
and glassware, leather, rubber, oil cloth, etc. Nlta-
out coming to a vote ON the motion the Senate ad-
jourued to Monday.
FRIDAY, March 22.-HoUsE. No
business of importance was transacted in the House.
MONDAY, March 25.-SENATE.- bill
for the relief of certain officers in the navy was
passed. A bill was introduced to construct and aid
in rebuilding levees on the Mississippi River, and
incorporating the Mississippi River Leyee and Icle-
graph Company With q capital Of ten Millions, 10
construct levees and a line OF telegraph from Cape
GIrarleau, Mo-, to Fort Jackson, La, on both sides
OF the river, free from taxation, and with a land
grant OF twenty-five sections per mile along the line
of said leVees. The bill for the sale of the marine
hospital and grounds in San Francisco passed also
bills relative to the entry and clearance OF ferry-boats
aud of bonded cars passing from one state to anott-
or through foreign contiguous territory, to establish a
collection district III Duluth, Mimi, and to make st.
Paul, Mimi, a port of entry for the enlargement OF
the st. Mary's Falls canal appropriating $4,000 to
deepen the st. Clair flats canal to l6 feet. The bill
to facilitate C mmerce with China, Japan, and other
countries in Asia, was taken up, but pending Its con-
sheraton the Senate went into executive session,
and soon after adjourned.
MONDAY, March 25.-HoUsE.-Under
the call of the states for bills, a considerable number
~ iiilp WI Aitt aNNe e''
enable houorably discharged soldiers and sailors,
their widows and their children to secure a home
stead on public lands. Agreed to without yeas and
nays. A Joint resolution for the erection of a colos-
sal statue of the Late Admiral Farragut in Farragut
square. in the city of Washington, at q cost not ex-
ceeding SO, 600 was reported from committee and
passed. Adjourned.
TUESDAY, March 26.-SENATE Mr..
Robertson introduced a bill to secure uniformity in
the guage OF the railroads in the United States. The
House bill making tea and coffee free was taken up
and discussed. Amendments including salt and coal
were offered and rejected. Mr.. Morton then offered
as an amendment to the the pending House bill
the whole Of he tariff bill reported from the Senate
Finance Committee, excepting the provisions Of tea
and coffee. Mr.. Morrill,, of Vermont, offered the
free list in the Senate bill as a substitute for Mr..
Morton's amendment, which was adopted-yeas 81,
NAYS 10. Mr. Wright moved 10 add the conditions
OF the Finance Committees bill reducing the duties
ten per cent on textile fabrics and manufactures of
iron, steel, e~arthenware, glassware, leather and India
rubber. Agreed ta-yeas So, nays Il. severa other
notices of AMENDMENTS were given, and the Senate
adjourned.
TUESDAY, March 26.-HoUsE.-No
business Of imsortance was transacted in the House.