The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-12-28
Congress in Brief


FROM the S~OuEAbE@JOuFnal
MONDAY, Dec. 0.-The Senate passed
the bill for bridging the Ohio which
passed the House a stsession, providing
by general law for bridges a tany point;
also a bill for the relief of Lizzie Gil
mel, Postmistress at Pittstield, Ill. In
the House constitutional amendments
were proposed authorizing Congress to
fix a uniform time for State elections !;
making the term of Presidsnt and Vice
President six years, the President to be
election of President and Vice Presi-
dent by the people, at the same time
with C~Ongressmen. A bill raising the
Presidents salary to $4,000 per year
was introduced. A resolution was ad-
opted providing for adjournment from
December 90 to January 6. Bills were
passed admitting free of duty the sail
Or's monument, building at Rome for
the Naval Academy clearing the wreck
out of Sandy Hook channel; and authO-
rizing the bridging of Mobileriver. The
House refused, 1O2 yeas to "a nays, to
pass a general amnesty bill, not being
twO-thirds in favor. Kelley (Rep., Pa.),
Dawes (Rep., Mass.), Maynard (Rep.,
Tenn, Sargent Rep., CALI, Cox Dem,
N. W, Marshall Dem, 1ll.), and Hank
cock, Dem, Texas, were appointed
a select committee on the centennial
celebration of American independence,
July 4, 1876, at Philadelphia.
TUESDAY, Dec. 10.-A constitutional
amendment was proposed in the SEN
ate for the election of President, Vice
President and Senators by direct vote
of the people. Senator Stevenson, of
Kentucky, was appointed a member OF
Al0 h4nrl ne vonnr]r rf I'M T+E sonia y
Institute, vice Garrett Davis. Bills
were passed authorizing the building of
a bridge over the Ouachita river at OF
near Arkadelphia, Ark, and providing
for the removal of the sunken wreck
off Sandy Hook. The House debated
the soldiers homestead bill and the In
dian appropriation bill.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11.-The Senate
passed the House resolution for adj
journment from the goth of December
to the 9th of January, and the House
bill relieving the disabilities of Col,
L. @. Lamar, COngressman-elect from
the first Mississippi district. Bills were
also passed establishing the assay office
at Helena, Montana; placing cOlOred
soldiers on the same footing as re-
CARDS bounty lands as white soldiers
and admitted free of duty the sailors
monument for Annapolis. The House
passed the Indian appropriation bill
ordered a conference committee on the
bill removing the wreck off Sandy
Hook and debated the soldiers bounty
land bill, which was severely denounced
as a swindle by General Hawley anC
and other soldiers. The Judiciary Com,
Fmittee was ordered to report on thu
constitutional power of Congress to re
/ 1Inun 4hn anIYNfru from oYoY1roacIUO TnJl
way charges.
THURSDAY, Dec. 12.-The Senate
passed the bill abolishing the Offices O.
assessors and assistant assessors of in
ternal revenue. (This bill passed thu
House Friday, 9Th December, and gOei
into operation July l, 1878. The dutie
of assessors are to be performed by thu
collectors, who gave additional bonds.
The House passed Holman's substitute
for the soldiers homestead bill; a bill
to authorize the exchange of registered
for coupon bonds, and the pension ap
preparation bill. "
FRIDAY, Dec. 13.--The Senate passet
the bill to prescribe the mode of takins
testimony in contested election cases
and a bill appropriating $4,000 to pur
chase additional ground ~(recentl,
burned over) for the Boston post-Ofice
The credentials of Senator Spenser, 0
Alabama, were presented. Senate
Anthony, of Rhode Island, was electe'
president pro tempore. The committe
on Finance was instructed to examin
into the value of the British sovereigl
or pound sterling. The House aske'
the Postmaster General for infOrmatiO:
as to contracts and designs of posta
cards and stamps, debated and reject
ed the bill to compensate the colleg
of William and Mary in Virginia fo
property destroyed during the wal, an,
rejected the Senate amendment to tn
House bill abolishing the offices of as
SCISSORS and assistant assessors of il
q ternal revenue. The amendment Pre-
, vided for % special agents and a cor
ference was ordered.
SATURDAY, Dec. 14.-The House ws
in committee of the Wholaf"fnade
only. saasfng the civil servic
7~syBtonl. The Senate was not in session
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