The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-02-16
Proceedings i'm Congress.

|
In the Senate, on the Both, the House
bill approprating $4,000 for the expenses
of the Japanese Embassy was passed......A
resolution was PASSED directing the Post
master General to send in the names Of
Louisiana claimants for mail service prior
to 1861 also, calling on the Secretary of
| War for in formation on the distractions in
the Red Rivera. The bill setting aside the
tract of land at the headwaters of the yell
| lowstone for q public park was passed......
The House bill to authorize the construc-
ton of railroad bridge over the Mississippi
was passed. ..... The Amnesty bill was taken
| up and discussed until adjournment.
The House, on the goth, passed bill APP
/ propriating $3.50, 900 for the purchase Of
lot at st. Louis 70 Government purposes.
....A resolution was adopted authorizing
the Banking Committee to send for persons
and papers for conducting an examination
into the causes of the recent suspension of
National Banks.....A bill was passed ex-
| tending the statute of limitations for prose-
| cutions for pension or bounty forgeries from
! two 10 five years......A bill was passed to
pay the fees of respondents witnesses in ex-
tradition cases ...A bill passed to prevent
smuggling. .... The House took up the Senate
amendments to the Appropriation bill, and
they were concurred in. The bill now goes
to the President for his signature. Mr..
Harleton, from the Committee on Elections,
| made a report on the Arkansas contested
election case, that Mr.. Bodies is entitled to
the seat, and that the sitting member, Mr.
Edwards, was not. He gave notice that
he would call it up at an early day .....Ad-
journed.
In the Senate on the 3lst Mr.. Chand-
Ter, from the Committee on Commerce, re-
ported a bill for the enlargement of the st.
Mary's Falls Canal in Michigan, authoriz-
ing the Secretary of War to purchase such
| land as may be necessary at the appraised
valuation made under direction of State
officers. ..... The remainder of the session was
taken up by the discussion of the Amnesty
| bill.
In the House on the 31st the bill in refer
ence to appeals to the Supreme Court, after
discussion, was passed substantially as it
was reported. .....T The report of the Commit
tee of Ways and Means on the action of the
Secretary of the Treasury in negotiating the
new loan, was taken up, and discussed until
! adjournment, but without action.
In the Senate on Feb. lst bills were
introduced and referred as follows: By Mr..
Morrill, Me- }, authorizing the Secretary of
| the Navy to distribute among the officers
and crew belonging to the United States
| steamer Kearsarge while engaged in the
| capture and destruct ton of the rebel steamer
Alabama the sum of $4,000 as prize money,
in lieu of the bounty authorized by the act
of June 80, 1864; provided the money shall
not be paid to the assignees of mariners, but
only to themselves as legal representatives.
By Mr.. Kellogg, establishing a drawback on
all foreign materials used in the construction
of American built vessels; increasing the
compensation of letter carriers to 81 200 per
annum and re-establishing branch mint
at New Orleans......The Amnesty bill was
discussed without reaching a Jote......Ad-
journed.
The house on the 1st inst. resumed debate
on the report of the Committee of WAYS and
Means as to the transactions of the Syndi-
cate. Mr.. Maynard, of the Committee,
made an elaborate argument in defense of
the Secretary, and in support of the resolu-
ton of majority of the Committee. The
resolution, declaring that the Secretary of
the Treasury IN negotiating the loan had
neither increased the bonded debt nor in
Cured an expenditure contrary to law, was
finally adopted by strict party vote-yeas,
10 nays, S6......The Indian Appropriation
| bill was discussed without acton......Ad-
journed.
The Senate held no session on the Sd.
In the House on the Sd the Indian APP
propration bill was passed, with an amend
ment providing that no payment be made
to hostile Indians, and that deductions for
| Indian depredations are to be made..... Sew
eral bills for the extension of patents were
passed ......A lively debate was had upon the
Educational bill until adjournment.
In the Senate on the 9Th the creden-
tials of Mr.. Ransom, Senator elect from
North Carolina, were presented and referred
Mr.. Chandler presented memorials from
Michigan lumbermen against the Chicago
relief bill......Mr Kellogg presented the pc
tition of leading men of the rice interest in
| Louisiana against the abolition of the duty
on rice...... Mr.. Morton offered a resolution
| in relation to the manufacture of Bessemer
! steel, and said that he would call it up at
an early day, and submit it with some re-
marks on the superiority of Indiana-made
steel, and the mpor lance of improving the
harbor at Michigan City, Ind, so as to bring
the iron mines of Lake Superior into more
direct communication with the coal fields of
Indiana.....The Amnesty bill was taken up
and discussed until adjournment.
In the House on the 5th the Amnesty bill
was passed. 1t removes from political disa-
| bility all persons engaged in the rebellion
except those who resigned their seats as
members of Congress, or who resigned as
officers OF the army and navy, and atterward
| joined the rebellion, or members of the con-
vention in any State which adopted tho or
dinauce of secession. The bill requires all
persons relieved to take the oath of allie
| glance to the United States before clerk of
the United States District Court in which
they reside. Mr.. Peters moved to suspend
the rules and adopt resolution declaring
that the highest patriotism and most en-
lightened public policy demand of all politi-
cal parties, and of all citizens, acquiescence
in the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth
amendments to the Constitution, and such
reasonable legislation of Congress as may
be necessary to make them, in their letter
and spirit, the most effectual. Agreed to
100 to 51.....Mr. Brooks, of New York,
moved to suspend the rules and adopt the
resolution recognizing the Thirteenth, Four
teenth and Fifteenth amendments as valid
parts of the Cons tuition. Agreed to-l66 to
22....Adjourned.