Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-01-19
FORTY SECOND CONGRESS,
This Afternoons Proceedings.
FRIDAY, January 10.

SENATE.-The Senate was not in session to-
day.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Speaker pro ten. (Mr. Dawes laid before the
House resolutions adopted by the Nationa,
Board Of Trade-which met i'm St Louis in De-
cember last-urging the restoration Of q specie
standard by contraction of the currency.
Referred TO Committee on Banking and Cur
rcncy.
Also a communication from the Secretary Of
War enclosing the draft of a bill to establish
military prisons. Referred TO Committee on
Military Affairs.
Mr.. Voorhees, (Ind.) having declined 10 serve
on the committee 10 investigate the Louisiana
disorders, the Speaker appointed Mr.. Archer
Md as member Of the committee in his
stead
Mr.. Edwards (Ark) rose to
PERSONAL EXPLANATION,
and after recitng the action of the Committee
on Elec ions, and the report of the KukluN
Committee, he appealed TO the House for an
extension of the time i'm which 10 take testimony
Mr. Snyder (Ark. supported the appeal II MIR
Edwards, and offered resolution that five DAYS
be allowed for the taking of the testimony. and
10 allow hr. Edwards TO produce the records of
the legislature Of Arkansas and the Supreme
Court OF that state. At the close of his remarks
he demanded the previous question. but only ten
members rose TO second the demand.
MI HaZleton Wis then took the door in OPP
position TO the resolution, and offered a substi-
further time. He charged that Mr.. Edwards
had not, dnrlrg the time allowed by law, taken
one iots of testimony.
After discussion by Messrs. Roar, Mas
Shellabarger, lohio,) Eames, Or. II Farms
worth (In) and Edwards, the substitute offered
by Mr.. HazletOn was adopted-yeas l2g, nays
stand as amended the resolution was adopted.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BUSINESS.
The hour of two O'Clock having arrived the
Committee on the District OF Columbia was
called, this being the third Friday ia the month
which, which, after two y. m, is, by the rules
devoted to consideration of business reported
from that committee.
Mr.. Starkweather Conn }, chairman of the
committee, reported the bill originally intro
duced by Mr.. Chapman, to fund the debt of thu
city of Washington existing June 1, 1871, with
number of unimportant amendments agreed
upon in committee.
| After the bill had been read Mr. Starkwea-
'her explained its provisions. He sail the com
mlftee had carefully considered it. and il meets
all the views of the people of Washington.
Mr.. Garfield (Ohio) asked if this enlarged the
authority OF the city government TO increase the
debt.
Mr.. Starkweather said it did not.
MIR. Chapman I'D. c. stated the amount Of
debt of the District, and the old indie otednes.
Under the organic act, they are required TO paw
this old indebtedness; but the legislature cannot
sinking fund. He further stat-d; in answer 10
the question of Mr.. Garfield. that the bill did
not enlarge any powers Of the legislature con-
feTred by the organic act. Q
Mr.. Eldrdge WIS., said he had examined the
bill carefully, and il had been amended in a
way TO meet certain objections. The only OBJ
lecuOn he nad 10 ~ was that Congress ought not
10 interfere. He believed that the local legiSla-
ture under the organic act had ample power 70
do all that was proposed by this bill but il was
urged as an objection that there was a doubt
uIon this point, and that il might hurt the bonds
II it was allowed TO exist, and therefore il was
deemed best TO 60 to Congress, and thus put the
value of the bonds beyond a doubt. He was
opposed as a general thing TO interference with
the District, but this bill he believed was a
necessity. The bill, too, only affected the old
floating debt Of the city, which was contracted
before the present organic act of the territory.
Mr.. Poland (Nt.) also explained the provisions
OF the bill, and stated that il was brought here
because the organic act had no power in tho
premises.
Mr.. Merriek Md offered the following
amendment, TO come i'm after the first section
ProriGed, That any of the holders Of the debt
Of the city of Washington shall be AT liberty To
commute the said debt held by him or anv
part thereof at par for a legal amount Of bon Is
proposed 10 lie issued under this act.
The amendment was adopted and the bill
passed.
Mr.. Starkweather also. from the same com
mittee. reported bill providing for a survey OF
the rivers in the District of Columbia In
names the chief engineer Of the army, the Gov
ernor of the District, Mr.. A. X. Shepherd and
Mr.. {. b. Patterson a board TO make a survey
Of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers; the COM
mission TO serve without pay, and to make re-
port to Congress. The bill was passed.