The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-04-06
CONGRESSIONAL.

were presented asking that liquor drinkers
be debarred from holding Office under the
government. The secretary ofwar request
ed to inform the Senate of the oDeration of
the eight hour law in the national arsenals
ut Springfield and Rock Island. The House
resolution for the erection in Washington
OF colossal statue Of Farragut was agreed
to. The Indian appropriation bin was
taken up. and Mr.. Cole stated that the
Senate Committee had reduced the House
estimates more than $40. 900, reducing the
entire amount to 81, ii5, GOO. The consid-
Grafton. OF the bill was commenced, pend
ing which the Senate went into Executive
session, and then adjourned. In the House
of Representatives there was as usual on
Monday large number of new bills intro
duced-among them those to reduce the
duty on lumber and provide drawback on
importotions. to repeal the income tax and
forbid its collection for the year 1871, to
abolish the tax on brandy and reduce that
on whskey, to withdraw the National
Bank currency and substitute gold and sill
Yer. and to regulate the location of railroads
in Washington by a Commission to be APP
pointed by the President. The Supplement
tary Civil Rights bill Was once more up for
4 few moments, and was again tillibustered
over for week. The bill ganting a site in
Washington for the depot of the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad was passed, Monday
beng q day upon which action upon it
could not be prevented by fillibustering.-
The Presidents Message in regard to the
ease of Dr. Howard was read and referred
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. \
bill was passed repeating all laws granting
fees to informerS in the Internal Revenue
service. An Amnesty bill containing large
Of cl,al =
out reading them, although the Speaker
demonstrated against n practice under
which any one might be relieved of his
political disabilities and the House not be
aware ofwhat it was doing. The members,
however, are apparently in a humor for
granting amnesty, and the bill was passed
without inquiry as to what names it en-
braced.
In the Senate on Tuesday, Mr.. Robert
son, of South Carolina, read a letter signed
by Wade Hampton, J. B. kershaw and
Gen. NJ. G. Butler, in which they disclaim
all connection with the ku-kluX. Mr..
Blair read 4 letter from the Hon. Rev erdy
Johnson, counsel for the Ku- kluX prison.
ers, denying that himself and Mr.. Stanbery
had abandoned their clients before the
conclusion Of the trials as had been assert
ed by Mr.. Edmunds. The response of Mr..
Edmunds was to the effect that Messrs.
johnson and Stanbery had come away be-
fore the cases were concluded, and that Mr..
johnson was cvading the issue when he
said that they had left when their mission
had been accomplished" Mr.. Pomeroy
reported a bill to encourage the growing of
timber on the Western prairies, which pro-
vides Il patent for a quarter section of land
to amy person who has planted and protect
ed for five years forty acres of timber. Mr..
Cameron gave notice of his intention to
call mp the bill for the payment of the
French spoliation claims. Mr.. Nye pre-
sented the form Of a constitution as adopt
cd by the people OF Utah Territory preced-
emf to admission into the Union. In the
House Of Representatives number ofbills
was passed confirming titles to certain
lands taken up under the homestead act.
On motion of Mr.. Dawes, chairman of the
Committee on Ways and Means, the Sen
ate Tariff bill was laid Oh the table. Mr..
Archer presented a petition from II. Glib
son, of Baltimore, asking for 4 duty on
earthenware and clay pipes, which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Ways and
Means. The bill for The protection OF pas
sengers Of steam vessels was taken up. and
an amendment offered by Mr.. Merriam to
the effect that each master be com PEELED to
employ the first pilot that boards his YES
sci, was adopted. An amendment offered
by Mr.. Butler striking out the clause which
requires the pilots Of sea going vessels to
be licensed by the inspectors of steamboats,
was also adopted. The effect of this amend
ment is to leave the licensing of pilots en-
tire!y to the State authorities.
In the senate on Wednesday. the House
bill to punish contractors who break their
engagements for the transportation of the
Mails was amended and ordered to be
printed. Nearly the whole of the session
was spent in discussion on the.blll giving
the assent OF Congress to the subscription
of the District Of Columbia to the stock Of
the Peidment and Potomac Railroad, but
no final action was reached. In the House
of Representatives nothing Of importance
was up except the Steamboat bill, some
further progress with which was made.
In the Senate on Thursday, bill was
eported from the Committee on Navy
fairs for the relief of the officers and crew
of the L nited States ship Wyoming. The
Senate took up the bill giving the assent of
Congress to the subscription Of $500, 90
authorized by the Legislature of the Terri
tory of Columbia to the capital stock otthe
Piedmont and Potomac Railroad. llr.
Bayard, Mr.. Cole and others opposed the
bill. Mr.. Stewart moved an amendment
to the effect that no part Of the subscrip-
ton is to be paid until one million Of dol
lars has been subscribed by private parties,
and paid in cash or expended in construc-
ton of the road and also providing that
the Company give bond for the payment of
the interest on the said amount (SG00.000)
provided the road is not completed within
three years. The amendment was adopt
cd. After several further amendments had
been made the bill was passed and the
Senate adjourned. In the House Of Rep
resentatives Mr.. Cox introduced Il joint
resolution as a testimonial to the memory
of the late Professor Morse. Pensions
were granted to certain persons under spe-
cial acts. The steamboat bill, which has
been pending for some time, was passed.
The Committee on Elections made d re
port awarding the contested seat of the
Third Alabama District to W. A. Handley
the Democratic candidate.