The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-04-13
XLIId CONGRESS-.SECOND SESSION

WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE bill for the
construction of bridge across the Missouri at
or near Nebraska city, was passed.
The House bill requiring Commissioners on
Claims to report statement of claims deter
mined by them was passed.
The bill extending by one year the time for
the payment on public presumption claims on
Minnesota, Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan,
was posed.
The bill was passed refunding the taxes on
distilled spirits destroyed by fire in bonded
warehouses in Chicago and other places since
Jan. LIST, 1868.
A joint resolution was adopted to open nego-
tiation with the Ute Indians of Colorado, for
the purpose of acquiring their lands.
Mr.. Patterson presented a petition from the
Governor and prominent citizens of New
Hampshire, asking the United States to set
apart the proceeds of the sale of public lands
to each State in the proportion of 10000 acres
for each Senator and Representative, to be APP
piled to the establishment of State Universities
for the higher education of women.
Mr.. Chandler from the Committee ON Com
merce, reported a bill relating to the clearances
of vessels engaged in the coasting trade ON the
lakes and the northeastern frontier.
Mr.. Sawyer from the Committee on Educa-
ton and Labor reported bill extending for
two years from next July the time within which
States may comply with provisions of the Agri-
cultural College acts; also bill appropriating
$4,000 for the purchase and preparations of
lOI 1uc proper OUStINdtlOuS VI tnc
transit of Venus in Dec. 1874 the money to be
expended under the direction of Commission,
composed of the Superintendent and two Pro-
fessors of Mathematics of the Naval Observa-
tory, President of the National Academy of
Sciences and Superintendent of the Coast Sur
vey.
Mr.. Cole introduced bill to amend the Pa
cifc Railroad act of July 1, 1862, by requiring
the Central Pacific Railroad Company to estab-
lish the Western terminus of its road at some
n.NkO IL oeC
bill giving the Secretary of the Interior juris-
diction over the Indians of Alaska.
The Carolina Senatorial election case came
up.
Mr.. Carpenter favored giving the seat to Gen
Abbott
After Mr.. Carpenter, Mr. Morrill, of VT, fol-
| lowed. He argued against the admission of
| Gen Abbott, and denounced the doctrine that
| minority of an electing body can elect Sen
| ator or any other officer, as unhealthy and UNI
American.
The Senate went into executive session and
| soon after adjourned.
HOUSE
A resolution expressing the regret of the
| House at the death of Erastus Corning, former
| ly member of the House, was adopted.
! The House proceeded to vote OH the several
amendments of the Senate to the Legislative
| appropriation bill. Those on which no separate
| amendment was asked were concurred in.
| An hour was consumed in the discussion Of
the amendment to extend the Capitol grounds
| including the collateral points of the removal o
| the capitol and of the removal of the lOcOmO
tive track in front of the west gate of the CAPT
| toll.
The action on important amendments was a!
follows: Prohibiting the publication of treaties
| in newspapers, negatived, yeas 81, nays W
| striking out the allowance to the register o
the treasury for signing bonds, negatived; re
ducing the salary of the assayer at New 1Orl
from $4,000 to 5000, concurred; appropriatin!
$4,000 to enable the President to perfect ans
| put in force the civil service reform reduced t
| $4,000, yeas 116, nays 50; Xtending the capl
tol grounds, concurred in, yeas 81 nays ST, witt
the Limitation of expenditures to 100000, ant
the requirement that the locomotive railrOa
track il front of the west gate be removed with
in two years.
This concluded the action of the House OF
the bill.
Mr.. Merrick of Maryland, from the Commit
tee on Elections, made report in the DakOt
contested election case, that Armstrong is Ell
titled to his seat Ordered to be printed
just as the morning hour commenced at l.
past ), and Mr.. Banks had presented some pr
vate reports from the Committee on Forelg
Affairs, Mr.. Schoield of Pennsylvania ros
and stated that he voted against the amend
meet to extend the capitol grounds and III
vote was not recorded If it had been ther
| would have been a tie vote
At the suggestion of the Speaker the diffcu
ty was got over by reconsidering the vote an
taking it over again. This time the vote result
ed, yeas 50, nays 80. So the amendment wa
concurred in. The Conference Committee wa
then ordered on disagfeeing votes.
MIR. Brooks of New York offered resolutio
reciting the fact of presentment by the gran
jury at Brownville, Texas, declaring that sine
1864, Mexican armed bands under Mexican OF
ficers have invaded the United States and cal
ing on the President for information on tn
subject OF Mexican outrages in Texas, Callfo
mia, New Mexico and Arizona. Referred
the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Mr.. Schotield of Pennsylvania remarked thf
the resolution read like an extract from I'll
message of President Polk.
The Speaker presented message from ii
President vetoing the bill for the relief of I'll
children of John M. Baker by allowing his sa
airy as charge d'affairs at Rio Janeiro in 1856
The President states that Baker never did a,
as charge affairs, but GU the contrary was e,
pressly forbidden to enter in diplomatic CORE
pondence with the government of Brazil TIL
message was referred to the Committee on Fo
eign Affairs.
MIR. Morey of Louisiana, from the Commute
on the Mississippi leyee, made a report whil
was ordered to be printed. Adjourned,