Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-12-25
Congressional Summary,

]
upon an effort OF the Financial Committee to
have the bill prohibiting the sale of liouors
in the District of Columbia referred to the
Judiciary Committee. The effort failed. and
the matter went back to the former com
mittee. Bills were introduced. authorizino
the Secretary OF the Treasury to issue cou-
pom bonds IN exchange for the registered
bonds; and to authorize the President to re-
lease the Empire of Japan from the uaymept
of the indemnity due to the United States ur-
der the convention of 1864. Mr. Cole offered a
reso utlon directing the Judiciary Committee
to enquire INTO the expediency of so amend
ing the Constitution as to provide for the elec
ton OF President and Vice President. and
United States Senators by direct vote of
the people. The resolution was adopted. The
Vice President announced the appointment of
Mr. stevenson, OF Kentucky, as a member of
the Board OF Regents of the Smithsonian In
stitute, in place of Garrett Davis, deceased.
The bill to authorize the construction of
bridge across the Ouachita river at or near
Arkadelphla, Arkansas, was passed: also bill
to provide for the removal OF the sunken
wrecks obstructing the cannal off SANDY
Hook.
HoUsE-Bills were introduced and
referred: Authorizing collectors to grant
special orders for unloading steamships at
night, also establishing new scale of fees and
salaries for Custom officers; repeating the
bankruptcy act; repeating the special tax on
retallefs OF leaf tobacco; repeating the en-
forcement act; abolishing the stamp duty on
bank checks; abolishing the special tax on
leaf tobacco, etc. The House then resumed
the consideration Of the bill reported last ses-
sion by Coburn, of Indiana to enable honor
ably discharged soldiers and sailors. their
widows or orphan children, to acquire home
steads on the public land, with authority to
assign their certificates and locate by attor-
ney. The bill was debated until the expira-
tion of the morning hour, when the House
went into Committee of the Whole on the In
dian Appropriation bill.
SENATE.-A bill was passed on De-
cember 11th to admit free of duty the statue to
commemorate the sailors who fell in the late
war. Mr., Hitchcock introduced bill for the
removal OF certain Indians in Nebraska TO the
Indian territories, Bills were passed placing
colored persons who enlisted IN the army on
the same footing as other soldiers as to bounty
lands authorizing the settlement of the
claims of the estate of the late Admiral Dahl
gren; establishing an assay Office at Helena,
Montana. Mr.. Summers supplementary civil !
rights bill was reached on the calen- |
dar, but objection being made it went
over. MIR. Sherman, from the Finance
Committee, reported the House bill for
the reduction of the officers and expen- |
ses of the Internal Revenue Bureau, with |
amendments providing that the offices of As
SCISSOR and Assistant Assessor shall cease to
exist at such times in the districts respectively
as the Commissioner of Interna Revenue NAV
find it practicable, prior to July 1st. 1873;
authorizing the appointment of 25 additional
agents until July 1st 1874, in addition to those
provided for by the existing law; and amend
ing the present law so as to provide that all
of the additional commission of one-half per
cent shall be paid to the collector receiving
the tax on all spirits produced after the Office
Ofassessor shall cease according to the bill.
The Senate concurred in the House bill re-
moving the political disabilities of L. O. La
mar, and the House holiday resolution
HoUsE--The Judiciary Committee
has instructed a report upon the power OF
Congress to regulate commerce among states.
memorial was presented from the Centen-
NAL Commissioners, asking aid The Speaker
announced the following appointments to fill
vacancies on committees Committee on
Elections, Foster, OF Ohio on Claims, ,Hawley !
of Conn.,; on the Judiciary, Shokmeeker, of
Penn; Civil Service Reform, Crocker of Mas |
sachuse it's, and Dodds, OF Ohio; on Patents,
Estey, of Mass; on Coinage, Weights and |
Measures, Connor, of Texas; on Private Land
Claims, Geddings, of Texas; on Agriculture,
Hundon, of Texas. The House resumed the |
consideration of the soldiers bounty land bill,
and debated with much warmth until the eX-
piration of the morning hour. The French |
spollation bill was postponed, and the House |
went into a Committee Of the Whole, Mr.. |
Dawes presiding, on the Indian Appropriation
Bill, as usual. Upon rising the bill was report
ed and passed.
SENATE. December 12, Mr. Sher.
man called mp the bill for the reduction of Of
ficers and expenses of the internal revenue
by abolishing the internal revenue assessors.
and explained it, stating that if passed it
would save between two and two and one-half
million dollars annually. After lengthy dis
cussion the Finance Committees amendments
were agreed to and the bill passed. The bill
for the relief of sufferers by the Boston fire
was called up and debated for a short time, |
after which the Senate went into executive
session.
HOUSE. Mr.. Dawes, from the Com
mittee of Ways and Means, reported bill
authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to
issue coupon bonds in exchange for registered
bonds, the expense charged to be paid by the
owner. After discussion the bill pas ed,
yeas 1856, nays %. The House took up the
soldiers bounty land bill, which was discussed
by Messrs. Coburn Storms, Niblack. Holman,
Stoughton and Shellabarger, chiefly in favor
of it. substitute offered by Mr. Holman was
adopted and the bill as amended passed by
vote of 116 yeas against 25 nays. MIR. Gar
field, from the Committee on Appropriations,
reported on the deficiency bill, approprlatlng
81 .639. 900. The House then went into Com
mfttee of the Whole on the appropriation bill,
which appropriates $50, 100000. Upon rising
the bill was reported and passed.
SENATE. December Ii, Mr.. Cra-
gin, from the Committee on Naval Affairs,
reported substitute for the House bill to
authorize the construction of six steam yes
sells of war, increasing the number to ten. 4
bill was passed approprating SOU, ,0Oo Tor the
pnrchase of an additional site tor the Boston
post-office The credentials of Geo. II. Spen-
Ger. reelected Senator from Alabamt, were
presented. Mr.. Pomeroy introduced bill to
organize the territory of Oklayavia, consol1-
| date the Indians in the territory, and carry
out the provisions of the treaties with certain
tribes. Referred. Mr.. Chandler introduced
a bill to promote immigration to the United
| States creating a bureau of immigration and
providing for the comfort and protection OF
| immigrants in many ways while aboard SHIPS
and after landing. The Boston rei1ef Dill was
referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY
bill prescribing the manner of taking testl-
monv in contested election cases was passed.
HOUSE The bill to reimburse the
College of William and Mary, in Virginia,
| Sc. 600 for prope ty destroyed during the re-
! bellion was rejected, yeas Sc, nays l2o. The
House then took up the Senate amendment to
the House bill abolishing the offices of asses
sors and assistant assessors OF internal reVe-
nue.. All of those that were mere verbal
amendments were concurred IN without ques-
tion. The amendment authorizing the ap
pointment of twenty-five Treasury ag entj was
rejected. 26 to 80, and committee OF confer
ence appointed
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