Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-04-18
Forty-second COngress--Second
Session.
WEDNESDAY.

WEDNESDAY.
SENATE.-Mr. Sumner presented the
resolutions of the Massachusetts Legls-
lature in regard to the French spoliation
claims; ordered printed.
Mr.. Cameron proposed to call up the
bill to provide for the payment OF
French spoliation claims, but gave way,
and the Senate resumed the consldera-
ton of the Indian appropriation bill
The pending question on Mr.. Hitch
cocks amendment prescribing the man.
ner in which claims for Indian depreda-
tons shall be settled, which was adopt
ed. Adjourned.
HoUsE.-The House at lao went into
committee of the whole on the Senate
amendments to the legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill. There
was long discussion on the question OF
appropriating $4,000 for the expense
of the civil service reform system. No
vote was taken on the proposition, when
the committee rose and the House at A. 80
adjourned.
THURSDAY.
SENATE.-At the expiration of the
morning hour the North Carolina Sena-
torial election case was taken up, but
without taking any action on the case,
the Consular and Diplomatic apprOpria-
ton bill was taken up. An amendment
was adopted providing that hereafter no
allowance shall be made to any Consular
or Diplomatic officer after the termina-
ton of his official functions, other than
fortune necessarily occupied nhis direct
return to the United States. The bill
was passed. Adjourned.
HoUsE.-The debate on the Senate
amendment appropriating $4,000 for
civil service reform was resumed. At
ter some time spent in debate an amend
ment was offered by Mr.. Sargent to re-
duce the appropriation to $4,000,
which was adopted, % to 80.
Mr.. Garfield then recommended non
concurrence in the amendment apprO-
priating 100000 for the extension of
the Capitol grounds. After long dis
cussiOn the Senate amendment was
amended by limiting the amount to
$400, 900, and by requiring within six
months the removal of the locomotive
railroad track from in front of the west
gate of the Capitol.
AS thus amended the Senate amend
ment was COnCurred in.
An amendment increasing the salaries
of assistant secretaries and other officers
of the several executive departments to
$4,000, and of judges of the Court .of
Claims and of United States District
judges to $1,000, was rejected.
The committee then rose and votes on
various amendments went over till to-
morrow.
Mr. Banks presented a report in the
case of DR.. Houard.
Adjourned.
FRIDAY.
SENATE. The House bill was passed
calling on the commissioners of claims to
report to Congress a statement of the
claims determined by them.
A bill was passed, extending for one
year the time for the payment of the
public land preemptiOn claims in Da-
kotah, Wisconsin, Michigan and Mime
sofa.
Mr.. Sawyer reported the bill making
an appropriation to enable American as
tronOmers to observe the transit of
Venus
Mr.. Hitchcock called up the bill au-
thorizing the building of a bridge across
the Missouri river at or near Nebraska
City Passed.
4 bill was passed refunding the taxes |
paid on distilled spirits destroyed in
bonded warehouses in Chicago,
\ joint resolution was adopted look |
ing to the opening of negotiations with |
the Ute Indians of Colorado to acquire |
their lands.
Mr.. Patterson presented petition of |
the Governor and other prominent citi- |
zens of New Hampshire, asking for the |
setting apart of the proceeds of the sales |
Of public lands to the amount of 10000 /
acres Of each Senator and Representa-
tiyes of the different States, to be given |
to said States to establish universities to
teach women the higher branches of |
learning.
At the expiration Of the morning hour,
unfinished business, the North Carolina
Senatorial election case, came up and
Mr.. Carpenter addressed the Senate in
favor of giving the seat to Joseph c.
Abbott
Adjourned.
HoUsE.-Mr. Perry introduced a res.
OlutiOn expressing the regret of the
House at the intelligence of the death of
Erastus Corning, formerly a member of
the House. Adopted.
The House proceeded to vote on the
several amendments of the Senate to the
judicial appropriation bill. Those on
which no separate amendment was ask
ed, were concurred in as a whole
An hour was consumed in the discus
sion of the amendment to extend the
capitol grounds, including the collateral
points of the removal Of the capitol, and
of the removal of the locomotive rail
road track in front Of the west gate of
the capitol, and of the amendment ap-
$500O0O to perfect and
carry out the proposed civil service re-
form.
Mr. Garfield, chairman of the COM
mittee on appropriations, opposed the
first and advocated the last. He re-
minded the Republican side of the House
that it was their own President who. in
his annual message, December 9TH, 1870.
called the attention of Congress to the
necessity for civil service reform, as the
present system did not secure the best
men. He also quoted the later message
from the President, in which he asked |
for all the strength that Congress could
give him to enable HIM to carry out the |
reform in the civil service, and the de-
bate and action of Thursday were the
strength which the Republican side of
the House was giving the President. In |
conclusion, he appealed to the House to
respect the amendment of the commit
tee
The action Of the House on important
was as follows: Prohibit
ng the publication OF laws and treaties
n newspapers negatived-87 to "a:
striking out the allowance to the Regis {
er of the Treasury for signing bonds. t
legatived; reducing the salary of the {
sssayer at New York from $500 to {
$4,000, concurred in; appropriating 8
$50, 900 to enable the President to per- I
.ect and put in force the civil service i
eform; reduced to $780, O0-yeas 116. {
nays 50. q
Adjourned. '
SATURDAY. /
HoUsE.-The House met for general 9