The Republican journal., 1872-12-19
Congress-.

In the Senate Tuesday Dee. 10Th, seyera
petitions were presented relative 10 French
>pOiations. large number OF bills were pre-
sented and referred. The bill providing for the
removal OF q sunhPn wreck of Sandy Hook
was passed. An executive session was held.
In the House a long list OF bills were presented.
The bill reported last session from t he Military
Committee, TO enable honorably discharged
soldiers and sailors TO acquire homesteads upon
the public lands, with authority to assign cerit-
Gates and to locate their quarter section of the
lands through agents or attorneys. was dis
cussed, as also was the Indian Appropriation
bill.
In the Senate, Wednesday, Dee. 1lth, a bin
was passed placing eoored soldiers on the same
footing as white as to bounty lands. Mr. Sum
ner's supplementary civil rights bill went over
The House bill for the reduction of officers and
expenses in the Internal Revenue Department
wa, reported. The House bin removing the
disabilities of l.. z. c. Lamer was passed. The
House resolution for Il holiday recess was Adolf
cd. In the House resolution was adopted in
~trucilng the Judiciary Committee to inquire
INTO the power of Congress 10 regulate charges
ordlscriminatiOn bvcommon carriers on freightS
and passengers passing from one state TO an
other. The Speaker filled the committee va
| canees. The soldiers bounty bill was discussed
The Indian appropriation bill was passed. after
long discussion.
In the Senate Thursday the bill for the re-
duction OF officers and expenses 81 internal
II.
was passed 1876 to % The bill for the relief of
sufferers hY the Boston fire was discussed with
oulartion. An executive session was held. In
the House, a bill authorizing the Secretary of
the Treasury to issue coupon bonds. provided
that the expense of such exchange shall lie paid
~ the owner thereof, was passed after debate
The soldiers bounty land bill was defeated. but
Il substitute was passed, giving soldiers and
sailors quarter section each, under certain re
strctlons in regard to agents. The pension ap-
preparation bill was passed.
In the Senate, Friday. the House bill for
building six war sloors was reported from the
Committee with an amendment increasing the
number To ten. The bill for relief OF Boston
sufferers WAS referred to the Judiciary Com
mittee after discussion. After an executive
session the Senate adjourned till Monday. In
The House bill TO reimburse William and
Mary College for property destroyed in the re
belion was defeated. The House took up the
senate amendments to the House bill, abolish
ing offices Of Assessors and Assistant A SCISSORS
of Internal Revenue. All the mere verbal
amendments were concurred in without queS-
ton, the only important one remaining, being
that authorizing the appointment of twenty-ti five
Treasury Agents, which was rejected. and IA
Conference Committee appointed.
The Senate was not in session Saturday and
in the House the day was devoted to general
debate
In the Senate, Monday, resolutions were
adopted to consider the question Of chtaler
~
coast, So to inquire into the authority of Con-
greSs to regulate fares and frelghts on railroad
between the states and to authorize the con-
strucion and operation Of railroads passing i'll
TO or through two or more states. The House
bills for the exchange OF registered for coupon
bonds, and to revise the coinage laws, We're
presented. The French spoation bill vas dis
cuSsed without action, The Senate rcceded
from is amendment to the internal revenue bill
providing for twenty-five revenue agents. In
the House, Mr.. Hale presented q resolution that
| no measures be taken towards removing from
the army register or reglmentai flags the names
of the battles Of the Union in the late war,
which was adoptedl1j to 81. A Lii was
passed Tor the trans orlation Of seeds, etc,
through the mails at the rate OF two cents tor
every !oar ounces. Bill to remove the ,lisab.
Ties Of j. f. MeerP Of Mary land was passed
A resolution was adopted requesting the Pres-
dent 10 communicate information relative to the
condition OF affairs III Louisiana, and what ac
ton, if any, he has taken with regard thereto.
\ resolution was adopted instrucing the Judi
ciafy Committee TO enquire what legislation
WAS necessary 10 guard against the dangers
which threaten the liberties of the people OF
Louisiana, Alabama and Arkansas, and to
guarantee 4 Republican form of government
and To avoid the danger Of civil war in the
several States of the Union.
In the Senate, Tuesday. committee was APP
pointed to consider the question OF providing
cheaper transportation from the west TO the AT
lahtic seaboard. Mr.. lIdmunds gave notice that
tomorrow he should move to take up Mr.. Sum
ncr's battie-flag resolution. The French spoa-
lion bill was discussed. In the House, Mr..
Brooks, of New York, rose to an explanation
concerning the testimony Of McComb that he
(Brooks) had received Credit MObilier stock a.
the price of influencing the Democratic side OF
the House. Mr.. Brooks utterly denied the
statement, and demanded the most searching
investigation. He said McComb was Il man OF
no character, Il reckless adyenturer, robber
and IA bandit. as had been proven, and was now
on the records of the military department.