The New York herald., 1872-12-20
Congress = Interesting and Important
Proceedings I'm Both Houses.

Proceedings I'm Both Houses.
The proceedings in both houses of Congress
are unusually interesting and important at
this early stage of the session. In the Senate
yesterday Mr.. Edmunds, of the Judiciary
Committee, reported against the bill to allow
women to vote in the District Of Columbia and
the other Territories. The report however,
was placed on the calendar on motion of MI.
Pomeroy, which means that on some con-
venient day hereafter he intends to call up the
subject and discuss it in favor Of women's
rights. Mr. Edmundg made several other
adverse. reports, one Of which, on the bill to
facilitate internal commerce, we regard as
very important at this juncture, when, acting
upon the broad hints Of the Presidents Mes
sage, all sorts Of internal improvement schemes
are springing up at Washington. r."
A prohibitory or Maine liquor law from
the United States Senate is new idea !;
but the bill reported yesterday by
Mr.. Sherman, to prohibit the maanufac-
ture, importation and sale of intoxicating
drinks in the District Of Columbia and
the other Territories, ought to be satisfactory
to the most rigid prohibitionist of even Massa-
chusetts This measure, in addition to the
Women's Rights bill, is in charge of Mr..
Pomeroy, who firmly believes that cold water
and woman suffrage are destined to be the
moral and political salvation of the country.
Mr. Edmunds deferred the calling up of the
House bill adverse to the erasure of the battles
of the rebellion from the Army Register or
regimental flags, because Mr.. Sumner, who
desires to speak upon the subject, was too un-
well to speak at present But the great sub
ject Of the day in the Senate was the Postal
Telegraph bill, introduced by Mr.. Ramsay,
upon which our views are given in the special
editorial, to which we invite the readers at
tention, as to Q subject Of the highest impor-
tance to all classes and interests of the Ameri-
can people
In the House the resolution of Mr.. Wood,
Of New York, which was adopted, whereby
the Committee on Banking and Currency is
instructed to inquire into the strin-
gency Of the money market, as far as
caused by combinations engaged in locking
up gold and currency, and to report some
Legislative remedy for this evil is seasonable
proceeding but the report from the COM
mittee which Immediately followed covers the
ground The pains and penalties Of the bill
recommended against any national bank
guilty Of aiding in the locking up Of gold or
currency for speculative purposes are very
severe, but very just, and we presume that they
will, during this session, become law, mas
much as leading men Of both parties are moving
for the measure. This bill is the result of the
alleged misconduct of the Tenth National
Bank of New York in the matter of recent
conspiracy to lock up currency with view Of
producing money panic. On motion from
the same committee resolution was adopted
for an examination into the cause of the loss
of revenue stamps from the Assistant
Treasurers Office, New York. Let the leak be
ferreted out and stopped. We have too much
roguery in our public affairs, and it ought to
be diminished.
Upon the whole yesterday was day of
active business in both houses.
FLOODS IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM. Heavy
floods, as will be seen from this mornings
news, have occurred in France and Belgium.
The Seine has overfowed its banks, and the
quays on both sides Of the river are flooded,
the stores in the neighborhood being closed,
and the traffic, whatever there is, being carried
on BY boats. Beyond Bercy, suburb of Paris
on the right bank of the Seine, the houses in
the vicinity Of the river are said to be stand
ing in one vast lake of water. Similar
trouble has occurred in Brussels and some of
the streets Of Ghent ore three feet deep in
water. These floods, occurring SO soon after
the disastrous inundations in Italy, suggest