The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-05-17
CONGRESSIONAL summary.

| ard Pacific Railway company, anS
| making provision as to issuing mort
gase and land grant bonds, etc. A bill
prepared by the Commissioners of tn
Centennial Celebration of the Declare
ton of Independence, to be held a
Philadelphia, was introduced, incor
porating company for the erection o
exposition buildings, etc. 1t was re
| ferred TO the Committee on Foreigl
Affair, with instructions to report a
incorrorators the names Oftwo persons
from each Congressional District, fou
from each State at large, aud two from
each Territory. go 49,
| APRIL 80. - Senate. The Houst
amendments to the Texas Pacific Rail
road Bill, were concurred in. The
President was authorized to appoint
commission TO inquire into the depre'
dations committed by Indians anu
Mexicans on the frontiers Of Texas
Consideration of tho Deficiency Bill
was resumed, and, after q few unim-
portant amendments, passed. The bill
to remove the duties on tea aud coffee
were passed. 1t provides that on and
after July 1 next, tea and coffee shall
be placed on the free list, and no
further import duty shall be collected
from the same. All tea and coffee
which may be in public stores or bond
ed warehouses on said LIST ofJuly, shall
be subject to no duty on entry thereof
for consumption, and all tea and coffee
remaining in said stores on the lst OF
July, on which duties shall have been
paid, shall be entitled to refund of
duties paid.
Discussion Of the Tariff Bill
was resumed, but no important action
taken. A bill was passed providing
for the issue of United States bonds in
all cases where bonds were destroyed
or defaced without default on the part
of the owners, under such rules and re-
strictions at the Secretary ofthe Treas
ury may prescribe. x
= MAY Senate.-A bill was passed
repeating the provisions Of the Army
Appropriation Atcs d 1s72Iprohibit-
ing promotions in the staff Of the
army. The Naval Appropriation Bill
passed, with an amendment that the
pay Of the Chief Engineers in the navy
for the next fiscal year shall be the
same as that now fixed by law for
Naval Constructors.
House. Bills were passed as follows:
Regulating the mode ofmaking private
contracts with the Indians. To au-
thorize the United States Circuit Court
for Kansas to make partition of the
reservation of Miami Indians. To
provide for the sale of certain Indian
lands i'm Kansas. To provide for the
removal of the Kansas Tribe Of Indians
to the Indian Territory, and to dispose
of their lands in Kansas to actual set
tiers only. The Tariff Bill was de-
bated till adjournment.
MAY 2.-Senate.-Mr. Sumner pre-
sented a remonstrance of Wendell
Phillips and other citizens of Ma>sa-
chuset.s, against the repeal of the eight
hour law, and stated that he was in
full accord with the remonstrance.
Various local bills were introduced,
but no action taken.
Hoase.-The bill for the distribution
of 1 600 breech loading rifles and 2oo,-
900 cartridges to settlers i'm exposed
localities of Montana passed. The bill
OF the organization of the Indian Ter
ritory of Oklahama was postponed till
next December. Bills were passed for
removal of the Flathead and other
Indians from Bitter Root Valley, Mon
tana, to the regular Indian Reserva-.
ton Fin Montana; to confirm to the
Great and Little Usage Indians tho re-
servation of the Indian Territory; to
abolish bridal relations OF the Miami
Indians in two years, after which indi-
yidual members Of the tribe to be citi-
zens Of the United States.
MAY 3.-Sendte.-The Committee on
Pensions reported bill increasing by
twenty per cent. the present rates OF
pension to those persons permanently
disabled by the loss of bOthe eyes or two
limbs, and also those permanently and
totally disabled from manual labor by
the less of one hand or one foot. The
pending question on the Post-office
Bill was on the amend
ment increasing the Pacific mail sub
sidy to one million dollars. The amend
ment was discussed at length, and
amended SO as to authorize the Post
master-General to contract with the
lowest bidder for carrying an additional
monthly mail for ten years from the LIST
of October, 1873, at a compensation not
to exceed the rate per voyage now paid
under the existing contracts. 1t was
then adopted. eg a.
Ho,se.-The day was spent in dis
cussion on the tariff. go =
MAY 4.-Sendte.-Sumner's bill for
mixed schools was taken up, and OPP
posed by Mr.. Bayard, as utterly un-
necessary and uncalled for, and opposed
by the people chiefly to be affected by
it. He said Charity does not demand
it. Justice either to the black or white
does not demand it. 1t is as unjust as
it is uncalled for. 1t is a mere act of
visionary zeal. He believed that this
mixture of the two races would be
frolght with great evil to the weaker
raos and it would be most injurious to
society. The Postoffice Appropria-
ton Bill was afterwards under consid-
Grafton.
House.-The debate on the tariff
consumed the day.
MAY g. Sendte.-Sumner talked
mixed schools during the morning
hour.
The Postoflice Appropriation bill
was resumed, and a million acres adj
ditional subsidy:given the Pacific mail
A