The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-02-07
CONGRESSIONAL.

900, and also to appropriate 50, 000, 900 for tn
promotion of education in the South, were refer
red resolution to inquire into the condition
of the accounts between the several Pacific rail-
roads and the United States, growing out of tn
provision requiring five per cent of their ne
earnings to be applied annually in payment o
the bonds and interest, was objected to anC
laid over. On motion of Mr.. Conklin, the com
mittee on public buildings was instructed
to inquire into the expediency of abandoning
the present executive mansion and pro
yiding another residence for the President A
bill to require national banks to restore theil
capital when impaired, and to amend the nation
al currency act, was passed. The legislative ap
preparation bill was taken up and discussed
pending which the Senate went into Executive
session and soon after adjourned.
HoUsE-A number of bills were intro.
duced, among them the following: To refund
certain taxes collected on raw cotton exported
for the enlargement of the James and Kanawla
canal declaring Inauguration day legal hol-
lday; Mr.. Butler offered resolution calling
on all the Secretaries of Department to fur
nlsh copies OF all questions propounded to can
didates for appointment to clerkships in their
respective departments. The resolution was
regarded as poking fun at civil service reform,
excited laughter and was adopted. A resolu-
ton to negotiate for Carpenters Emancipa-
ton Proclamation was adopted. A bill was
passed declaring the meaning of the amenda-
tory bankrupt act of June 8, to be. to exempt
from Judgment against bankTupts, the amount
allowed by the constitution AMI laws of each
State respectively as existing in the 1871. The
resolution instructing the committee on Ways
and Means to report forthwith bill refunding
the cotton tax, was rejected-yeas rs, nays 105.
A resolution for committee of three on the
completion of the Washington monument,
was adopted. The Senate amendments to the
House bill abolishing the franking privilege,
| we're taken up and agreed te-ayes 143, nays
80. 1.-THE amendments make it to take effect
July l, 1873, and provide that no allowance for
postage shall be made to Senators and MEM
bers. They also strike out that portion of
House bill providing for an issue of stamps to
cover official correspondence or public docu-
ments, making the bill a pure and simple re-
peal of the franking privilege The bill now
| goes to the President for his signature.1 A
bill repeating, after the 1st of July, 1873, all
| laws for the printing and distribution of pub
lie documents. was rejected-yeas 81, nays 80
| requires a two-thirds vote.1 Pending the
the consideration of a bill providing for the
| appointment by the President of three COM
missioners, to inquire into the general man
agement of railroads engagedin transportation
between the several States, the House ad-
| journed
SENATE, Tuesday, Jan. 28-Vice Pres
ident Colfax asked for the appointment of
committee of Senators to make a more thor
ough investigation into charges alleged against
| him in connection with credit Mobilier Stock.
! Senator Pratt, of Indiana. moved the appoint
ment of such a committee. Senator Thur
man, of Ohio, opposed it, because, if the Vice
President is guilty, it is the duty of the House
of Representatives to impeach him; if innocent
! it is the duty of the House to refrain from i'm
peaching him. Pratt's motion to appoint said
| committee was lost-only Pratt voting in the
affirmative. The amendments of the House
| to the Vienna Exposition bill were concurred
in. Ut appropriates $200,0 The bill is
therefore passed. The legislative appropria-
tioNMPin was then considered, when amend
meffss were adopted requiring that no judg
ment of the Court of Claims should be paid
except to persons whose loyalty had been
proved Also raising the salaries of numerous
executive officers. The Secretary of the Sem
ate was directed to cause statement to be
prepared, showing the action of the Senate
and House of Representatives in examining
and counting the Electoral votes for President
from 1889 down. The chairman of the Com
mittee on Privileges and Elections reported an
amendment to the legislative appropriation
bill raising the salaries of members of Con-
grevs to S., 900 per year. Amendment laid
tie table-yeas So, nays Is. The death of
Hon. John Strong, late representative from
Connecticut was announced, and eulogies
were delivered by Messrs. Buckingham and
Ferry.
HoUsR.-The Senate amendments to
the Indian appropriation bill we're considered
and disposed of. The bill for the admission
O'Clock, when the death of julius S. Strong of
Connecticut was announced and appropriate
eulogies delivered. Adjourned.
SENATE, Wednesday, Jan. 29.--Vice
President Colfax vacated the chair after the
reading of the journal-Mr. Anthony, Presi-
dent pro tenn, presiding. The legislative ap
preparation bill was taken up. The motion to
reconsider the amendment by which the sala-
ries of certain heads of bureaus were increased
from 81, 900 to $4, 900, was lost-yeas II, nays
33-and the salaries are permanently increased
so far as the Senate is concerned. The amend
ment to prohibit the payment of any judgment
of the Court of Claims unless the claimant is
proved to have never given aid or comfort to
the rebellion, came up on a motion to recon-
slider the vote by which it was passed. A mo-
ton to lay the motion to reconsider on the ta-
BILE, was lost. An amendment further reduc-
ing the clerical force in the Post Office Depart
ment in consequence of the abolition of the
franking privilege, was agreed to. The SEN
ate then went into Executive session, and af-
terwards adjourned
HoUsE-The bill for the admission of
Colorado after an animated discussion, was laid
on the tabie-yeas III, nays 61 In the Florida
contested election case, Mr.. Niblack was declar-
ed entitled to the seat and duly qualified. Mr.
Wilson, chairman of the Select committee on
the Union Pacific Railroad and Credit Mobilier
investigation, reported that Joseph B. Stewart |
of Washington, had refused to answer certain |
questions as to the disposition made by him of
a large amount of bonds which had been given |
him in 1864 and 1865 for the arrangement of
pending difficulties with other companies |
After a long discussion it was ordered that
Stewart should be brought before the House !
forthwith to show cause why he should not be |
committed to answer for contempt. Ad- |
journed.
Senate, Jan. 29-Mr. Anthony intro |
duced bill incorporating the Mississippi and |
Ohio Tunnel and Tube Co., with capital of |
ten million dollars. 1.-The bill proposes to con- |
struct tunnels under the Mississippi and Ohio |
rivers, to be used for connecting railways CEN |
tering near their junction. The Legislative |
appropriation bill was resumed. The motion |
to reconsider the vote by which an amendment |
was adopted, prohibiting the payment OF judg- |
ments of the Court of Claims to claimants |
whose loyalty during the rebellion had not |
been proved, was adopted-yeas %, nays 26. |
After the rejection of various amendments, |
the amendment of Morrell, of Vt, prohibiting |
the payment of any judgment awarded by the |
Court of Claims unless the claimant is proved |
to have given aid or comfort to the rebel |
lion, was adopted-yeas 25 nays 23 and the /
legislative appropriation bill was passed Mr.. |
Trumbull opposed the amendment because it
would violate the faith of both the Legislative
and Executive departments of the government.
Adjourned.
HoUsE.-Mr Willard reported from
the Committe on Invalid Pensions bill to
restore to the pension rolls the names of such
pensioners of the war of 1912. were struck
therefrom bv the act of 4th of February, 1862,
for alleged aid and encouragement given to the
rebellion-the pensions to be paid from the
passage of this act. The bill also entities
such persons to the benefit of the act of the
14th of February, 1871, granting pensions to
the survivors of the war of 1872. The bill led |
to a long discussion, and was finally passed. |
Joseph B. Stewart the lawyer who refused to
testify before the Credit Mobilier Committee,
was presented before the bar of the House,
and in answer to a question by the speaker, |
spoke for an hour denying that he was in con-
tempt, but refusing to answer. Thereupon
resolution was adopted, with but one dissent
ing voice, declaring Stewart in contempt of the
House, and Stewart was remanded to the |
custody of the Sergeant-at-arms, to be detained
until the further order of the House, unless he
declared his willingness to appear and answer
before the Committee. The House went into |
Committee of the whole on the fortihcation
bill Then the Committee rose, the bill was
passed. 1t appropriates 50, ,00o Ad-
journed.
An attraction at the Michigan