The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-12-25

tax on various drainage districts is to be levied
for maintaining the levees in repair. The
levees are to be the property of the United
States Adjourned
In the house, on the 9th, bill was
reported to provide for the redemption of the
loan Of 1859. 1t differs somewhat from the
like bill passed by the senate. 1t declares that
for the purpose of redeeming the bonds issued
under the act OF June IA, 1853 it il the pleas
ure OF the United States to pay all coupons
and registered bonds of the loan of 1855 on
the 1st of January, 1874, at which date the
interest thereon shall cease, and it appropri-
ates money to carry out that provision. Tho
sesond section authorizes the secretary of the
treasury to issue an equal amount of five per
cent. bonds in exchange for such bonds Of
1858 as the holders thereof may desire to ex-
change, on or before the 1st of February, 1874
provided no commissions or allowances what
ever DO paid for tile exchange of the bonds.
An amendment to substitute the word "coin"
for "money" was adopted, and the bill was
passed. Considerable sparrlng was lndulged
inon the bill repeating the increase OF salary
law, and the house adjourned without definite
action thereon.
In the senate, on the 10th, several Pc
titions were presented, asking for legislation
to regulate the traffic in alcoholic liquors, which
were referel. A bill was reported to author
ize the organization OF national banks without
circulation; also, authorizing the secretary Of
the treasury to issue the forty-four million re-
| serve fund, and make it part Of the pcrma-
nent circulation. The bill is designed for the
immediate relief Of the stringency and to re-
| store confidence and business activity to the
country. A resolution was offered declaring
| it to be the duty OF congress at the present
| session to adopt measures to strengthen the
public credit, and directing said committee to
| report bill providing for an issue of curren-
cy, at all times redeemable in gold or its equiv
alent. An amendment to the constitution was
submitted, declaring that the United States
should make nothing but gold and silver coin
legal tender for the payment Of public or
| private debts also, directing the secretary OF
| the treasury to communicate to the senate all
| particulars relative 10 the cotton eelzed under
orders Of the department after the close OF
| the war. A resolution was agreed to- direct
| ing the committee on postoiilces and post
roads to consider the eXpediency of providing
| further convenience i'll correspondence known
az letter writer's with one cent stamp, being
| new article OF stationery adapted for let
! ter circular and newspaper wrapper. The sem
ate went into short executive session and ad-
| journed.
In the house, on the 10th, the follow
ngproceedings were had: resolution cog
nizing Cuban Independence was referred !;
also a resolution directing the secretary Of the
treasury to report in detail the cost OF refund
| ing the public debt thus far into five per cent
bonds also, bill to authorize the organiza-
ton OF national banks without circulation ;
also, a resolution for printing 255, 900 copies
of each Of the annual agricultural reports Of
| 1872 and 1873 A bill authorizing the present
| number Of enlisted men Of the navy to be in
creased from $500 to 10, 1000 was amended by
| providing that the temporary increase of force
| should not continue beyond the first OF Jan
uary, 1875, and, after brief war talk, was
passed. A bill appropriating four millions for
| extraordinary evpensea Of the navy was ro
| ferred The house then indulged in its regu-
| lar skirmish on the repeal Of the increase Of
salary bill and adjourned.
In the senate, ON the 18th, the first
| business in orderwas tho election Of n presi-
don't pro tenn, which resulted in tho choice Of
Senator Carpenter, of Wisconsin, over Thur
man. Of Ohio, by vote Of so to 1G. The bill
| to substitute compound interest notes for le-
| gal tender notes were discussed and referred,
4 bill removing the political disabilities Of
Thomas s. Bocock, Of Virginia, Jno Fl. Rea-
gan, Of Texas, and others, passed. number
OF petitions asking for the appointment OF a
commission to regulate the traffic i'll alcoholic
| liquors we're presented and referred also a
| bill to repeal the section Of the bill Of March
3, 1873, forbidding the free transmission Of
| periodicals, magazines and newspapers through
| the United States mails and restoring the
| franking privilege also, a bill extending the
time for the completion OF the St. Paul and
Pacific railroad. A bill was introduced author-
izing from and after April !, 1874 the pay
ment of customs duties one-half in legal ton
der notes and one-half in gold also, n bill
relative to the liquor traffic. 1t provides for
the appointment by the president, with the
consent of the senate, OF five commissioners
| to investigate the alcoholic liquor traffic in
| its economic, criminal, moral and scientific
aspects, in connection with pauperism, crime
social vice, the public health, and the general
welfare OF tho people, and who shall also in
| quire and take testimony AZ to the practical
| results Of license, restrictive and prohibltory
| legislation for the prevention OF intemper-
ance in the several states OF the Union. The
bill to authorize the organization OF national
banks without circulation was taken up, dis
cussed briefly, and laid over. Senate then ad
| journed till Monday.
In the house, on the 18th, resolu-
tion was adopted providing for survey to az
certain tho practicability Of ship canal con-
Meeting Lake Michigan with tho Wabash river
also, instructing the committee on elections
to examine and report the best and most prac.
tcable method Of electing the president, an
providing tribunal to adjust and decide all
contested questions Herewith also directing
the postmaster-genera to report how many
employees OF all grades it will require to carry
on the epostal-savings institutions asrecommen.
ded by him, and that he furnish like infOrma-
ton AZ to the postal Telegraph system. also
recommended, when the same is in full opera
ton. A bill was reported to establish an edu.
cational fund, and to apply the proceeds OF
the sale Of public lands to the educat on OF
the people, II enacts that the net proceeds OF
the sale Of public lands shall be forever con.
secrated and set apart for the education Of the
prople, provided the act shall not r.peal, i'm
pair or suspend any law authorizing pre-emp-
ton or homestead entries, or abridge the pow.
or Of congress over the public domain nor in.
terfere with granting bounty lands to soldiers
and sailors OF the late war. Laid over. The
repeal OF the increase Of salary bill again
came up. Mr.. Stephens, OF Georgia, made a
lengthy speech in opposition, and the house
adjourned without reaching avote.
In the house, on the 18th, the senate
bill removing political disabilities from Thorn.
as J. Babcock, E. J. Harvey and Daniel Trigg
OF Virginia, and John Reagan, OF Texas, was
passed. A resolution was adopted, directing
the secretary OF war to report whether pay.
ments had been made to the Illinois Centra
railroad company, for the transportation Of
troops or supplies Of the United States since
the first OF January, 1866 and requiring like
information as to other roads in aid of whicl
grants have been made. A petition from q
large number of business men all over the
country for the repeal of the bankrupt law wa,
referred. The speaker laid before the house 4
communication form the secretary Of war
calling attention to the defalcations in the ac
counts of Gen. o. o. Howard, Of the freed
mems bureau, whereupon resolution was Of
fered that the letter and accompanying reports
relating to the defalcatiOn, etc Of Gen. How