The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1873-12-31

|
and equip the whole body of militia of th
United States. It provides that $500, O00 /
appropriated annually for that purpose, all th
arms issued to militia to be Of the same pa
tern as adopted for the United States army
H 70 provide pt fon tho construetion. of levees, Q
the mississippi river. 1t authorizes the chic
engineer of the army to have SURVEYS an
drawings made as soon as practicable for tn
location, design and execution of cOmplet
system of leyees for the reclamation of th
Mississippi between Cairo and Belize: the cos
OF the work to be betrayed by issuing an
selling United States bonds from time to tim
as may be necessary not exceeding 1856 900.
900 currency The states benefited are to ced
to the United States all swamp and overf0wet
| lands within their limits, and also other land
embraced within the base of said Ievees. 7
tax on various drainage districts is to be leviet
for maintaining the levees in repair. The
| levees are to be the property of the United
States Adjourned
In the house, on the 9th, a 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 thai
for the purpose of redeeming the bonds issued
| under the act of June IA, 1858, it is the pleas
ure Of the United States to pay all coupons
| and registered bonds of the loan of 1858, on
"
| interest thereon shall cease, and it apprOpri-
ates money to carry out that provision. The
| 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 NAV desire to ex-
change, on or before the 1st of February, 1874,
provided no commissions or allowances what
ever be paid for the exchange of the bonds.
An amendment to substitute the word FcOin''
for "mOney" was adopted, and the bill was
passed. Considerable sparTing was indulged
| 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 referred. 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 perma-
nent circulation. The bills designed for the
immediate relief OF the stringency and to re-
store confidence and business activity to the
country. 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-
alent. An amendment to the constitution was
submitted, declaring that the United States
should make nothing but gold and silver coin
a 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 seized under
orders of the department after the close of
the war. A resolution was agreed to direct
ing the committee on postoffices and post
roads to consider the eXpediency of providing
further convenience in correspondence known
as letter writer's, with one cent stamp, being
a new article of stationery adapted for let
ter circular and newspaper wrapper. The SEN
ate went into short executive session and ad
iourned.
In the house, on the 10th, the follow
ingproceedings were had: A resolutionre cog
nizing Cuban independence was referred !;
also 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, resolution for printing 255,00O copies
of each of the annual agricultural reports of
1879 and 1878. A bill authorizing the present
number of enlisted men of the navy to be in
creased from $500 to 10, 900 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 expenses of the navy was re-
ferred. The house then INDUCED in its regu-
lar skirmish on the repeal of the increase of
salary BILL and adjourned.
In the senate, ON the 11th, the first
business in orderwas the election of a presi-
dent pro te1a., which resulted in the choice of
Senator Carpenter, of Wisconsin, over Thur
man, of Ohio, by vote of 80 to 16. The bill
to substitute compound interest notes for 1e-
gal tender notes were discussed. and referred.
A bill removing the political disabilities of
Thomas s. Bocock, of Virginia, Jno. Fl. Rea-
gan, of Texas, and others, passed. A number
Of petitions asking for the appointment of
commission to regulate the traffic in alcoholic
liquors were presented and referred also
bill to repeal the section of the bill of March
8, 1873, forbidding the free transmission of
periodicals, magazines and Rewspaperst through
the United States mails and EHStoring the
franking privilege; also, bill extending the
time for the completion of the st. Paul and
Pacific railroad. A bill was introduced author
izing, from and after April 1, 1874, the pay
ment of customs duties one-half in legal ten
der notes and one-haf in gold; also bill
relative to the liquor traffic. Ii 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 the people, and who shall also in
quire and take testimony as to the practical
results of license, restrictive and prohibitory
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
hria aAIT o5,I 1ai1
journed till Monday.
In the house, on the 11th, a resolu-
ton was adopted providing for survey to as
certain the practicability of a ship canal con-
Meeting Lake Michigan with the Wabash river;
also, instrueting the committee on elections
to examine and report the best and most prac
ticable method of electing the president, an
providing tribunal to adjust and decide all
contested questions Herewith; also, directing
the postmaster-general 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 as 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. 1t enacts that the net proceeds of
the sale of public lands shall be forever con-
secrated aud set apart for the education Of the
prople, provided the act shall not rspeal, i'm
pair or suspend any law authorizing pre-emp-
tion or homestead entries, or abridge the pow
er 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
lengthy speech in opposition, and the house
adjourned without reaching vote.
In the house, on the 18th, the senate
bill removing political disabilities from Thom-
asJ. Babceck, 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 Central
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 which
grants have been made A petition from
large number of business men all over the
country forthe repeal Of the bankrupt law was
referred. The speaker laid before the house