Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-02-27
CONGRESSIONAL.

CONGRESSIONAL.
la the House, on the 10th, a large
number of bills were introduced and referred,
| among them one for the redemption of United
| States notes in coin and after May 1, 1874.
| The Senate bill appropriating s20O,oOO for Gov
| eminent building at Grand Rapids, Mich, was
| passed.
| In the Senate, on the 18th, bills were
passed-to continue the Southern Claims Com
mission; authorizing the Secretary of War to
| have monument erected at Salisbury n. c., to
| the Union soldiers who died there in prison;
| granting right of way over public lands to the
Denver. Georgetown d Utah Railroad Company,
| and the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad
| Company. Colorado; to remit the excise tax upon
alcohol used by universities and colleges for scien
| tifc purposes; amendatory of the act to promote
| the development of the mining resources of the
| United States extending the time when the first
annual expenditure on mining claims may be
made until June 10, 1874.
| In the House, on the 9Th, bills were
passed-senate bill appropriating $4,000 for the
| Government building at Covington, Ky; to re-
arrange the judicial districts Of Mississippi ap-
propriating So, 1913 to pay W. ". Hubbel for the
| use of several millions of his patent fuses for
navy shells for rfed cannon, etc, during the war
and for transfer of his patents TO the Government
- large number of private bills were also
| passed.
| In the Senate, on the 10th, Mr.. Pome-
| roy to personal explanation, denying every
statement affecting his integrity. He pronounced
all the allegations made against him specifically
| false He had never entered into any agreement
| with any member of the Kansas Legislature, and
| had never paid one dollar to any member to vote
for him He asked for special committee, com
posed largely of his political opponents, to inves
| tgate in the fullest and promptest man.
ner all the charges against him, and offered
olution to that effect, which was adopted. The
| Vice-President appointed as such committee,
Messrs. Frelinghuysen, Buckingham, Acorn,
| Thurman and Nickers "A letter was submitted
| from Mr. Wilson. of Massachusetts,. announcing
| his resignation as Senator, to take effect at the
end of this Congress. Bills were passed
House bill to provide for the appointment
of a commission to complete the boundary line
between the territory of the United States and
the possessions of Great Britain not completed
under act of January II, 1856 to carry into effect
the first article of its treaty of June IS 1916: the
Alabama Claims bill, providing for the distribution
of the Geneva award. Several bills were intro
duced and others reported from committees. IA
resolution was adopted that select committee be
appointed to consider the testimony transmitted by
the House affecting certain Senators, with leave to
sit during the session of the Senate.
In the House, on the 18th, among the
bills passed were-authorizing the President to
negotiate for the cession Of portion of the Creek
reservation to the Seminole and Sac Indians; to
pay the heirs of George c. Bestar, of Peoria,
S25, 900, for losses in constructing an lron-Clad
steamer; authorizing the building of the Montana
& Wyoming Railroad; Army bill, appropriatng
s5l,31l 953 The River and Harbor bill
approprating S5,507, 400, reported "A num-
Der of bills We're introduced and referred The
bill further amending the postal laws, making let
ter postage after July /, two cents, was reported,
and an amendment was adopted striking out the
words actually and wholly from the section
lating to weekly newspapers, so that it will not
clude those country weekly papers having a por-
ton of their editions printed in large cities. Other
amendments were made, and the bill passed
as amended. Itprovides:
SEC. /. That on and after the first day of July
which is W or rt1y
in writing except book, magazine and newspaper
manuscripts and corrected proofs passing between
authors and publishers, and excepting also CORE
spondence or postal cards, on all printed matter
which is so marked as to convey any other or fur
Their information than is conveyed by original
print, except correction of mere typographical
errors, all matter which is sent in violation of
law or regulation OF the Department respecting
inclosures and en- all matter to which specific
rate Of postage is asst ned, postage shall be
charged at q Of two cents for each half ounce
fraction thereof, and this provision shall include
all letters commonly known as drop, or local let
ters delivered through post-offices or their car
riers; and magazine manuscripts and newspaper
manuscripts are hereby declared to belong to the
| third class of mailable matter.
SEC ,. That from and after the first day of Janu-
airy next, under such regulations and in such man
ner the Postmaster General shall prescribe post
age provided by law to be paid upon printed mat
ter mailable matter of the second class shall in
all cases be prepaid and collected at the offices re-
spectively where such matter shall be mailed and
| the postage on daily newspapers not exceeding
and collected at the rate of fifteen cents per quar-
ter: PtOCided, that weekly newspapers within the
respective counties where the same are printed
and published, and none other, may pass through
the mails free of postage provided in the eighth
clause of section asa of the act to revise consoli-
| date and amend the statutes relating to the post
| office department.
SEC. g. That any person who shall take any let
ter postal card or packet ont of any postoffice or
branch post-ottice, or from any letter mailcar-
rier, or which has been in any postofce or branch
post office or in the custody of any letter or mail
carrier, before it shall have been delivered to the
person to whom it directed, with the design to
obstruct correspondence or pry into the business
or secrets Of another shall secrete embezze or
destroy the same, shall, conviction thereof for
every such ofense forfeit and pay penalty moi
exceeding $500. or be imprisoned at hard labor NOT
exceeding one year, or both, at the discretion of
the court.
In the Senate, on the 18th, a bill was
passed to amend the act providing for holdino
United States Circuit Courts in the Western Dis.
trict of Missouri.
In the House, on the 18th, the Senate
amendments to the bill making provision for the
Vienna Exposition were concurred in A bill
passed changing the time of holding United
States Courts in Minnesota.
THE ELECTORAL VOTE
The Senate and House met in Joint convention
on the 18th for the purpose of cOnutino III. a.