Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-12-19
General News Summary.
CONGRESSIONAL.

In the Senate, on the 9th, bills were in
troduced-top provide for the resumption of specie
payments and free banking; to provide for the
transmission of correspondence by telegraph, by
connecting the telegraph with the Postal Service
to arm and equip the whole body militia Of the
United States, appropriating $500OOO annu
ally for that purpose, all arms issued to the
militia to be of the same pattern as adopted fol
the United States army; to provide for the con
structon Of levees on the Mississippi River. :. The
vice President appointed Mr.. AlcOrn member of
the Committee on Mines and Mining, to fill the va
cancy on that committee. Several resolutions oi
inquiry and Instructions to committees were adopt
ed. Adjourned
In the House, on the 9th, bill was re
ported from the Committee of Ways and Means
and, after discussion, passed, providing for the
demption of the loan of 1885, 1t differs somewhat
from a similar bill passed by the Senate. 1t de-
clares that for the purpose of redeeming bonds
issued under the act of June H. 1855 it is the pleas
ure of the United States to pay all coupon and
registered bonds of the loan of 1858 ON the
1st of January, 1874, at which date interest
thereon shall cease and makes an apprOpra-
ton to carry out that provision The sec
ond section authorizes the Secretary of the
Treasury to issue equal amount of five per cent.
bonds in exchange for such bonds of 1858 as the
holders thereof may desire to exchange, on or be-
fore the 1st of February, 1874 4-provided, that no
commissions or allowances whatever be paid for
the exchange of the bonds. IA lengthy discussion
was had on the bill for the repeal of the Increased
bate. Adjourned
In the Senate, on the 10th, petitions
were presented and referred, asking for the ap-
pointment of committee to regulate the traffic in
alcoholic liquors; from the business men of Chica
go, asking for the establishment of branch mint
i'll that city. Bills were introduced,
or reported from committees, authorizing
the Secretary Of the Treasury to issue
$4,000, 90 reserve fund, and make it part of the
permanent circu alton; to authorize the organ
izadOn of National banks without circulation
providing for the free transmission by mail of
newspapers and periodicals, authorizing news
paper exchange to be made free Of postage, as
formerly, and also free transmission of weekly
papers to subscribers within the county where
published. ... The House bill granting general am
nesty was read. Mr.. Sumner objected to the sec
Ond reading of the bill at this time not because he
was opposed to general amnesty, but before 1t be-
came law he desired to secure justice to his col
ored fellow citizens Executive session and ad-
iOurnment
In the House, on the 10th, bill was in
troduced and referred to authorize the organiza-
ton of national banks without circulation. "A
bill was passed. authorizing the present number of
enlisted men of the navy to be increased from
$500 to 10000 this increase not to continue beyond
January T. 1875....A lengthy discussion then en-
sued on the Salary question, when notice was given
that the previous question would be moved at three
O'Clock on the 18th. The Speaker announced the
following committees: On Mississippi Levees-
Morey, Chairman; Hurlbut Stannard, Pierce, Rice,
Randall and Lamar. On Centennial Celebration
and Proposed National Census of 1875-Kelley,
Chairman; Hawley Comm, G. f. Hoar Shanks,
Woodford, Butler (Tenn), Smith (Ohio) Hart,
Clayton, Young, Harris, Stamford.
In the Senate, on the nth, Senators
Matthew H. Carpenter and Allen G. Thurman were
nominated pro tene President of the Senate. The
vote resulted as follows: Carpenter, 80; Thurman,
IS; blank 2. Mr.. Carpenter was declared elected.
A bill was passed removing the political disabill-
ties Of Thomas S. Bocock, of Virginia, John ID
Logan, of Texas, and others. "A number of petl-
tons asking for the appointment of commission
or tOregulate the traffic in alcoholic liquors were
presented and referred. Bills were in
Gp0cof B of N %ardS ISepea 1S forSdd1g Re
free transmission of periodicals, magazines and
newspapers through the United States mails, and
restoring that privilege extending the time for the
completion of the St.Paul & Pacific Railway ;author-
izing, from and after April l. 1874 the payment Of
customs duties in one-haf legal tender notes and
one-half gold; providing 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 sc1en-
tifc aspects, in connection with pauperism, crime,
social vice, public health, and the general welfare
of the people, and who shall also inquire and take
testimony to the practical results of license and
restrictive and prohibitory legislation for the pre-
vention of intemperance in the several States of
the Union. Adjourned to the 10Th.
In the House, on the nth, resolutions
were adOpted-providing for survey TO ascertain
the practicability of ship canal connecting Lake
Michigan with the Wabash River; instructing the
Committee on Elections to examine and report the
best and most practicable method of electing the
adjust and decide all contested questions
Herewith 80. After lengthy dis
cussion on the bill in relation to salaries the House
refused to second the previous question on the
majority bil-yeas, 100; noes, 145-when the mi
nority report came up. and a motion was made to
recommit the bill to the select committee with in
salary act of the last Congress, so far as the
same could be done under the Constitution,
and to ascertain the average amount of salary,
mileage and all other expenses, exclusive
of any estimate of the franking privilege that was
paid to Senators, Representatives and Delegates
in the Forty Congress- and tofix the compensa-
ton at the amount, thus ascertained as nearly as
practicable, with the necessary travelling ex-
penses, and restoring all other salaries as they
were before the passage of the act. Adjourned.
There was no session of the Senate on
the 18th. In the House the Senate bill removing
political disabilities from Thomas S. Bocock, E. j.
Harvey, and Daniel Trigg, of Virginia, and John
r. Egan, of Texas, was passed IA petition was
presented from large number Of business men
all over the country for repeal of the bankruptcy
law. The Speaker laid before the House COM
munication from the Secretary of War calling at
tention TO defalcatons in the accounts of
General o. o. Howard, of the Freed
mems Bureau, and the letter and accom-
panying reports relating to the alleged defacatiens
fairs. ;. The Salary question was then taken up
and debated at considerable length, when it was
ordered that "the Select Committee report bill
repeating the whole salary act, so far as the same
can be done under the Constitution, excepting
judges of the Supreme Court, and ascertain the
average amount of salary mileage, and all other
allowances, exclusive OF any estimate for the use
of the franking privilege, paid to Sena-
tors, Representatives, and delegates in the
Forty-tirst Congress; and report bill determin-
ing the compensation of Senators, Representatives
and delegates in Congress hereafter at the amount
near as practicable thus ascertained, with nee
essary in nividual expenses, and restoring all other
salaries as they were before the passage of that
act.".. The bill appropriating $4,000,000 for the
extraordinary expenses of the naval service was
debated in the Committee of the Whole, reported
to the House and passed. Adj to the 18th.
In the Senate, on the 18th, bills were
introduced-to provide for the construction of
Fort st. Philip Canal and its maintenance as
National public highway; to repeal the tax of ten
per cent on the circulation of bank notes, to take
effect July 1, 1874. report was made from the
Committee on Privileges and Elections, that the
committee had considered the contested election
case of P B. S. Pinchback and General Mcmillan,
claiming seats as Senators from Louisiana, and
were evenly divided The whole matter was re-
ierred sed TO the Senate, and resolution was intro
are iqrna, and he is entitled to seat in the Sen
aee, navlng prSnnd fGcie case. The House bill
10 PROVIDE Ior the redemption of the loan of 1855
maT P"SsTa, Mitn several unimportant amend
menus ;NesoiutIons concerning financial affairs
were debated at considerable length, .Ad-
journed. e
In the House, on the 18th, LARGE num-
Der of bills were introduced and referrod ar,ono
which werefor the better preservation Of the bar.
bors and channels of the lakes; for the ,ssue of
convertible bonds, and reduction of the interest
on the funded debt: to put printing paper. tvne
etc on the free list; authorizing National Ranls
to withdraw their bonds in proportion to the reduc-
ton of their crcuaiion in aid of the execution of
he IF