Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-07
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
TO THE.
---IU THE--
Daily genlsebee 9uuraal.
Congressional Proceedings.
Washington, d. c.. Jan. G.


the committee on Elections to inquire and re-
port whether the recent election of President
and Vice President As conducted in Louis
lana and Arkansas was in accordance with
the laws of the United States, and what con
tests have arisen as to who are electors, and
what measures are necessary to provide for
determination of such contests and to guard
against and determine like contests in the
future, the committee to have power to send
for persons and papers and take testimony
and, if necessary, authorize suitable disin.
terested and unprejudices persons not resi-.
dent in either of the State, to take such ties.
timony as material in the determination OF
any pending contest growing on. of the cleo
ton.
Mr.. West objected 10 the present consid-
Grafton of the resolution. He wanted time to
discuss it.
The resolution ives laid over, and MI
Sherman gave notice that he wsuld call it up
tomorrow.
Mr.. Trumbull offered a resolution direct
ing the Secretary of the Treasury to inform
the Senate whether any allowance at any
time was made to disbnrsing officers of the
navy. Adopted.
Mr.. Morton offered resolution directing
the committee on elections to examine and
report at the next session upon the best and
most practicable mode of the electng of Pres.
ident aud Vice President and of providing q
tribunal to adjust and decide all contested
questions committed Herewith. The order
was printed, and Mr.. Morton announced that
he would soon call it up and submit some re-
marks.
Mr.. Edmunds' resolution, asking the Secre.
tary of War TO communicate the information
in his possession as to the expenditure in sup
SING Ip1iop bnsti1ttiac in Nacbon
tory and Oregon, was agreed to.
Mr.. Scott offered resolution which was
adopted. directing the Committee on finance
to inquire whether the Secretary of the
Treasury has power under the existing law to
issue United States notes in lieu of the Al =
900, 600 notes cancelled under the act OF 1866
resolution was adopted directing the Ju-
dietary Committee to inquire into the pro-
priety Of repeating the National Bankrupt
Law from and after January LIST, 1873, ard
providing for the immediate repeal of so
much of said act as relates to involuntary
bankruptcy.
On motion of MIR. Stewart, the question
pending since the last session, of referring the
Goat Island bill, was taken up.
Mr.. Stewart accepted Mr.. Coles amend
ment referring the bill to the Committee on
Military Affairs, and it was so referred.
AR. Pratt introduced bill ceding to the
several States within which they respectively
lie, the beds of surveyed lakes and other bod
les of water.
Mr. Ferry of Michigan, introduced a bill to
set apart portion of the Island of Mackinac
as National park.
The Georgia disability bill came up as IN
finished business, but was laid aside, and the
Indian appropriation bill considered. The
amount appropriated is S5,434, lG5 S9l7,-
997 dollars less than last year.
When the item appropriation, 5000, 900 for
the Sioux Indians was reached, Mr. Harlan
read communication from the acting Secre-
tary of the Interior, setting forth the sources
Of information about the Steton Sioux, and
stated that in view of the recent charges in
the newspapers that no such Indians existed
an order had been issued on the eth ult. pro-
hibitng the auditing of all alleged disburse-
nents for the benefit of said Tribe until fur
Their notice. The communication was accom-
panied Ivy a statement of the disbursements
for the ''Steton Sioux" during the past year
Mr.. Thurman said that the question was,
whether any such Tribe now exists.
Mr.. Windam said that the same Tribe of
Indians, with whom treaties have been made
on two occasions, as the "Steton Sioux" and
who had been so described by Messrs. Lewis
and Clark, Irving in his Astoria, and by 9TH
ers. did still exist, but there might be some
question as TO whether that was their proper
name.
Mr.. Thurman was astoRished that there
should be any doubt whatever about the ex-
istence Of a Tribe to whom we were giving
money.
Mr.. Windam said that OF $500, 900 appro-
priated for the "Steton Sioux" only $500
had boon expended, leaving a balance of
about 100000 unexpended, which would
hardly have been left if the appropriation had
been fraudulently procured.
On motion of Mr.. Logan, an amendment
was adopted prohibiting the sale of arms or
ammunition TO Indians in the neighborhood of
Fort Peck, which Mr.. Logan said was not a
United States Fort, at all, but merely priv
ate trading post.
The appropriation was agreed TO, and at
4 Is Z. NJ the Senate went into executive
session. Adjourned.
A large number of bills were introduced
and referred.
After discussion, the House ordered open
session of the credit mobler Investigating
commttee-l30 to II.
Mr.. Lynch of Maine offered a joint reso-
luton proposing an amendment to the Con-
ton Of President and Vice President directly
by the people. The house refused to second
the previous question and the resolution went
over till next Monday.
Mr. Parker of n. IL, offered a resolution
for taxation at one per cent annually of [.
:. bonds and other securities not exempt by
law from taxation by the L. S. The house
refused to second the previous queston5l
TO 1l-and the resolution went over till next
Monday.
Mr. Frye OF Me. offered resolution for
public sessions Of the credit mobiier inyest-
eating committee.
The Speaker then submitted a memorial Of
John b. Alley, which was read. 1t repre-
sents that great injustice is being done to
members OF the House rs we'll as to witnesses
in the case, in consequence of the investiga-
ton being conducted with closed doors. 1t
states that he was accosted at the Fifth Ave-
nue. Hotel by an excited individual who had
been reading what p~rportcd to be his
(Alley's) testimony in full in the Sun and
who threatened him (Alley) with personal
violence for his statement about him. On
the suggestion that the publication was not
authentic but an entire fabrication the excited
individual made all proper apology and
visited his dencnciation on the editor OF that