Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-06-17
FOrty.Third Congress.


pealing the moiety system.
House. The bill to admit Colorado as
a state was passed without debate, 40 TO
65; also, bill authorizing the SECRETARY
of state to print and have promulgated
the revision of the laws.
Gen. Butler moved to suspend the rules
and take up the Senate civil rights bill
from the speakers table and refer it to the
Judiciary committee, with leave to report
at any time, but the motion did not pre-
vail. the vote being 1876 to sc, or II votes
lacking of the necessary two-thirds. These
II votes were cast by those southern re-
publicans who are bitterly opposed to the
passage of the bill.
A motion to suspend the rules and take
up the military committee bill to equalize
the soldiers bounties, giving to all of the
rank and file who served faithfully in the
army, including those borne on the rolls
as slaves, 1888 month for the whole
time of their service, was also defeated,
the motion to suspend the rules not obtain
ing even a majority vote.
The Louisiana contested election case
of Sheridan and Pinchback was taken up.
The majority report of the committee on
elections is that the evidence is not suffi-
cient to establish the right of either Pinch
back or Sheridan, and that they be per-
mitted to take further testimony. The
minority report, signed by Messrs. Lamar
of Miss, Grassland of KY, and Speer of
Pa. is that Sheridan was and PinchDack
not elected as member from that state
at large.
Mr.. Lamar made a strong speech de-
nouncing the Louisiana government.
Sheridan and Pinchback closed the debate
by presenting their claims and the House
adjourned.
TUESDAY. Senate. The District inyes-
tigating committee reported unanimously
a bill to provide for the future government
of the District.
1t proposes to sweep out OF existence
the present government OF which Mir.
Shepherd is the head, and to turn over its
duties temporarily to commission OF three
persons, appointed by the president and
Senate, forbidden to make contracts or IN
eur any but strictly unavoidable obigl-
tions; to place the supervision of repairs
in the hands of an army engineer to be as
signed for the purpose; to create an audit
ING commission, consisting of the first and
second controllers of the treasury, with
full powers; to continue the present sink
inr-fund commission, with the single eX-
ception of Commissioner Shepherd, and to
authorize this commission to issue $50
gold bearing bonds guaranteed by the
United States to appoint joint committee
of two senators and two congressman to
devise new scheme of permanent govern
ment; finally, to levy certain taxes Tor the
reimbursement of the treasury and the
payment of current expenses.
The currency bill from the conference
committee was reported.
House. The Louisiana election case OF
Pinchback and Sheridan was disposed OF
by permitting each contestant to take
more testimony.
The Geneva award bill was taken nj
and Gen. Butler offered Il substitute. The
General was determined to prevent the IN
surance companies from sharing III the
award.
WEDNESDAY. Senate The moietY bill
was discussed and amended 50 that In
formers may share in the sums recovered
where suit was brought before May, 1874
The bill passed 80 to ).
House. The Geneva award bill came up
and Gen Butler continued his attack upor
the insurance companies, and his substl
tute for the Senate bill was finally adopted
1872 to 1Ol. The following tilt took place
as Gen. Butler rose to close the debate
when Mr.. Poland complained that the time
had not been fairly apportioned to the mi
noritv of the committee. and asked ME-
Butler to yield ID minutes to Mr.. Beck o
XIV, but Mr. Butler declined and eN
pressed the opinion that the minority OF tl'
committee had had more tlan their Tan
proportion of the time.
Mr.. Poland--(suavely) Allow me ;
word
Mr.. Butler-(firmly) No, sir; will not
Mr.. Poland-(doubtingly) Are You sur'
you will not?
Mr.. Butler-(positively) | am sure vii
not.
Mr.. Poland-(persistently) Two of tn
four gentlemen who signed the mlnorl!
report are not here.
/ The CATER good deal OF ham
mering) The gentleman from Vernon
! Poland) is not in order. The rules Civ
the gentleman from Massachusetts (Bui
| ler) the floor absolutely.
Mr.. Poland-(perfectly unrutllcd) | IN
endeavoring to appeal to the gentleman
sense of justice.
| Mr. Butler-(bluntly) do not want an
! appeal.
! Mr.. Poland-yieldingly) Well, if tin
gentleman is disposed
Mr. Butler-( determinedly) Well, | M
disposed. Naughter)
Mr.. Poland-iresuming his seaD | hav
/ known the gentleman to report some evl
thoughts.
Mr. Butler (triumphantly.) Mr.. Speak
er, what must be the eNigency of tina
cause, what must be the influence of tn
money contracted in few hands in tn
city of New York, and in the cities of BoS
ton, Philadelphia and Baltimore, that cai
so influence the polite and courteous gen
tleman from Vermont that he violate
every rule of the House, and every courte
sy of debate, and insists on thrusting him
self upon me against my will, and agains
the will of the House, after we have listen
ed for four mortal hours to the claims o
| these insurance companies, presented here
for money out of the people, when the!
have already had two dollars for one, ant
divided among themselves?
THURSDAY. Senate. The conferenc
currency report was quite fully debated.
buCoi VI tiIC Dll1, WI A'iCi wa H''iN'
is that 5 per cent bond will, by the first O
January, 1873, be at par in coin, and tina
the United States notes being convertlbl
into them, will also be at par; that mean
time the United States notes will appre
ciate from their present discount OF par
and that this appreciation will be gentl
and slow. not exceeding 8 1-2 per cent pc
annum, so that specie payment may b
brought without oppression to the debto
class or arrangement of the business o
the country. Should the theory of tn
bill not be realized, Congress will DC Il
session when the time arrives for the con
version of the notes into bonds, and Cal
by Legislation relieve the country or bank
from any contraction, arrangement or evl
resulting from this enactment. The bill
was proposed in the spirit of compromise
having in view such an expansion of tn
currency as may be necessary to meet tn
demands of the country, and at the sam
time bring the currency, by a gradual pro