Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-16
CONGRESSIONAL.
Proposition to Elect the Presi.
dent and Vice President
by Direct Vote Of
the People.
Relief for the Sufferers from the
Rayages of the GrasshOppers.
Holiday Recess from Dec. 20 to
Jan. B.
Select Committees to Visit Vicks-
burg and on Louisiana
and the Southern
States.



WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-Mr. Scott pre-
scented a memorial, setting forth the alleged
unjust discrimination against periodicals
in the new postage law and asking for a
change. Referred.
Mr.. Conkling presented a memorial in
relation 10 the deprecated value Of the
bonds Of the District Of Columbia, and
asked leave to introduce bill, to eonsoli-
date the debt Of the District of Columbia,
and to issue bonds of the United States in
exchange for bonds Of the District The
bill and memorial were referred.
Mr.. Pratt introduced bill limiting the
time In which application for bounty lands
shall be received, and disposing of sus-
pended cases after a certain date. Re
ferred.
Mr.. Wright submitted a joint resolution
proposing certain amendments to the Con-
stitution. Il proposes that the President
and Vice President shall be elected by di-
rect vote of the people, and each hold Office
for six years, and that the President shall
be ineligible to reelection. Every male
citizen over q years, and not convicted OF
an infamous crime, shall have the right to
vote; that the election for President and
Vice President shall be held at the same
time; a majority of all the votes cast shall
elect, but if no one receives majority, an
other election shall be ordered, at which
only the two receiving the largest number
of votes at the previous voting shall be
voted for, and that election returns shall
be canyassed 0y the Supreme Court of the
United States, and certificates issued by
that tribunal. Referred to the Committee
on Civil Service Reform.
Mr.. Wright introduced a resolution in
structing the Judiciary Committee to in
quire into the extent and meaning of the act
Of June %, 1874, entitled, IAN act confer
ring jurisdiction upon the Criminal Court
of the District of Columbia and particu-
larly, whether under or by its provisions,
persons charged with or indicted for libel
or other crime, in said District, can be
brought from State or other place within
Federal jurisdiction, to said District, to
answer therefor.
Mr.. Edmunds said the judiciary Com
mittee did inquire into that subject last
session, aid he did not see the necessity Of
going over the matter again. The views OF
the committee were submitted 70 the Sen
ate at the time the bill passed. If any one
still thought the utterer of malicious SLAM
der outside of the district could be brought
here for tIial, it was not worth while for the
committee to attempt to further enlighten
him.
Mr.. Conkling moved TO amend the resO-
luton by adding the following words:
sand also, whether said act has any appli-
cation to prosecutions or indictments for
the crime Of libel"
The amendment was agreed to and the
resolution adopted as amended.
The consideration of the bill to frame a
new government for the District of Column
bia was resumed and the reading of the
bill concluded. The bill was then laid
aside till tomorrow.
Mr.. Morrill,, of Maine, called up the
House bill reported from the COMMITTEES on
Appropriations yesterday, to continue the
Board of Audit to audit and examine the
unfunded and floating debt of the District
of Columbia. Passed.
The Senate then went into executive ses-
sion, and when the doors were reopened,
Mr.. Spencer, from the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs, reported favorably on Senate
bill to provide for the relief of persons suf-
fering from the rayages Of grasshoppers.
Placed on calendar. The bill author
the President of the United States to issue
temporarily supplies of food, and army
clothing sufficient to prevent starvation and
suffering, TO destitute and helpless persons
living on the western frontier, who have
been rendered so by the ravages of grass
hoppers during the past summer, and appro-
PIRATES $4,000 to carry out the provisions
Of the act. Adjourned.