Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-01-03
XLIIId CONGRESS.
ErNArE.

OF the ranking privilege, intended 70 econo-
mize the expenditures OF the Government,
prevents the general distribution to the people
Of improved field and garden seeds, and also
discourages the distribution Of public dOcu-
ments which afford important information to
the people therefore,
ResolUed That the Postmaster-General be
requested to report for the information of the
Senate: Iirst-What amount Of expense, if
any, has been saved to the Government by the
abolition Of the franhing privilege; Second
How many EMPLOYEES in the mail service, il
any, have been discharged, and how much less,
if anything, is charged by railroads and other
carriers for the mails, since the abolition of the
franking privilege; Third-How much less
appropriation will be required for the postal
service by reason of the abolition Of the said
privilege.
Mr.. Sumner presented petition signed by
citizens of Pennsylvania asking that Congress
take steps to provide for the settlement of
foreign difficulties by system of arbitration.
By Mr.. Clayton-To repeal the tax of ten per
cent. on the circulation of bank notes, to take
effect Jan. l, 1874. Referred to the Committee
on Finance
Among the bills introduced in the Senate
was one by Senator Ingalls, requiring the re-
funding to settlers on the double minimum
lands within railroad grants of all they have
| paid over the sum of S1.23 per acre. and also
| giving homestead settlers on the same class of
lands, who are now restricted to eighty acres of
| land, the right to eighty acres additional. The
bill abolishes all distinction between lands with
in and those outside of railroad grants
Mr.. Davis introduced bill to reimburse the
State of West Virginia, directing the Secretary
| of the Treasury to pay to that State, upon the
order of the Governor of that State, the sum
| of $500, 900, to be applied to the rebuilding of
| bridges, Court-houses, school-houses churches,
| turnpike roads, and other public property in
said State destroyed by Federal troops, by
/ 4, IoAo
The House bill appropriating S4,0OO,OOO for
the navy was passed by vote of 46 yeas to 7
nays
| The Chaplain of the Senate in his opening
prayer alluded to the death of Col Dent, Mrs
| Grants father, invoking the consolation of Di-
vine Providence upon the President and family
| in the hour of affection.
| Mr.. Morrill,, of Vermont from the Committee
on Finance, reported the act amendatory of
| the act to reduce the duties on imports, and to
reduce internal taxes, which provides that
foreign merchandise which arrived at port of
! the United States on OF before the 31st day of
July, 1872 and upon which duties were not
paid prior to Aug. l, of that year, though the
same were not entered or transferred to
| public store or bonded warehouse, shall be en-
| titled to the benefits of the 6th section of the
act of June 6, 1872, the same as such merchan-
| disc would have been entitled to had it actually
| been in a public store or bonded warehouse on
or prior to the 31st of July of that year.
Passed.
Among petitions presented was one allowing
soldiers in the late war bounty and 100 acres
of land.
| Mr.. Morrill, thought the expenditures for
printing by the several departments of the
Government were very heavy and should be
cut down.
HOUSE.
The Speaker laid before the House COM
| 4bo oe
attention to defalcations in the accounts of Gen
eral o. o. Howard, of the Freedmen's Bureau.
At the request of Mr.. Wood, the letter was
read 1t fixes the total amount of defalcations
at $278, 573.66, and states that the Secretary of
| War would have General Howard tried by
military court of inquiry were it not that most
of the matters are barred by the statute of
limitations.
The House in Committee of the Whole. with
Mr.. Tyner in the chair, took up the bill appro-
priating 1000, 900 for extraordinary expenses
of the naval service, and passed it.
After lengthy debate the salary bill was re-
committed to the special Committee, with in
structions to report bill repeating the whole
salary act of the last Congress, so far as csn be
done under the Constitution.
The refusal of the House to second the preYi-
GUS question on the Salary bill by vote of las
nays to 100 yeas, practically rejects the bill for
the salary repeal reported by the special com
|
was by tellers, upon motion for the previous
question.
Bills introduced for the resumption of specie
payment for an additional judicial district in
New York to make Albany port of entry and
delivery; for the issue of convertible bonds
and the reduction of interest on the funded
debt granting pensions to soldiers of the
Mexican war ; granting the franking privilege
to publishers of newspapers for journals mailed
to subscribers within the county, and for eX-
changes, &c. for the construction of the Fort
st. Philip Canal and its maintenance as public
highway to put printing paper, type, &C., on
the free list for the establishment of an iron
ship-building navy yard on the Southern coast;
for reciprocal free trade with Spanish American
possessions ; to substitute the national cur
rency for the national bank currency authori-
zing national banks to withdraw bonds in pro-
portion to their reduction of circulation also
granting pension to the widow of Gen. Candy;
for survey for ship canal from Lake Michi-
gan to the Wabash river.
Mr.. Dawes submitted a resolution for the
adjournment over the holidays from Tuesday.
the 23d of December till Monday the 9TH of
| January.
Mr.. Scofield moved to amend by making it
extend from Friday, the 10Th of December till
Tuesday, the 9th of January.
Mr.. Scoheld's amendment was agreed to by
145 yeas to ia nays, and the resolution, as
amended, was adopted.
Mr. Kelley of Pennsylvania asked leave to
offer the following resolution:
ReSOlUed, That it is the sense of this House
that the taxes which now burden the people
should not be increased but that the extra
ordinary means. if any be required for the sup
port of the Government during the temporary
paralysis of the industries of this country now
prevailing, should be obtained by temporary
loan or loans bearing low rate of interest in
currency and redeemable in United States
notes.
Mr.. Dawes objected, unless the resolution
was referred to the Committee of Ways and
Means.
Mr.. Kelley moved to suspend the rules and
adopt the resolution.
Mr.. Wheeler moved that the House adjourn.
The motion, which was regarded somewhat In
the light of a test vote on Mr.. Kelleys resolu-
tion was agreed to. Yeas, 119; nays, ia.
The House, therefore, at 4:40 P. NJ adi ourned.
The House ordered an inquiry into the Off
cial career of Judge E. II. Durell, of Louisiana.
After the adoption of Mr.. Hurlbuts sub
stitute for the amendments previously offered,
the bill to repeal the salary increase bill was
passed by a vote of 131 to $780, The repeal
fixed the salary of Congressman to $4,000 a
year and travelling expenses. Inc discussion
in the bill was lengthy.
The repeal of the bankruptcy bill being I'M
der consideration, Mr.. Iremaln moved the
| previous question on the third reading of the
bill. The previous question was not seconded
by 70 to 121
Mr. Beck then moved to strike out all after
the first section of the bill, and to insert in lieu
thereof the following:
SEC. Q. That all suits and proceedings now
pending in the courts of the United States
; wherein an adjudication of bankruptcy has
been made shall be proceeded with and govern
, ed by the provisions of existing laws which
are hereby Continued in force only for the pur'
pose of closing up suits and proceedings nov now