The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-12-31
WASHINGTON MATTERS.
Senate

Senate.
Among the bills introduced into the Senate
was one fixing the salary Of the President OF the
United States bill relative to national cur
rency and one providing for the construction
of United States government telegraph lines
between Washington and Boston.
A remonstrance Of the type founders of the
United States against modification OF the re-
ciprocity treaty, 80 far as it relates to type and
type metal, was presented.
A few changes only we're made in the Senate
standing committees
Memorials were presented from lumbermen
protesting against the proposed reciprocity
treaty with Canada.
The Senate passed the bill appropriating
$50, 900 for the purchase of scales for the post
office, as amended by the House
The Senate agreed to conference asked for
by the House on the Tariff bill, and referred to
the Judiciary Committee a resolution offered by
Senator Morton directing the Attorney-General
to take writ of error to the Supreme Court of
the United States from the decision Of the
Supreme Court of Indiana denying coored
children the right to attend public schools
Memorials for reducing the salary of the Presi-
dent to S25, 900 year were read.
The Senate adopted a resolution instructng
the Judiciary Committee to inquire into the
Jurisdiction of the Press-gag law, and passed
the House bill continuing in Office the Board OF
Audit of the District of Columbia.
A joint resolution was presented making the
and by the people, the officers to hold their
places six years. bill authorizing the presi-
dent of the United States to issue temporarily
supplies of food and disused army clothing sul1i-
cient to prevent starvation and suffering to
destitute and helpless persons living on the
Western frontier who have been rendered 30 by
the ravages of grasshoppers during the past
summer, and appropriating 100000 to carry
out the provisions of the act.
House.
/ Bills were introduced as follows To reduce
/ the allowance to bank examiners to amend the
! National Banking act; to substitute United
States notes for the issues of national banks :;
fixing rates of duties on imported merchandise {;
to prohibit Senators, Representatives. and Dele
| gates in Congress from acting as counsel or
| otherwise i'll suits or proceedings against the
| United States-passed without opposition to
restore the duty of ten per cent. on certain
manufactures of cotton, wood, iron, paper, glass,
leather, etc a bill in favor of free banking
to repeal the acts requiring stamps on bank
checks, etc. ; to regulate elections III certain
Southern States repeating the increase OF the
Presidents salary; to reduce the Presidents
salary.
Mr. Randall, Of Penn, arraigned the state
ment of the President i'll his annual message as
to the debt of the District of Columbia, and as
serted that instead of its being only Sli, ,000, ,000
it was actually over S20, GOO 600. Tins was de-
MED by other members aud by the delegate
from the District.
An investigation of tie books of the late
Freedmen's Bank was ordered.
Mr.. SGowell denied the charge of having sole
a naval cadetship and demanded all investiga
ton the Diplomatic and Consular Appropria
ton bill was reported the debate of the 3.6'
Convertible Bond bill was resumed, and argu
ments i'll opposition to the measure were made
by Messrs. Dawes, Phelps and Smith thI
speaker announced various appointments to I'll
vacancies in committees. The Committee Oh
Ways and Means have summoned witnesses
from New York to testify as to the alleged us,
; of improper influences by the Pacific Mai
Company to obtain subsidy from Congress.
MIR. Orr, of Iowa, reported the bill allowln;
homestead and pre-emption settlers i'll Iowa
Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas whose crop
; were destroyed or injured by grasshoppers II
1874, to be absent from their lands until May
1876, without prejudice to their rights. Passed
Mr.. Garfield made personal explanation
! Mr.. Dawes explained regarding the Pacific Mai
investigation, and at his suggestion an orde
was issued for the arrest of the witness Irwil
for contempt.
: The House adopted resolution for the ap
pontment of committee to proceed to Nicks
: burg to investigate the troubles there. refuse
to pass a resolution for an inquiry into tn
prosecution OF the so-called safe-burglary con
: spiritors, and referred the bill to repeal tn
press-gag law to the Judiciary Committee, witt
, leave to report at any time. Bills were intro
. duced to repeal all acts requiring stamps o.
checks ; for free banking and to withdraw legal
/ tender notes reducing letter postage to on
cent to amend the Constitution concerning tn
, official term of the President for the relief q
= the Southern States by the compromise an
settlement of their debts for commission t
7 investigate the political and legal condition c
I the Southern States to repeal the law requirin
g the prepayment of newspaper portage.
The House holiday was voted for Decembe
81 to January 9Th.
The Speaker announced the appointment {
the following committees Select COmmitte
: to visit Nicksburg Miss.-Messrs. Conger, {
$ Mich, Hurlbmt, of ILL.,, Williams, of Wis
Speer, of Penn, and O'Brien of Nd. Sele,
Committee on Louisiana and the Souther
States.-Messrs. G. I. Hoar, of Mass Wheele
: of \. j.. Robinson, of ILL.,, and Potter. OF n. Y
e Items.
The bills relative to the Presidents salary, il
1 troduced into the Senate and House, propOt
q to reduce the salary to S25,00O
a The bill passed by the House to prevent men
berE of Congress from acting as counsel in sui
: against the United States, and making it a pen
? oflense for such acts, was passed by the l1ou,
o without opposition.
d The bill for free banking introduced into ii
Il House of Representatives by Mr.. Merriam,
il New York, proposes that ali laws and parts
\ laws limiting the circulation under the Nation
y Bank act are hereby repealed.
= The bill introduced in the House reducing Il
Presidents salary to 525, 200 applies to the ne
( President only-it cannot apply to the presel
V incumbent.