New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-08
Iican Senators was held at which the Committee to
Revise the Standing Committees was appointed.
OPENING SCENES IN TIE HOUSE.

THEIR FALL. CAMPAIGN WOEK-FOUR NEW MEM
BEERS SWORN IN-MR. PHELPS ATTEMPTS TO
HAVE BILL CONSIDERED FOR THE IMMEDIATE
REPEAL OF TIE PRESS GAG LAW THE READ
ING OF TIE PRESIDENTS MEssAGE-FiyE ArpR0-
PRIATION BILLS REPORTED.
my EiRArI TO TIE TRIBUSEl
WAsuIYGTON Dec. THE customary scenes that
characterize the opening Of session were repeated
in the House. On the ioor the greetings exchanged
by 800 members made a buzz and hustle for an hour
before the Speaker took the chair. that came NJ 70
ito ears of Che crowd and cXpcctant galleries like
the roar Of a torrent. All tn, gallery seats were
filed long before this, and disappointed
spectators surged back and forth from door
to door in the corridors vailly seeking
some chance opening in the living wall. through
which they could wedge themselves. When tho
tumult was stillcd by the Speakers gavcl and the
chaplans eloquent prayer, and the Gull Business OF
Linz Tie roll bee tbc-o was no time t. scan tho
familiar faces OF party leaders ~ see what changes
the months Of struggle for a new lease Of
political Ito had made in them. Mr.. But
l.r loaaed at least five years older and Ead
q trj1e less Of That iIDndont, aggressive
air Of his than formerly. Mr. Dawes appeared
weary ard hagearl as well no mirht. after having
been lracrad about through The CAMPAIGN ct tho
tail of Mr. Bitler's cart, amid The iecrs oad pyinP
scon Of al his friends. MI Garfield was genial and
placid, thinking contcutcdly OF that marvIouSly
faithful constituency which gave him last October
as large Il majority IS he had when first elected IN
1852 william Walter Phelps showed signs OF
hard fghti.g and cf tho disappointment
Of brave man who las lost a well fought field. ~
was easy TO see from Philosopher Scorlds wise and
beniqpapt air that he lad not been in the melee in
which so many good fellows were endorsed. Ellis
II. Roberts looked diqgnstcd but resigned. Mr.
Kelley was apparently thinking of his three sixty
five bond scheme. which he inc zines the elections
signaIly arrr0yed Judge Hoar appeared TO
have kind of grim satisfaction IN
looking around on the thronS Of crest
fallen Republicans. aad NJ Williards face had an
II told Won SO expression. 1t was easy to tell at
dance. who were the reelected Republicans, and
who lad been beaten. Their COuutcnanoe3 toll the
tale. Among the Democrats, Mr.. Beck seemed both
jubilant and bclhserent. Tho vigilant Holman
watched tho proceedings as inteDtly rs II there
mlpht be job concealed in tho innocent roll call
Mr. COx's facowas radiant with good hrmor, and III
marked contrast was that of Alexander Stephens,
who sat near by his parchmeut-hko visage and
wasted frame suggesting the ghost of the dead Re-
bclioA.
After the roll-call four new members were sworn
in to fill vacancies made by death or resignation.
The were Messrs. CHittandcn and Scheli of New
York, Mr.. Finck Of Ohio, and Mr. Carpenter OF
South Carolina. The two formOr take the places Of
Nosyrs Woodford and Ncllish, Mr. Finck that Of
Mr. JoUett and Nr. Carpenter, WHO Is the editor OF
the Republican newspaper ORGAN in Columbia, occu-
pies the seat of the colOre1 orator, Elliott
Who Transferred himself to the more conganial
and prof able field of the South Carolina LeGisit-
tnre. These preliminaries disposed of, and the
usual Committees dispatched to the President and
The Senate Mr. william Walter Phelps got tEc
floor. aad made the first motion Of the session. lie
asked unanimous consent toQnt bill on It's passage
Immediately to amend the Poland Press Cog
Law" Prompt objection oamc from MI
Halo Of Nrw-York and a recess was car
ried to Kill time until the message should
arrive. A few minutes after tho House
roaesenllcd, Gen. Babcoc came in with the mo-
mentous document under his arm. CLERK McPhcr-
son. who only appears at the reading-desi on such
ir,ortort OCCASIONS, read the message with rather
less tlan his usual clocutionary skill For the most
r9rt. the members listened attentiycly Pennsyl-
yaDia Democrat in the front row Of seats put his
feet upon his desk and stuck clrar in Bis mouth
os if 10 show his contempt for tho
document and it3 author, and portiy
New-Jersey Republican went to sleep
in bis chair; but these were exceptional cases. Inc
vigorous paragraphs in favor of specie payments
appeared TO take away the last hope Of the weaker
brethren among tho soft money Republicans and
they listened with melancholy air 10 the re-
m2inder CT the message as if the subsequent pro-
cecdngs interested them no more. But Messr3.
Kelley and Butler only smiled sardOncally.
When the recommendation for an additional tax
of 10 cents gallon on whisky was read, suppressed
litter ran through the House. There appeared to be
something very funny in Grant proposing higher
to rha 81
amused Mr.. Dawes and the civil service clause con-
vulsed Mr. Willard with laughter that nc had hard
wor; to suppress The portion OF the message de-
voted to the South puzzled the members fron that
section. 1t appeared to blow hot and cold, and when
il was finished no one knew what the President
really meant.
After the reading was ended five of the regular
appropriation bills put in in quick succession.
bin to enable the Postmaster-General to buy
scales to weigh tho newspapers mailed under the
new lew was passed Mr.. Cox tried in vain
to have the law modified SO that postage
could be paid at destination, papers sub
scribed for before the new law takes
effect. Just before the motion to adjourn WINS put,
and while Mr.. Butler was calling regular order"
and MI Poland was brandishing his Arkansas re-
port at the Speaker, Mr.. Phelps quietly got in
notice Of intention to move for suspension of the
rules next Monday to pass his Amending bill, thus
getting ahead Of at least so members who meant to
move in the same direction.
THE PROSECUTION OF CLAIMS BY CONGESS-
MEN.
Blit 10 BE INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE BY Mr..
BECK, PROHIBITING CoNGRESsMEN FROM PROSE-
CUTTING CLAIMS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT
DIsAGREEABLE FACTS REGARDING SENATOR
CoNKIING AND GEN. BUTLER TO BROUGHT
OUT IN SUPPORT or TIE MEASURE.
(BY TELEGRAPH TIE TRBUsEl
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7.-Representative Beck has