The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-12-16
FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
WAsHINeToN, December Is.
SENATE.

| WAsHINGToN, December l5.
SENATE.
Mr.. Conklin presented memorial in
relation to the deprecated valse of the
bonds Of the District of Columbia, and
asked leave to introduce bill to consoli-
date the debt of the District Of Columbia
and to issue bonds of the United States
in exchange for the bonds of the district.
Bill and memorial referred.
Mr.. Davis gave notice that, after the
expiration of the morning hour to- NOR
row, he would call up his resolution Of
last week relating to defaulters.
Amendments 10 the Constitution.
Mr. Wright submitted joint resOlu-
tion proposing certain amendments to
the Constitution. 1t proposes that the
President and Vice President shall be
elected by direct vote of the people,
and each hold office for six years; that
the President shall be ineligible to re-
election; that every male citizen over Il
years of age, and not convicted Of inia-
nous crimes, shall have right to vote;
that the election for President and Vice
President shall be held ut the same time,
and majority of all the votes cast shall
elect, but if no one receives majority,
another election shall be ordered Mt
which the only two receiving the largest
number of votes ut the previous voting,
shall be voted for, and that the election
returns shall be canva,sed Uy the Su
premc Court of the United States, and II
certificate issued by that tribunal. Re-
ferred to the Committee on Civil Service
Reform.
Mr.. Wright introduced resolution
instructng the judiciary Committee to
inquire into the extent Of the meaning Of
the act passed June %, 1874. entitled:
"An Act comforting jurisdiction upon the
Criminal Court of the District of Colum-
bia." And particularly whether under
or by its provisions, II person charged or
indicted for libel or other crime in said
District, can be brought from II State
or other place within federal jurisdiction,
to said District to be tried therefor
MIR. Edmunds said the Judiciary Com
mittee did inquire into that subject last
session and hc did not see the necessity
of going over the matter again. The
views of the committee were submitted
to the Senate ut the time the bill passed,
and if any one still thought the utterer
of the malicious Slandcr outside OF the
district could be brought here for trial,
it was not worth while for the committee
to attempt further enlightenment.
Mr.. Conkling moved to amend the
resolution bv adding the following words,
"and also whether said act has any appli-
cation to prosecution or indictment for
the crime of libel The amendment was
agreed to and the resolution adopted aS
amended.
Mr.. Morton submitted IA resolution in
strueting the Committee on Rules to i'll
quire into the cxpedicncy of amending
the rules So As to abolish the useless for
mality of Senators asking permission to
introducc bill without giving previous
notice, BY which much time was consum.
ed and the journal cncumbered
Mr.%Edmunds objected to the words
'uscless formality.' lie knew of one oc-
casion when it had been anything but
useless formalty, and that was when the
Senator from Kentucky Mr.. McCrecry
ASKED leaNc W IIllI OLuSC uIiI HI'N iuihb
for the removal of the bones Of our sol
diers from Arlington, but failed to OBJ
tain such leave.
Mr.. Morton said he did not wish to
alter the rule, but merely to obviate un-
necessary rcpetitions in the journal.
The word ''useless' was struck out and
the resolution adopted.
The consideration of the bill to frame
a new government for the District of
Columbia, was resumed and the reading
of the bill concluded. The bill was then
laid aside until tomorrow.
Mr.. Morrill,, of Maine, called up House
bill reported from the Committee on Ap-
preparations 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
session.
When the doors were reopened Mr..
Spencer, from the Committee on Military
Affairs, reported favorably on the Senate
bill to provide for the relief of persons
suffering from the ravages "f grasshop-
per. Placed on the calendar
The bill authorizes the President of
the United States to issue temporary
supplies of food and disused army cloth
ing sufficient to prevent starvation and
suffering. to the destitute and helpless
persons living on the western frontier,
who have been rendered 50 by the rava-
ges o: the grasshoppers during the past
sumner and approprates 100000 to
carry out the provisions of the act. Ad.
jouned.