The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1874-01-28
CONGRESSIONAL.

CONGRESSIONAL.
The senate met at noon, on the 5th,
and the chairman laid before the senate the
report of the secretary of the senate, i'll reply
to a resolution of December II, calling for in
formation as to the amount of compensation
received by senators since the organization of
| the government, which was laid on the table.
House bill to repeal the bankrupt law was re-
ported back with sundrv amendments. and its
passage recommended by the committee. res
OlutiOn was introduced, mstruCting the COM
mittee on civil service and retrenchmemt to in
quiTe into the eXpediency OF reporting a bill,
making reduction of ten per cent. of COM
pensa ion Of all officers for the government
whose salaries exceed one thou aid dollars
per annum, or five dollars per day. Laid over
| House bill to establish the compensation Of
senators, representatives and delegates was
taken up together with amendments repOrte
by the senate committee on civil service and
retrenchment, striking out the first and thicd
sections and substituting therefor sections re-
pealing the act of March 3, 1873, and fixing
the salary as it was prior to the passage of
that act, and further providing that cOmpen-
sation Of the several heads of departments be
eight thousand dollars per annum. A bill was
introduced and referred, to regulate and
facilitate commerce across naVlgable rivers
forming the boundary of states. 1t provides
that all railroad bridges across sucn rivers
shall be declared public highways, and shall be
equally open to the use of every railroad hav-
ing a terminus at or near such bid 5es, upt
payment to the owner of such bridges or ap-
breaches thereto of reasonable compensation,
under Iimita ions and conditions which the bill
in detail prescrbes. The consideration OF the
taIary bill was resumed. An amendment WAS
offered, that the senators, representatives aid
delegates of the folty-third congl esq, who
have received their compensation since
March 4, 1878, at the rate OF $500 per an
nun, shall hereafter be paid in such monthly
instruments as will make the aggregate for
the whole congress rate at $5,0 900 per annum.
Some discussion was had the reon, and without
reaching a vote the senate adjourned.
Thehouse also convened at noon, on the
5th The following bills were introduced and
referred: For the appointment of a committee
of three persons on the subject Of wages and
hours of labor, and division of profits be-
tween labor and capital in the United States,
and the social, eduCati nal and sanitary con-
solidation of the labOring classes, and how the
came are affected by existing laws regulating
commerce, finance and currency; for uniform
system of railroad transportation in the
United States; to provide a uniform currency,
and for the retirement of the national bank
notes and substitution of "a 65-1O0 bonds
to repeal all acts imposing taxation on state
banks and bankers to encourage mechanical
industry. A resolution was passed. instructing
the committee on m litary affairs to in lulre
into the expediency of diminishing the regular
army, and of discontinuing in whole, or in part,
the work of construction and preservation,
and epair OF Notifications, and all other works
of defense, with leave to send for persons and
papers. Also, directing the surgeon-general
of the army to visit towns where the cholera
prevailed during 1878, or such of them as the
surgeon general may deem necessary, and
confer with the health authorities and resident
physicians of such towns, and col ect all facts
of Importance with reference to such epldem-
les and to make detailed report on or before
the first of January, 1875. The committee on
appropriations reported an army appropriation
biIl apuropriating $2S, ,449 GIG, wi ich WAS made
the special order for Tuesday next The house
then resumed the consideration OF the supple
mentary civil rights bill. Mr.. Stephens, OF
Georgia. said that his opposition to the bill
did not spring from pred diudice against any
one on account of race, color, or previous condl-
ton of seryitude. He believed that all men
were created equal but he was opposed to
this measure or to any one kindred TO II, pc
cause of want of necessary power ON the
part Of congress under the constitution. lie
assumed that every member would admit fhat
the powers of congress were specified and Inn
tied. and that all Legislative powers which con-
yress could rightfully exercise, held by dele
cation from tile people of the several states,
and he contended that no new power had been
conferred on congress by either the fourteent
or fifteenth amendment to the constitution.
The proper remedy was in the judgment OF the
courts. to be rendered in such a way as con-
qress NAV provide, declaring any state action
In violation 10 the rights of citizens to be nuIi
and of no effect. He opposed the bill further
because of its inexpediency. Evenlf the pow
ar we're uuquestioned in congress to pass this
law, he thought it would be lnJudlclous ana "
wise to exercise it. 1t would be better to
leave all such matters TO the states. He did
not believe in point of fact the colored people
of Georgia desired it. Their religious and
church organizations, except In case OF the
Catholics, were distinct from those OF the
whites. and they had their own schools, even
to college for colored youths. They did
not desire to have mixed schools. Mr.. Rob
eson. a colored member, followed in
written speech in support of the bill cor
tending that there was no practical freedom
in the southern states for colored people, and
would not be 80 long as the matter was Lett
to the discretion of the several states: Inc
further discussion of the bill was closed by
motion to adjourn.
In the senate, on the 9Th, the bill for
free banking was taken from the table and re-
ferred TO the finance committee. The bill to
repeal the act of March g. 1873, increasing
salaries was taken up. General amendments
were offered, and lengthy discussion ensued.
Adjourned.
In the house, on the 9Th, bill was
introduced for the construction of ship canals
around the Niagara and the mouth of the
Mississippi Also, an amendment to the con-
stftution in relation to the election and appoint
ment of officers; also in relation 10 the suf-
feriug in certain localities in the south, owing
to failure of the crops and directing the sec
retary of war to issue army rations in such
quantities as may be required. debate took
place on the supplementary civil rights bill, and
notice was given of an amendment providing
that the law shall notbe so construed as to re-
quire hotel-keepers to put whites and blaess
into the same rooms or beds, or to feed them
at tue same table or to require that whites
and blacks shall be put into the same room
and class at school, or in the same boxes and
seats in tn theaters, or in the same berths on
steamboats, or other vessels, or in the same
lots in cemeteries. The regular navy appro-
priation BILL which appropriates sic, 500, ,s56.
was made the special order for Thursday.
Hm@zwm
DIVORCES are hardly known in Spain,
for the reason that the husband can find