Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-12-22
FORTY THIRD CONGRESS,
TUESDAY. December p,


| amount of the appropriations necessary. Re
ferred TO Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. Lewis presented memorial of clereYmsn
and others OF the District OF Columbia ask n :
the exc mption of church property in the Dis
| tIict from taxation.
Mr. Pratt introduced bill authorizing Com
missloneTs OF Claims or either of them 10 take
testimony in cases OF over $1,000. Referred 10
Committee on Claims.
THE RESUMPTION BILL,
Mr.. Sherman moved to take NJ the bill re-
ported yesterday from the Financial Conm.t-
tee toresume specie payment.
Mr.. Schurz asked If Mr. sherman iuten ie5
TO bring this bill up for discussion. lie
(Mr. s. had not time even to examine II, "a I
had not been laid on his table till this morn ns.
1t was very essy to resolve to return t. specie
payment, but II wss very difficult mater TO
provide the means Of reaching specie payments.
No one was more anxious than he tor q return
TO specie payments, but such an intricate ques-
tion called for more examination and more dis
custom than the Senator from Ohio ind c ated
was to be the case. lie asked Mr. Sherman
what course lac proposed to take with this bill.
Mr.. Sherman said he intended to press the
OIL TO passage to-day II possible, and if not
to-day to- morrow.
Mr.. Bayard said this bill possesssd a most
attractive title for him, but no could not vote
to take it up after this notice that it was TO be
pressed 10 a passage without allowing any op-
portunity for the discussion OF its provisions
or for any expression of optu:on from the Susi-
ness community, those who were 10 be affected
by It.
Mr.. Thurman also objected to taking up the
ably rushed through. lie had not, as vet, bsvn
able to examine the bill, and he did not know
whether he could approve Of it or not bat rs
did lot thiBk Ii right that the action shoalI Ia
bad on IL before Senators could be properly ac-
quaiuted wi its provisions. He believed II
was possible that a bill could be matGred which
would receive almost the unanimous vote OF III
Senate, but Senators rnust be afforded a far
and reasonable opportunity TO become ac
qualnttd with the provisions of the bill. he
suggested to his colleague not TO DRESS tns hfi
n. N a IL a T..
January for its consideration.
Mr.. Stevenson and Mr.. MeTrimon also aiyo-
e4Isu ihs PIopIiety OF posiponing acton on The
bill until its provisions could be generslI.
understood, sud Senators and the couatrv
understand what the bill really proposed 10 do.
Mr. Schurz, in further urging that no haste
should be made in acting oH the bill, suggested
thft there would be great diff Guilty in Keeping
silver In circulation.
Mr.. Sherman declined to be drawn iuto any
discussion on the merits OF the bill on the motion
TO take mp the bill. He suggested that tGie bill
would he proper Christmas git to make 10 the
people.
MIR. Schurz asked if he really expected t,
pass this bill before the recess in both houses?
Mr.. Sherman saId he did not expect the oil
TO pass the House, but he thought it might pas
the Senate.
The motion to take up was agreed to-syes ~,
noes IS, Mr. Sprague voting in the negatiVs
with the democrats.
The bill was then read at length, and tho
morning hour having expired, the unfinished
business, being the bill to provide ne. form
OF government for
THB DISTRICT OF COLUxBIA
came up, on which Mr.. MerrinOa was entitled
TO the floor.
Mr.. sherman rose 70 make motion to post
pone the unfinished business, but Mr.. Merr mon
refused to give way. Dir. Sherman then gave
notice that as soon as Mr.. Merrim0n concluded
ne would move to proceed with the new finance
bill.
Mr.. Merrmon then entered on an elaborate
argument TO prove that the federal SoveTnmeBr
mad 10 power to confer suffrage, this power, he
held resting solely in the states.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Nj
OBrien (Md) introduced bill to ceimbursa
the state Of Maryland for arms and munitions
OF war taken by the United States during th-
late war. Also. bill 20 compensate Louisa r
Stone, widow Of DIR. Thomas j. Stone, for nedi
cal services rendered by him to United State
troops station d at Leonardtown. Nd, in ISas
and 1868. The compensation asked for il $ 6Ji
hoth hlils were referred TO the COMMITTEES o.
War Claims.
Mr.. Swami (Md.l offered a resolution, which
was referred tn the Committee on Commerce
directing the Secretary of War t1 report the
most feasible route for a ship canal across the
peninsula between the Delaware and Chsss~
peake BAYS, ard to report an estimate of the
cost OF the construction per mile.
On motion OF Mr. Randall (Ps), the Secreta-
rry OF the Interior was directed to send to the
House detailed statement of tne disbursement
OF the contingent fund of his department for the
year ending June 50, 1874, with the names of
the persons TO whom the money was paid; for
mode OF expenditure.
On motion OF Mr. Dawes (Mass), the Post
master General was directed to inform Ii
House II be has in his possession ANY informa
tion or facts relating to the smuggling of mer-
chRndise through the mails.
THE DISTRICT JURIRs.
MI Wilson (lnd.1 moved TO take up and pa~=
the Senate bill relating TO the drawing of iuri.S
in the District Of Columbia.
MIR. Creamer N. " objected, and said n
should continue TO object until the question was
settled whether the courts of this District had
the power to drag people here for trial.
Mr. Wilson explained that the bill was TO serve
temporary purpose; that unless lt was passed
luries could not be drawn and the prisoners in
jail could not be tried.
Mr.. Cresmer withdrew bis objection, and the
bin passed.
ENTERTAINMENT OF THs KING.
Mr.. Garfield (Ohio) asked leave to report from
the Committee on Appropriations a bill appro
rriating SO zoo for the expenses of the enter.
tainmeBt OF King Kalaksus.
MT Hereford (W. Na.) objected, because The
House had never yet ascertained what was done
with the p'Orey appropriated for the entertain
ment Of the japanese embassy.
IRWIN, THR RBCUsANT WITNESS.
Mr. Dawes hlass) presented communica-
toD from DIR. W. p. johnson, attending physi
can, and DR.. A. Y. p. Garnet, consulting phv-
sicisn, certifying that they had made an ex-
animation of Richard b. Irwin, and that his
physical condition was such that he cOuIf not
be brought before the House, and that any ex
cltement would have dangerous effect up0n
him. Dir. Dawes said he had this communica-
| ioH 10 explain WDy the witness not
brought before the bar Of the House forth with
as was directed by the resolution adopted yes
terdsy.
DC.
Mr.. Butler Mass introduced bill to amend
the act for the government OF the District of Co.
lumbia. Referred to the District COMMITTEES
PACIFIC MAIL.
On motion of Mr.. Dawes, the Committee on
Ways and Means was authorized to continue the
investigation of the Pacific nail subsidy, either
by full committee or by sub-committee, in the
city of New York, with the same power and
privileges that they had in Washington.
ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFICE.
MI. McDougall, IN. Y.,) from Committee on
Military Affairs, reported a bill fixing the staff
OF the sdjutant generals Office as follows
One adjutant general, with the rank, &C.. of
brigadier general; two assistants, with the rank
of colonels; four assistants, with the rank of
Lieutenant colonels; and eight assistants, with
the rank of major.
The consideration of the bill was postponed.
On motion of Mr.. Albright, pal Senate bill
suspending so much of she set reorganizing
staff corps Of the army as applies to contract
surgeons was taken up and passed.
MI Foster (Ohio) introduced Q bill to amend
existing internal revenue laws. Referred to
Committee OF Ways and Means.
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
On motion of Mr.. Hale, (Me.,) the House went
into Committee of the Whole on the naval ap-
preparation bill.