The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-04-16
XLIIId CONGRESS.


Mr.. johnson, of Virginia, presented petition
OF Fitzhugh Lee for removal of his political
disabilities. Referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary.
Mr.. Ingalls,, OF Kansas. introduced bill to
enable the people of New Mexico to form q
constitution and State Government, and provid-
ing for the admission of the State into the
Union.
The Currency bill was before the Senate, the
question being on the amendment of Mr..
Schurz to strike out " eighty-two " and insert
" fifty-six, 80 that the maximum limit of United
States notes should be 1856, ,000, 900 instead Of
S3S2, 900 900, as reported by the committee; it
was lost by 1S yeas to 40 nays. Mr.. Wright, of
Iowa. moved to strike out the whole of the first
section of the bill after the enactng clause, and
insert that the amount of United States notes
for circulation is hereby fixed at $400 900, 900.
Mr. Wright's amendment was adopted by a
vote of 81 TO 18.
Mr.. Fenton, of N. Y, introduced a bill to
provide for settlement with the Six Nations
of New York Indians of the questions growing
out Of the treaty stipulations with them. Re
ferred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
The amendment to strike out from the cur
rency bill the 1st of January, 1876. as the time
for return to specie payment, was adopted
by vote of 2S yeas to 23 nays Mr.. Scott, of
Pa, moved an amendment for an increase in
the national bank circulation to the extent Of
$40 000, 900, an additional section providing
that on Jan. l. 1877, the Secretary of the
Treasury shall pay on demand at the Offices Of
the Treasurer of the United States and the
Assistant Treasurer, to any holders of United
States notes to the amount of 800 or over, in
exchange for such notes an equal amount Of
coupon or registered bonds of the United
States, in such form as he may prescribe
Rejected, yeas, G; nays 81.
Mr.. Sargent, of California, presented me.
MORALS, signed by 1876 citizens of that State
setting forth the evils arising from the use OF
intoxicating liquors, and asking for Legislation
| to prohibit the sale and manufacture of sucl
| liquors. Referred to the Committee Oh
Finance.
| Mr. Fenton. Of N. Y, presented the memoria
of the recent Convention of Taxpayers OF
South Carolina for relief against misrule and
corruption. Referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary.
Mr.. Ferry, of Mich, from the Finance Com.
mittee, reported favorably on the bill of Mr.
JONES' of Nevada, authorizing the coinage Of 9
twenty-five cent piece of silver at the mints OF
the United States. Placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Morrill,. of VT, moved to strike out, il
the fourth section of the Currency bill, 20 pei
centum as the amount of United States notes
to be retired as additional national bank note
currency is issued, and insert 90 per centum
Rejected-yeas, 20 nays. 81. The question
| recurring on the motion of Mr.. Morton to strike
out the fourth section. it was agreed to-yeas
| %; nays, 27. Mr.. Gordon, of Ga, offered al
amendment providing for free banking, and tC
| give to each State the same amount of circula
ton in proportion to wealth and population q:
the State of Maine now has. A number Of
| amendments were presented and rejected.
HOUSE
Mr.. Thornburgh, Of Tenn. introduced bill
to reduce the army. It proposes to leave the
cavalry and artillery at their present force, but
to reduce the infantry to five regiments.
The House proceeded to vote on tho bill tc
regulate the commerce by railroad among the
several States, and the bill was passed bysyeas
121, nays 116 The bill enacts that all railroad
lines carrying freight and passengers between
different States, whether owned by one OIL
various corporations, shall be regarded as en-
ployed i'll commerce among the several States
and shall be liable for any violation of this act
They are forbidden to charge more than fail
and reasonable rate for the transportation OF
fIeight or passengers: such rate to be ascertain
ed and fixed by Board of Railroad Commits
sioners to be appointed by the President, with
the advice and consent of the Senate. and to be
residents of each of the nine judicial districts
of the United States. They are to be dis
interested persons, and not to have any interest
in the stock or property of any railroad or any
| transportation company. This board Of Rail
| road Commissioners is to institute thorough
investigation and inquiry into the rates and
| toll and compensation charged for transporting
frelghts and passengers over each OF such lines
| of railroad, and INTO the reasonableness there
| of : and is, as soon as practicable after such
| investigation and inquiry, to prepare for the
owners and operators of each of such lines a
| separate schedule of reasonable maximu m
rates of charges for the transportation of pas
| sengers and freight and cars on and over said
| limos respectively. The schedule is to be duly
authenticated by the Board Of Commissioners
and to be printed and kept posted up in each Of
| the offices and depots of such railroad com
pany. corporation, or person. They may from
time to time and so often as circumstances may
require, change and revise schedules, and shal
give notice of such changes or revisions in the
same manner.
Mr.. Poland of Vt, indicated an amendment
which he desired to offer, making it the duty
of the Secretary of the Treasury to retire and
cancel as fast as practicable United States notes
| till their amount is reduced to S3SS,0OO, 900
| and then to allow to the national banks circu
| lating notes without any limit to their circula
| ton. Mr.. Mitchell, of Wis, member of the
| Banking Committee, took the ground that the
! recent financial troubles were not caused by al
| nsuffciency of currency, but on the contrary
| that they would not have occurred if the cur
| rency had been on specie basis. The fac
| that the currency was not at par with golc
| showed that the currency was not only not toe
small, but was excessive. He gave it as his
conviction that instead of increasing the issues
| of legal tender notes, the true remedy was tC
be found in the adoption by Congress of {
| fixed policy for the gradual withdrawal OF those
| notes by funding them into bonds, or by other
| y'se paying and canceling them.
| Bills were introduced and referred, including
| the following:
BY Mr.. Bell, OF Cato refund the taxes
collected from distilers of fruit.
By Mr.. Merriam, of N. Y.-To provide fol
| free banking, and to limit the issue of United
States notes to S400 900, 900.
| Mr. Wheeler, of N. Y, from the Committed
on Commerce. reported back, with amendments
| the Senate bill providing for the payment o.
the bonds of the Louisville and Portland Cana
Company. Mr.. Wheeler offered an amendment
on his own behalf forbidding any payment unit
after the State of Kentucky shall have ceded tC
the United States entire jurisdiction over the
canal and all its property.
Mr. Kelley, of Penn, asked leave to repor
from the Committee on Ways and Means anc
have passed the bill to admit free of duty arti
eles intended for the International Exhibition
of 1876, with provision that any articles solo
or withdrawn for consumption shall be liable
for duties. Objected to, because the wore
| " international" was not struck out and the
word " Centennial substituted
The question being taken on Mr.. Wheeleri
amendment to the Louisville and Portland
Canal Company bill, providing that no none!
shall be paid under this act until Kentuck,
shall have ceded the jurisdiction over the cana
property to the United States, it was agreed t
yeas, 13O nays, 95. The bill as amended
was then Dassed without the yeas and nays.