Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-06-04
Congressional Summary.

MAY 27--sSenate: Bills were passed:
To prevent hazing at the Naval Acad-
emy; to reduce duties on imports and
internal taxation; to revise and consol-
idate statutes relating to the District of
Columbia.
The Alabama contested election case
was called up, and pending discussion
thereon the Senate adjourned.
In the House the report of the Ways
and Means committee on the Sanborn
contracts was called up Immediately
after the reading of the journal, AMI ,al-
ter discussion, the bill repeating the
law under which the contracts were
made were passed without objection.
Bills were also passed: providing
that the pay of a deceased member OF
Congress shall be given to his wife or
heirs at law up to the date of election OF
his successor; removing political disa-
bilities of Ra phael Semmes; giving col
ored persons residing within the linn
its of the ChOctaw and Chickasaw ma
tions all the rights enjoyed by those
Indians; fOrbiddiDg any person to
serve as a juror in United States Courts
who cannot read and write the English
language; regulating removal of causes
from State Courts to United States Cir
cult Courts; transferring from State to
Federal Courts cases of seizure of cap
tured and abandoned property.
MAY 2S-After the expiration of the
morning the Spencer-Sykes contest
case was taken up, and by the dis
charge of the committee from its fur
ther consideration Mr.. Spencer was vir-
tually confirmed in possession OF the
seat.
The bill to establish the Territory OF
Pembina was then taken up, and, on a
motion by Mr.. Sargent so to amend
that the vote or hold Office i'm the Ter
ritory should not be restricted on ac.
count of race, color, or sex, an interest
ing discussion ensued, in which, for the
| first time in history, the question of te-
male suffrage had anything like seri.
Gus consideration in the halls of Con-
gress. The amendment was finally
rejected-19 to 27-and the bill was al.
SO rejected by 19 to 20.
| Mr.. Morton made lengthy report
from the Committee on Privileges and
Elections, in response to the resolution
| of March 10, 1873, iDstructing the com.
mittee to examine and report the best
and most practicable mode of eiecting
a President and Vice President, and
providing tribunal to adjust and de.
eide all contested questions connected
herewith.
The House, after passing the bill fol
the relief of Capt. Halls widow, and
sending the currency bill to confer
ence committee, took up the bill fol
the reduction Of the army, and listened
to several speeches, the most elaborate
of which were those by General
Coburn, Chairman of the Military
Committee, and Gen. Banning. Both
warmly favored the proposed reduc
tion, and the former said the passage
of the bill would effect saving to the
Government OF about seven millions.
An evening session was held for the
further consideration, in committee, O1
the tariff bill.
MAY 29.-In the Senate, yesterday
a motion was entered to reconsider
the vote by which the Pembina bill
was defeated on the previous day. A
conference committee on the Currency
bill was agreed to, and MessrS. Morton
Sherman and Merrimon were appoint
ed On it. At o'clock the Senate be
gan the consideration of bills reported
by the Committee on Pensions, anG
several Were disposed of; among them
bills to equalize pensions Of soldiers
and sailors who have been totally dis
abled.
The House, after passing the Army
Reduction bill, resumed consideration
of the Senate amendments to the Leg
islattve, Judicial, and Executive Ap
preparation bill, adopted several, and
sent the balance to committee Of con-
ference, on which Messrs. Garfield
Kellogg, of Connecticut, and Randall
were appointed.
The House then adjourned until
/ Monday.