Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-04-02
CONGRESSIONAL.

Senate not in session on the 21st. In
the House the bill appropriating $250,000 for
bridge over the eastern branch of the Potomac
River was rejected. A bill was passed appropri-
atng 1897 900 to pay the hoolteachers of the Dis
trict, the amount to be collected by tax on per-
sonal estate and on banks and other corporations
The Georgia contested election case was taken
up and debated :. Adjourned.
In the Senate, on the 23d, a resolution
was presented from the Legislature of Michigan,
and referred, praying Congress to amend the
Postal law so as TO permit the free exchange of
newspapers and their free circulation in counties
where published. IA petition signed by 700 bust
ness men of New York, asking that the volume of
legal tenders be fixed at S400 600 600, and favoring
free banking, was presented and referred. "A
resolution Of the New York Cotton Exchange was
testing against expansion of the currency, and
asking legislation for a speedy return to specie
payment. Other petitions relating TO the cur
rency question were presented. "A bill was
reported from the Committee On Territories,
without amendment, providing for the forma-
ton of Pembina Territory, the new Territory
lies north of the forty-sixth parallel, embrac-
ing of about TOO square miles.
Mr.. Sherman, from the Committee on Finance,
reported bill to provide for the redemption and
reissue of United States notes and for free bank
ing and gave notice that on the Oath he would Of
fer II as substitute for the pending financial bill
to equalize the distribution of the Nationa, Bank
currency "A petition presented and referred
of colored citizens residing in the Indian Terri
tory, setting forth that they deprived of their
civil rights The bill to equalize the distribution
of the currency was taken up and further de-
bated. Adjourned.
In the House, on the 23d, among the
bills introduced and referred were the following:
Respecting the law which forbids the payment
for army supplies etc, to persons not known to
be opposed TO the rebellion; for the relief of
tiers on railway lands; granting lands to Minnesota
to endow an astronomical observatory and
school; authorizing the Washington Cincin-
natl & st. Louis Railway Company TO
extend and construct it's lines into the
District of Columbia and through West Virginia,
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois to st. Louis, and
branch road from some point Of it in Indiana to
Chicago, and giving the guarantee Of the United
States its first mortgage bonds as sections of
the road are completed. :. Bills were passed
appropriating $1,000 for the expenses of the
District Investigating Committee making ap-
preparations for the removal of the Kickapoo and
| other Indians from the borders of Texas and New
! Mexico to the Indian Territory. The Currency
bill was then taken up and amendments, one fix
ing the amount of circulating notes at 1885, DOC, 000
and another at $685., 900 000 were rejected, after
which the bill fixing the amount at 100000
was passednyeas los nays n. The text of the
| bill is as follows: Whereas, the existing I'M
| certainty as to whether the amount of legal
| tender notes now authorized by law to be Kept
in general circulation is $3.50, 600 900 $500 600 009
| is calculated to derange the business of
the country and unsettle values; therefore, be it
enacted, ETC., that the provisions of the law ex-
sting prior to the act approved April II, 1866,
/
means to support the Government approved
| March 3, 1865, be and the same are hereby de-
| clared TO be in force to authorize
| the amount of legal-tender notes of the United
States to be $500, 100000 to be kept in
! general circulation, and the total amount of
United States notes issued or to be issued shall
never exceed $500, 000 0O0.' An amendment was
made TO the Legislative Appropriation bill. provid-
ing that no civil officers of the Government shall
| receive in addition 10 regular salary any COM
pensation perquisite from the Treasury or prop
erty of the United States or shall make any private
use of such property of the labor OF any person
/ in the employment of the United States. .Ad-
| journed.
In the Senate, on the oath, among the
petitions presented and referred was one from
citizens of Indiana and Kentucky, asking that the
law of Congress relative to bridges over the Ohio
River be so amended to require that bridges over
that river shall have 400 feet spans and pivot draw
of 100 feet The bill TO equaZe the distribution
of the currency was laid aside informally, and the
new financial bill reported by Mr.. Sherman from
| the Committee on Finance was taken up and
Mr.. Sherman explained the provisions of the
new bill saving il not satisfactory one, as II
was in the nature of compromise, and while Ii
had the strength Of compromise II also had the
weakness of sTch measure. The committee had
reported in favor of fixing the amount of United
States notes at $3.50 600 000 that being the amount
now outstanding, but he hoped 1t would soon be
practicable to get back TO $3.50, 000,000 and
recover the ground lost by the panic. The 1882,
600 had been fixed upon, not because ii was
the best amodnt, but because 1t was the amount
now in circulation. The time must come when
these notes must be redeemed in coin, and some
thing must be done looking to that end. After
remarks by Messrs. Ferry and Thurman the Sen
ate went into executive session. and soon after
adjourned.
In the House, on the Gath, the minority
resolution in the Georgia contested election case
that Rawls, the sitting member, was entitled to