Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-03-12
CONGRESSIONAL.

In the House, majority report was made
from the Committee on Elections in the Georgia
contested election case. that Raves, the sitting
member, Is not entitled to a seat, and that Sloan
the contestant is. minority report was also
made, taking adverse position. Several re-
ports of committees were made of a private
nature. after which speeches were made in Com
mittee Of the Whole, on various subjects. .Ad-
| journed.
| In the Senate, on the I'd, a resolution
| of the Chicago Merchants Exchange against any
! further issue of paper money was presented and
referred as also petitions ofseveral thousand
business men of Chicago asking for increase in
the volume of the paper currency The bill to
| extend the time for completing the Wisconsin
| Central Railway was passed. Several resolu-
| lions of State Legislatures were presented an
! referred Bills were introduced authorizing the
Secretary of the Interior to use, for the benefit of
the Great and Little Usage Indians in Kansas
100000 per annum for four years, out of the
proceeds of the sale of their lands; relating to the
| Central branch of the Union Pacific Rail-
| way. . The bill in regard to the appoint
ment of a Commission to investigate into the
| alcoholic liquor traffic was taken up and debated
after which the House bill in regard to the Cen
amendment was offered and discussed to strike
out the provision authorizing the President
in the name of the United States, 10 ex-
tend respectful and cordial invitation to the Gov
ernments of other nations to be represented and
take part in the International Exposition and in
sert therefor provision authorizing the President
to extend respectful and cordial invitation to the
Governor of each OF the United States 10 be pres
ent and take part in the National Exhibition to be
held at Philadelphia, ETC.. Executive session and
adjournment.
In the House, on the I'd, several bills
were introduced and referred, among which were
the following: To give fexibiity to the currency
without expansion; to legalize the issue of the re-
serve Of S440OO,000, and to make the same avaia-
bic for times of extraordinary financial pressure;
granting the right of way to the Wisconsin Central
and the Wisconsin Valley Railways; for the ad-
mission of Utah into the Union as State to ena-
bic members of Congress to do public business
with their constituents and other departments of
the Government, and to limit the Thanking prlvi-
lege to certain newspapers Several resolutions
of State Legislatures were presented and referred
"A bill was passed extending to unnaturalized
enlisted men of the navy and marine corps
the same privileges as to obtaining citizenship
as unnaturalized enlisted men of the army
now have motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill authorizing, weekly
the county of their publication and exchanges
between publishers to be transmitted in the mails
free of postage was defeated-61 to 95....A reso-
luton was adopted advising the heads of depart
ments and the officers of the House that it
is the sense of the House that in dis
charging clerks, officers and employees from
the public service in their several depart
ments they shall discharge civilians who have not
been in the army navy, and shall retain disabled
soldiers and sailors, and the wives, widows, daugh-
tiers and sisters of soldiers sailors provided they
are competent and that two members of one family
shall not be employed in the same department.
The bill to repeal the tax on matches and bank
! checks was debated in Committee of the Whole
| Adjourned.
In the Senate, on the Sd, a petition was
presented and referred of large number of bust
ness men of New York city, asking Congress to
| put an immediate stop to any further issue of
| greenbacks by the Secretary of the Treasury and
to cause the retirement, and at once of the legal
tender reserves issued. Bills were reported from
| committees favorably, authorizing the Secretary
/ of War to issue a supply of arms to Nebraska
with amendments, to provide for the incorporation
and regulation of railroad companies in the Ter
ritoTies of the United States. The bill in refer
ence to the Centennial Exhibition taken up
| and motion made and debated to refer the
| bill to the Committee on Appropriations. .Ad-
| journed.
| In the House, on the Sd, bills were
passed-amendatory Of the Homestead laws; to
! prevent the determination of fur bearing animals
| In Alaska. The bill to regulate commerce
among the several States was taken up, and Mr..
! McCrary, who reported the bill from the Commit
tee on Railroads and Canals, addressed the House
in explanation and advocacy of the bill The bill
related, he said, exclusively to Interstate COM
merce and he asserted it to be the right and duty
| of Congress to regulate such commerce. Mr..
| Arthur, member of the same committee, spoke
against the bill as being proposition in the
ture of experimental explorer of the elasticity
| of constitutional government. diourned.
In the Senate, on the 4th, resolutions
were presented and referred from the Wisconsin
Legislature. asking Congress to provide for ship
| canal around Niagara Falls, and from the Kansas
| Legislature, asking Congress to take immediate
steps for the relief of certain homestead settlers
in that State whose rights jeopardized by
railroad companies The Liquor Traffic bill was
| debated, and an amendment was offered providing
| that all of the Commissioners to make inquiry
should not be in favor of prohibitory legislation
| or total abstinence. An adverse report was
made from the Committee on Indian Affairs
| on the claims of the citizens of Kansas
| losses nv Indian dpnre6at0nS as satf
/ in the report of the Commission created by the
Kansas Legislature in 1871. The Louisiana bill
was taken up, and Mr.. Carpenter spoke in favor of
the bill providing for new election in that State
-. The Centennial bill further considered.
Adjourned.
In the House, on the 4th, a memorial
was presented of business men of New York rep
resenting an aggregate capital OF over $470,OOO,
900, against any increase of irredeemable currency
| by the Government, and protesting against the
action of the Secretary of the Treasury in issuing
Treasury notes without authority of law. The
! bill to regulate commerce by railroad among the
several States further discussed. The bill
for revising the statutes was considered at an even
ing session.
In the Senate, on the 9Th, memorial
of the Iowa Legislature for increase in the vol
ume of currency was presented and referred.
Bills were passed-granting pensions to ex-sol-
diers; amendatory of the act to encourage the
| growth of timber on Western prairies...
Bills were introduced-to organize the Ter
ritory of Oklahama; for the improvement
of the mouth of the Mississippi River. :;
The amendment to the Liquor Traffic
bill, providing that all members of the Commits
sion should not be in favor of prohibitory leg
iAaton or total abstinence, was adopted-23 to Z;
80. The Centennial bill was further considered
Executive session and adjournment.
In the House, on the 9Th, the motion tc
reconsider the vote rejecting the bill for free dis
| tribution of public documents ETC., was adopted
-121 to 106. A motion 10 recommit the bill wa.
defeated-yeas As, nays Island the question
then required on the passage of the bill
as originally reported, and the bill rejected
yeas Ill, nays 120. Revolutions were reported
from the Committee on Elections in the Virgins
contested election case, that Davis, sitting mem
her is not entitled 10 the seat, and that Thomas
contestant, is. The resolutions were adopted
| legislative Appropriation bill was considered il
Committee of the Whole. An evening session
was held to consider the bill TO revise the statutes
In the Senate, on the 9th, memorial o.
citizens of Michigan, protesting against any in
crease in the volume of currency, and several pc
titions of merchants manufacturers and business
man of Chicago Peoria and Paxton for an in
crease of the volume Of currency, were presented
and referred "A bill introduced and re
ferred. appropriating $4,000 to pay the expenses
| of the Joiut Select Committee to investigate the
affairs of the District of Columbia. t.. The
resolution in regard TO cheap transporta
ton was debated. The Centennial bill was
taken ND. amended and referred TO the Commit
fee on Appropriations. 1t provides that the
President be requested to extend respectful and
cordial invitation to the Governor OF each one OF
! the United States to be represented and to take
part in the National Exhibition TO be held al
Philadelphia under the auspices OF the Govern
ment of the United States in the year 1876. The
Iiouor Commission bill passed-a6 to q.
II provides for the appointment Of a Commits