Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-05-07
CONGRESSIONAL.

I . TEIUTIIlg
to the Department of Justice the item of 400 for
/ the care and subsistence of horses and $500 for
repairs to carriages and harness. and the motion
| was agreed to-S5 to 90. Among other amend
menls agreed to one providing that no officer
| OF the Government shall hereafter receive any
compensation perquistes, directly or indirectly,
| from the Treasury or property of the United
States beyond the salary or compensation allowed
/ by law, or shall make any private of such
property of the services or labor of any person
! employed in the service of the United States
| which service or labor is paid for by the United
States; provided this shall not be construed to de-
prive any officer of the United States of such fees
| as are or may be provided by law in addition to
the salary OF such officer, or the use of such prop
! erty as may be expressly by law ap-
! proprated for the use of such officer.
| In debate relating to the finance question Mr.
Beck maintained tina the Comptroller of the Cur
| rency had not administered the law; that he had
gone out of his way, time and again, in the inter
est of the rich, moneyed aristocracy of the East
! and TO the injury OF the people of the West and
South. In reply Mr. Dawes said the Eastern States
had an excess of bank circulation because the
West and South would not take it, having found
Where. II 1t were necessary for the
proper distribution of the currency that
S25,oOO,OO0 be withdrawn from New En-
gland New York and New Jersey they
would not resist it. They desired two things. They
desired free banking the basis of greenbacks at
par. They did not desire to bring greenbacks to
par by such contraction as would make the holder
of greenbacks pay the difference between its pres
ent value and its par value They desired that the
Government should pay that difference. After
the committee rose the main question was ordered
and the House adjourned.
The Senate galleries were densely
crowded on the 9th, the day having been fixed
upon for the euOoies upon the late Senator Sum-
ner. The bust of the deceased Senator recently
finished by Preston Powers was placed in a con
spicuous position and appropriately draped. Mr..
Boutwell, submitted q resolution, which was
agreed to, that as additional mark of
respect to the memory of Charles Sumner, long
Senator from Massachusetts, business be sus-
pended, that the friends and associates of the de-
ceased might pay fitting tribute to his public and
private virtues. Eulogies then pronounced
by Messrs. Boutwell,, Thurman, Spencer. Morrill,
of Vermont Pratt, Sargent, Sherman, Wadelgh
and Anthony. Adjourned.
In the House, on the 9th, several bills
were introduced and referred, including the follow
ing: To facilitate resumption of specie payments
and to prevent fluctuations in the value of United
States notes; repeating all laws imposing tax on
State banks; to impose tax of 5per cent. all in
comes OF individuals and corporations exceeding
$780, declaring 1t oppressive to impose additional
taxation and ineXpedient to retrench on necessary
appropriations already made in the interests of
commerce, and providing as measure of
temporary relief for the issue of additional
$50, 000 900 of lega-tender notes; to provide free
system of national banking, and for the resump-
ton OF specie payments "A bill was passed
amending the Shipping Commissioners act so
not to apply to sail or steam vessels engaged in
the cOastwise trade or in the lake trade. touching
between the United States and British
North American possessions, or in any case where
seamen are by custom or agreement entitled TO
participate in the profits or results Of a cruise
voyage A message being received from the
Senate in reference to the death of Senator
Sumner, business was suspended additional
mark of respect to the deceased, and eulogies
pronounced by Messrs. E. r. HOar. Dawes, Lamar,
Orth, Rainey. Butler, Kelley, Nesmith G. F. Hoar,
Conger and Phillips :. Adjourned.
In the Senate, on the 28th, preamble
and resolution Of the President and Directors of
the Louisville and Portland Canal Company were
presented, denying that they were opposed to the
Government paying the bonds and taking posses
sion of the work, but that they were legally
advised not to surrender their possession uu-
til all the debts should be paid by the Gov
eminent After considerable personal discus
sion motion was agreed to-35 to 27-to lay aside
the Louisiana bill and take up the Finance bill
with the Presidents message and the question
being to whether the bill should pass, nOtwith-
standing the Presidents veto, ii was decided in the
negative-yeas "a, nays 30-two-thirds not voting
IN the affirmative. The following is the vote ia
Carpenter. Clayton, Conover, Dennis, Dorsey,
Ferry (Mch.) Goldthwait, Gordon, Harvey,
Hitchcock ingalls,, Johnston, Lewis, Logan, Nc
Creery. Merrimon, Mitchell, Norwood, Oglesby,
Patterson, Pease Pratt, Ramsey, Robertson, Spen-
Ger, Sprague, Upton, West, Window, Wright-34.
Nays-An'hony, Bayard,. Boutwell, BuGking-
ham, Chandler, COnkling, Cragn, Davis,
Edmunds, Fenton, Ferry Comm, Flanagan,
Frelinghuysen, Gilbert. Hager, Hamilton (Md.),
Hamilton CTex), Hamlin, Howe, Jones, Kelly,
Morrill, (Nt) Sargent, Scott Sherman. stevenson on
Stewart, Stockton. Thurman, Wadlelgh-3O.
Messrs. Morton and Ransom, who would have
voted for the bill, were paired of with Messrs:
Morrill, (Maine) and Schurz, who would nave voted
against 1t. Executive session and adjournment.
In the House, on the 2Sth, the bill APP
propriating $4,000 for the purchase of rations TO
be used in the relief Of persons suffering from the
foundations Of the lower Mississippi was passed.
Ihp Tp,yi iotiy III n
preparation bill taken up and the several
amendments adopted in Committee of the Whole
were disposed Of the one striking out the Item Tor
uGe being rejected-yeas lO0, nays lU3-and The
bill was passed. -. Adjourned.
In the Senate, on the Goth, bills were in
troduced-to facilitate and regulate commerce
among the several States and with foreign nations:
in relation TO salaries and civil service, providing
Tor reduction of 10 per cent. IN the compensation
OF nearly all the officers ana employees OF the sen,
ate and 20 per cent. in the case OF some OF SAID
employees, and also repeating the law OF March 3.
1911, under which the Civl-Servlce Commission
e eTs were appointed ana my now ao!a once
to the various executive departments subject to
such examination the heads OF the re-
specuVe departments may prescribe; 10 repeal
the law which allows Pension Agents thirty cents
for each voucher prepared and paid by them
Bills were passed-House bill to amend the 31st
secuon OF the act Of March 3, 1900, LOT enrolling
and calling out the National militia; Senate bill
anendatOry of the act for restoration 10 homestead
entry and to market of certain lands IN Michigan,
approved June 10, 1872. Inc Supplementary
Civil Rights bill reported 10 the senate, with
the amendments made by the Judiciary committee,
and the provisions of the bill were explained by
MI. trelinghuysen, and motion was made to
strike out he second section, imposing line or i'm
prlsonment for the violation OF the act, on the
ground that the punishment was TOO severe.
Executive session and adjournment
In the House, on the 29th, bills were in
roduced and referred-to amend the act for the
redemption of the 3 per cent temporary
loan certificates and for an increase Of
National Bank notes; TO amend the Ma
uonal Currency acts and TO establish
free banking. ;. The bill 10 carry INTO execution
the provisions OF the fourteenth amendment to
the Constitution and 10 define certain rights OF
United States citizens in foreign countries was
taken up and debated. The river ana Harbor
appropriation bill was reported from the Commit
tee on Commerce The Indian Appropriation
bill was considered in Committee OF the hole.
Adjourned.
In the Senate on the Both, bill was
introduced and referred TO promote commerce
among the States and TO cheaper transportation of
persons and property between the Atlantic sea-
board and the Western States ana territories.
The Legislative Judicial and Executive Appropri-
alton bill was received from the house and re-
ferred and ordered printed. ILL.,. The SENATE Dill TO
increase the pay department OF the army nxIng
the mum Der of Pavmasters at nifty, Win rank. pay
and emOluments of Majors OF Cavalry, was passed
-21 to ia number Of private bills were also