The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-12-08
BY TELEGRAPH
AssooIATHD PRESS REPORT
By tho Western Union Limo.
)nice Northwest cor. Of Main and Monroe ,ats.
CONGRESS.
SENATE,

CONGRESS.
SENATE.
oPEEIEG SESSION OF U s. CONGRESS.
WAsuIEGToN, December I.
The Senate was called 10 order prompt.
ly at noon by Vice President Wilson.
Rev. DR.. Sunderland, in the opening
prayer returned thanks 10 Divine Provi.
denco for the many blessings bestowed
upon our Nation, and said: We acknowl.
edge our ChaStisements and pray that we
may be corrected through them. We
beseech thee 10 show thy favor upon this
people and help the Government in its
great responsibility and help the Congress
Of tho United States, and may the candle
OF the Lord light them through every
difficulty.
Vice President Wilson then took the
chair.
MIR. Anthony, from Rhode Island, offer.
cd resolution instruCtiug the Secretary
ol the Senate to inform the House Of
Representatives that q quorum Of the
Senate had assembled and the Senate was
ready to proceed to business. Agreed to-
He also submitted an order providing thst
the hour Of meeting Of the Senate should
be daily at 12 o'clock, until otherwise
ordered, Agreed to.
Mr.. Conkling offered o resolution for the
appointment oi two members Of the
Senate TO join the committee on the part
Of the House Of Representatives to wait
upon the President Of the United States
aud inform him that quorum Of each
House OF Congress had assembled and
were ready to receive any communication
he may desire to make. Agreed to, and
the chair appointed Messrs. ConkliDg and
OthGrman a Committee on the part Of
the Senate.
REPORT OF DISTRICT COMMITTEE.
Mr. Morril, from the Joint Select Com
mittee, appointed at the last session, to
frame government for the District Of
Columbia, submitted written report &C,
companied by sundry statutes. It pro-
Vides for placing the District under a
board Of three regents, 10 be appointed
by the President and confirmed by the
Senate, and who shall themselves appoint
subordinate boards Of health police, &c,
the powers of all being minutely defined
The people are to elect three members OF
the board Of education, and all expendl.
lures are to be controlled by Congress.
Lsid on the table and ordered printed.
The chair laid before the Senate the
certificates of election Of Geo. F. Ed
munds, United States Senator, from Yer.
mont, and OF VIM. w. Eaton, Connecticut,
lor the term commencing March 4, 1875.
sUNDRY BILLS.
The following bills were introduced
and ordered printed, and will lie on the
table until the appointment oil the stand
ing committees OF the Senate:
BY Mr.. Sherman, bill Tor revision
OF the laws for the collection OF custom
duties. 1t provides Tor commission Of
seven persons, 10 be constituted as fol-
lows: Ono member Of the Senate, TO be
designated by the President of the Senate,
two members elect of the next House Of
Representatives, to be designated by the
Speaker of the present House, two Of
fCers in the custom service, and two Citi.
zens familiar with the custom laws, to be
appointed by the President. The COM
mission is 10 terminate on the first Mon
day in December, 1875, and in the
meantime shall report TO Congress
through the Secretary Of the Treasury a
revision OF all the custom laws, together
with such facts as they can elicit by ex-
animation and inquiry pertaining 10 the
trade, industry, commerce and taxation oil
the country, with view TO making
changes in tho rates, classification and
modes Of collecting duties, in order 10 pro.
mote the public interests.
The Commissioners arc also 10 report as
to the relations Of foreign trade TO domes.
tic industry and mutual adjustment Of
customs and excess systems OF taxation
with view to securing the requisite rev.
enue with least Inconvenience 10 the de-
velopment OF the resources OF the country
and also as 10 the manner in which Gus
tom officers perform their duties. In Or
der to conduct this investigation the Com.
missioners are empowered to examine the
books, papers, and accounts ofany custom
officer and TO administer oaths. The
members of the commission are TO be al
lowed their necessary travelling expenses
but are not 10 receive any compensation,
Ingalls, introduced bill TO provide
that homestead and pre.emption settlers
in Kansas shall be allowed years alb
senCe from their lands ravagCd by the
grasshOppers without the loss ol their
rights.
Hitchcock introduced bill appropria-
ting 100000 for the purchase ol food, Ia
be issued to the starving sufferers from
the ravages OF tho grasshoppershon the
Western frontiers. The bill also directs
the Issue Of disuSed army clothing to re-
eive the extreme wants Of those destitute
sufferers.
Sargent introduced bill 10 protect
persons OF Foreign birth against tOrCible
restraint or involuntary servitude.
The Senate took recess, and on as.
sembling at o'clock, Wright gave notice
that on Wednesday next, he would ask
the Senate to proceed with the considera.
tion Of the bill 10 abolish tho Western
Judicial district Of Arkansas, which
he reported last session from the Judi.
ciary committee.
Ingalls, submitted a resolution, instruct
ing the committee on Indian affairs to
inquire into thGErecent disturbances lin
the Indian Territory, and to report to the
Senate what measures are necessary Ior
the protection OF life, liberty, pro-
perty and preservation OF law and order
in that region, and whether the best
interests of civilization.does not demand
the immediate establishment OF Courts oI
the United States in said territory, aI
provided by the treaties OF 1866. Laid on
the table until the appointment of Com
mittee.
The Senate took another recess and
upon reassembling Mr.. Conkling from
1.-The committee appointed to wait upon
the President, reported that that duty
had been discharged and that the Pres
ident would soon communicate with the
two Houses In writing. At 1886 General