Connecticut western news., 1874-12-25
WASHINGTON MATTERS.
Senate.

: AulOuS the DlllS mCrOQuCoQ lnCO the senate was one fixing the salary of the President of the | United States bill relative to national cur rency; and one providing for the construction ! of United States government telegraph lines { between Washington and Bosten. remonstrance of the type founders of the 1 United States against 5 modification of the re- ciprocity treaty, far as it relates to type and ! type metal, was presented.
 | s A few changes only were made in the Senate standing committees.
 i Memorials were presented from lumbermen i protesting against the proposed reciprocity ! treaty with Canada.
 The Senate passed the bill appropriating S3O, O00 for the purchase of scales for the post office, amended by the House. The Senate agreed to conference asked for by the House on the Tariff bill, and referred to the Judiciary Committee a resolution offered by Senator Morton directing the Attorney-General to take writ of error to the Supreme Court of the United States from the decision of the Supreme Court of Indiana denying colored children the right to attend public schools. Memorials for reducing tho salary of the Presi- dent to S25,0 ,000 year were read. The Senate adopted a resolution listructing the Judiciary Committee to inquire into the jurisdiction of the Press-gag law. and passed the House bill continuing ill office the Board of Audit of the District of Columbia joint resolution presented making the offices of President and Vice-President elective and by the people, the officers to hold their places six years. A bill authorizing the Presi- dent of the United States to issue temporarily supplies of food and dsused army clothing suffi- cient to prevent starvation and suffering to destitute and helpless persons living on the 1 Western frontier who have been rendered SC by the rayage5 of cTasshoppers during the past summer, and appropiiating 4100, 900 to carry i out the provisions Of the act
 Bills were introduced as follows To reduce a tO han foo ay,H i National Banking act to substitute United States notes for the issues of national banks :; fixing rates of duties on imported merchandise ]; to prohibit Senators, Representatives and Dele gates ln Congress from acting counsel or otherwise ill suits or proceedings against the United States-passed without opposition to restore the duty of ten per cent. on certain manufactures of cotton, wood, iron paper, glass, leather, etc a bill ill favor of free banking :; to repeal the acts requiring stamps bank checks, etc.; to regulate elections in certain Southern States repeating the increase of the Presidents salary; to reduce the Presidents salary.
 MT. Randall, of Penn. arraigned the state ment of the President in his annual message as to the debt of the District of Columbia, and as- serted that instead of it's being only $14 OOO, O00, it was actually over $2O, O,000,000. This was de- nied by other members and by the delegate from the District.
 An investigation of the books of the late Freedmen's Bank was ordered. .
 MT. Stowell denied the charge of having sold naval cadetship and demanded an investiga- ton the Diplomatic and Consular Appropria- ton bill was reported the debate on the 3.65 Convertible Bond bill was resumed, and argu- ments ln opposition to the measure were made by Messrs. Dawes, Phelps and Smith the Speaker announced various appointments to fill vacancies ill committees. The Committee on Ways and Means have summoned witnesses from New York to testify as to the alleged use of improper influences by the Pacific Mail Company to obtain subsidy from Congress-
 Mr. Orr, of Iowa, reported tho bill allowing homestead and pre-emption settlers ill Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas, whose crops were destroyed or injured by grasshsppers in 1874, to be absent from their lands until May, 1S76 without prejudice to their rights. Passed
 Mr. Garfield made a personal explanation MT. Dawes explained regarding the Pacific Mail investigation, and at his suggestion an order was issued for the arrest of the witness Irwin for contempt
 pointment of a committee to proceed to Vicks- burg to investigate the troubles there, refused to pass resolution for an inquiry into the prosecution of the so-called safe-burglary con spirators and referred the bill to repeal the press-gag law to the Judiciary Committee, with leave to report at any time. Bills were intro duced to repeal all acts requiring stamps on checks; for free banking and to withdraw legal tender notes reducing letter postage to one cent to amend the Constitution concerning the official term of the President; for the relief of the Southern States by the compromise and settlement of their debts for commission to investigate the political and legal condition of the Southern States ; to repeal tte law requiring the prepayment of newspaper postage.
 The House holiday was voted for December 23d to January 5th
 The Speaker announced the appointment of the following committees: Select Committee to visit Vicksburg, Miss-Messrs. Conger, of Mich, Hurlburt, of H., Williams, of Wis, Speer of Penn, and O'Brien. of Md. Select Committee on Louisiana and the Southern States,--Messrs. G. F. Hoar, of Mess., Wheeler of N. l.. Frye, of Me. Foster. of Ohio. Phelps, of N. J.. Robinson of H., and Potter, of N. Y.
 The bills relative to the Presidents salary, in- troduced into the Senate and House, propose to reduce the salary to $25,O
 The bill passed by the House to prevent mem- bers of Congress from acting as counsel in suits offense for such acts, was passed by the House without opposition
 The bill for free banking introduced in the House of Representatives by Mir. Merriam, of New York, proposes that all laws and parts of laws limiting the circulation under the National Bank act are hereby repealed.
 The bill introduced in the House reducing the Presidents salary to $25,000 applies to the next President ony-it cannot apply to the present incumbent.
 The new bond bill before the House proposes that greenbacks may be converted into govern ment bonds bearing interest at the rate of 365 per cent
 There Is no Death.