The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1874-12-18
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.

CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
SENATE, Dec. 9.-Memorials were pre-.
sented from the National Association ot
lumbermen and the type founders OF
Chicago protesting against the Cana.
dian reciprocity treaty; from the Texas
Pacific and Atlantic Pacific railroads
for aid in constructing their roads
from citizens Of Kansas for extension Of
time to homestead and pre-emption
settlers on lands ravaged by grasshop.
pers, and from Blanton Duncan oi
Kentucky, for damage to certain prop.
erty held in trust by him during the
war.
HOUSE, Dec. 9.-The President mes.
sage was referred to appropriate com.
mittees, that portion relating to South.
ern affairs going to the special commit
tee of seven appointed last session. Mr..
Wood asked an investigation of the
New York custom house affairs; refer
red. The question Of continuing the
board Of audit Of the District of Colum-
bia gave rise to considerable discussion,
in which Mr. Randall charged that the
President had wrongly stated in his
message the debt Of the District, it
being $20,000,000 instead of $l4,0OO,:
OOO. Chipman, Hale and others delen.
ded the Presidents statement. Final.
ly the board was continued to February
5th. Mr.. Lewis introduced a bill
which was passed, providing that pen
sions hereafter granted, on applications
filed prior to January l, 1875, shall
commence from the rate of death or
di seharge; also to facilitate payment Of
pensions in arrears.
SENATE, Dec. l0.-Monday next was agreed
upon ior taking up the bill for framing a
government for the District of Columbia
George Bancroft was appointed a member of
the Board OF Regents OF the Smithsonian In
stitute, vice Gen. 4. W. Sherman, resigned.
Adjourned to Monday.
HOUSE; Dec. 1O.-Mr. Beck called for all
into the affairs of the Freed
mans Bank, which was agreed to. A num-
Der Of routine bills were introduced, when
Mr. Stowell Of Virginia rose to question of
privilege, calling attention to charges made
against him by a political opponent of having
sold naval cadetship for II 800, and OF
having sold his votes. He denounced the
charges as UNANIMOUSLY false, and asked for a
thorough investigation; referred to naval
committee tor action. An amendment to
the 3.66 per cent. bill by Mr.. Willard of Yer.
legal tenders in payment Of debts contracted
after July !, 1875, brought out Mr.. Dawes,
who took strong ground against the provis-
ions OF the bill, as ruinous to labor and cap
ital. The only way to restore prosperity to
the country he declared, was by return to
specie payment. If the Republican party
neglected to provide for this, its existence
would be destroyed. 1t now had only three
months to kill or save itself in. Mr.. Phelps
of New Jersey, and Smith ofNew York, also
spoke against the bill, when it went over
without action. Appointments to fill several
vacancies on standing committees were an
nounced, when the House adjourned:
House, Dec: 11.-A bill was passed allow
ing homestead and pre-empti0n settlers in
whose crops were destroyed or injured by
grasshoppers in 1874, to leave and lie absent
from their lands till May, 1876, without pref.
udice to their rights. Mr.. Dawes, on ques-
ton Of privilege, detailed the efforts made
by the Ways and Means committee to get
Richard B. Irwin before tnem to testify in
relation to Pacific Mail matters, without
avail. After some discussion the House or.
dered Twins arrest when the House ad-
journed.
SENATE, Dec 14.-A petition OF colorc'l
men Of Indiana was presented, asking that
the decision of the Supreme Court OF that
State, depriving them Of free access to the
schools, ETC., be appealed to the United
States Supreme Court by the proper law Off
pointed to arrange for the reception of King
Kalakna. The House grasshopper relief bill
passed, and bill was introduced by Mr.
Hitchcock to appropriate $50, ,0O0 for the dis
tribution Of seed to grasshopper sufferers.
HOUSE, December l4.-A number of finan-
cial and tariff bills were introduced Also
bills to reduce letter postage to one cent to
repeal the law requiring pre- payment Of
newspaper postage; to aid in the
construction Of a narrow gauge railroad
from tidewater to Chicago and St.. Louis.
An attempt to pass, under suspension ot
the rules, the bill: repeating the press gag
law, failed also the bill providing for an
investigation into District Of Columbia af-
fairs, 'and more e99espec!ally with reference to
the so-called safe-burgiary conspiracy. A
report all the facts relative to the recent
troubles in Mississippi, and especially at
Vicksburg. Mr.. Holman offered a resolu-
ton reciting that in the present condition ol
finances, no subsidies in moneys, bonds,
public lands or pledge of public credit
should be granted by Congress, but without
action it went over week.
SENATE, Dec. 15-Mr Conkling intro
duced a bill to consolidate the debt of the
District of Co umbia, and to issue bonds Of
the United States in exchange for bonds oil
the District. Mr.. Wright submitted Joint
resolution providing that the President and
Vice President shall be elected by a direct
vote Of the people, for term OF six years,
and that the President shall he ineligible to
reelection Also resolution instructine the
judiciary, committee to inquire into the ex-
tent and meaning Of the press gag law
Of last session. A favorable report was made
on the bill authorizing the President to issue
army rations and disused army clothing to
the grasshopper sufferers of the Western
States and e10O, 900 named as the sum to be
appropriated to carry out it's provisions. A
short executive session and some unimp0r.
tant routine business acted upon, when ad
jonrned.
House, Dec. l5-The subject of the
Christmas recess was taken up, but after a
short squabble, further action was postponed
to Monday next: A bill for a narrow guage
railroad from Lake Erie to the Missouri
river was introduced. Mr.. Cox and Mr.
Garfield iRdulged in short wordy tilt oyel
the legislative appropriation bill, finally re.
sulting in ruling out the item tor the support
Of the capitol police, and the abolition OF tn.
force. Select committees to inquire into tn,
condition OF affairs in Louisiana and Missis.
sippi were appointed, and the House ad
journed.
Another Ssvindler Operating in tn
Name II Frontier Sufferers upop
Charttable People.
NEW YORK, Dec. 12.--Thc American