The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-04-09
xLIIId CONGRESS.


ING o Lord we come to Thee this morning
under the dark shadow Of a heavy grief. A
vacant chair is before us. A noble presence
has been borne hence to be committed earth
to each, dust to dust, ashes to ashes He
shall not come to us again, but we shall go to
him."
Petitions were presented from the West
against an increase in the volume of paper
currency.
Mr.. Frelnghuysen, of N. j said the Ciyl
Rights Bill was ready to be reported to the
Senate, having received the approval of the
majority of the committee. The late Senator
Sumner was the author of the bill.
The Senate then resumed the consideration
Of the bill to equalize the distribution of
national bank currency, and Mr.. Logan, of
ILL.,, being entitled to the floor, addressed the
Senate in favor of the bill. He said as Eng
land and France. according to wealth and popu-
| lation, have larger amount OF money than we
have, then whatever prevents panics there,
| the same cause ought TO produce the same |
effect here. He added that speculation in rail-
roads was the cause of the panic, and that this |
speculation was induced by an abundance of |
money. The railroads sold their bonds in |
Europe. Why do we go to Europe to sell our |
railroad bonds and pay interest to foreigners ?
Simply because we had not the money here.
! Mr.. Spencer, of Ala, from the Committee |
on Commerce, reported favorably the
House bill to improve the mouth Of the Missis-
sippi river, appropriating 900 for that
purpose, such appropriation TO be available
from tne paSS0ge OF tlle ACT, ana asked lls
mediate consideration.
The bill amendatory of the act to prevent
the determination of fur-bearing animals, and
the bill to authorize the employment of certain
aliens as engineers and pilots we're passed.
Mr.. Jones, of New. submitted resolution
instructing the Committee on Commerce to
inquire into the expediency of directing q
survey to be made of the Colorado desert with
. view of submerging it with water, and also
the effect of such submersion upon the climate
in that locality, &c. Agreed to.
Mr.. Buckingham, of Conn.,, submitted q
resolution instructing the Secretary of the
Interior to communicate to the Senate the
number of Indians captured or killed by the
United States troops, including women and
children during the year 1878. together with
the number of citizens and soldiers killed by
the Indians during the same period.
The Committee on Appropriations have re-
ported in favor of striking out the last section
, of the army bill as it passed the House. which
, provided That all claims of all citizens who
remained loyal during the war for stores or
supplies taken or furnished during the
bellion for the use of the army of the United
States and for the use or loss Of vessels or
boats while employed in the military service Of
the United States, including any such claims
now pending and undetermined in any depart
l ment of the Government, shall be presented
to the Southern Clsms Commission before
November II, 1875, who shall have exclusive
, jurisdiction to hear and determine the same.
, Mr.. Stevenson, of Ky, offered an amend
ment comforting upon the Court OF Claims
jurisdiction to determine all claims growing
| out of the war of persons who remained loyal
or who took the oath of allegiance under the
Presidents proclamation of December, 1868,
and abolishing the Southern Claims Com
mission.
Mr. Frelinghuysen, Of N. j., denied the
3 obligation OF the Government to reimburse
+ citizens for property destroyed in the enemy's
country.
: MIR. Stevenson argued that the Government
was bound to make full compensation for
9 property taken or used by its troops, or de-
stroyed otherwise than in actual battle.
. ilr. HGger, of CAL, presented a resolution Of
, the California Legislature instructing the Sem
. ators and Representatives from the State in
Congress to use their influence to have articles
s and of our treaty with China modified so
: as to discourage the further immigration of
: Chinese to our shores. Mr.. II. said there were
c now $4,000 Chinese in California, and not one
. Ill q thousand came there in accordance with
D the treaty. The food Of the Chinese was mex
S pensive, and it was impossible for other labor
Q to compete with it. Thousands of our own
g people are now in the streets of San Francisco
=. destitute of the necessaries of life because
they have been crowded out by Chinese labor.
l, China might send to this country q million OF
e even five millions of its surplus population
= without experiencing any Inconvenience there.
q from Females are brought here from China
/ for purposes too vile for him to mention. The
people of California are powerless to admins
n ter any remedy, and they appeal to the Con
IS gress of the United States to take some action
d The Senate resumed the consideration of the
i Army Appropriation bill, the pending question
:, being on the amendment of Mr.. Stevenson
" comforting jurisdiction upon the Court O
IL Claims to hear all claims arising from the late
/, rebellion, and abolishing the Southern Claim
e Commission. This was tabled. Mr. West o
ir La, said over S40O00O0 were saved by thi
- bill, and all army of $4,000 men was larg
l'e enough. After discussion the Army bill, re
II ducing the army to $4,000 men, was read
1t third time and passed.
ia Mr.. West, of La, presented a memorial o
"a the New Orleans Grange for an increase of tn
duty on sugars, and said that the presen
~ method of valuing sugars enables the refiner
q to impose upon the Government to the preju
I'd dice of the home producer
+. Mr. Morton, of Ind, presented petition @
- the citizens of Texas, alleging that the lat
~ Gov. Davis Of that State had been deprived c
eI his Office four months before the expiration c
Ill his term, and that the election there in Noven
ur Der last was in violation of law.
bit Mr.. Sherman said from the beginning of th
session the new Finance Committee had bee
hard at work to perfect bill. Over sixty di
ferent propositions in the shape of bills an
petitions were before them, and it was a diff
cult matter to agree upon general plan col
ed cerning all the propositions
l., HOUSE.
eS Resolutions were presented reciting the a
e. legation that bills for advertising have bee
n. presented to the Treasury Department, whic
- advertising had been done in violation of Il
- law of the 18th of July, 1870, requiring write
're orders for all advertising, and directing Il
nd Secretary of the Treasury to furnish copies
all bills and of correspondence relating theret
tv Adopted.
y The Legislative expenditures being und
uU discussion, all amusing debate followed,
ne which Cox, of New York, took part, and SAT-
Ter Members would go home to their State Co
IT. ventions and their County Conventions, al
,ra would present resolutions that it is the duty
rs all men to practice economy, and yet they wou
To- vote down all propositions to reduce expense
IN but when the yeas and nays were called til
Ter would not be there He himself did not belo
pe to any side of the House. He was not par
Sa cularly in affiliation with any one side or t
~: other. lie was an eclectic philosopher.
elI picked out gentlemen like the Chairman a
nd many other distinguished members on be
mt sides, and made his party with them. He u
of derstood from distinguished Western men IL
- hardly a member on either eide of the Hou
'io would ever come back.
Mr. Coburn, of Ind, Chairman Of the NJ
;es tary Committee, reported a bill to provide
ch the gradual reduction of the army, which "
tz made special order for the first Tuesday
- April The bill contemplates the reduction
- ~ the army by the ordinary causes of depletion
he nine regiments of cavalry, four of artillery,
IN twenty of infantry.
nd The Chair laid before the Senate the n
.;te mortal of Mrs D. r. Lawrence, of New Yo
~ announcing that the tidal wave of temperaI
Ill., would soon reach the city of Washington, a
on asking that the band of praying women
ily received at the bar of the Senate, and that
.ei. present occupant of the chair, with Senat
yoS Chandler and Sprague, be appointed co
- mittee to receive them. Referred to the Go