Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-03-11
Congressional Summary.
Senate,

FRIDAY, February 27.-Bills were
passed. in relation to duties on fruit which correcs
in the late tariff bill extending the time
for completing the Green Bay and Lake Michigan
Canal authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury
the United States at New York, credit for S18 900
on his stamp account and making available Ger
tain unexpended balances to construct branch
mint at San Francisco At the expiration of the
morning hour the House bill in regard to
the proposed Centennial Exposition was Ia
ken up and considered.--Mr. Sumner offered a
substitute for the House bill, providing that the
celebration of the one hundredth annivc ary of
American Independence shall be natoral in its
character. The arrangements shall be lett in the
hands of the original commission and shall be
red out 60 conform to the provisions of the act of
Congress ; and that no money shall be appropriated
from the national treasury account OF the cele-
bration. Without final action the Senate went
into executive session and afterward adjourned.
House.
A motion entered by Mr.. Tyner, to recon-
slider the vote OF yesterday by which the bill reviv
ing the franking privilege was rejected. He said
that his object was to to recommit the bill to
the postoice committee with instructions to report
back the third section only, which relates to the
free circulation of weekly newspapers in counties
of publication, and the free exchange of newspapers
betweel publishers. Mr.. Tyner afterwards with
drew this motion. saying that after thinking the
his friends, he had concluded to withdraw that
motion, and he gave notice that on Monday
next he would introduce bill, and to pass it
under suspension of the rules for the free circu
lation of weekly newspapers.----Mr. Shanks en-
tered motion to reconsider the vote of yesterday
rejecting the bill to revive the franking privilege
went into Committee of the Whole ON the private
caendar.--On rising number Of private bills
were reported and passed.
House.
SATURDAY, February 29.-The Com
mittee on Elections made majority report in the
Georgia contested election case that Raws the sit
ting member, is not entitled to a seat and tn
Sloan, the contestant is. minority report, TAX
ing an adverse position, was made by Mr. Speer.
AFTER dsposing Of the bill on patents the House
spent some time in Committee of the Whole, and
then adjourned.
Senate.
MONDAY, March 2.-Petitions from
merchants and others, of Chicago, for and against
imitation, presented; also petition from
Wisconsin against any contraction OF legal tender
notes.-The bill to extend the time for completing
the Wisconsin Central Railroad was passed-The
committee on public lands reported favorably on
the Senate bill cedng to the several states the beds Of
all unsurveyed lakes, bayous and other bodies of
navigable water lying within the limits OF each state
York setting forth the service rendered by them du
ring the war, and asking for pension.-The bill
for ne removal of the bronze statue of Jefferson
from the grounds at the executive mansion to the
old hall of the House of Representatives, taken
up and passed. Bills were introduced, authoriz-
ing the Secretary of the Interior to for the ben
eft of the Great and Little Usage Indians in Kan
sas $500, 900 per annum for four years out of the
proceeds of the sale of their lands and give the
central branch of the Union Pacific Railroad the
right to grants of lands and subsidy bonds for ex-
tending it's road to unite with the Union Pacific
Railroad at the Tooth meridian, providing the SUI
prerne Court shall decide such to have been the in
tention of Pacific r. r. acts of 1862, '64, and 66-
The bill in regard to the appointment of COM
mission to investigate into the alcoholic liquors
traffic came up, but gave way to the House bill in
relation to the Centennial exhibition, which was
discussed until adjournment, without final action.
House.
Bills were Introduced: to give f1exibility to the
currency without infation to legalze the issue Of
the reserve of 100000, and to make the same
available for time of extraordinary financial
pressure; Granting the right of way to the
Wisconsin Central and Wisconsin Valley Railroad;
to cover into the treasury bonds and money belong
ing to the Japanese and Chinese indemnity funds !;
imposing duty of five Per cent. ad valorem on
macaroni and vermiceli; fol the admission of
Utah into the Union a state; to prevent mal-ad-
minlstration in the civil service by officers against
whom articles of impeachment are presented; to
enable Members of Congress to do business with
their constituents and other departments
OF the government, and to limit the frank
ing privilege to certain newspapers (The
bill provides that during any session of Con-
gress, and for thirty days prior and subsequently
thereto, all written and printed matter, and such
other things as have been ordered by either house
for distribution, shall go free Of postage Section
provides that all newspapers regularly printed,
and not advertising sheets simply, shall go free OF
postage through mails in the county where they
are published but shall not be delivered under
the free delivery system. The third section re-
q1ires all postal matter to be repaid) For the
the national lines of water communications
bill was passed extending to unnaturalized enlist
ed men Of the navy and marine corps the same
privileges to obtaining citizenship as unnatural
lied enlisted men of the army now have.-The
House then went into committee OF the whole, Mr..
Hurlbut in the chair, on the special order; being
the bill to repeal the tax on matches and bank
rising, bill was introduced to
collect unpaid direct taxes.-Adjourned.