Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-12-18

tou-Tt>Siohai.
Mr.. willard has introduced bill for the
relief Of United States Judge Smalley' pro-
yiding, probably, for his retirement on ac-
count of his present inGrm health with
the same pay that would be his By law, had
he reached the legal age of retirement,
20 years.
Strange enough the first, or almost hrst
bill originated and passed by the Senate IN
the first week of the session, authorizes the
coinage Of twenty cent silver pieces, while
the leading measure Of that body last ses-
sion was for specie contraction, or green
back expansion.
The Civil Rights bill, which is before the
Committee of the House on the Judl-
ciary, was referred to & subcommittee,
consisting of Messrs. Butler, Poland, and
White, which reported the bill back to
the full committee, with the mixed school
section striker out Leading colcred men
have agreed to accept the bill thus modified
as the best they can expect to obtain.
Mr. Phelps attempted to get his anti-gag-
law bill up on Monday and failed. Then
Sunset Cox tried to put the bill on its pas
sage, but the house was moved by Mr..
Poland's earnest plea for chance to ex-
plain himself, and referred it to the judici-
airy committee with power to report at any
time. There is no danger that it viii
sleep, for the Republican leaders are anx-
ious to make the law of libel entirely eqait-
able to publishers and editors.
a Washington despatch says Mr.. Ire
maine's bill. introduced Monday, provides
that in all cases where libel shall be publish
ed in any newspaper outside the District of
Columbia, but circulated therein, no in
dictment for its publication shall be found in
the District unless the party libelled shall
reside therein.
In the House, on wednesday, Mr. Po-
land offered a resolution in regard to the
binding Of the index to the revised statutes
Of last session, which resolution gave Mr..
Eldredse the opportunity to intimate that
the revision was 50 incorrect O. 10 require
t. be again revised Mr. ScYfeld, Of Penn
sylyania. took occasion TO ask Mr.. Poland,
for the benefit Of the legal profession, at
what rate the revised statutes could be OBJ
tainod: whether they could be had from the
Congressional printer at the cost Of the pa
per and binding, as in the case of other
public documents. Mr. Poland replied that
they world be sold at the cost Of printing
and binding to cyerybo who chose to pur-
chase them Mr.. Scofell asked how much
that would be- Mr. Poland replied IL
am not prepared to state.
The postal telegraph bill. introduced by
Senator We; of Louisiana, directs the Post
master General. wthou; lelay, TO construct
line Of telegraph from Washington tC
Boston, by way of Baltimore, Philadelphia
New York and Hartford. to be operated il
the post Offices Of these cties by appointea-
of tie Postmaster General the rates 10 b,
adjusted 20 meet. and mot exceed The oN
pcu-e of operating and maintaining th'
said line, and providing a neJ income cqua
t. five per cent interest ON tie orisina
co-: TIE bill, proposes 20 appropriate
5000 900 1t Is claimed that NJ. Jcwc!
arors such q measure. The purp Sc is t.
make an experiment of tue governmental
telegraph system.