Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-09
FORTYTHIRD CONGRESS,
FRIDAY, January ..

1
chants OF Baltimore, demonstrating against the
! repeal of the bankrupt law, and asking is
| ameb0ment. Laid on table.
MI. Bont~ell, from Committee on Public
Lands, reported bin for relief of aged or infirm
| Pre-empuoE settlers on the public lands which
| Was amended and passed.
-. Mr. Morrill, Me reported bill sppropriating
| sauVoo ior legislauye expenses of Colorado Ter
| Iitory. Passed.
Mir. Thurman said he had received numerous
Applications for copies OF the bankrupt law and
| moved to print 500 extra copies ReferreI 20
| Committee on Printing.
Mir. Cragin introduced bill for relief of officers
aud crew OF L. 5. steamer Champion.
Also bill to change the title of certain naval
| ofnoers Referred TO Committee on Naval
| fairs.
| MIR. Sargent introduced bills as follows which
| were referred TO Committee on Judiciary, for
the protection OF society in territory of [ tah.
10 and in the execution Of the laws in the terri
| tory of Utah.
Mr.. Conkling presented petitions asking re-
| peal OF bankrupt law
| Mr.. Morton called up bill authorizing ma tional
| banks that have decided 10 reduce their capital
stock 10 withdraw portion of bonds upon re-
| firing their own circulating notes in depositing
legal tenders in proportion provided by law.
The Committee on Finance reported an
| amendment that whenever such reduction shall
| be authorized any notes OF such bank thereafter
| coming INTO the Treasury shall be Cancelled
nnul the amount 20 Cancelled, together with
| such as shall be redeemed, shall equal the
| amount of reduction authorized.
During the discussion on the bill, Mr. Bout
| well referred 10 the statements constantly made
| that the government was dishOnoring its prom
| lses in having irredeemable paper currency in
| circulation. He said this idea was entirely err
roneous; that not one of these notes specified on
its face any time when il should be redeemed
| but specified that IL should be redeemed at the
| pleasure of the government.
MIR. Morton said that on this very point the
| supreme Court had decided that the legal tend
| ers were not payable on demand, but at the
| pleasure and convenience Of the government.
| MP morrill,, of Vermont, said there was no
4 q a n ha Nr.,as
| legation was the same. business man who
put out his paper with no promise as TO the time
OF pay ment would be required to pay 1t on de-
MIR. Boutwell, differed with no one as TO the
| propriety of the government paving these notes
| al the earliest possible moment. but he could
not admit that the government was diShOnOrinp
or dlscrediting it's own issues. IL was in good
faith taking such measures as would lust en-
| able il TO meet its promises.
| Tie morning hour expiring the bill went
| over, and the unfinished business being
| THE SALARY BILL WAS TAKEN Up.
| Inc question was on the amendment OF Mr..
| Edmunds providing that the reduction of sAla
| RES TO the amount fixed before last March
shall take effect on the ith OF March, 1873 and
| me accounting officers OF the Treasury shall
| con pute the same accordingly, and 81 an make
ratabie monthly reductions from said salaries
on the rate necessary to efectaate this provision
| within nine months next hereafter.
| Mr.. Sargent regretted that the Senate hal
| agreed 10 the amendment of Mr.. Hamilton, OF
| Mary land, reducing the salaries of every one
| nut up last session but the President IL
| placed the President in an UNPLEASANT positioD
directing for the attention ana Intrusion of the
| untouched.
Mr.. Hamilton defended his amendment as
| proper.
Mr.. Edmunds advocated his pending amend.
| ment as just. he said that when the country
| was III condition TO justify il, he would vote
| ior a bill TO give proper and fair compensa-
| ton to members of Congress and other officers
| Mr.. Chandler said he had promised 10 sup
4 as tod
| ne old not believe any other bill could pass
| The bill, as amended now, certainly could not
| pass.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Mr.
| Mellisb q. " presented the memorial of che
| New York Woman's Suffrage Association ask
| ing that in the enactment of any laws for thu
territory Of Utah, nothing shall be construed a.
depriving the women of that territory of the
| right of suffrage. Referred to Judiciary Com
miItee.
Mr.. DuelI IN. " offered a bill to restore
certain cases to the records OF the Court OF
Claims. Referred to the Committee on Claims
Mr.. Randall (Pa.) introduced bill to regu-
ate the summoning of juries in the circuit and
| to Judiciary Con mittee.
On motion OF MIR. Beck, (Ky.,) the Secretary
OF the Navy was directed TO inform the House
how many, IL any, of the 800 men. extra men
authorized recently for the navy, have been
employed; TO give the date of enlistments and
what has been the cost of said enlistments
naval appropriation made by last Congress was
expended prior TO January list, 1874; and also
how much of the four million appropriation
purpose.
Mr.. Starkweather Conn }, from the Commit
zee on APPROPRIATIONS, reported the fortihca-
ton appropriation bill, and il was made the
special order for Wednesday next.
THE HILLHOUsR CLAIM.
Mr.. r.. H. Roberts, from the Committee OF
ways and Means, reported a bill for the relief
of Thomas Hillhouse Assistant II 8 Treasurer
| at New York.
Mr.. Holman Ind) said this bill was purely a
on Claims. He did not desire 70 cast any refiec-
tons upon the Committee of WAYS and Means,
but simply to call attention to the fact that bills
were often enormously referred and that was
an evil that should be corrected.
MIR. Dawes (Mass.) said he was glad that Mr..
Holman had called attention to this matter. he
agreed that this matter of erroneous reference
was great evil, which demanded correction,
and the time of the House was often DELAYED
simply from this cause. In this connection he
desired to call attention to the fact that on the
last day of the session. before the recess there
was discussion of the Chorpenning matter
and the gentleman from Pennsylvania, (Mr
Cessna } who had charge of the matter, said he
had not determined 10 what committee to refer
the papers. 1t was already the sentiment of the
,n Gase tnst 1ne papers ought TO 60 to the Com
priations, and yet upon an examination OF the
record, he found that Mr.. Cessna had under the
rule gone quietly to the clerks desk and re-
Il
He did not believe the House would have con-
sented TO that reference. The honse should see
TO IT that these improper references were not
made in the future.
Mr.. Cessna PA said that when he made his
speech on the occasion referred to he had not
determined the reference. Subsequently, how
ever, the House was notified that the Senate
had agreed to the resolution for adjournment
and he was compelled to either refer the pa pers
at once or let them 60 over until after the ho-
days. He chosed to refer them and believed
that the judiciary Committee was the proper
one to consider the subject, as the questions in
volved were altogether of legal character.
Mr.. Beck (ky) gave notice that when he
could get the floor for the purpose he would
move to take the Chorpenning papers from the
Committee on Judiciary and refer them to a
committee which did not contain members who
were interested in the questions, The gentle
man from Pennsylvania was on trial on this
question and he should not be Judge in his
own case.
The bill for the relief Of Mr.. Hillhouse was
then passed.
The House then, in the morning hour. pro-
ceeded to the consideration Of bills Of a private
nature.
A number Of resolutions were offered Ia m
amend the rules ne to prevent in future the inn
proper reference Of bills.
Mr.. Maynard (TenH.) moved that vhen fba