Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-02-07
Private Bill Day in the HOuse-TO.Day's
Session for Debate-A Number
of Bills Passed,
Four Dollars a Day and Five Cents a
Nile Witaess Fees before the
Senate Investigating Com
mittee.
The Bankrupt Bill Resumed and Dis
eussed-NO Result Reachsd-MIs-
celIaneOus Business.


I Morriu Me- submitted resolution fixing tht
3 compensation OF witnesses summoned before
. the senate Investigation committee, a salary
OF four dollars per day and five cents a mile
Senator Morrill, TYt. submitted a resoIutfor
l directing the commissioners Of agriculture T.
communicates 70 the senate the report of Geo
P. aarsh, on irrigation. Agreed 10.
, On motion OF Senator Stewart, a house bill
amendatory Of the act to provide for the re.
, noval OF the Flathead and other Indians in
, ( Montana territory, was taken up and passed
On motion OF Senator Buckingham, q bill
In relation to bounties was passed. 1t pro-
yides that all who enlisted in the army under
the proclamation Of May Sd and previous tC
August, 1851, be paid bounty Of one hun.
dred dollars, providing the same has not al
The re solutfon offered few days ago re-
Questing the postmasteT-genera to inform the
senate how many contractors for transporta.
tion OF the mails had more than i've contracts
on the first OF July, etc, and what legislation
is necessary 10 secure the services OF bona Fde
contractors, was, on motion of Senator Scott,
taken up and agreed to.
Senator Scott, from the committee on
. finance, reported with amendments Senator
BOutwell's bill to provide for the appraise-
ment Of merchandise in certain cases, which
was placed on the calendar.
Senator Kelly, froSa the committee on pub
lie lands, reported, without amendment,
/ house bill amendatory OF the act OF May 23d,
1872, Withdrawing certain public lands for use
by the city ofCheyenne, Wyoming.
Senator Hitchcock introduced bill provid-
ing that all lands granted to railroad compa-
MES shall be subject to State and county taxa
ton.
on motion Of Senator Morrill, TMaine1. the
vote by which the resolution fixing compen-
sation and mileage for witnesses was passed,
was reconsidered, and he Withdrew the res
olutiOn Tor the present.
A bill for the relief of Hiram Prather, late
leutenant-colonel Of the sixth regiment OF
Indiana volunteer infantry, was passed.
The morning honr having expired, the SEN
ate resumed consideration of the bankrupt
bill, the pending amendment being that OF
! Senator sherman, 70 fix ninety instead Of
forty days as the time when persons men,
toned IN the thirty-ninth section OF the bin
should be deemed bankrupt.
The yeas and nays being ordered, the amend
| mendment was rejected by vote-29 nays TO Is
yeas.
Senator Allison moved to amend the thirty
| ninth section SO that it would require one
| third of the number Of creditors, representing
| at least one-haf Of the amount of the debts,
| to force person into bankruptcy, instead of
one-fOurth OF the number of creditors and one
| third OF the amount Of debts, as recommended
! by the committee.
! Senator Thurman said that the clause now
! proposed to be amended had been subjected
| 10 the severest criticism by the committee
and after careful consideration One-fourth
| Of the number and one-third OF the amount
| Of debts had been agreed upon.
Ex-senator AllisOns amendment was elected.
Senator Logan offered an amendment allow
ing the court, II IL be proven that the person
sought to be abb Judged a bankrupt had suffi-
cient assets to pay his debts, to order stay Of
proceedings for six months, and If his debts
should not be paid in that time, then such
person shall be declared a bankrupt.
Senator Logan's amendment was rejected;
yeas 8, nays 30.
The chair announced as members OF the
committee to investigate the management OF
the District of Columbia government, Senator
Morrill, IMaine] in place Of Senator COnkling.
After one or two verbal amendments the
thlrty ninth sectlen OF the original Jaw, as
amended and reported by the judiciary COM
mittee, was agreed to by the senate, with the A
exception OF hlling the blank as to the time
when the provisions Of the section should ap-
ply to all cases of compulsory or involuntary /.
Ssnator Edmuuds said that he desired the
~ this of bo d
so that the blank could be filled out hereafter. \
The other amendments presented by the \
Judiciary committee were agreed to as report Y
ed, with few verbal changes.
The amendments as passed by the senate (
nx the time az forty Gays Wltnln which (
facturer or miner, who has stopped or sus-
pended and not resumed the payment of his I
commercial paper, shall not be deemed bank
rupt, and prescribe that all fees, commissions, z
charges and allowances, excepting actual and 4
necessary disbursements of, and to be made !
by officers, agents, marshRlS, messengers, as
signees and registers In cases Of bankruptcy,
shall be reduced to one half OF the allowances
heretofore provided for the justices of the su-
Oreme court, who are to make new rules and (
regulations in respect to law; are empowered
TO consolidate duties OF register, assignee, (
marshal and clerk, and 10 reduce cost Of
charges, to the end that prolixity, delay and
unnecessary expense may be avoided.
Senator Edmunds offered a new amend
ment concerning the jurisdiction in bankrupt X
cases in any circuit or district court of the
United States, which twas agreed to. Be also Il
personal service of notice in all cases of II
claims not exceeding fifty dollars, and pro-
under that sum, notice could be given by pub
heation in newspapers. Agreed to.
Senator Edmunds also offered an additional 4
section TO the bill, providing that 1t should be H
the duty OF the meTshal OF each district, in 4
the month OF ISiy IN each year, TO report to 4
the clerk OF the district court in tabular form,
to be prescribed by the Justices of the supreme
court of the United states, first, the number
Of cases in bankruptcy in which warrants /
k-fu H.
such warrants were returned with fees, /
costs and expenses, and emolunents 4
thereof third, the total amount Of
emolumeDts earned and received by him dur
ing the year, from or in respect 70 sny matter Il
In bankruptcy; fourth, summary statement II
OF such fees, costs and emoluments, exclusive
Of actual disbursements in bankruptcy, re-
ceiyed or earned during the year; nth,
unmarried statement of all actual disburse- |
ments in such cases, also requiring every reg
lister TO report, in like manner, the number Of
voluntary and compulsory cases in bankrupt 4
cy coming before them during the year; the /
amount OF assots and liabilities Of bank l
rupt; amount and rate per cent. of all divl-
dendS declared, and disposition of all such /
cases. He is required TO make q similar re-
turn, and the clerk OF the court, in the month 1
OF August each year, is required TO transmit I
and disposed OF, dividends declared, disposf- 4
tlon Of cases, whether any officer has failed TO
TO be punished by dismissal from Office and /
the party offending be declared guilty Of q 4
I01G0GmeanOrs ana upon cOnNlcllOn TO be /
fined not more than five hundred dollars or
imprisoned not exceeding one year. The sec (
tion was adopted.
senator Thurman offered an amendment \
abOlishiDg the Office OF register In bankrupt
cy, and authorizing the several district courts K
10 make such orders and take such steps as !
NAV be necessary to adjudicate and dispose of I
all suits, matters or proceedings in bankrupt !
cy now pending before such registers; also 1
giving the district courts power, where It may !
appear necessary or advisable, 10 appoint s
special master commissioners to perform any /
OF the duties heretofore performed by the !
registers, such powers 70 be also exercised by
the Judge in cham bers. No fees or compensa- 4
ton shall be paid to any commissioner, eX-
cept such as shall be allowed by the court.
Senator Morrill, Me- said he desired to be /
excused from service on the committee TO in !
vestigate the government OF the District OF 1
for the reason that ne .3n was on thPee
committees and already one OF Wh1ch ap-
was OF such Importance as 70
exact all his time. II was therefore out OF the 4
question for him to serve on both, thS diSbf1cJ 4
lnvesti cation and the appropriation COM
mittees, and also that the acceptance OF the 4
former would neceSsitate his OF the latter, ana
he therefore asked to be excused from service 4
on the Investigation COMMITTEES. He was ex-
cused.
Senator sherman entered a motion to recon- 4
slider the vote by which the senate agreed TO Z
the resolution ordering an investigation into \
the District of Columbia matters by joint /
committee OF the house and senate. He SAID 1
there had been much trouble in having sena- 4
tors serve on this committee, and he thought |
II would answer every purpose to have the in
vestlgatlon conducted BY house committee
OF nNe members.
Pending the discussion on Senator Thur /
mans amendment 20 abolish registers, the |
senate went into executive session. and soon I
after adjourned.
HOUSE.
Thls being private bill day, q number /
of private bills were reported and acted IInon !
One ". stlo om1ng Cns secretary OF war to change
Supay captain OF the fourth infantry bv |
which name nan G ne s, had enlisted, TO John Lande