The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-03
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

S~S ~ ~sHA AsA@oon a Avhos
wAsHNGToN, Feb. 2, 1874.
| BILLS INTRODUCED.
| Under the call OF States many bills were intro
duced and referred, including the following:-
BY Mr.. PLATT. (rep.) OF N. Y.-To regulate the
rate OF postage on mailable matter OF the third
| class.
BY Mr.. EAMEs. (rep.) OF r. Ito repeal the third
section OF the Mining act Of May 10, 1872.
by MIR. DAWES, rep OF Mass.-To enable the
secretary OF the Treasury to gather authentic in
formation as to the condition OF the fur trade in
Alaska.
! BY Mr.. FRYE, (rep.) OF Me.-For the punishment
OF eXtortOn by officers persons acting under the
authority OF the United States.
Also relating to the punishment OF the crime OF
manslaughter.
Also relating to the time for the prose cution,
trial and conviction OF criminals.
BY Mr. BURcHARD (rep.) OF Ill.-Prohibiung Ter
ritOrial Legislatures from authorizing towns or
counties to issue bonds in aid OF railroads.
BY MIR. STANARD. repJ OF MOTOR custom
house building at Kansas City.
BY Mr.. HAvENs. (rep OF MOTOR board Of
army officers as Indian Peace commissioners.
BY Mr.. HuBBELL, (rep) of Mich.-To regulate de-
bate on saturday and to prevent the publication
in the Congressional Record OF already published
treatises or financial and newspaper articles or
editorials.
BY Mr. HAzLEToN (rep.) OF N. J.-FOr minority
! representation in Utah.
By Mr.. NEGLEY (rep) OF Pa.-Relating to the
transportation OF explosive or dangerous ma
! terals
BY Mr.. TYNER. (rep.) M Ind.-To fix the postage
rates on newspapers and periodicals and to regu-
! late prepayment.
BY Mr.. COBURN. (rep0 OF Ind.-TO provide for an
arsenal OF construction.
/ Also or the sale OF certain arsenals.
BY Mr.. HAwLEY. (rep.) OF lll.-TO provide for a
bureau of architecture.
BY Mr.. BARRERE, (rep) OF nL-For branch mint
BY Mr. CLAYTON. rep.) of Cal-To admit free of
duty. jute grain bags and burlaps.
BY Mr.. PAGE, (rep) OF Cal.-Relating to placer
BY Mr.. hOUGHTON, rep) of Cal.-Relating to the
equitable and legal rights of parties in possession
and to provide jurisdiction to determine those
rights.
the Black Bob Indian lands in Kansas.
BY Mr.; MCCORMICK, (rep.) OF Arizona-Restrict-
ing the killing oil buffalo on the public lands.
BY Mr.. MELLIsH, (rep) OF n. Y.-T0 amend the
Also to relieve the female citizens OF the Terri
tories from political disabilities.
BY Mr.. MYERS, Tep Of Pa.-To amend the
Bankrupt law by enforcing settlement OF claims
s swned by a eSa anG oT Threa
fourths in number and amount OF the creditors.
BY Mr.: HAsxINs, rep Of n: TO encourage
discoveries that may benefit the public.
BY Mr.. LAWRENCE, (repJ Of Ohio-To establish
]
/ Mr.. POLAND, irep) of VT, presented resolutions
of the Vermont State Teachers Association, asking
that the proceeds OF the public lands be devoted
THE AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT
Mr.. WILSON, rep.l OF Ind, presented four memo
rails touching the affairs of the District OF Columbia
and made statement in reference to matter in
regard to which he said some erroneous publica-
tiOns had been made respecting the speaker OF the
House. TWO OF the papers had been in his hands
for the past month, and he had sought for con-
siderable time to get the noor in common with
them
had been successful Finally, just before the West
Virginia election case, he had gone to the speaker
Of Columbia, and had been informed by the
sure for the floor. that a number of gen.
tlemen were insisting on 1t, and that. after the
would ty and recognize him (Mr. WILSON, i'm
medlately after he learned that the gentle
case was insisting on going on with that question,
and he then came to the conclusion that the
Speaker would not be warranted IN Withholding
the recognition rom the gentleman ONT smlth)
OF New York. For that purpose he had afterwards
gone back to the Speaker and had another CONVEX
satiOn. and the Speaker then told him that II,
after the House had passed from the consideration
of the election he (Mr. WILSON, was willing to
take the risk OF submitting the matter to a Thin
House, he would give hun the moor that after.
noon, and otherwise ne !Mr: wilson, should
nave o1 6e nTst feeegat1 the oay iOT
this had occurred between the Speaker and
himself before there had been any sort of public
wait until to-day The matter was on mis- hands
not OF his own seeking. had come into his hands
as so mucn had been said in the puDc press with
reference to the affairs OF the District he did not
feel he would be justified in declining to present 1t.
He did not, however, desire to nave anything to
do with the investigation. He had
HAD ENOUGH OF INVESTIGATIONS
to know that their duties were thanklesS and in
vOlved an immense amount OF hard labor. he had
told the gentlemen who gave him the papers that
SO lar as their local affairs and local taxa
ton were concerned that was matter
which did not AFFECT the interests OF his con-
at large, but that there was a point con-
nected with 1t which did affect his constituents
and the people OF the whole country and that was
the understanding that congress was to be called
upon to appropriate about Jour and halt millions
for Improvements in the District, and that he
should incorporate IN the resolution a prOvisO for
an investigation OF the question whether Congress
could be called upon TO make sucn large or any
statement he had taken the papers, being memo
rial OF w. W. Corcoran. G. ". Riggs. Columbus
Alexander and Others and OF the Governor of the
District, and he now presented them to the House
with a resolution Tor committee Of investigation.
THE SPEAKER EXPLAINS.
The SPEAKER-ln connection with what the gen.
tlemen from Indiana has Just said, the Chair de-
sires to make one general observation, and that is
that gentlemen seeking the floor Tor suspension
OF the rules on Monday, greatly facilitate their
ends by notifying the Speaker OF the object they
larger number seeking the lioor than can be &C.
commodated in single day. and the Chair must
necessarily exercise discretion in assigning the
portance or the questions presented by different
members. The Chair thinks that in his i've
years. service no members from either
side OF the House having a question OF
public importance to submit has ever failed TO get
the moor when the Chair advised OF the OBJ
ject. Had the Chair known what motion the gen.
tleman rom Indiana intended to submit on Mon
day last 1t would nave been his duty as well as his
pleasure to recognize him. The rules provide that
the member first addressing the Chair shall be
Ognlzed. But when fifteen or twenty address him
at the same moment some other mode OF assign
ing the floor must, OF necessity, be IesOrted to,
and there Is none so fair as to award the preced-
ence according to the relative Importance OF the
motions, and his decision can De made only by the
Speaker knowing what subject a member seeking
the floor proposes TO submit to the House. To
show how this rule works, the Chair begs to repeat
tnat he mas never heard complaint that any mat
ter OF Importance Jailed to reach the attention Of
the House.
WHAT THE INQUIRY IS TO BE.
The concurrent resolution was then read. 1t
provides for joint select committee, to be APP
pointed by the President or the senate and the
Speaker OF the House, to inquire INTO the matters
specified ia the petitons-whether unlawful con-
tracts have been made tor pubic Improvements in