The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-12-15
Fort, Fourth Congress-First Session.
SENATE.

Referred to committee on pensions
A large number of petitions tor the appoint.
ment OF commission to inquire into the traffic
IN alcoholic liqu 'rs we're presented by Mes~rs.
Conkling, FreliDghuysen, Sargent, Morrill, of
Vermont, Morrill, of Maine, Howe and Others.
All referred 10 committee on finance.
Mr.. Edmunds, from judiciary committee, re-
ported back the Senate bill to extend the dura-
ton of the court of commissioners of Alabama
claims with several verbal amendments. He
said it was desirable to have this bill passed by
both houses before the holiday recess. 1t
merely provided for continuing the court six
months and did not touch the disputed ques-
tions connected with the court. The bill was
passed.
Mr. Allison introduced a bill to transfer In-
dian trust funds to the Treasury of the United
States. Referred to Committee on Indian At
fairs
Mr.. Anthony introduced a bill for the COM
pletion aud location OF naval affairs.
MIR. Cameron, from the Committee on For
eign Relations, reported favOrably on the Sem
ate bill authorizing George p. Marsh to accept
presents from the governments of Switzerland
and Italy Placed on the calendar.
A resolution offered yesterday by Mr.. Davis
in regard to unsettled accounts of government
officers was referred to the finance committee,
yeas 81, nays %.
The motion to allow Mr.. Mcmillan of LOUISE
ana to withdraw his papers claiming seat in
the Senate, was debated at some length and
finally adopted, 80 to 2S. The ouly Republican
who voted against the motion with the Demo-
Gratis was Mr. Dawes of Massachusetts.
The following is the full vote:
Yeas-Alison, Boutwell,, Bruce, Burnside,
Cameron, ofiWls., Chrstancy, Clayton, Conk-
ling. Conover, Cragin, Edmunls, Ferry of
cock, Howe, Ingalls,, Mcmillan, Morrill, of W.,
Morton, Paddock, Patterson, Robertson, Sar-
gent, Sherman, Spencer, West, Window, and
Wright-3O
Nays-Bayard, Bogy, Carpenter, Cockrell,
Cooper, Davis, Dawes, Eaton, English, Golth-
nan, Key, McCreery, Mcdonald, Merrimou,
Norwood, Randolph, Ransom, Salisbury, Ste
venson. Thurman, Wallace. Whyte and With =
ers-2S.
Mr.. Herman presented memorial of Theo.
Boreman late master of the ship Arcale, pray
ing to be Unidentified for the loss of the said
ship out of the Geneva award, the ship having
been destroyed on the high seas by the Confed-
crate cruiser Tallahassee. Referred to the Com
mittee on Judiciary.
Robertson presented petition of Elizabeth
b. Thomas, widow of the late Gen. Lorenzo
Thomas, asking to be granted pension Re-
ferred to the Committee Oh Pensions.
Patterson introduced bill extending the
time for the redemption of lands held by the
United States under the several acts levying
direct taxes. Referred to the Finance Commit
tee.
Jones of Florida presented memorial of
Florida fruit growers association, asking the
location of a national garden for the cOncentra-
ton and perfection of tropical and semi-tropi-
cal flora in that state. Referred to the Com
mittee ON Agriculture.
The Senate at l. 40 proceeded to executive
sess Cd and at 2.10 adjourned.
HOUSE
Several bills and resolutions were introduced
and referred including the following:
BY Mr.. Blaine of Maine, proposing an amend
E1ent to the constitution providing that no state
shall make any laws respecting the establish
MEM of religious laws or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof and that 20 money raised by
schools, or derived from any public fund there
for, or any public land devoted thereto, shall
ever be under the control of any religious sect,
and that no money or funds so devoted shall be
divided among religious sects or denominations.
BY Mr. Hale of Maine, to provide for United
States vessels hailing from places where they
are owned.
By Mr. Eames of Rhode Island, to reduce
postage by providing that after the LIST of March
1876, postage shall be charged OF domestic mail
able matter of first class, embracing all cores
pondence wholly or in part in writing, except
book manuscript and corrected proof sheets
passing between the authors and publishers
and including home or drop letters at the uni
form rate of one cent for each half ounce or
fraction thereof.
of the commission on Alabama claims.
By Mr.. Cox of New York, a bill for a like
purpose.
BY Mr.. Monroe to amend the act creating the
Alabama commission.
By Mr.. Davis of North Carolina, to repeal
the law forbiddiDg the payment of accounts,
claims and demands of Southern citizens for
guartermastef's stores, &C., and appropriating
100000 to pay the same.
By Mr. WhItmoro of Tennessee, to modify
the tax on tobacco.
By Mr.. Thornburgh of Tennessee, to equalize
soldiers bountes.
By Mr.. Landers relative to the repeal OF the
resumption act of January IA, 1875.
By Mr.. Baker of Indiana, relating to the
mileage of members of Congress. Also against
subsidies and grant of lands to railroads.
BY Mr.. Carson of Indiana, to amend the law
respecting third class mailable matter. Also
in relation to bounties. Also to extend the
time for filing claims for additional bountes
By Mr. Holman of Indiana, to repeal the act
for resumption of specie payments. Also to
diers bouuties.
By Mr. Farwell of Illinois, for the resump-
ton of specie payment.
Mr.. Fort of Illinois, offered the following
resolution and demanded the previous question
on its adoption:
Resolved, By the House of Representatives
that in all subordinate appoi ailments under any
officers OF this House it is the Judgment of the
House that wounded Union soldiers who are
not disabled from the performance of duty
should be preferred.
A standing vote on the seconding of the pre-
vious question showed q Republicans voting in
its favor and 104 Democrats against it, The
vote was then taken by tellers with like gen.
eral result, the report of tellers being ayes SO,
noes 126. So the previous question was not
seconded.
Mr. Cox of New York, then offered the fol-
lowing as an amendment, and moved the refer
ence of both resolutions to the Committee of
Accounts and demanded the previous question !;
Resolved, That inasmuch as the union OF the
states has been restored all citizens thereof are
entitled to consideration in appointments to
Office under the government.
Mr. Hale of Maine, inquired If Mr.. CoX's
resolution was offered as substitute to Mr..
Forts.
The Speaker replied that he understood it to
0e offered as an amendment
MI. Stark weather of Connecticut, made OBJ
lection, that as the state of New York had been
already called the gentleman (Cox) could not
put il resolution now.
The Speaker ruled that it was too late to
make objection.
Mr. Fort said he had tried to make the OBJ
lection as soon as the resolution was offered.
Mr.. Hale of Maize, inquired if the House
had acted on the amendment.
Speaker-It has not; that would be acting
on the subject matter of the resolution now,
WHICH IS noI Tue purpose VI the gentleman from
New York. His purpose is to refer both reso.
lutions to the committee.
Mr.. CoX-The original resolution was an ad
captandum affair. My resolution was in the
nature of an amnesty. (Laughter)
Mr.. Regain made the point of order that
neither the original resolution nor amendment
were in order. Neither of them proposed any,
thing which the House was authorized or re.
quired by law TO do.
The Speaker overruled the point of order.
stating that if it was ever tenable it came too
late.
A vote was taken by yeas and nays, and re-
suited, yeas 1853, nays 102, "a strict party vote)
so that both resolutions were referred to a COM
mittee of accounts.
Bills we're introduced and referred as follows:
By Mr. Chittenden to fund United States lie.
gal tender notes and to prepare way for the
resumption of specie payments as soon as prac-
ticable and directing the Secretary of the Treas
ury to sell for legal tender notes, which are to
be Immediately cancelled and destroyed, three
millions in a per cent. 20 year bonds on the
first Tuesday of every month.
By Mr.. Randall, proposing an amendment to
the constitution providing that after the next
Presidential election the President of the Unit
ed States shall hold Office six years, and that
neither the President nor Vice President, when
the Office of President devoves upon him, shall
be eligible to reelection.
By Mr.. Townsend of PENNSYLVANIA, to abol.
ish stamps on bank checks; also to Fl K the rates
of postage on third class matter.