The Portland daily press., 1875-01-29
History of Seven Days.
The news for the week ending Wednesday
Night, Jan. 25th.

IRmsday-The Vice President laid before
the Senate message on coast defences. The
committee on civil service reported adversely
on the hill to abolish the mileage system. Ad-
verse report was made also on the bill to to re-
duce the salary of the President Senate dis
cussed the proposed amendment to the consti
tuition providing for the election of President
and Vice President directly by the people. In
the Honse the Indian appropriation bill came
up on vote to reconsider but was again reject
ed and referred to the Committee of the whole
on the State of the Union. Chas. A. Wet
more, the recusant Pacific Mail witness was
discharged. A resolution to exclude the Nor
mon delegate Cannon, was ordered printed.
The conference report on the Little tariff bill
was adopted and the bill finally passed.
Friday.-the credentials of P B. S. Pinch
beck, Senator from Louisiana, were presented
and referred to the committee on elections. A
joint resolution of the Vermont legislature
against the reciprocity treaty was presented.
Senate discussed the constitutional amend
ment In the House resolution calling upon
the Attorney General for information as to
what steps are necessary to be taken to compel
each state to preserve undiminished the princi-
pal of the fund derived from the sale of lands
under the agricultural college grant was adopt
ed. A bill appropriating 800 to pay the
interest on the 65 District of Columbia bonds
was recommitted, Bill was passed authorizing
Lieut.. Commander Pierson to accept for thu
Queen of Great Britain the decoration of the
order of the Bath for gallant conduct in attack
ing the Japan forts.
SATURDAY. branch was in session.
Monddy.-Mr. Anthony was elected Presi-
dent of the senate dro tenn. Mr.. Hamlin's Gre
dentials were placed on file. Mr.. Morrill, of
Vermont introduced bill to establish an edu-
cational fund by applying portion of the pub
lie lands to this object. Laid on the table. Bill
to revive and consolidate statutes relating to
patents and copyrights was Indefinitely post
poned Bill to amend act of July II, 1862 for
the better government of the navy was passed.
Petition of Mr. Wickersham of Massachusetts,
for extension of patent for improvement on
sewing machines was reported back and COM
mittee discharged. In the House under call
of states large number of bills, including two
in regard to rates of telegraph companies, were
introduced. An effort was made to prevent
filibustering by giving the Speaker power to re-
fuse diatory motions but failed. Bill amenda
tory of the act of the Sd of March 1873. au-
thorizng construction of a bridge across the
Mississippi river of st. Louis was passed. An
attempt to get the civil rights bill before the
House failed. A petition for an amendment to
the constitution forbidding the manufacture
and importation of spirituous liquors was re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee.
Tuesday.-In the Senate several unimport-
ant bills were passed. Committees on Pensions
reported upfavorably on bill to provide that all
pensions on account of death wounds received
or disease contracted in the service of the
United States since March 4, 1861, which have
been granted on application filed previous to
Jan. l. 1875, shall commence from the date of
death or discharge, and for the payment of ar
rears of PENSIONS and it was indefinitely post
poned. Mr.. Edmunds reported bill to pro-
vide for and regulate the counting of votes for
President and Vice President. In the House
the judiciary Committee presented an amend
ment to the constitution for fixing the term of
the President and Vice President at six years,
neisher to be eligible to reelection. 1t was
lost. The McGarrahan claim came up and
bill was passed directing the commissioner of
the General Land Office to institute proceedings
against the New Iberia Mining Company of
California to recover 100000.
Wednesday. petitions were pre-
sented for the passage of a law prohibiting the
sale, importation or manufacture of alcoholic
liquors in the District of Columbia or the Ter
ritories of the United States After the intro
duction of few bills of no general interest the
Senate took up the Louisiana revolution and
discussed it till adjournment. In the House the
day and night was occupied with an attempt to
get up the civil rights bill, the Democrats in
terposing dilatory motions.
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
The Pacific Mail investigation is nearing the
end and enough has been developed to effectu-
ally kill all future subsidy schemes. Twins
list of persons who were paid for helping
through the subsidy is as follows: Chas. Albert,
$1,000; o. j. Averill, $4,000 E. H. Cormick,
does not recollect, but thinks $25OO or $4,000: |
Amos B. Corwin $4,000 L. E. Chttenden, $4,000 |
B. FL. Cheever, $4,000; Hamilton G. FAINT, S12- |
600; John W. Forney, $4,000; Samuel A.
Hatch, about $4,000; S. r. Ingraham, $4,000;
John H. Rice, $1,000; w. B. Shaw. $4,000;
Charles II. Sheriff., 800; John G. Schumacher,
100000; A. II. Whiting, 500 900.
The money was paid for various kinds of
service, such as interviewing congressman, as
certaining how the vote was likely to stand,
etc. and to the average mind the sums seem
extremely large for the services, though Irwin
says that he thinks they received none too