The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-09
Forty Third Congressional Session.
SENATE.


SENATE.
WASHINGTON. Feb. s.
Tbr Senate by vote of % nays to 10 yeas,
rejected the House bill for the relief of Juo w.
Marsh. This bill was to authorize the Com
missionero of Patents to bear the application Of
Marsh for the extension of letters patent to a
sewing machine used solely in the manufactur
ing of boots and shoes. There was some de-
bate on the bill and several Senators declared
themselves opposed to extending the patent for
ANYTHING connected with sewing machines.
Mr.. Conkling from the Judiciary Committee,
reported adversely on the bill to give jursdic-
ton to the Court of Claims to hear the claim of
G. W. Curtis Lee for Arlington. Indefinitely
postponed
The chair laid before the Senate message
from the President in regard to affairs in Ar
kansas in which he says that all the testimony
will show that in 1872 Joseph Brooks was law
fully elected Governor of that state, and was
unawfully deprived of his office; that in 1874
the constitution of the state was overthrown
b. lawless and revolutionary measures. In con
Guiding the message the President submits
that precedent so dangerous should not be
allowed to pass unnoticed, and asks Congress
to take action in regard to the subject. A de-
bate ensued.
After debate as to its reference it was order
ed to be printed, and the steamboat bill was
taken up.
Post Offices and Railroads, with amendments,
the bill recently introduced by him to establish
certain telegraph lines in the several states and
territories as post roads and to regulate the
transmission of commercial and other intelli-
gence by telegraph. Placed ON the'calendar.
Several patent bills were acted on.
Bills aiding the Washington, Cincinnati and
St. Louis Railroad Co. to construct narrow
gauge railroad from the tide water to St
Louis aud Chicago; to incorporate the Dakota
and Montana Railroad, and bill shortening
Forty first Parallel Railroad Co. of the United
States from Lake Erie TO the Missouri river,
were reported adversely. The former was
placed on the calendar and the two latter were
indefinitely postponed.
Mr. Morton, from the Committee on Elec-
tons, submitted report in the case of P. B. s.
Pinchback, and resolution declaring him
elected to a sent as Senator from Louisiana
from March 4th. 1873.
Mr.. Hamilton Maryland, said that what
purported to be majority report of the com
mittee, as a member of the minority he raised
the point of order, that the report not being
signed by five members, was not a report of the
majority of the committee.
Chair Mr.. Anthony decided that quorum
was competent to transact business and ma
jOrity of the members present could make their
report. He therefore Overruled the point of
order submitted by Mr.. Hamilton
The report submitted by Mr.. Morton was Or
dered printed and laid on the table.
Mr.. Hamilton gave notice that he would SUBJ
NIT minority report
Pending discussion on the steamboat bill the
Senate proceeded to executive business and
adjourned.
HOUSE.
A large number of bills and joint resolutions
of miscellaneous and private character were
introduced.
Mr.. Kelley introduced his favorite 1865 inter
convertible bond scheme. The bill proposes to
repeat the act prohibiting an increase OF green
backs circulation, passed in June, 1874.
Mr.. Grassland of KY. introduced a bill pro-
viding for a tax on revenues above $4,000.
The bill giving bounties to the heirs of SOL
diers who served less than one year in the army
was passed-19 to 26.
pension OF the rules for the purpose of consider
ing the bill to extend the Winona & st. Paul
Railroad.
Mr.. Morey of La. failed to suspend the rules
pending the consideration OF the river and
harbor appropriations TO make it in order to
move that the appropriation be made for the
closing of the Mississippi crevasses and the
reclamation of the alluvial basin, &C.
The House refused to second the demand for
the previous question on a resolution offered by
Mr.. Speer of Pa, that in the judgment of the
House the election of President for third
term was against the traditions of the country
and dangerous to the liberties of the people.
The vote stood yeas 81, nays 1O2
All who voted for it, with the exception of
Mr.. Smith of North Carolina, were Democrats
and all who voted against it were Republicans
Mr. Dawes of Massachusetts moved to sus-
pend the rules and make in order to an appro-
priation bill an amendment for the mod6ca-
ton, suspension or repeal of section 25 of the
Revised Statutes, regulating the time for hold
ing an election for Represen natives in Congress-
He stated that in order to make the time uni
form as the law required, several state constitu-
tons would have to be changed between now
and 1876.
The motion was agreed to; yeas 161, nays GA.
Mr.. Dawes also offered resolution thatiW m
S. King of Mimi, temporarily residing in
Washington. had fled into the Dominion of
Canada in order to evade the service of the
summons. duly issued by the Speaker of the
House. commanding him to appear as witness
before the Committee of Ways and Means in
the Pacific Mail investigation; that he was
served with such summons on the I'd of Febru-
ary 1876 in Compton, Canada; and that he
has neglected to appear before such Committee
pursuant to the summons, and directing the
Speaker to issue his warrant commanding the
Sergeant-at.Arns to take King into custody
wherever found and bring him before the bar
of the House to answer for contempt OF its
authority.
Several members called attention to the
broad character of the proposed warrant, and
Mr.. Dawes said it of course only meant to
apply to the United States. He modified the
resolution accordingly.
Mr.. Butler of Mass. asked how man could
be pronounced in contempt of the House when
not duly and legally summoned and he could
not be so summoned outside oflthe jurisdiction
of the United States,
MI. Randall of Pa. reminded Mr.. Butler
that IN the Andrew johnson impeachment
cases witnesses had been subp8ned in Canada.
Mr.. Butler said they had not been subp@ned,
but had been requested to attend.
Mr. Dawes said that the Committee on Ways
and Means had expressed no opinion on the
question: but simply brought the matter to the
attention of the House.
Mr. Kasson of Iowa explained that the sub
pnna had been sent over week ago to Ma
ioney, where King was temporarily residing,
but on learning the fact he escaped to Canada.
The question therefore was whether such an
attem pit successfully made to evade the selvlce
of the Speakers summons was not contempt
of the House. He said the proof was positive
that King had run away to evade the process OF
the House.
After some further discl ssion Mr. Dawes
withdrew his resolution, and he then moved to
suspend the rules and pass a bill to provide for
the selection of grand and petit jurors In the
in the District of Columbia. Agreed to.
Mr. Sayler of Ind, from the Committee on
Patents, made an adverse report on the appll-
cation for an extension of the Wilson sewing
machine patents. The report shows that the.
machines have been in existence Il years; that
the combination of sewing machine companies
which own the patents have received over Two
millions from Them and that the public has
therefore paid heavily for the invention. The
report was laid on the table. -
The House at 45 adjourned.