Daily Kennebec journal., 1876-06-13

day, on account OF the large numbers OF Senators
being absent from the city attending the Cincin-
natl convention. 1t was finally rejected-yeas, l6
nays, %.
Mr. Clymer made a unanimous report of the
committee to investigate the charges against
Speaker Kerr, freely exonerating him from such
charge.
| Bills were introduced and referred as follows
| BY Mr.. Harris of Mass, for the establishment
| of board of commissioners for the navy OF the
| Us.
| BY Mr.. Thompson of Mass, to provide for the
| settlement of unpaid claims of those officers of
the Line of the Revolutionary army who served
| till the close Of the Revolutionary war.
BY Mr.. Lord Of New York. joint resolution
recommending an additional smendnent to con-
stitution, providing that officers of the United
States, such as assessors, postmasters, marshals
and collectors, except collectors OF custom duties,
shall be electt d for a term of four years.
| BY Mr.. Hay mond of Indiana, providing for the
gradual resumption of specie payment, and for
the repeal of so much of the resumption act as
| fixes the date for resumption at Jan. l, 1879.
Mr.. Atkins, from the committee on appropria-
| tions, reported the army appropriation bill. 1t
was made the special order for to morrow. The
sum appropriated in the bill is S23. .l55, ,077 that
estimated for S33 70S. The amount ap-
proprated for the present year was S21 1913 $50.
The first section of the bill fixes the pay of officers
as follows: General $4,000; Lieutenant General
$4,000; Major General $1,000; Brigader General
$500; Colonel $500; Lieutenant Colonel $1,000;
Major $500; Captain (mounted) $1,000; Captain
| mot mounted) $500; Adjutant $500; Regi-
mental Quartermaster $500; First Lieutenant
| (mounted) $1,000; First Lieutenant mot mounted)
$1,000; Second Lieutenant (mounteD $1,000;
Second Lieutenant mot mounted) Sl40O-provid-
| ed that for the first four years service Second
Leutenants, mounted, shall receive $500 year,
and not mounted, $1,000; Chaplans Sl3O0 Store
keepers $1,000. Forage is to be furnished only
for horses kept and used in the performance of
official duties.
The joint resolution proposing to modify the
treaty with China to reserve to each government
recprocally the right to regulate, restrict, or pre-
vent immigration, excep, fer commercial pursuits,
was passed.
Mr. Clvmer of Penn, from the committee on
Expenditures in the War Department., made a
report in the case of the charges against Speaker
Kerr. The report states that after thorough ex-
animation Of Lawrence liarney, the only witness
making the charge, also of Augustus r. Green
and divers other witnesses. it appeared that in
$685. while a member of the House of Reprcsen-
tatiyes, Kerr did in the exercise of his rights
privilege nominate Green for an appointment in
| the regular armv. The committee, however, had
found difficulty in reaching the conclusion that
the charge as to the payment of money to Mr..
Kerr was urqualifedly false, and that Mr.. Kerr
stood fully exonerated from all implications af-
fectng his personal honor or official integrity.
The committee had found nothing in the whole
progress Of the investigation to impair or detract
unquestioncd personal integrity and unsulled
purity.
Mr.. Clymcr remarked that the conclusion
the unanimous judgment not only of the commit
tee but of the House and the country.
Mr.. Danforth Of O., republican member of
the committee, said it afforded him real pleasure
be able to subscribe to the report. not because
of the unfortunate illness of Mr. Kerr, but be-
cause it act Of simple justice to that gen.
tleman.
Mr.. Garfield suggested that the vote on the
port be taken by members rising
The suggestion was adopted and all the mem
bers, PIG in number, rose in the affirmative.
Mr. Garfield then asked that it be entered on
the record that the report was adopted unani-
mously.
The Speaker pro TEN. di. ected the Clerk to let
it De recorded on the record the unanimous
vote Of the Ho lse.
Mr.. Leavenworth of New York, suggested as
highly proper that the House should furnish to
Mr. Kerr in the most formal manner, a certificate
copy of the proceedings on this occasion, and
made motion to that effect.
The motion was agreed to and the clerk instruct
ed accordingly.
The Speaker pro tenn laid before the House the
following letter, which was referred to the com-
mtee on Centennial:
New York, June 9, 1876.
My Dear Sir:-IIalf q century ago General La
fayette revisited America. and as guest of the
nation, made trumphal tour of the States, as you
know bv reading and tradition. The affection,
enthusiasm and gratitude awakened by that visit
has no parallel in the worlds history. Would it
not be equally appropriate and wise, half cen
tury after the visit of his grandfather, to invite
Oscar Lafayette, as the guest of the nation to at
tend the Centennial anniversary OF our lndepend-
ence Our committee has decided to invite M.
Lafayette, but it occurs to me that Congress
might think proper to give broader and deeper
effect to patriotic idea.
Very truly yours
THURLow WEED.
To Hon. S. S. Cox.
4 adinnrnnd