Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-12
FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
WEDNESDAY. January II.

war. He said the petitions in these cases all
! bore evidence OF having been prepared by the
same hand; no evidence accompanied them,
/ and there was no reason why they should not
/ so before the Southern Claims Commission.
The adverse report was concurred IN.
| Mr.. Conkling presented thirteen petitions
| of New York soldiers asking to be placed on
| the pension lists. Referred TO Committee on
| Pensions
Mr.. Morrill, (Vt), from Committee on Pub
/ lie Buildings and Grounds. reported biu for
sale Of part Of custom-h house lot at Rochlan1,
Maine. Passed.
Mr.. Anthony, from the Committee on
| Printing, reported bill to amend section
4 500 of the revised statutes so as TO author
iZe the Committee on Pdblic Printing TO dc
| eide upon the various standards OF paper 10
| be used for the public printing, and in refer
| ence TO the advertising therefor. Passed.
Mr.. Cragin, from the Committee on Naval
Ahairs, reported bill TO secure the attend
| ance and payment of witnesses before mill
| tary courts, which, after discussion, was
! placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Clayton introduced a bill authorizing
| the Secretary of War TO correct an army
officers record. Referred to the Committee
| on Military Affairs.
Mr.. Conkling introduced a bill relating 10
| the jurisdiction of the circuit courts of the
United States. Referred to the Committee
/ en- Judiciary.
| Mr.. Wright introduced a blu to abolish
capital punishment. Referred TO Committee
on the Judiciary.
| the bOunties of all soldiers who served in
| the war for the union. Referred to Commit
| tee on Military Affairs.
Mr.. Dorsey introduced bill TO place col
ored soldiers who enlisted I'm the army on an
| equal footing with other soldiers.
| Mr.. Davis submitted a resolution provid-
| ing for the appointment Of a select com nit
| tee of five 10 examine into the Treasury
books and papers, with authority TO send for
| persons and papers; the resolution alleging
| that material discrepancies exist in the
| reports on the finance from 1861 to 1872.
| The resolution was laid on the table aud
| ordered 10 be printed, Mr.. Davis giving no
fl,rf ln
| submit some remarks upon it.
The unfinished business being the resolu-
tions in reference TO the status of
| THE PRESIDENT PRO TEN.
| OF the Senate, came up, the question being
on the last of the series of resolutions deSlar-
! ing that Mr.. Ferry holds his office as Presi-
| dent pro tenn by virtue of his election last
Mr.. Edmunds said the Senate was in many
| respects the counterpart of the House Of
Lords, except that Senators did not hold
| their Office for life.
The presiding officer OF the House of Lords
| the Lord Chancellor, is not member Of that
1 body. When he is absent, or there is a va
cancy, the House of Lords elect a President
! pro ten, and elect one every day. So il is
| with the Senate; 1t has the right 90 elect
| President pro tenn. every day, although by
| long usage il has been construed that il is
| not necessary. The constitution does not
| fix the term of the President pro tenn, and
| therefore the tenure OF that officer is TO be
regulated by the pleasure OF the Senate.
| Mr.. Wallace differed with Mr.. EdmOndS
| In his view the President pro tenn. was an OF
| fcer of the United States as well as an of
| ficer OF the Senate, and he held that he could
| not be removed without cause.
Mr.. Morton expressed surprise to hear that
| any one was or the opinion that the Senate
| could not elect a President pro ten at its
pleasure.
MT. Norwood asked Mr.. Morton whether.
| If the President of the United States should
| die to-day, the Senate would have the power
| to elect new President pro fesH., and would
| that new President pro teil have the right to
assume the duties OF the Executive office?
Mr.. Morton was not able to answer this
question. as IL was one of the very questions
| relating TO this subject which were in doubt.
Mr.. Herman asked whether, in the event of
| the death OF the President Of the United
| states, the President piO tcnl. OF the Senate.
! by succeeding to the Executive Office, would
| sill be President pro tenn of the Senate and
exercise the duties of that Office.
Mr.. Morton thought that he still would be
| the President pro tenn. OF the Senate. He un-
| dersto0d that there were prececents bearing
on this point. In the case of one OF the
| states (ArkanSas, he believed,) the governor
had been removed by impeachment the
| president pro teia. hat succeeded 70 the
| guoernatOIial chair; but he uad continued 10
exercise the duties of president pr6tc0i Of a
| state senate, and had called IL TO orde~ every
! morning and then designated Some ore n
| nj the chair for that day, "
Mr.. Conkling remarked that there was also
q precedent IN the state OF Illinois,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
| wells tMC.l introduced bill mai ing an an
preparation for the construction of a most
once and custom house at s., Louis. Re.
Also 70 bin HO 10 nav the on
bonds OF the District OF Columbia Referred
| to Committee on Approp fiations.
,ohIish IVhiol .troduced bill to es-
=. .ap5tsn a H!nC at toI' INDUS, Ohio. Referred
to Committee on Coinage, Weights and
Measures. ~
r. Mr.: Bnckner t'IMo.)-Bru in relation TO the
SoalIn Us OF the Sinking Fund and the
Boaiu VI Au lit OF the District of Columbia.
neteIIea - District Committee. This bill
wa P Pr Ared by the District Commissioners,
az IS published in yesterdays STAR
NJ Holman (Ind.) suggested that the call
vi states for bills and joint resolutions for
., reference only be resumed at the point
| where it was left off at the conclusion OF the
| morning hour on Monday, and gone through
| with, TO which unanimous consent was
given, and the call was resumed with the
| state OF Louisiana, and the following bills
| were introduced and referred:
| By Mr.. Gibson, LA. )-Blll to repeal Sec
| tlon 10 OF the act of April IS, 1870, and Sec
ton p OF the act. of 1866, in relation to grade
| privileges of officers OF the army. Also. q
resolution authorizing the appointment OF a
| commission to ascertain whether terms mu-
| tuaIly beneficial can be obtained to secure
| trade between the United States and Mexico
| By Mr.. Levy (I.a.)-Bill TO provide for the
removal OF distractions in the Red river
1 ana also Tor the improvement of that river.
By Mr.. Morey (La.)-Bill for the better
organization OF the [. s. district courts in
1
authorizing the President to place the name
| OF VIM, West in the grade of commanders in
4 the L. $. navy.
By Mr.. Lawrence-Bill in relation TO land
| grants.
BY Mr.. Danford-Biu 10 amend the acts
! granting pensions for the war OF 1872.
| By Mr.. Parsons tKy.)-Bill to provide for
the recovery of internal taxes Enormously
assessed.
By Mr.. Clark (Ky.)-Bill making an ap-
preparation for tue improvement OF the Big
| Sandy river.
By Mr.. White (Ky.)-Bill for the improve
ment of the Cumberland river. Also, a bill
to abolish the distinction In salaries between
| I'd, Sd and 4th class clerks in the departments
| of the government.
By Mr.. Durham (Ky.)-Bin to permit grow
| ers of tobacco to sell 500 pounds of tobacco OF
their own production without a license. Al
| so, bill 10 improve Smith Shoals, Cumber-
| land river.
| BY Nj. Dibrell (Tenn.)-Bin authorizing
compensation TO state and county officers
| for carrying process under writs OF habeas
| corpus.
By Mr.. Thornburgh (Tenn.)-Bi making
an appropriation for the Improvement of the
navfgable tributary streams Of the Tennes-
| see river.
/ Py " younu fTau, \ or,ana A..