The Portland daily press., 1876-01-28
From the Maine State Press of Jan. q, 1875.
History of Seven Days.
The News for the week ending Wednesday
Might. Jan. 26.

suits for claims of five per cent of the net
earnings of Pacific railroads; also to inquire
into the provisions of the act establishing
uniform system of bankruptcy and its applica-
ton to corporations. Senate then took up the
resolution to amend the twenty-second joint
rule, and the motion of Morton adopting all the
joint rules except this one was passed. Mr..
Sargent introduced bill in regard to postal
routes, providing that every railroad in the
United States and Territories shall he consd-
cred in law a postal route, and that every per-
son or association desiring to do business with
any railroad company or along the line Of rail-
road shall enjoy the same rights, privileges and
facilities and for the same compensation as
enjoyed by any other person or corporation.
Mr.. Sargent submitted bill looking to pos
tai telegraph system. Mr.. Christiancy intro
duced bill intended to regulate juries in Utah
and aisQualifying poygamists from serving on
panel.
Hoose.-The House spent the day in commit
tee of the whole on the Centennial bill.
Speeches were made in favor of the bill by
Messrs. Townsend of New York, Jones of
Kentucky, Banks of Massachusetts,, and by
Mr.. Stenger of Pennsylvania, Mr.. FELTON, of
Georgia and Mr.. Cook of Georgia in opposi-
tion. Committee rose without action.
Sendte-Friday.-Mr. Thurman reported
substitute for the Senate bill to provide for a
commission to investigate the alcoholic liquor
traffic, and Mr.. Logan introduced a bill to in.
crease the efficiency of the medical corps of the
army The rest of the session was devoted to
eulogies on the late Vice President Wilson.
Remarks were made by Messrs. Boutwell,,
=
and Dawes
House.-Eulogies were pronounced on the
late vice president by Messrs. Harris and War
rem and Banks of Massachusetts, Kelley and
Clymer of Pennsylvania, Knott of Kentucky,
Kasson of Iowa, Lynch of Mississippi, Hurl-
burt of Illinois, Lawrence of Ohio, Lapham of
New York, Reagan of Texas, Joyce of Ver-
mont and Blair of New Hampshire. No bust
ness of consequence was transacted.
Seuate-No session Saturday.
HouSe-A resolution was introduced directing
the committee on OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES into
the expediency of making any appropriations
for the support of the Sioux Indians and also
into the right of excluding white men from
the Black Hills. A resolution was passed call
ing for correspondence with any nation other
than Spain on the Cuban question. House
again went into committee of the whole on
the Centennial bill but adjourned without a
vote.
Senate-Monday-Th charges made by the
Alabama legislature against Senator Spencer
were referred to the committee on elections.
After the introduction and reference of several
unimportant bills Mr.. Davis called up his reso-
luton for an investigation into the accounts of
the treasury by special committee. Mr.. Ed
munds' amendment providing that the investi-
cation be made by the financial committee was
agreed to and the resolution SO amended was
adopted. The resolution to appoint COM
mission to investigate the alcoholic liquor
traffic was debated at length but went over.s
Hoase-A large number of bills and resolu-
tions were introduced among them the follow
ing: For funding legal tender notes into 40
year four per cent, gold bonds to the amount of
$400,000,000 at a rate not to exceed $4,000, 900
month; to classify and equalize the rates of
postage on manuscript intended for publication,
looking TO the resumption of specie payments;
constitutional amendment providing that
terms of Senators and Representatives COM
mence on the first of January instead of the
4th of March. Mr.. Kelley of Pennsylvania
offered the following resolution, which was
adopted:
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury
be directed to report to this house what amount
OF specie was in the treasury on the 3lst of
December, 1875, designating the amount of
gold and silver respectively; also the amount of
silver purchased under the provisions of the act
approved Jan. 18th, 1875, entitled an act ''to
provide for the resumption ofspecie payments"
stating the date of the several purchases, the
prices paid and what amount of cost of any of
such purchase of silver has been paid for from
the surplus revenue in the treasury lot other
wise appropriated and what amount of five per
cent bonds bearing gold interest has been sold
or disposed OF with the purpose of providing
means for the pay ment of the several issues of
said bonds respectively, the amount IF interest
paid thereon and the amount that will have &C.
crued but remain unpaid on the day preceding
the date of the report made in response to this
resolution.
Mr.. Morrison reported resolution looking to
an investigation into the cases of those mem
bers of the House charged with completely in
the Pacific mail subsidy swindle. A bill di-
recting the commissioners of the District of
Columbia to transfer to the Treasury of the
United States for the payment of interest on
1865 bonds due the first day of February next
1922 27 from any unexpended appropriations
heretofore made by Congress or from any rev.
enue derived from taxation, provided that all
certificates heretofore issued by the board of
audit including those converted in 65 bonds
and those not so converted and all certificates
hereafter to be issued by the board of audit
shall not exceed in the aggregate $4,000, 900,
was amended by substituting the words ''the
sum necessary TO pay the same" instead Of
$222,797 and by adding provision that the
government shall not be obliged to pay bonds
or interest on them. issued contrary to law, and
then passed.
Senate-Tuesday.- Sargent presented a
petition of the women of the District of Colum-
bia asking for the right of suffrage. Resolu-
tion was adopted calling upon the Secretary of
War to furnish the number of militia in each
state. Mr.. Bayard called up his resolution in
regard to the revision of the joint rules. bat
after brief debate withdrew his motion. Bill
TO appoint commission to investigate the alco-
holic liquor traffic was passed by vote of 81
to20.
H0uSe.-The committee on banking reported
adversely on three bills proposing to repeal the
ten per cent. tax on the circulation of national
banks A resolution was adopted calling on
the Secretary of War for copies of orders and
instructions under which Quartermaster Gen
eral MeIgs is acting during his absence from
the United States. Mr.. Knott reported a bill
toreorganize the judiciary of the United States
Committee on Pensions reported bill supple
mentary to the pension act, providing that ex-
cept in cases of specific disability no pension
shall be allowed to commence plior to the
date of examining the surgeons certificate
also repeating the law which makes bounty
land warrants personal property. Same CON-
mitee reported bill to increase pensions in
certain cases. 1t provides that person who
IN the service, lost one hand and one foot, OF
was totally or permanently disa led, shall be
entitled to pensions for each of those disabili.
ties. House then went into the committee o.
the whole on the Centennial bill, and ate,
some debate rose and reported it to the Honse
with recommendation that it pass. Bill was
then passed by vote of 146 yeas to 100 navs
Bill appropriates 81 800, 600 for the exhibition
Senate-We dnesday.-A resolution allowing
Consul Heap to act as centennial COMMISSIONS
provided he receive no compensation was pass
ed. A bill was reported to pay the st. Alban