The Portland daily press., 1876-04-27
Forty Fourth Congress-First Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON. April 26

WASHINGTON, April rs.
Mr.. Mcdonald submitted a resolution re-
questing the President, if not incompatible
with the public interest to forward to the Sem
ate copies of all correspondence with the State
Department not heretofore furnished or print
ed relating to claims on which Judgments
have been rendered or may be pending before
the Court of Commissioners OF Alabama
Claims arising from the capture of the rebel
cruiser Shenandoah. Agreed to.
Mr.. Anthony, from the committee on print
ing, called up the Senate bill to facilitate the
printing of public accounts. He said that the
purpose of the bill was to allow the congress
sional printer to print and supply any person
with public documents upon tie payment in
advance of the estimated cost of printing the
same. The law as it now stands requires the
payment of the estimated cost and 10 per cent,
additional. Bill was passed.
Mr.. Sargent submitted resolution directing
the Secretary of the Treasury to inform the
Senate how many persons are now employed
as revenue or internal revenue agents, giving
the date of their respective appointments, the
rate of compensation and expenses paid each,
and also to inform the Senate whether in any
cases special rewards have been paid to or re.
ceived by any of such agents, whether moneys
have been disbursed by any of such agents,
whether any and if so which of them have
been or are under the direction of any person
other than the Secretary of the Treasury and
not subordinate of the Treasury Department,
and if so by virtue of what statute or other au-
thOrity. Agreed to-
Senate resumed the consideration of the un-
finished business, it being the bill to amend
the laws relating to the legal tender of silver.
Mr.. Sherman submitted an amendment to
the second section to authorize the Secretary of
the Treasury to exchange the subsidiary silver
coin of the United States for an equal amount
of United States notes as well as the silver dol
lars authorized to be coined by the bill, such
notes to be retired and cancelled and not be
again replaced by other notes. Ordered print
The bill establishing an educational fund and
applying portion of the sale of public lands
to educational purposes was taken up after the
morning hour and Mr.. Morrill, Of VT, spoke in
support thereof.
MIR. Maxey submitted an amendment in tie
nature of substitute for the educational bill
and spoke at length in regard to the grants
made for educational purposes and IN favor
thereof.
The substitute consecrates the net proceeds
of the sales of public lands to the support of
of common schools, the endowment of colleges,
&c
Bill and substitute were then laid aside aa
the Senate took up the bill in relation to the
Japanese indemnity fund. Pending the dis
cussion the Senrte went into executive session
and at 800 adjourned.
HOUSE.
The Speaker appointed the following confer
ence committees:
On the deficiency bill-Messrs Wells Of Mo-, At
kins of Tenn, and Hale of Me.
-. ON the diplomatic appropriations bil.-Messrs.
Singleton of Miss, Randall of Pa, and Waldron Of
Mich,
Mr.. White of Kentucky, had an article read
from Washington newspaper charging the
Clerk of the House and his subordinates with
lobbying against the legislative appropriation
bill.
The Speaker decided that it did not come
within the boundaries of privileged matter. but
resolution to investigate the matter was pass
ed.
Mr.. White sent another letter to the Clerk
and it was referred to the Committee on Pub
lie Buildings.
The resolution of Mr. Gibson of Louisiana.
for select committee of nine to investigate
the affairs of the New Orleans Custom House
was adopted.
and took up the legislative appropriation bill,
on the page relating to War Department ap-
preparations. 'r.
The proceedings were interrupted and Mr..
Douglass, chairman of the select committee on
Freedman's Bank, made a personal explanation
in reply to an article in the morning Washing
ton Republican, speaking of the committee as
star chamber inquisition," and publishing a
letter from Mr.. Leopold, one of the commits.
sioners OF the bank, complaining that he had
not been allowed to testify in reply to charges
made against him by certain witnesses. He
(Douglass) did not think it surprising that
paper which bad championed all the infamous
rings of the District would champion this COM
missioner. He asserted that Mr.. Leopold had
ample opportunity to vIdicate himself before
the committee if he had not vindicated himself
it was his own fault He applied to Leopold
the quotation:
sNo thief e'er felt the halter draw
With good opinion of the law.''
The consideration of tho legislative appro-
priation bill was resumed. After progressing
as far as page SO, leaving only eight pages to
be disposed of, the committee rose aud MIR.
Wells of Missouri, from the committee of con-
ference on the deficiency bill made a report re-
commencing that the Senate recede from three
of its amendments and that the House concur
in three other of its amendments, none of them
of any importance.
The report was concurred in and resolutions
offered by Messrs. Banning of Ohio, and Ran
dali of Pennsylvania, calling for information
as to the sale of commissary articles, and as to
the amount of post funds at the Military Aca-
denny at West Point were adopted, and the
House at $50 adjourned.