The Osceola times., 1876-03-18
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.

In the senate, on the 9th, Mr.. Edmunds
from the select committee to which was re
ferred the resolution and message from the
house of representatives in regard to the i'm
peachment of W. W. Belknap, late secretary
of war, reported preamble and resolution
declaring that the senate will take order in
the premises according to its standing rule
and directing the secretary 10 notify the
house of representatives. Agreed to. Mr.
Jones submitted resolution instructing the
commissioner Of agriculture to furnish the
senate, from such data as is now in possession
of his department, the following information
What are the geographical limits and area
within the United States the soil and climate
OF which is adapted to the cultivation and
growth of stalk and fiber of Sea island or
| long staple cotton, ON which said cotton ma.
lures perfect growth Also the gcograph.
| ical limits and area in each of the several
states, the soil and climate of which is sdsp-
ted to the cultivation and growth of said
cotton, and in which said cotton natures 10
perfect growth Of fiber and stalk. Agreed
to. Mr. Boutwell, called up his motion TO
reconsider the vote by which the house bill
TO provide for the purchase of material, and
Tor the continuation OF work on the building
for customhsuse and postoffce at 81. Louis
| was passed, and il was agreed to. He then
submitted two amendments, authorizing the
architect to use in his discretion such portion
of the appropriation as is needed for the per
formance of the contracts authorized by the
bill as may be absolutely necessary for the
proper preservation and progress of said
building, and providing that contracts au-
thorized to be made by the bill shall not
exceed in the aggregate $4,000, which were
agreed 10, and the bill as amended passed
After the expiration Of the morning hour,
Mr.. Sherman called up the resolution of the
New York chamber of commerce, presented
last week, and spoke in regard thereto Mr..
Sherman, in his speech, took strong ground
against any repeal Of the resumption act of
1875. Adjourned.
In the senate, on the 9TH, Mr.. Freling-
huysen called up the senate bill for the pro-
lection of agriculture against injurious in.
sects, which authorizes the appointment of a
commissioner to investigate and gather in
formation relative TO the Rocky mountain
locust, chinch bug, army worm, hessian fly,
potato bug and other insects injurious to
vegetation, in order to devise successful
methods for their destruction, etc. The bill
was amended so as to include the cotton
worm, tobacco worm, etc, and passed. Mr..
Hitchcock moved that the bill to enable the
people of New Mexico to form constitution
and state government, aud for the admission
OF said state into the union on an equal foot
ing with the original states, be recommitted
to the committee on territories Agreed to.
The senate then took up the resolution for
the admission of Pinchback, and Mr.. Chris
tlancy addressed the senate in opposition to
the resolution, arguing that Pinchback had
not prima facia case, and Kellogg was not
governor of louisiana dejure. Mr.. Howe
spoke in favor of the admission of Pinchback,
but without coming to n vote the senate went
into executive session and adjourned.
In the senate, on the Sth, Mr.. Cameron,
OF Wisconsin, presented petition by over
5000 persons in regard to secret societies.
The petitioners declare their opposition to
all secret organizations. At the expiration
of the morning hour the chair laid before the
senate the unfinished business, which was the
resolution for the admission Of p b. S. Pinch
back as senator from Louisiana. Mr.. West
spoke IN favor of the admission OF Pinchback.
The debate was lengthy and was participated
in by Messrs. Logan, Harvey and Morton, who
favored the admission of Pinchback, and Pad
dock, Morrill, Vt. |, and Edmunds, who op.
posed IT, The question being on the amend
ment of Mr.. Edmunds to insert the word mot"
before the word admitted" il was agreed TO
-32 to 20. The question being on the reso.
luton as amended, il was agreed to by the
same vote. The senate then took up the bill
to enable the people OF New Mexico to form
a constitution and state government and for
admission of said state into the union, so it
would come up as unfinished business to-
morrow. After executive session the senate
adjourned.
In the senate, on the 9th, Mr.. Cragin,
from the committee on naval affairs, reported
back the bill authorizing the payment of
prize money to the officers of the Farragut
fleet, and asked that it be referred to the
committee on appropriations. So ordered.
The house bill granting pension to Eliza.
beth b. Dyer widow of Alex. B Dyer, late
brigadiergeneral and chief Of ordnance L.
). A., passed. Mr. Gordon called up the
resolution submitted by him Tuesday, in
structing the committee on finance TO ascer-
tain, If possible, what amendments to our
revenue laws are necessary to secure econ
omy and certainty of collection of the in.
ternal revenue, and to prevent the recurrence
of official frauds in that branch Of the public
service. Mr. Gordon said the resolution pro-
posed radical change in the revenue laws.
Had this resolution been adopted eight years
ago even Joyce would have been compelled
to act as an honest man. The whisky dis
tillers would have paid the tax and the
whisky ring would been impossible. Money
enough would have been saved to the gov
ernment to pay the cost of one hundred cen
tennal exhibitions or build the Pacific road
not only TO California but around the world,
il there was land to sustain it, He believed
II. al. 4 4.
treasury since 1864 over 81 ,20G, coo, 900 from
tax on whisky, but instead of that only about
$i50, 100000 had been received. Mr.. Morton
said the senator (Gordon) had declared tina,
81 900 100000 had been stolen. Some money
had been, stolen but the senator was rather
extravagdnt in his figures. The government
was substantially in the hands of the demo.
cratic party in 1865, 500, 1867 and 1868. The
tax collected on whisky during these years
are as follows: In 1860, &3s, ,26s, 600: in 1867,
S3s, ,5i2, 900; 1868, S1s,655,O00. And this with
tax Of two dollars per gallon on whisky. In
1873 the tax collected on whisky was $52
000,O00 in 1874, $40 100000, and in 1876
S52, 900, 900, and this with tax less than one.
half as much as that imposed under the
johnson administration. After further dis
cusson the senate went into executive ses
sion and adjourned.
uOuSE.
In the house, on the 9Th, the following
bills were introduced and referred: To pro
vide the manner of taking proof and deposi
;ions before the southern claims commission
TO exempt from criminal prosecution wit
nesses tcstifying before either house of con
gress, or any committee Of the same; tt
extend the time within which the court o
claims shall hear and determine claims o
officers and soldiers of the late war growing
out Of services therein; for continuoui
line Of railway from Norfolk through Vir