The Lake County star., 1876-06-29
CONGRESSIONAL.

CONdhEoSlVNALs
In the Senate, June 16, legislative bust.
ness was suspended at 1920, and the con-
sideration Of the articles of impeachment
against w. w. Belknap was resumed, this be- |
ing the day fixed to hear any further answer
TO the articles of impeachment. Mr.. Black,
Of counsel for the accused, read long
paper declining to plead further, on the |
ground that the respondent had already been
acquitted, rs the order of the
Senate asserting jurisdiction, was not passed
by atwo.thirds vote. Counsel for the defense
asked that the paper be filed, bnt objection
was made by Mr.. Edmunds and also
by the managers. Pending discussion, it
was discovered quorum was not present,
and the Senate adjourned......Th The House
went into Committee of the Whole on the |
Army Appropriation Bill, Mr.. Blackburn
in the chair. Various amendments to the
bill were offered and rejected. No quorum
being present, the House adjourned.
In the Senate, June II, the consideration
of the articles of impeachment against the
late Secretary of War were resumed. The
defendants counsel stated that there were
reasons why the trial could not go on on the
9th Of July as ordered. He therefore
moved it be postponed until about the
Niddle of November next, and appealed to
the managers not to oppose the motion.
The managers asked leave to consult with
the House, which was granted, and the
Court OF Impeachment adjourned. A mes.
sage was received from the President, call
ing attention to the near approach of the
new fiscal year; a failure of Congress, SO far,
to make provision for the ordinary expenses
of the government; also to laws forbidding
expenditure of unexpended balances, and
requiring them to be covered into the Treas
ury at the end of the fiscal year.: He further
stated that if the Appropriation Bills are
not matured before the beginning of the new
fiscal year, the government will be greatly
embarrassed for want of funds, and submits
a joint resolution to extend the appropria-
tions for COnsuls, diplomatic and postal SER
vices, support of the army and navy,
and for the present fiscal year to the
next. Ordered printed and to lie on the
table. 1t was moved to take up the Indian
Appropriation Bill, but no quorum being
present, the Senate adjourned until Monday.
.........In the House, the title of the city Of
Chicago to certain public lands was con-
irmed. The Speaker then laid before the
House message from the President The
points of the message will be found in the
Senate report. The message was referred to
the Committee on Appropriations. The
impeachment managers then called the at
tentiOn of the House to the application of
ponement of the trial till November. The
application was discussed, but, without COM
ing to q decision on the question, on motion
the House went into Committee of the
Whole on the Army Appropriation bill.
Several measures in the bill were debated,
but as no quorum was present, the commit
tee sse and the House adjourned.
In the Senate, June 49, the amendments
made to the Post-office Appropriation Bill
t1aS taN
and Messrs. West, Davis, and Hamlin were
appointed as a Conference Committee, to
confer with a similar committee from the
House. Legislative business was then sus.
pended, and the Senate resumed the consid-
Grafton of the articles of impeachment
against Belknap. The Senate then went
into secret session, and there re-
fused to postpone the trial until Novem-
ber, but allowed the respondent to file a
paper stating why he refused to plead to the
merits of the case, and ordered that a plea
of "not guilty" should be filed for him. 1t
was also resolved that the trial could only
go on while Congress was in session, and that
the trial should proceed on the 9th of July.
........In the House, Mr.. Cox, of New York,
was appointed Speaker pro TEN. during the
absence of Speaker Kerr. The House
then went into Committee of the
Whole on the. Army Appropriation
bill. An amendment to appropriate
100000 for constructing two forts
in the Yellowstone region, and to abandon
those already there, as thus rendered un.
necessary, passed the committee, was re.
ported to the House, and rejected. The bill
authorizing the requirement. Of Pennsylvania
avenue, and the joint resolution providing
for a commission to frame suitable form
of government for the District were, after q
discussion, passed. Messrs. Holman, Blount
and WaldrOn were appointed as q Confer
ence Committee on the Postoflice appropria.
ton bill, to confer with the Senate Com.
mittee.
In the Senate, June 20, a report of the
progress of the Fades Jetties, accompanied
by maps, ETC., was received from the Secre-
tary of War. The Chair also laid before the
Senate communication from the Secretary
of the Treasury, inclosing a long report,
showing the names of all persons now, as
heretofore, in the public service, from
whom balances are due to the government;
the amounts due from such persons; the
number of unsettled accounts; amount OF
stocks held by the United States in trust,
ETC., and list Of such stocks, when
defaults have been made. The Chair an.
nounced that the document would lie upon
the table and be printed. Mr.. Sherman OBJ
jected to having IL printed, as 1t would be
unjust, and would cause scandal. He said
that brave soldiers who had fallen on the
battlefield were charged with the loss OF
their guns, etc. The question Of printing ii
was referred to the Committee on Printing.
The House bill for the issue of $40, 600, 900 in
silver coin in exchange for legal tender notes
was reported favorsbiy from the Finance
Committee. The bill to repeal the present
bankruptcy law was postponed until the
first day of the, next session. The Indian
Appropriation Bill was then taken up. The
Senate Committee had amended the House
Bill by increasing the appropriation $685..
096. Most of the amendments were passed.
Among others, the one refusing to agree TO
the transfer of the Indian Bureau to the
War Department. In the evening session
other amendments were passed.........In the
House bill to prevent the sale of explosive
Illuminating oils i'm the District of Columbia
was passed. A bill TO authorize the con.
struct:on Of a pontoon bridge across the
Mississippi River, from some point in Buf-
falo County, Wis.,, to some point in Winona
County, Minn., was passed. A bill provid-
ing that whenever q party is lawfully en-.
titled TO land patent. IL he delay to take
out the patent, IL shall, when taken out,
have the same power as though issued at
the time the party was first entitled to IT, was
passed. The Committee on the Freedmen's
Bank made long report, in which 1t was
proposed TO pay to the colored soldiers,
sailors, and marines Of the late war the
bounties and pay due them for their serv..
ices, which they had lost by the failure OF
the bank and the fraud Of its officers. The
bill was ordered printed. The Sundry Civil
Appropriation Bill was reported. II Is the
last OF the appropriation bills. II ap-
propriates $14,5S7 ,S40 against $26,644, $50
In the corresponding bill last year. The
House then proceeded to the consideration
Of the bill equalizing the bounties of sol
diers. IL allows TO all enlisted men, sol.
diers, sailors, and marines, including slaves
and Indians, eight and one-third dollars
for their services per month, for service
between the 18th day Of April, 1861,
and the 9th day Of May, 1865, deducting all
bounties already paid under the United