The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-03-15
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.
Tuesday. MARCH 7.

to a bill providing for the appointment
OF a commissioner, at salary OF s'ilCO'
10 gather information In regard 10 the haoiis
nj the orasshopper and other injurious in
.ects- After a lengthy debate it was amended
soas tn proyide that the investigation snouid
ne made nv the commissioner of agriculture.
The bin was then passed. The tinchback
ouestion came up, and Senator Christiancy'
republican, OF Michigan, urged that the
claimant had no prima facie case, and that
Kellogg was no. the rightful governor OF Louis
lana He was answered by Senator'S Howe
and Morton, but the latter acknowledged that
the board, which counted in Kellogg, and the
LEGISLATURE had no returns before 1t. The DEM
ocrats wished to come to vote on the ques-
ton. but were not so permitted.
HousE-Nearly the whole session was con-
sumed in & discussion Of question OF
privilege, brought forward by Mr.. Clymer'
who. with other members of the committee
which investigated the Belknap matter, had
been summoned before district grand jury
with their papers. 1t was broadly intimated
that IL was the purpose of the president and
other authorities by this course to intimidate
with esses and prevent them from testifying
In this and other cases. An excited
debate took place, the republicans claiming
that their opponents were preventing the
punishment OF erin e, and that the committees
negligence had permitted the escape OF Marsh
to Canada. Mr.. Beehe, democratic. of New
York. declared that "ihe demo Gratis would drag
from the turbid waters of pollution the whales
and would supplement 1t, perhaps, by
dragging out the Leviathan himself. and tx-
posing him 70 the indignation OF sn outraged
communist" Finally a resolution, offered by
Mr. Lamar, was adopted directing the COM
mittee to disregard the summons. One L.
Wolf, who had refused TO answer two ques-
lions Of the naval committee, was ordered into
the custody of the sergeant-at-arms.
WEDNESDAY. MARCH s.
SENATE.-Other proceedings In the Senate
were completely overshadowed by the vote on
the Pinchback matter. A test was made OF
the motion of Senator Edmunds to amend the
resolution by inserting mot" so that II should
read, Resolved, that p. z. s. Pinchback be
not admitted as a senator" ETC., and il was
adopted by 81 to 20. The yeas included all the
democrats present and the following Republic
cans: Senators Christiancy, of Michigan,
Morrill,, of Maine, Morrill,, OF Vermont, and
Paddock, of Nebraska. Senators Booth, Of
California, Wadleigh, of New Hampshire, and
Dawes, OF Massachusetts,, would have
voted in the Affirmative, but were paired
with other republicans who would have
voted in the negative. Senators Burnside, OF
Rhode Island, and Patterson, of South Caro-
Lima, were present bat did not vote. The res
olution as amended was then adopted, and
the hopes Of Pinchback were dashed 10 the
ground. The only other matters OF interest
were the submission OF an al ti'secret society
memorial by Senator Cameron, of Wisconsin,
signed by l6,Oco persons, and proposition of
Senator Wright, to adjourn on May LIST.
HoUsE.-Mr. Randall submitted the legis-
latIve and executive appropriation bill, cali
ing for twelve millions, eight less than the
estimates and six less than were approprla-
ted last year. The bill transfers the Indian
bureau to the war department. The recalci-
trant naval witness was brought In and was
about to bs discharged when he created
sensation by falling to the hoor in an epileptic
1T. Mr. Knott presented a resolution recon-
mitting the impeachment matter, and also a
bill protecting witnesses before congressional
committees, which was passed after a lengthy
debate and much republican opposition. Mr..
Clymer made q personal explanation deny
ing certain charges brought against him by
the New York Herald. His statements were
corroborated by other members of his COM
mittee. The speaker appointed q committee
to investigate the whisky trials, as had been
previously ordered by the House.
THURSDAY, MARCH ..
SESATE.-Ssnator Gordon called mp his res
olutions regarding the whisky frauds and sug-
gesting certain reforms, among them the
formation of excise corps to hold Office indie
Fpendently OF party. He supported his propo-
sition with brilliant speech. The sug-
gesticn of non-partisanship brought Senator
Morton TO his feet, who defended the republi-
can party and contrived to work over to the
familiar ground of the bloody shirt. Senators
Sherman and Edmunds came to his support
with efforts to exasperate the Southern sena-
tors into saying something hasty with boasts
OF republican magnanimity and ISLANDERS upon
the South. Senator Withers defended his sec
tIon and his own rights as a member of the
body.
the case Of Condor, the Fenian prisoner to be
looked into. A bill was passed permitting
certain things to be written upon the on side
OF parcels of third-class mail matter and
also one providing for the holding of
United states courts at Fort Wayne. The
Hawaiian treaty was discussed, and an inves-
tigation ordered into the case of Charles Hays,
q member from Alabama, charged with sell
ing "a csdetship. Mr.. Tucker brought forward
resolutions restraining courts of justice from
interference with impeachment cases, which
were referred.
FRIDAY, MARCH 10.
SESATE.-The only action of general interest
was upon the bill providing for the admission
OF New Mexico as a state, which was amended
as regards certain formalities, and then passed
by vote of IS to Is. The negative votes came
from both sides of the chamber. Senator
Wright's bill to put the presidents salary
back at $500 We reached on the calendar
but not considered.
HoUsK-The attention of the committee on
ways and means was called to the great and
Sudden fluctuations in the amount of coin In
the treasury. The consideration OF the legis-
lative and judicial appropriation bill in the
committee of the whole was Improved by
Messrs. Phillips of Kansas, Hoskins of New
York, and Willis Of New York, TO deliver
speeches on the financial question. The latter