Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-01-27

concerning the election in and condition Of that
State, was presented and referred. bill was
passed TO secure attendance and payment of wit
! nesses before military courts. The -esolu-
ton for the appointment OF special
committee to investigate the books and
accounts Of the Treasury Department was taken
up and Mr.. Boutwell, entered into lengthy ex-
PLANTATION of the manner of keeping accounts in
the different offices of that department. After
the Offering of amendments and remarks by other
Senators the matter went over. In the House
q proposed amendment TO the Constitution was
reported from the Judiciary Committee to the
effect that no person who has held, or NAV
hereafter hold, the Office of President shall
ever again be eligible TO saiQ office; no.
tice Of substitute was given by the
minority OF the committee. An adverse report
was made on the bill to abolish capital
punishment Bills were passed-to extend the
time for stamping unstamped instruments to the
1st of January. 1877; to extend for three
months the time for claimants before the Ala
bama Claims Commission to prove their claims.
Several bills were introduced. The Centennial
Appropriation bill was considered in Committee
of the Whole. Mr. Williams, Of Wisconsin, Of
fered proposed amendment to the COnstitu-
ton. supplementary to the amendment proposed
by Mr.. Blaine, providing that no money raised
by taxation in any State shall be appropriated
for the maintenance Of any sectarian school or
sectarian institution.
On the 18th twenty-one petitions from
citizens of Ohio were presented in the Senate
asking for aid IN the construction Of the Southern
Pacific Railroad. Mr.. Davis resolution for a
special committee TO investigate the books and
accounts Of the Treasury Department was taken
up and further debated, the pending question
being motion 10 amend by referring the subject
to the Finance Committee. bill was passed
amendatory of the act of June 20 1874,
amending the charter Of the Freedmans Savings
and Trust Company snd for other purposes.
Mr.. Morton spoke at length in favor of
his resolution relative to the Mississippi election
"A constitutional amendment introduced
in the House providing against the enactment by
Congress ofany special or local law, where gen.
eral law can be made applicable, in regard to
granting pensions, bounties, lands, relief TO ind
viduals, etc, and leaving TO the courts to deter
mine whether any special law could be embraced
in general enactment. The Centennial Appro-
priation bill was further considered in Commit
tee of the Whole, Messrs. Phillips of Kansas,
Harrison, Kelley, Reagan of Texas, and Frye
speaking in support of, and Messrs. Cochrane
and Tucker in opposition to, the measure.
On the 10th various petitions were presented in
the Senate asking for repeal Of the law requlr-
ing two-cent stamp to be affixed to bank checks.
Mr.. Morton continued his remarks on his Mis-
sissippi resolution. Bills were introduced-to
amend the Pacific Railway acts of July and
July 2, 1864; to provide for challenges to jurors
in trials for bigamy and polygamy in the Terri
tory of Utah, and to amend Sec. of the act in
regard to courts and judicial office in the Terri
tory of Utah, approved June "a, 1874 in regard to
postal routes, Postoffices and post-roads. The
olution continue in force the joint rules for the
government of the two houses of Congress, except
the twenty-second rule, in regard to counting the
votes for President and Vice-President, was dis
cussed and adopted....In the House an adverse
report was made on the bill toreduce the postage
on irstclass mail matter one cent for each half
ounce. The Centennial Appropriation bill was
further debated in Committee of the Whole, be-
ing advocated by Messrs. Townsend of New
York, Jones OF Kentucky, Banks and Swan, and
opposed by Messrs. Stenger Of Pennsylvania,
FELTON, and Cook.