The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-12-07
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.

MONDAY, Dec. 4-Sendte The Senate met
and was called to order promptly at II O'clock.
The new members were sworn in, and the two from
Colorado drew for their respective terms. Chaffee
secured the long term ending March 4, 1879, and
Teller the short term, ending In 1877. .Edmunds
submitted resolution instructing the Committee
Privileges and Elections, when appointed, to
inquire whether, in the recent election in South
Carolina, Louisiana and Florida, the right of any
citizen to vote has been denied or abridged, and
also to the eligibility of electors; which was
read and ordered printed, and to lie on the table.
80 Ingalls, submitted a joint resolution recon.
mending that convention be held at Columbus,
O., in May next to revise and amend the constitu
ton of the United States. Ordered printed, and to
lie on the table.
House.-In the House of Representatives the
opening Of the session was Witnessed by an i'm
mense concourse of spectators. There were very
few members absent. The Speakers chair was
draped III mourning, in respect to the memory of
the late Speaker Kerr. There being, therefore, no
presiding officer the House called 10 order at
noon by Clerk Adams, who thereupon called the
roll of the members. The call showed 249 members
present the whole number the roll being 289. AS
soon as the call finished, Holman to offer
resolution for the election of Speaker, but Banks
| nterposed, as a question of superior privilege,
| the right Of the member-elect from Colorado to
| have his name placed on the roll 80 that he might
participate in the election of Speaker and sent up
| the credentials of the member from Colorado.
| discussion ensued on the question of precedence,
| Holman End other Democrats contending that the
|
! business in order, while Banks and other RepubE-
cans contended that all the members had right to
participate N the election. Frye claimed the same
right for his colleague, elected in place Of Blaine.
Finally the Clerk decided that the resolu-
ton offered by Holman took precedence. From
| that decision appeal was taken by Banks, which
| appeal Cox moved to lay on the table, Agreed to-
| yeas, 165; nays, "a. Holmans resolution then
came up for action, and 1t adopted without op.
| position. 1t was follows: The House being in
formed that since its last journment NJ. O. Kerr,
| who at the commencement of the present Congress
was elected Speaker of the House, has departed
this llfe creating vacancy in the Office of Speaker;
| it is therefore ordered that the House do
proceed to the election of Speaker, viva voce.
Cox nominated 3. j. Randall as Speaker, and
Mccrary, of Iowa, nominated James A. Garfield.
The former was elected. Randall had 16l votes;
Garfield, So; Williams Of Wisconsin, G. T. Hoar,
| 1; and Morrison, 1. The Speaker was conducted
to the chair by Messrs Cox and McCrary
objection was made to the swearing in Of Buttz.
of South Carolina, and Bedford, of Colorado.
In relation to the latter, springer offered reso
| luton instructing the Judiciary Committee to
inquire and report at as early day possible
whether Colorado Is State in the Union, and
directing, until such report is received that no
person claiming to be Representative from Colo
RADIO shall be sworn In a member. After
some discussion the resolution Of Springer
was adopted. The House proceeded to the con-
sideration of the question Of admitting ButtZ, of
South Carolina, to his seat the point agalnet his
admission being that he has been counted by the
Returning Board, Morrison presented memorial
and protest signed by the citizens of the district
against the admission of Buttz, and moved the ref
erence Of the question to the Com
mittee on Elections Morrison's motion was
was offered by Hewitt, and adopted, for the
appointment of three select committees, one of
fifteen members to proceed to Louisiana, one Of
six members to proceed to Florida and one of nine
members to proceed to South Carolina to investi-
gate the action of the Returning or Canvassing
Boards as to the recent elections in those States,
and report all facts essential to an honest return of
the votes of electors for President and Vice Presi-
dent and to a fair understanding thereof by the
people, and whether the electoral votes of those
States should be counted e.at eeE agfsg
TUESDAY, Dec. 5.-Senate. Morton sub
rnitted joint resolution, proposing al amendment
to the constitution of the United States to provide
for the election Of President and Vice President
by direct vote of the people, which was read and
laid on the table until the appointment of the COM
nittees and will then De referred to the Committee
on Privileges and Elections. In submitting the
resolution Morton said it was identical with the
proposition reported by the Committee Privileges
and Elections two years ago....A bill was intro
duced to establish the Territory of the Black Hills
-. Edmunds moved to take up the resolu-
. ton submitted yesterday ordering an in
5 quiry into the late election in various South
ern States. The motion, after long debate
was agreed to by strict party vote. >, .Mer
rimon introduced bill to alter the time for holding
2 elections for President and Vice President, ant
counting the vote in the Electoral College. Ordered
printed and to be referred to the Committee Oh
S Privileges and Elections when appointed. It pro
vides that the Revised Statutes shall be amended
so that the election for PRESIDENT and Vice Presiden
shall be held in October, and the Electoral Colleg
shall meet in the January following. t"t"
Houss.-The House proceedings were dull ant
spiritless resolution was adopted assigning
Saturday, Dec &c. for the presentation of suitabl
resolutions on the death of the late Speaker Kerr
I . The Speaker then announced the PRESIDENT
z annual Message, which was thereupon read by thu
Clerk. :. On motion of Wood IN. ~, the Messag
and accompanying documents were or
. dered printed forthwith in psmphle
form, and were referred to the Com
mittee of the Whole on the State of the Union.
/ The Speaker announced the following select com
! mittees: On Louisiana-Messrs. Morrison, jerks
u McMahon, Lynde, Blackburn, Meade, House
8 Phelps, New, Ross, Townsend Pa.), Danford. Hurl
q but Qn.l, Grape and Joyce. On Florida-Messrs
= Thompson, DE Bolt, Waling, Hopkins, Garfield an
q kiDunnen On the South Carolina committee tn