The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-12-13
FORTY-FOuRTH CONGRESS- s;
Proceedings Of the Second Session.

Senators from Colorado, Chaffee and Teller,
Blaine of Maine, Price of West Virginia,
Jones OF Florida, and Randolph OF New Jer-
sey we're sworn in. The Colorado Senators
drew tor their respective terms, Chaffee Sc
curing the long term and Teller the short
one. Senator Edmuuds offered resolution
(which was laid on the table) inquiring into
the election in South Carolina, Louisiana and
Florida. Senator Ingalls, offered resolution
recommending q convention 70 revise the
constitution, to be held at Columbus, Ohio,
next May. After appointing committee to
HOCsE.--Dec. 4.-The House met at
noon, and was called to order by Clerk Ad-
ANS The Speakers chair was draped in
pournipg for the late Speaker Kerr An ef-
fort was made by the Republicans to swear in
the new members from Colorado, before elect
ing Speaker, but the majority refused. The
Democrats nominated Samuel J. Randall of
field of Ohio for Speaker. The vote stood {:
Randall, 161; Garfield, 80; Chas. G. Will
| ans, l VIM R. Morrison, l Geo. F. Hoa~, l.
! Mr.. Randall was declared elected, and was es-
colted to the chair by Messrs. Cox and Nc.
! Crarv. MIR. Randall then spoke as follows:
| Gentlemen OF the House of Representatives:
| Called to this position because of the death
| OF the late Speaker, Mr. Kerr, of Indiana.
only express the universal sentiment in say
| ing he was good and great man, whose pub
lie and private life was cha acterjZed by
purity, patriotism and answering integrity
| do the high honor of presiding over the de-
! alterations of the representatives of the Amer
lean people, and tor this mark of your esteem
| and confidence | return my profound and
! heartfelt Acknowledgements. In the dis
charge of the important duties assigned to
me | shall endeayor to be absolutely fair and
impartial. While enforcing the rules and
upholding the constitutional prerogatives OF
the body, shall at the same time protect
! each and every member in the rights and
privileges to which he may Justly be entitled
In the use Of the parliamentary power of the
chair, it will be my duty and my pleasure to
give the true expression in the appoint
and wishes CT the house upon every
question presented, believing myself, as 1
really am, no more than the voice of the
House itself We stand in the presence OF
| events which strain and test In tne last de-
gree our form of government. Our liberties,
constrained by so many sacrifices in the past,
| and preserved amid rejoicings of an exultant
people to our Centennial anniversary, as one
! among the nations of the earth, must be MAIN
tanned at every. hazard. tAPplause. The
people look confidently to your moderation !;
! 10 your patient, calm, firm judgment and " is
Let us not, beseeech OF you, disappoiDt their
| just expectations and their keen sense ofright,
but by vigilance prevent even the slightest
departure from the constitution and law, for
getting in the moment OF difficulty that we
| are adherents o. party, and only remembering
! to save which will he lost if unauthorized and
| unconstitutional means on the part of the ex-
| ecutive officer be not trowned down al once
| with relentless and unsparing condemnation.
| Objection was made to swearing in Butts OF
| S. G. and Bedford OF Colorado, and a resolu-
ton was offered instructing the judiciary
committee to inquire and report whether Col
of the Union. The resolution was
adopted by vote of 142 to SO. Among the
Is Democrats voting against it were Wells
Of Missouri, Cox and Holman: Mr.: Hew.
lit submitted resolution tor the
appointment Of three committees to invest,-
gate the action OF the retu ming boards of South
| Carolina, Louisiana, and florida. Mr.. Nc.
Crazy had the floor ard refused to yield for
the introduction of the resolution. Theques-
| ton OF the admission of Mr.. Butts, OF South
Carolina, WIS referred to the committee on
elections. After much skirmishing MIR. Hew-
tits resolution for the appointment of these
Investigating cemnitteet was then adopted.
The following committee to visit South Car
DINA was appointed: Messrs. Sayler, Abbott,
| Stenger, Eden, Jones Of KY, Phillips OF NO.,
Banks, Lapham and Lawrence.
! sENATE.-Dec. SIN the Senate, on
the 9Th, MIR. Morton submitted Joint res0lu-
ton proposing an amendment to the constitu-
ton to provide Tor the election of President and
Vice President by direct vote of the people.
sion of Iowa into Judicial districts, northern
and southern. Mr. Spencer introduced bill
to establish the Territory of the Black Hills
The resolution to provide an inquiry into the
| State elections was taken up, and after the
reading of the Presidents message was dis
cussed at length and passed, five Democrats
! voting with the Republicans on the final ques-
ton. Mr.. Merriam introduced a bill to alter
the tines pr:cribed Tor holding elections and
| counting the electoral vote.
| Ho--sE-Dec. 5th.-Mr. Plaisted as
serted that he distinctly voted in the negative
on the resolutions introduced on the previous
day by MIR. Hewitt, but was recorded in the a.
frmative. The change of the vote was OPP
posed by the Democrrts because it would de-
feat the motion. The Republicans claimed
that the record should be changed. The
! speaker ruled that the change should be
made, but Mr.. Fuller arose on the Democratic
side and said he had voted in the affirmative,
! Tut his vote was not recorded in the journal !;
after this correction was made the speaker ex-
:cised his privilege and voted in the af6rma-
J tive, which carried the question. A some-
I what heated discussion was carried ON during
j.. this SkirmlShlng, but OF no importance except
as regarding HE rules OF the House. After
| the reading OF the Presidents message, the
following committee on the Investigations Or
dered in the South were announced: On
| Louisiana: Messrs. Morrison, jerks, Nc
Mehon, Lynde, Blackburn, Meade, House,
Phelps, New, Ross, Townsend, OF Pennsyl-
vania, d ntord, Hurlbut, OF Illinois, Grape
and Joyce On Florida: Messrs. Thompson,
Dehclt, Walling, Hopkins, Garfield and Dun
nell. In the South Carolina committee the
name OF Mr. Cochrane was substituted tor that
Of Mr.. Stenger, excused on account of illness
in his family.
On the 9th inst, in the Senate, Mr..
Window introduced bill to extend the pro-
visions of a land grant to a Minnesota rail-