The Portland daily press., 1876-01-06
Forty Fourth Con gress-First Session
SENATE.

SENATE
q WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.
The report of an enquirer relative to the
amount appropriated for improvements at the
mouth of the Mississippi river, was presented
and laid on thestable.
Mr.. Conkling of New York presented pc
tition of citizens of New York city asking the
passage of an amendment to the constitution
of the United States prohibiting the appropri-
alton of any money for any religious sect. Re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee.
Mr.. Morrill, of VT, introduced bill for the
redemption of legal tender notes in accordance
with the existing law. Laid on the table.
Mr.. Morrill, gave notice that he would ask
leave to submit some remarks explanatory OF
the bill, after the expiration of the morning
hour tomorrow.
Mr.. Sargent presented copy of memorial
of various officers and seamen of American
ships destroyed by the Shenandoah, stating
that they had been absent from the country,
and asking that the time for filing such claims
hetere the Alabama claims court be extended.
Mr. Frelinghuysen, from the Committee on
Judiciary, presented memorial of Geo. w.
Hunt for an extension of his payment for pa
per and cloth collar patents.
Messrs. Ferry and Christiancy of Michigan,
presented various memorials of the citizens of
Michigan in favor of giving 5000 bounty to
each Union soldier and sailor in lieu of the
homestead station without actual settlement;
also for an amendment to the pension law SO
as to grant pensions to soldiers of the war of
1872 who served five days and were honorably
discharged, and that the homestead law be so
amended that soldiers and sailors who by los
ing limbs or equivalent injury are prevented
from making a settlement, shall be entitled to
an amount equal to that which they would
have obtained with settlement. Ali were re-
ferred to appropriate committees
Mr.. Sherman of Ohio, submitted a resolution
that the commissioners of the Freedmen's Saw
ings & Trust Company Of the District of Co
Senate detailed statement of the assets of
said company remaining undistributed and all
the assets collected or changed in any way
since the date of their report of Dec. IA, 1874.
Agreed to;
provement of Western rivers and referred to
the Transportation Committee.
Mr.. COnking, by request, introduced joint
resolution authorizing the President of the
United States to nominate VIM. WEIGH as
commodore in the U. S. navy. Referred to the
Committee on Naval Affairs.
Mr.. Pratt introduced bill in relation to fruit
brandy and to punish fraud concerning the
same. Referred to the Finance Committee.
Mr.. Boutwell, gave notice that on Thursday
of next week, he would submit to the Senate a
| resolution relating to the services and public
character of the late Vice President Wilson.
Mr.. Herman of New York, presented the Pc
titon of Albert Fuller for extension of patent,
and Mr.. Sargent of California, presented pc
tition of Henry q. Bateman for extension OF
time for filing Alabama Claims Referred to
Judiciary.
Mr.. Boutwell, presented petition of Fl. A.
Brown, late special agent of the U. S. Treas
ury, asking hearing in regard to revenue
frauds, systematzed under valuations of i'm
ported merchandise, crooked invoices and other
devices, the extent thereof and facilities pro-
vided by the loose conduct of the customs bus
mess. Referred to the Committee on Finance.
Senator Conkling introduced bill to amend
the national currency act of June 3, 1864. 1t
is bill reported from the Senate Finance
Committee April IA, 1874, relating to national
banks in liquidation and to proceedings to en-
force individual liability of stockholders.
Senator MOTIONS Mississippi resolution was
laid over.
Mr.. Harvey of Ky introduced bill direct
ing that the Committee on Agriculture APP
point three commissioners to make an investi-
cation and report as to the best method of pre-
vent incursions of the Rocky Mo untain locusts
or grasshoppers into the fertile states and terri
tories. Referred to the Committee on Agri.
culture.
Mr. Sherman introduced a bill to amend the
act of June 90 1874, amending the charter of
the Freedmen's Savings & Trust Company,
SC. Referred to the Committee ON Finance.
1.-THE bill provides that in case of resignation or
death of any of the present commissioners, the
survivors shall carry on the work Auth Ority
is gwen to sell the property at public OF private
sale and compromise the debts. 1t also provides
that when the commissioners are prepared to
make dividends, said dividends will be paid by
the assistant treasurers or government depos.
itaries throughout the country]
The Senate at 1850 went into executive ses-
sion and at LILO adjourned till tomorrow.
HOUSE.
The Speaker occupied the chair in apparent
ly good health.
The oath was administered to R. 1. Riddle of
Tennessee.
A large number of executive communications
which had accumulated during recess were pre-
scented and referred.
Ia tha- nnnamittaa- of the whole the Presi
dents message was referred to the usual COM
The committee arose and reported the reso
lutions to the House when Mr.. Kasson of Iowa
called attention to the fact that among the
subjects referred to the ways and means was
those of the redemption of U. S. notes, the
partial repeal of the legal tender act and the
gradual reduction of legal tender notes, and
suggested tn at these were specially within the
Jurisdiction of the committee on banking
Their reference to the ways and means would
be apt to cause a clashing between the two
committees.
Mr.. Morrison of Illinois replied that it was
almost impossible in distributing the Pres-
dents message to separate its subjects so there
should be no clashing between the committees,
uu0 OuC ways ANU u6auS Ill preparing C0oSe res
olutions had followed the precedenls and tried
to keep the several committees within the line
OF their respective duties.
The subject was further discussed by Messrs.
Townsend of Pa, and Cox and Wood of N. Y ,
Burchard, Kelly and Garfield.
Finally resolutions referring to the banking
and currency giving to that committee control
of the subject of banks, banking aud currency
and the resumption of specie payments by ma
tional banks was adopted.
The Speaker remarked that Mr.. Hewitt of
New York, member of the committee on
public buildings, desired to exchange with his
colleague, Mr.. Ely, DOW on the committee on
foreign affairs who was willing, and asked that
the exchange should be authorized. 1t was so
ordered.
Several bills and resolutions were introduced
and referred. including the following: To re-
lieve certain ships and vessels from compulso-
~ pilot fees; to provide for the payment of
judgments of the Alabama commission as soon
as possible after the 22d of January next; also
for an equestrian statue in Washington of
Zachary Taylor, the 18th President of the Unit
ed States; for improvement of Stonington har-
Dor, Ct; to repeal the bankruptcy act.
by Mr.. OBren of Maryland, resolution di
recting the committee on naval affairs to in
vestigate the disbursements for the support of
the marine corps and to inquire into the ex-
pediency Of abolshing such corps or transfer
ring it to the army. Adopted.
Also resolutions calling on the Secretary of
Luo Navy LOT INFORMATION W0oGner any 0fncerS
of the navy or marine corps over the age of 81
years are still retained on the active list and if
so why not retired. Adopted.
By Mr.. Goode of Virginia, calling on the
Secretary Of the Navy for information whether
the eight steam vessels authorized by the act of
Feb 10, 1873, have been constructed, and if so
their cost. Adopted.
Also instructing the committee on naval af-
fairs to inquire and report whether any mate.
rails belonging to the government have been
fraudulently or wrongfully removed from navy
yards, or whether there have been any unlaw-
full combinations for the purchase of the same.
Also whether any part of the money appro-
priated for the construction of the eight steam
vessels of war authorized by the act of Congress
on the 10th of February, 1878, has been misap-
piled for political purposes or used in any man
ner to promote the success of the Republican
party, and especially whether any money has
been paid to incompetent persons possessing
no mechanical skill who have been employed
in navy yards on condition expressed or i'm
piled, that they would vote for the nominees of
the Republican party.
Mr.. Kasson suggested that the inquiry go
back few years further and include the Dem
ocratic party.
Mr.. Goode preferred the resolution in its
present form, not caring to go back to times
before the deluge.
Mr. Lawrence of Ohio remarked that the res
olution specified no navy yard
Goode-It specified all the navy yards of the
country.
H., &c T.