The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-01-27
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.


On the nth the petition of p G. T. Beauregard
for the removal Of his political disabilities was
presented in the Senate and referred Bills were
introduced-to amend the acts to aid in the con.
struction Of a railroad and telegraph line from
the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, approved
July l, 1852 and July 2 1874; 10 recover from the
Central and Union Pacific Railroad Companies
the bonds and coupons issued to them in excess
Of the amount prescribed by law; in relation to
| lands heretofore granted to railroad companies
| to amend the laws relating to silver coins. A
| concurrent resolution was submitted proposing a
common unit of money and accounts for the
United States and Great Britain. A petition of
| citizens of Massachusetts was presented, asking
| that law be passed making each member of
Congress directly responsible to the electors of
his district the majority of whom, if he does not
meet their expectations or justify their confidence,
may at any time recall him and appoint success
Several bills were introduced in the House,
| among which were the following: To prevent
| traffic in spirituous intoxicating liquors in the
| Centennial buildings or grounds during the Exhi-
bition: TO repeal the act providing for redistri-
| button of National Bank currency: to reduce the
salaries of all the executive and Legislative officers
of the Government, except the army and navy
over $3.50, 20 per cent, and to fix the salary of
| the President at S25,'00; TO repeal the act
| for the resumption Of specie payment; by
Mr.. Banks, for the removal of all politi-
| cal disabilities. An amendment to the Con
stituton was submitted by Mr.. O'Bren
as an amendment to Mr. Blaine's proposition
providing that no State shall make any law re-
specting the establishment or prohibiting the free
exercise or religion, dsqualifying ministers of
tine Gospel from holding any office of trust or
emolument, either State or National, and provid-
ing that no public moneys raised for school pur-
poses shall ever be under the control of any re-
ligou5 sect. Mr. White moved to suspend the
rules and bring the House to a vote on the AM
nesty bill introduced by him, and from the benc-
fits of which Jefferson Davis was excluded, and
also to vote on amendment striking out that
exception, which motion was lost for want of the
requisite two-thirds-yeas 165, nays no. motion
to suspend the rules and adopt resolution de-
caring in favor of the repeal of the Resumption
act was lost-yeas H., nays 15S. resolution
was adopted calling on the President for copies
of all correspondence with Spain in reference to
the island of Cuba. A constitutional amendment
was introduced and referred limiting the Prcsi-
dental term to four years. The proposition was
agreed to-l55 to 1O2-to amend the rules gov
erning the offering of amendments to the general
appropriation bills so as to make the rule read:
:" No appropriation shall be reported in such gen
eral appropriation bill, or be in order an
amendment thereto for any expenditure not pre-
viously authorized by law, except in continue
ton of an appropriation for such public works
and objects as are already in progress; nor shall
any provision in any such bill, or amendment
thereto, changing existing law, he in order, ex-
cept such as being germane to the subjectmat-
ter of the BILL shall retrench expenditure
On the 18th the credentials of james r. Eustis,
claiming seat as Senator from Louisiana, were
presented in the Senate, and, objection being
made to their reception on the ground OF lrregu-
larity for want of the Governors signature, they
were laid over. The memorial Of the Demo-
cratic Conservative Convention ,f Louisiana,
concerning the election in and condition OF that
STATE, was presented and referred. a bill was
passed to secure attendance and payment of wit
nesses before military courts. The reso!u-
ticn for the appointment of special
conmtttee 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
a proposed amendment TO the Constitution was
reported from the Judiciary Committee TO the
effect that no person who has held or may
hereafter hold, the office OF Presidents snail
ever again be eligible to SAID once; no
ticc of a 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
LIST of January, 1877; to extend Tor three
months the time for claimants before the hia
bama Claims Commission to prove their claims.
Thn
Appropriation bill was considered in Committee
of the Whole. Mr.. williams, of Wisconsin, of
fered proposed amendment to the Consttu-
tjon. 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-onc 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
special committee to investigate the books and
accounts of the Treasury Department was taken
IN and further debated, the pending question
being motion to amend by referring the subject
TO the Finance Committee. bill was passeu
amcndatory OF the act Of June ~, lS'f'
amending the charter of the Freedman Savings
and Trust Company and for other purposes.
Mr. Morton spoke at length IN faVof oi
his resolution relative to the Mississippi eiecuon
"A constitutional amendment was introduced
in the House providing against the enactment oy
Congress any special or locallaw, where gen
eral law can be made applicable, IN regaru W
granting pensions, bounties, lands, RELIEF 10 inoi-
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 oppos ton 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 ,. 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 Postoifices and post-roads The res
oluion TO continue In force the joint rules forthe
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
report was made on the bill to reduce the postage
on irstclass mail matter to 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, nd
opposed by Messrs. Stenger Of Pennsylvania,
FELTON, and Cook.
ON the 2lst the memorial of Stanley Matthews
and a committee of the National Railroad Con-
vcntion recently held in st. Louis, Asetting forth
the advantages of certain thoroughfares, and
az king aid for the Southern Pacific Railroad,
was presented in the Senate and frcferred. Mr..
Boutwell, announced the death OF Vice President
Wilson, and, after graceful eulogy, offered the
usual resolutions Of respect ;Seulogies were also
delivered by Messrr Hamlin, Ingalls,, Bogy and /
Anthony Adjourned to thes24th. "A bill was
passed in the Houee-14s to 100 for the retirs-
ment, on full pay, of5Jpdge Wilson McCand-
less, of the Western District Of Pcnnsslvania, in
consequence OF pbysaca dieabilidess potwith-
standing be has not attained the age sofEsbsfnty
years. Action was taken on The eresolutonsn n
honor Of the memory Of the late Vice President
Wilson, unanimous consent being given to extend
the privilege Of the floor to del CATION OF
Indiana editors during the eulogies to be de-
liyered Eulogies were pronounced by Messrs.
Warren, harris (Mass.), Kelley, Knott Aymer,
Kasson, Banks, Lynch, Hurlbut, Lawrence, Lap
ham, Reagans 5Uyce ana -Dis'r s1esee 'sfses
resolutions of respect were adopted.
On the 2od the Senate was not in session..