The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-04-20
FeRrY.FouRrH CONGRESS.

FoRTY.FOURTH CONGRESS-.
APRIL 10.-Sendte-A large number of
bills and petitions were presented and re-
The special committee to inquire in
to the late Mississippi election, were author
lied to employ a clerk and a stenographer,
te send for persons and papers, and take
testimony, and the Appropriation Committee
for their expenses. The bill 70 establish the
new Territory of Pembina was reported fa-
vorably andthe House bill to provide for the
deficiency in the. printing and engraving
bureau of the Treasury Department, and for
the issue Of silver coin of The United
States in place of the fractional currency,
was taken up, and vigorously supported by
Mr.. Sherman. The bill was read a third
time and passed. The Senate then went
into executive session, and soon after adj
iourned..... Householder the call OF the
duced and referred. A bill appropri.
ating S5,S72,S50 for river and harbor
improvements was passed. A resolution
instructing the Committee on the Ju-
dietary to inquire whether any addi-
tional legislation is necessary to secure to
the army the right of petition, which be-
longs to every citizen, was adopted. The
House, in committee OF the whole, listened
to a three-hour speech from Mr.. Banks, of
Massachusetts,, on the Hawaiian Treaty, and
then adjourned.
APRIL. 11.-Senue--The Judiciary Com
mittee reported adversely on the House bill
to protect witnesses, who shall be required
to testify in certain cases. A minority re-
port was also presented, and both were or
dered printed. The bill fixing the rate Of
postage on third class mail matter was taken
up and discussed. Mr.. Merrimon, Of North
Carolina, offered an amendment so as to
strike out of the third class of mail matter
prints, engravings, blanks, flexible patterns,
samples of merchandise, sample cards, pho
tographic paper, letters, envelopes,
postal envelopes and wrappers, cards,
plain and ornamental paper, Photographic
representations, seeds, cuttings, bulbs,
roots, and scionsrHes said that theo object Of
this amendment was to organize q fourth
class of mail matter for merchandise, and
make it pay the cost of transportation. The
amendment was rejected, yeas IL nays 20.
The bill was discussed at length, bat no
action was taken, as the Senate went into
executive session and soon adjourned.........
House-A large number of bills relating to
commerce and navigation were in
troduced, the most important of which
were, to authorize the citizens Of
Melville, Pennsylvania, to close the channel
of the Ohio river; to authorize the construc-
ton of a bridge across the Missouri river at
or near Sioux City, Iowa; to grantAmerican
register to the Canadian steam ferry-boat
Geneva, all of which were passed. Twenty
thousand dollars were appropriated to inn
prove the grounds around the Capitol. A
recess to 7;30 was then taken. In the even
ing session nothing was accomplished.
APRIL 2.-SenGtelThe bill to provide
for the sale of extra sale Of public docu-
ments, and for the distribution of the regu-
lar official edition thereof, was passed. The
reconsideration Of the bill fixing the rate of
postage on third-class mail matter was then
resumed, the question being on the substi.
tute of Mr.. Harvey to restore the old rate of
postage on that class Of matter. It was de-
bated at great length, and finally rejected
by vote of rs yeas to % nays.
An amendment was offered so as to
allow seeds, cuttings, bulbs, roots, scions,
State and county fair premium lists, and
State and county agricultural reports,
through the mails at one-half of the rate
heretofore established for third-class matter.
1t was also rejected. The original bill was
then read q third time, and passed. After
a short executive session, adjourned. ........
House-The silver bill came up, and the
Senate amendments were concurre6 In
without debate and without division. The
Dill nov goes to the President. a resolution
was onered ~instructng t1e Committee on
Foreign Ana,rs 70 consider wnat achol
snouid pc taken 70 enable n rfresioen'
70 receive n entertain the emperor
Oh brazil anu Ine fIesloent Oh feru, Wne
are soon W aliis9 IN tnis county, Wnicn wa
reierFeo; me house tnen LOOK up the ue
nciency phi, which was amended IN various
MINOR partcuiars ana passed. me hous'
Lnen went INTO CommlIlee Oh tne Whole OF