The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-06-13
HOUSE.

sponded and Senate at As adjourned till Thurs
day next
HOUSE.
Bills were introduced and referred as follows
By Mr.. Harris of Massachusetts, for the es-
tablishment of a board of commissioners for
the navy of the United States.
BY Mr.. Thompson OF Massachusetts, to pro-
vide for the settlement of unpaid claims of those
officers of the line of the revolutionary army
who served till the close Of the revolutionary
war.
By Mr.. Lord of New York, a Joint resolution
recommending an additional amendment to the
constitution providing that officers of the Unit
ed States, such as assessors, postmasters, mar
shals and collectors, except collectors of Gus
toms duties, shall be elected for term of four
years.
By Mr.. Raymond of Indiana. providing for
the gradual resumption of specie payment and
for the repeal of so much of the resumption
act as fixes the date of the resumption at j an.
1, 1879.
Mr.. Atkins from the Committee on Appro-
prations, reported the army appropriation bill
1t was made the special order for tomorrow.
The sum appropriated in the bill is $40, 155 or:
that estimated fer was 1913, 34S,70S. The amount
appropriated for the present year was S27, $685. :
$50. The first section of the bill fixes the pay
of officers as follows: General, $12, 900; lieut.
enant general, $4,000; major general, $1,000;
brigadier general, $500; colonels, $500; lieut.
enant colonies, $4,000; majors, $2500; captains,
mounted, $4,000; captains, not mounted, $500;
adJutants, $500; regimental quartermasters,
$500; LIST lentenants, mounted, $1,000: LIST
lieutenants, not mounted, $500; I'd lieuten-
ants, mounted, $500; End lleutenants, not
mounted, $l400; provided, that for the first four
years service I'd leutenants, mounted, shall
receive $1,000 year, and not mounted $780,
chaplains $1,000; storekeepers $4,000 Forage
in kind is to be furnished only for horses kept
and used in the performance of official duties.
The joint resolution proposing to modify the
treaty with China, to reserve to each govern
ment reciprocally the right to regulate, restrict
or prevent immigration except for commercial
pursuits, wSs passed.
Mr.. Poppeton of Ohio, moved to suspend the
rules and adopt resolution directing the Judi
ciary Committee to inquire as to the truth or
falsity of certain charges and allegations in
connection with the legislation of 1869, requir-
ing the principal and interest on government
bonds to be paid in coin, such charges being
generally that large sums of money were paid
to corrupt public officials and to influence the
press in favor of the legislation; also directing
the committee to report whether such corrupt
action does not inyalidate that law, and wheth-
er the law wasi not in violation of the contract
under which the bonds were originally issued,
and, therefore, unconstitutional and void.
Vote on motion to suspend rules and adopt
resolution was yeas 102, nays 81 (no quorum
voting) so the motion failed.
Clymer of Pennsylvania from the committee
IN 10! the case OF the charge against Speaker Kerr,
The report states that after full inquiry into
the facts and after thorough examination of
Lawrence Horney, the only witness making
the charge, also of Aug. G. Green and divers
other witnesses it is apparent that in 1866 while
member of the House of Representatives of
the Th1ty-ninth Congress, Mr.. Kerr did in the
exercise of his right or privilege nominate
Green for an appointment in the regular army.
The committee, however, had found 10 diff
nf11f pI,t
as to the payment of money to Kerr was un-
qualifiedly false and that Mr.. Kerr stood fully
exo1erated from all charges affecting his per
sonal honor or official integrity. Committee
had found nothing in the whole progress of the
investigation to impair or detract from the
well-establshed reputation of Kerr for unoues-
toned personal integrity and unsulled purity
Mr.. Danford of Ohio. Republican member
of the committee, said it afforded him real
pleasure to be able to subscribe to the report,
not because of the unfortunate illness of Mr..
Kerr, but because 1t was an act of simple JUS
tice to that gentleman.
After Danford's remarks Mr.. Garfield suo-
geSted that the vote on report to be taken by
members rising, the suggestion was adopted
and all the members, PIG in number, rose in the
affirmative.
Garfield then asked tnat it be entered in the
record that the report was adopted unanimous
ly.
Speaker pro ten, directed the clerk to let it be
recorded on the record as the unanimous vote
of the House.
Mr.. Leavenworth of New York suggested as
highly proper that the House should furnish to
Mr.. Kerr in the most formal manner a certifi-
cate copy of the proceedings on this occasion,
and made motion to that effect.
Motion agreed to and clerk instructed accord
ingly
The Speakeb pro tenn laid before the the
House the following letter which was referred
to the Committee on Centennial:
NEW YORK, June 8, 1876.
My Dear Sir-Half century ago Gen. La
fayette revisited America and as a
guest of the nation made a triumphal
tour through the States as you know by read
ing. and by tradition and the af.
lection, enthusiasm and gratitude awakened
by that visit has no parallel id the worlds his
tory. Would it rot be equally appropriate and
wise half century after the visit of his grand.
father to invite Oscar Lafayette as the guest
of the nation to attend the Centennial anniver-
sary of our independence? Our committee has
decided to invite M. Lafayette, but it occurs to
me that Congress might think proper to give
broader ane deeper effect to patriotic idea.
Very truly yours.
IHURLow WEED.
To Hon. S. Cox
House at 3 45 adjourned