The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-02-16
FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS-.
The business of General Interest Trnus-
acted.
sYNhTE


SENATE.
Mr.. Gordon Dem. J.. O; Georgia. presented
the petition OF g. I. Beauregard for the re-
moval of his political disabilities. Referred
Mr.. West (Rep.), Of Louisiana, also intro
duced bill to recover from the Central and
Union Pacific railroad companies the bonds
and coupons issued to them in excess of the
amount prescribed by law. Ho said S3 600 OO()
worth Of bonds had been issued to these COM
psnies in excess of the amount authorized by
law.
Mr.. Kelly Dem, OF Oregon, from the COM
mittee on railroads, reported with amendment
the Senate bill TO extend the time for the con-
struction and completion OF the Northern
Pacific railroad.
Mr.. Dorsey Rep.), OF Arkansas, submitted
resolution instructing the committee on post.
offices and post roads to inQuiro and renort
whether the restoration of the frankinp privi.
lege would increase the cost OF mail service.
and to what extent and if it is expeiient to
restore the same. Agreed to.
The Senate considered the question of the
claims for seats in the Senate from Louisiana
and the discrepancies alleged to exist i'm the
public debt statement.
During the discussion on the alleged discrep
anc;es in the reports Of the United States
Treasurer. Mr.. Eaton Dem.), Of Connecticut,
said he was engaged, about six months ago,
with one OF the shrewdest bankers In tho
United States in the examination of the finance
reports from 1871 to 1874. The time occupied
III INC eAdlnlnatlOn was ABOUT three weeks and
lie did not hesitate to assert that there was NOT
an accountant in the United States who could
take the finance reports aud the debt state
ment, and come within S50, ,OOO 600 of The
amount Of the public debt.
HOUSE.
Under the call OF States for bills for refer
ence, MIR. Banks (Ind }, OF Massa chusotts.
introduced bill for the removal OF all political
disabllities, the bill to take the place Of the
one just defeated in the House.
MIR; Jenks CDem.), Of Pennsylvania intro
duced bill to reduce the salaries of ali execu-
tive and legislative Offices of the government,
except the army and navy, under 81 500,
twenty per cent, and to fix the salary of the
President at S25, 600.
gold and silver their monetary use in tho
United States from and after January, 1877.
and to repeal the act for the resumption of
specie payment
Mr.; O.Brien Oem.), of Maryland, intro
duced joint resolution proposing an amend
ment to the Constitution
That no State shall make any law respecting
an establiement Of religion or prohibitinp
the free exercise thereof, and no minister or
preacher Of the gospel or any religious creed
or denomination shall hold any office of trust
or emolument under the United States. or
under any State, nor shall any religious test be
required as qualification for any office or
public trust in any State, or under the United
States.
SEC. 2. No money received by taxation in
any State for the support Of public schools, or
derived from any public lands devoted thereto.
shall ever be under the control Of any religious
sect.
Mr. Whte Rep.), OF Kentucky, moved to
suspend the rules aud bring the House TO .
vote on tho Amnesty bill introduced by him.
and from the benefits Of which Jefferson Davis
is excluded and.also to vote on all amendment
striking out that exception. The motion was
lost by vote of 165 yeas to ITO nays
Mr. Holman OeEn.), Of Indiana, moved to
suspend tho rules and adopt a resolution de-
ciarlnS 1t unwise and inexpedent at this time
that specific and arbitrary period should be
prescribed by law at which the legal topder
notes OF the United States should be paid in
coin by tho secretary Of the treasury and that
therefore, the act entitled IAN act to provide
for the resumption of specie payments" an
proved January, 1875, ought to be repealed,
and instruoting the committee on banking and
currency at as early period as practicable to
report to the House a bill for that purpose.
The rules were not suspended-yeas 112, nays
15S
On motion Of MIR. Hopkins (Dem. }, Of Penn
sylvania, chairman OF the committee on the
Centennial celebration, the House, at four
O'Clock, went into committee of the whole
on the bill appropriating $1,500, 900 for that
purpose. The bill provides that the amount
shall b.. paid on the drafts OF the treasurer
OF the Centennial board of finance, one-third
immediately after the passage Of the act, and
the remainder in four equal monthly PAYMENTS,
provided that in the distribution of any
moneys that may remain in the treasury of the
Centennial board of finance after the payment
OF Its debt, this appropriation shall share
aud e like percentage thereof shall be paid TO
the United States as to the stockholders but
the United States government shall under no
circumstance be liable any debt or obligation
OF the Centennial commissioners, OF for any
ant
Mr.. Knott (Dem.), of kentucky, from the
judiciary committee, reported q proposed
amendment 10 the constitution as follows
!" No person who has held or may hereafter
mold the ohice OF President shall ever again bo
eligible to saie office" Mr.. FRYE (Rep.). of
Maine, on behalf Of tho minority of the com
mittee, gave notice that he would offer a sub
stitute.
Mr., Ashe Oem. y Of North Carolina, report
cd bill to amend the revised statutes in rels-
ton to nstn=s izatiOn. 1t provides that a
declaration TO become q citizen Of the United
States may be made before o clerk of a court
and such declaratians heretofore made are de.
ciared legal and valid. He explained that the
object Of the bill was simply to restore the
law to what it had been before the printing of
the revised statutes, in which the word 'clerk"
had beon accidentally omitted. The bill was
passed. .-n - r.,
sion rolls the names Of pensioners which were
struck on for disloyalty. Providing that half
of the duties on imports shall be collected in
lawful money. Also declaring United States
bonds to be payable according to the proper
legal construction Of the laws under which
they were issued. To fix the legal rates of in
terest on national money throughout the Uni
ted States at not exceeding six per cent. Fix
ing the pay OF members Of Congress at %, 600,
and no allowances. Fixing the pay of mem.
bers Of Congress at "a, 900, with mileage at ten
cents per mile. For the payment of a portion
of the import duties in legal tender notes. To
repeal the tax ON bank deposits. To reduce
the interest bearing public debt, provide for
uniform currency, limit the amount thereof.
and make it equal in value to specie. Also to
invite joint convention Of al civilized nations