Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-01-15
CONGRESS.

dian wars during that period. Re
ferred. Mr.. Sherman asked I,
take up the report regarding tn
election of a President Of the Sen
ate pro tenn. for the purpose O
moving q sui .itute, but at tn,
sugge stion of Messrs. Edmund
and Thurman allowed the matte
to go over. Mr.. Whyte present
ed the memorial Of the Society O
the Cincinnati asking an equita
BILE settlement of the claims Of of
ficers OF the Revolutionary army
Referred A large number Of me
MORALS were presented and re.
ferred. After an Executive ses.
sion the Senate adjourned unit
Monday. The House was not In
session,
WASHINGTON, Jan. To- Mr.. Nor
ton Gil omitted a resolution recommends
ed by the committee on privileges and
elections, in reference to the tenure Of
Office Of the President pro tenn, and with
an additional resolutiod declaring Hon.
Thomas w. Ferry the president pro
tenn of the Senate by virtue of his cleo
ton last spring. Without action the
Senate went into executive session.
In the Senate on monday, Mr.. Sar-
gent presented the petition Of more than
$4,000 women Of Utah, asking for the
repeal Of the antipolygamy law Of 1862
and the Poland bill, and for the admis-
sion Of Utah into the Union. Mr..
Thurman presented the petition Of citi-
zens Of Ohio asking for the repeal Of the
Resumption act. The memorial of the
California Vinecultural Society asking
relief with regard to the tax. Mr.. Con
over, of Florida, offered a resolution re-
questing the President to issue::a procla-
nation Of neutrality between Spain aud
the people of Cuba, and place in full
force and operation the same provis-
ions made and enacted by Spain during
the rebellion in this country, NJ, Nor
ton introduced tepolutions with regard
to the election of President pro tenn
pore. The first and second, declaring
that the tenure of President pro tenn
pore does not expire at the meeting OF
Congress after the first recess, and that
the leath Of the Vice President does
not vacats the Office of President pro
tempore, was passed unanimously. Be-
fore acting on the third resolution, de-
claring that the Office is held at the
pleasure OF the Senate, the matter was
laid over and the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
In the House Of Representatives on
monday Mr.. Randall called up his am
nssty bill refusing to allow the House
to act first upon the Centennial appro-
priation bill. FIe moved the previous
question, which was carried by strict
party vote After sharp colloquy be-
tween Mr.. Randall and Mr.. Blaine the
main question was put, and the bill
failed to pass. the vote being yeas l72,
nays 81, not the requisite two-thirds.
Mr.. Blaine then moved a reconsidera-
ton, and addressed the House. He
gave an estimate Of the number who
were excluded from citizenship at the
close of the war by the law, and spoke
of the liberality and magnanimity of
Congress in removing the disability by
wholesale, and said no instance but one
could be given in which a Repub-
lican Congress had refused to grant the
prayer Of the petitioner. In the bill he
proposed to submit those still laboring
under disability were only required to
take an oath to be OF good behavior in
future, and frsni this he only excluded
Jefferson Davis because Of the horrors
Of Andersonville. Mr.. Cox replied at
great length, when the House adjourn
ID.
Under the regular Mondays call Of
States for bids and joint resolutions for
reference large number were intro
duced and referred.
SENATE.-In the Senate on Tuesday
among the petitions presented was one
from citizens of New York, asking the
passage Of = law prohibiting the appro-
priation Of money on property Of the
United States to any religious sect or
society. A bill was passed providing
for the completion Of the Naval Monu-
ment in the city Of Washington. A
bill was introduced to enable the peo-
pie OF New Mexico to form Consti-
tuition and State Government and for
its admission inso the Union. Senator
Cooper announced the death of Andrew
johnson with appropriate eulogy. SEN
ator Morton followed in similar strain,
quoting from the speeches Of the deceas-
ed in defence of the Union and the Gag
with telling effect. Enlogistic remarks
were also made by other Senators. and
the Senate adjourned.
Holss---ln the House the debate on