Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-01-29
FORTY.FOURTH CONGRESS.
The Business 81 General Interest Trans.
acted.
SENATE

The Business 81 General Iatsrss, Trans.
acted.
SENATE.
Mr.. Gordon (Dem. }, Of Georgia, presented
the petition Of q. T. Bssuregard for the no.
movSl Of bis political disabilities. Referred,
Mr.. West Qtep,), of Louisiana, also intro
duced bill TO recover from tho Central and
Union Pacific railroad companies tho he, -
aud coupons issued TO them In c.,osa NJ tho
amount prescribed by law; no sad Ss 600 S 600 GOO
worth Of bond. .aa been issued to these com.
ps"'0. ~ excess OF the amount authorized by
MIR. Kelly (Dem.). Of Oregon, from tho CON-
mittee on railroads, reported with amend
mont the Senate bill TO extend the time for
the construction and completion Of the North
ern Pacific railroad.
Mr.. Dorsey (Rep J. Of Arkansas, submitted
q resolution instructing the committee on post
offices and post roads to inquire and report
whether tho restoration Of the Thanking privi-
lege would increase the cost Of mail service,
and to what extent, and II II 10 expedient to
restore tho same. Agreed to.
Tho Senate considered the question Of the
claims for seats In the Senate from Louisiana,
and the discrepancies alleged to exist In tho
public debt statement.
During the discussion on tho alleged discrep-
ancies In the reports Of tho United States
said he was engaged, about six months ago,
with ono OF the shrewdest bankers In the
United States In an examination OF the finance
reports from 1871 to 1874. The time occupied
In the examination was about three weeks, and
no did not hesitate to assert that thore was not
an accountant In the United States who could
take the finance reports and the debt state
wit lkO mn nm NJ n
amount Of the public debt.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Clark (Dem.), Of Missouri, from the
D ost- office committee, reported . bill fixing
the ratio OF postage on third class mail matter,
not exceeding four pounds to each package,
at one cent for two ounces.
Under tho call Of States for bills for ref
eronce, Mr.. Banks Ind.), Of Massachusetts,
the bill to take the place Of the
bill Just defeated in the House.
MIR. jerks (Dem.) OF Pennsylvania intro
duced bill to reduce the salaries Of all execu-
tive and legislative Offices Of the government,
except the army aud navy, under O., 500, twenty
per cent, and to fix the salary Of the President
At $25, 900.
MIR. Hurd (Dom.), Of Ohio-To restore to
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 (Dem.), of Maryland, intro
duced joint resolution proposing an amend
ment to the Constitution
That no State shall mako any law respecting
an establishment of religion or prohibiting
The free exercise thereof, and no minister or
preacher of the gospel or any religious creed
Dr. denomination shall hold any Office of trust or
,molument under the United States or under
my State, nor shall any religious test be re-
luired as qualification for any Office or pub
10 trust in any State, or under the United
States.
SEQ. O. 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.. White (Rep., Ky.) moved to suspend the
rules and bring the House to vote on the
Amnesty bill introduced by him, and from tho
benefits of which Jefferson Davis is excluded,
md also to vote on al amendment striking out
hat exception. The motion was lost by vote
If 1865 yeas to ITO nays.
Mr.. Holman Oem., Ind. moved to suspend
he rules and adopt resolutisn declaring it
mwise and inexpedient at this time that
specific and arbitrary period should be pre-
,cribed by law at which the legal tender notes
If the United States should be- paid III coin by
lie Secretary VI tuc tloh6uly dnu tuht OuoIt-
'ore, the act entitled san act to provide for
he resumption of specie payments approved
1875, ought to be repealed, and in
,tructing the committee on banking and cur
.ency at as early period as practicable to re-
port to the House bill for that purpose. The
Jules were not suspended-yeas l12, nays l5S.
On motion of Mr.. Hopkins (Dem. }, Of Penn
,ylvania, chairman Of the committee on the
Centennial celebration, the House, at four
o'clock, went into committee Of the WHOLE
Mr.. Wood (Dem.), of New York. in the chair,
III the bill appropriatlng $1,500,00O for that
purpose. The bill provides that the amount
hail be paid on tue drafts Of the treasurer OF
he Centennial board Of finance, one-third
after the passage Of the act, and
he remainder in four equal monthly payments,
provided that in the distribution OF any
moneys that may remain i'll the treasury OF tho |
board Of finance after the payment
IF its deOt, this appropriation shall share
,oually with the holders of Centennial
stock, and like percentage thereof shall be
,aid to the United States as TO the.stockhold-
,rs but the United States government shall
,nder no circumstance be liable to any debt Or
obligation of the Centennial commissioners,
or or any additional payment.
Mr.. Knott Dem.) of Kentucky, from the
judiciary committee reported proposed
to the constitution as follows
: No person who has held or may hereafter
lold the Office Of President shall ever again be
Eligible to said Office" Mr.. Frye (Rep), on
'Iaine, on behalf Of the minority Of the COM
nittee, gave notice that he would offer sub
titute.
Mr.. Ashe (Dem. }, Of North Carolina, report
I'd bill to amend the revised statutes in rela- |
ion to naturalization. 1t provides that a
declaration to become a citizen Of the United |
states may be made before \ clerk OF q court, |
nd such declarations heretofore made are de-
Jared legal and valid. He explained that the
bject of the bill was simply to restore the law
O what it had been before the printing of tho
evised statutes, in which the word ''clerk "
lad been accidentally omitted. The bill was
,assod.
Bills were introduced to restore to the pen
ion rolls the names Of pensioners which were
truck off for disloyalty. Providing that half
# the duties on Imports shall be collected in
awful money. Also declaring United States
onds to be payable according to the proper
egal construction Of the laws under which
hey were issued. To fix the legal rates of i'll.
crest on national money throughout the Uni
cd States at not exceeding six per cent. Fix
ng the pay Of members Of Congress a. 50 600,
nd no allowances. Fixing the pay Of mem.
'ers Of Congress at $4,000 with mileage at ten
ents per mile. For the payment Of portion
Il the import duties in legal tender notes. To
epeal the tax on bank deposits. To reduce
no iuteroeG pehiilS puDllc ueDU, ploVlde LOT d
inform currency, limit the amount thereof.
nd make it equal in value to SPECIE Also to
nvite joint convention of all civilized nations
or the purpose of establishing uniform sys-
en- Of weights and measures and coinage
throughout the civilized world.
Mr.. Waddell Dem.), Of North Carolina
rom the post-offce committee, reported back
dversely the bill introduced by Mr.. Eames, Of
,hode Island, to reduce the postage on first
lass mail matter to one cent for each half
unce. Laid on the table.
During the discussion on the Centennial ap-
ropriation, Mr.. Townsend (Rep.), Of New
DIRK. spoke in support OF the bill. He said if
here ever had been nation that had reason
} be proud Of its achievements, it was the
merican nation. 1t had just expended So
DO, 600 900 to render it certain that the nation
h?uld exist, and had sacrificed 500, 900 lives
nat the nation might have Centennial.
Mr.. Stenger.( Dem. }, Of Pennsylvania spoke
| opposition to the bill. He eaid that to
oubt the existence of constitutional power
ecided the question with him. He opposed
10 bill on constitutional grounds. Messrs.
elton Dem. }, Of Georgia, and Cook (Dem.)
Georgia, opposed the bill, and Mr.. Banks
10 -. |