Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-03-23
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.

On the 10th, the SehsSe passed the bill to ena-
bic the people of New Mexico to form constitu-
ton agd State Government, and for the admission
Of sach State into the Union. the bill providing
that constitution shall be framed and submitted
to the people of the Territory in November next; ;
the vote on the passage of the bill was yeas S.
uays 70. Adjourned to the 18th =. la the House.
the Legislative and judicial Appropriation bill was
considered in Commi tee of the Whole. reso-
luton was offered and referred instructing the
Ways and Means Committee to examine the
books of the Treasury Department, and also the
officers thereof, to ascertain the causes of the
great fluctuations Of coin and bullion in the
Treasury, and also to ascertain whether legal
tender notes received for the redemption of Ma
Iional Bank notes are kept special fund, or
held in common with other money.
Or the 18th, the Senate was not in session.
A bill was introduced in the House, and referred
to transfer the Pension Bureau from the Interior
to the War Department. The Legisla tive and Ju-
'aicial Appropriation bil was further considered
in Committee of the Whole, and speeches were
made on the currency question.
On the 18th, Mr.. Morton's bill TO provide for
and regulate the counting of votes for President
and Vice-President was taken up and debated in
the Senate. Among the bills introduced in the
sumption of specie payments on Jan. l. 1879. Mr..
Baker, of Indiana, offered resolution declaring
that the people of the United States constitute
one nation, and not mere confederacy of
States or nations; that the Constitution
was formed by the people acting in their primary
and individual capacity, through their duly-con-
stituted delegates; that the National Government
is sovereign and supreme, and in its nature per
manent and indissoluble except by the consent of
the whole people; that all overt acts of secession
or rebellion constitute treason, and that the late
war was causeless and indefensible on any theory
of right or Constitutional law. motion to sus-
pend the rules and adopt the resolution was re-
jected-yeas 81, nays 72-less than two-thirds in
the affirmative; very few Democrats vot-
ed affrmatively. Mr.. Cox then offered
a series of resolutions to the effect that the peo-
pie of the United States constitute a nation in
the sense, to the extent and for the purposes de-
fined III the Constitution; that the Government
is a Federal Union, formed by the people of the
States in their sovereign capacity; that the pow
ers of the General Government are limited by the
Constitution, and cannot be enlarged or dimn-
ished except by Constitutional amendment;
that the rights of the States have the same
sanction of security in The Constitution as the
rights and powers of the Federal Governments
that local domestic government by the several
necessary for the preservation of the liberties of
the citizen: that the doctrine of secession is in
conflict with the idea of perpetual Union, as
contemplated by the Cons tuition, and should be
regarded as being forever eXtinguished by the re-
suit of che recent conflict. A motion to suspend
the rules and adopt the resolutions was agreed to
yeas $50, nays az. All the Democrats and a few
of the Republicans voted for the resolutions.
The Conference Committee on the bill for the
payment of interest on the 365 bonds of the Dis
trict of Columbia agreed to.
OK the 18th, in the Senate, the bill fixing the
salary of the President of the United States at
S25, 600 was passed-yeas Do, nays 20 :. Hallett
KDbourne, who had refused to produce the books
of his firm or to answer certain questions before
the Select Committee on the Real Estate Pool
and Jay Cooke Indebtedness, brought be-
fore the House, and, still persstngin his refusal
to answer, was committed to the custody of the
Sergeant-at Arms to be confined in the common
Jail of the District until he should purge himself
of his contempt The Legislative Appropriation
bill was further debated in Committee of the
Whole.
On the 18th, a bill was passed in the Senate to
exclude Missouri from the provisions of the act TO
promote the development of the mining resources
of the United States. a resolution of inquiry
was adopted in the House as to the powers con-
ferred on A. B. -Steinberger Special Agent or
Commissioner to the Samoan Navigator
Islands Speeches were made, in Committee of
the Whole, on the Legislative Appropriation
bill.
On the 10Th, bill was introduced in the
Senate for establishing the Territory of Penn
bina A resolution was adopted requesting the
Secretary of the Treasury to furnish information
to the annual product of gold and silver IN the
NIT Statp frnn m oil ba
amount in other parts OF the world for the same
years, and an estimate of the amount in the
United States at the present time. The bill TO
provide for and regulate the counting of votes
for President and ce-President was further
discussed. Adjourned to the 10th. In the House.
the bill to supply the deficiency in the Cur
rency Printing and Engraving Bureau of the
Treasury Department (appropriating $4,000,
and directing the Secretary of the Treasury TO
issue silver coin in redemption Of all fractional
currency outstanding Mas debated in Committee
of the Whole