The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-04-14
CONGRESS-.

a summons be issued, directing w. w.
Belknap, late Secretary of War, to
appear before the Senate on the 18th
day of this month. The Senate then
resumed The consideration OF legislative
business, and took up the bill fixing the
rate of postage on third rate mail mat
ter, and for other purposes. In explain
alton of the bill, Mr.. Hamlin made
speech, in which he detailed his coDnec-
tion with the law of the last session that
he had committed one error in offering
that law. He did not turn to the stat
ute to see what was embraced in third
class matter. He thought that that
class embraced merchandise only, and
did not suppose it applied to transient,
to newspapers, and to magazines. He
would not have included them. He had
no controversy with the newspapers, and
did not care fig what they said. Pepd-
ing the discussion of the bill the Senate
adjourned. In the House, a bill to reg
ulate the winding up of insolyent Ma
tional Banks was passed, when a mes
sage was received from the Senate
informing the House that the Senate
had organized for the trial of the i'm
peachment of w. W. Belknap, and was
ready to receive the managers at its bar.
The impeachment managers presented
themselves at the bar of the House, and
stated that they proceeded to the bar of
the Senate, and that the Senate had fix
Monday the 18th as the day on which
they would make process returnable
against w. w. Belknap, late Secretary
of War. The House then went into
Committee of the Whole on the bill to
transfer the Indian Bureau from the
Interior to the War department. Mr..
Cox, of New York, opposed the hill in a
forcible speech, in which he denounced
the army in general, and the War De-
partment in particular. He favored the
making Of the bureau department of
the government, with the head of it a
speech the House took a recess until 7:30
p. IN. Upon reassembling, the Legisla-
tive Appropriation bill was taken up,
and, after discussion of three hours,
two pages of it were disposed of. The
committee rose and the House then ad-
journed.
APR. 6.-In the Senate, the bill to
abolish capital punishment was reported
from the Judiciary Committee adversely
and indefinitely postponed. The postal
law, relating to third class mail matter,
was then taken up and discussed. Sew
eral amendments were proposed all of
which were ordered printed. The most
important of these was one offered by
Mr.. Merrimon, of n. c., as follows: ''For
articles not enumerated in the first, Sec
ond, or third class, to be transmitted
], ZOO miles or less - cents for each
ounce or fractional part thereof, and
for all distances over ZOO miles -
cents" The Senate then went into
executive session and soon adjourned.
In the House, Mr.. Holman, from the
Committee on Appropriations, reported
back in the Senate bill fixing the Presi-
Dental salary, after the 4th of March,
1877, at S25, 600. 1t was passed without
discussion. The House then resumed
the consideration of the bill to carry
into operation the Hawaiian treaty.
Speeches in support of the bill were
made by Messrs, Morey and Garfield, and
Mr.. Gibson spoke in opposition. Mr..
Wood, who has charge of the bill, gave
notice that he would endeavor to get a
vote next Monday. The House then
went into Committee of the Whole on
the Legislative Appropriation bill, and
at hals-past took recess until 7:30.-
The evening session opened with an
attack on the Committee of Appropria
tions, and but little progress was made
in the appropriation bill. The House
then adjourned.
APR. 10-In the Senate, large num-
ber of bills and petitions were presented
and referred The special committee to
inquire into the Mississippi election, were
authorized to employ clerk and stem
ographer, to send for persons and pa
pers, and to take testimony, and the
Appropriation Committee reported IA
vorably on allowing them SO, 900 for
their expenses. The bill to provide for
the deficiency in the printing and en-
craving bureau of the Treasury Depart
ment, and for the issue of silver coin of
the United States in the place of the
fractional currency, was taken up, and
vigorously supported by Mr.. Sherman.
The bill was read third time and pass
ed. The Senate then went into execu-
tive session, and soon after adjourned.
In the House, under the call of the
States, large number of bills were in
traduced and referred. A bill apprOpri-
ating S5, $50 for river and harbor
was passed. A resolution
ciary to inquire whether any additional
legislation is necessary to secure to the
army the right of petition, which be-
longs to every citizen, was adopted
The House, in Committee of the Whole,
listened TO three hours speech from
Mr.. Banks, of Massachusetts, on the
Hawaiian Treaty, and then adjourned.
APR. 11.-In the Senate the Judiciary
Committee reported adversely on the
House bill to protect witnesses, who
shall be required to testify in certain |
cases. A minority report was also pre-.
sented, and both were ordered printed. |
The bill fixing the rate of postage on |
third class mail matter was discussed
Mr.. Merrimon Of North Carolina offered |
an amendment SO as to strike out of the |
third class of mail matter, prints, engrav-
ings, blanks, flexible patterns, samples |
of merchandise, sample cards, photo |
graphic representations, seeds, cuttings. !
bulbs, roots, and sciuns. He said that |
the object of this amendment was to |
organize fourth class of n.ail matter |
for merchandise, and make it pay the |
cost of transportation. The amend |
ment was rejected. Yeas IL; nays go.
The bill was discussed at length, but no |
action was taken, as the Senate went |
into executive session and soon adjourn