Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-03-30
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.

On the 18th, Senate not in session . But
little was done in the House, beyond author
lzing the Committee on the Centennial question
to sit during the recess of Congress, and adopt.
ing resolution of inquiry into the making of
contracts for the transportation of army supplies
to Texas in 1874. Adjourned to the Goth.
On the Goth, in the Senate, an amendment was
agreed to to the House bill to supply the deic-
iency for feeding the Sioux Indians, such amend
ment substituting $4,000 in place of $780, 90 for
such purpose. The bill to provide for counting
the votes for President and Vice-President was
taken up, and amendments were offered and de-
bated A Committee of Conference on the
Senate amendments to the Military bill
was ordered and appointed. Among the
bills introduced in the House were several relat-
ing to the currency question. A motion to sus-
pend the rules and pass the bill for the repeal of
the provisions of the Resumption act which
authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to re-
deem and cancel United States notes, and to sell
United States bonds for that purpose, was made
and rejected-109 to 109, not two-thirds in the
affirmative
On the 21st, several petitions 'Ecre introduced in
the Senate, among them from Good Templars
and other Temperance organizations, praying for
the passage OF a Prohibitory liquor law in the
District of Columbia and the Territories. and
among the officials of the civil military and
naval service A Conference Committee on the
Military Academy bill was appointed. The bill
to provide for the counting of the vote for Presi
ident and Vice-Presldent was further con-
sidered. Among the hills reported in the
House was one from the Judiciary
Committee making it a misdemeanor for any en-
ploye of the Government to solicit or distribute
funds for election purposes, or to canvass in
C+o+o
ment was offered by Mr.. Blaine to include Sena-
tors and Representatives in the bill, which being
objected to motion was made and carried-2O6
to 54-to reconsider the vote by which the main
question had been ordered and Mr.. Baine's
amendment was then offered, were also several
other amendments. A resolution adopted
authorizing Messrs New, Glover and Smith, ofthe
Rcalestate Pool Committee, to appear before the
Grand Jury of the District and testify under a
summons which had been served upon them.
On the 22d. the Senate resumed consideration
of the bill providing for the counting of votes for
President and Vice-Presdent, and several pro-
posed amendments were rejected. In the
House the Senate amendments to the bill to sup
ply the deficiency in the appropriation for certain
Indian tribes were non-concurred in. The bill
reported from the Judiciary Committee pro-
hibtting contributions to election funds by
taken up, amended and passed-yeas 49,
nays, s. The bill passed provides that no
officer employee of the Government shall So
licit or receive from give to any other en-
ploye or officer or other person, directly indi-
rectly, any money or other valuable thing for
political purposes, under penalty of being dis
missed from service and being deemed guilty of a
high misdemeanOr and, on conviction, of being
fined not less than $500 nor more than So, OOO
and imprisoned one year or less; it is also made
| a misdemeanor to use force, duress, menace,
violence bribery to influence the election of
President, Vice President, Senator or member of
Congress; United States District Courts are
given jurisdiction of the offenses created by this
act.
ON the 23d, bill was introduced in the Senate
to prohibit the transportation of liquid nitro
glycerine, and to regulate the transportation of
dynamite. The bill to regulate the counting of
votes for President and Vice-Presdent was
amended in its phraseology without materially
altering its meaning. Bills were passed in the
prohibiting the cutting of timber on any
Indian reservation, or lands to which an
Indian title the right of occupancy
! has not been extinguished to reduce the extent
of the military reservation at Fort Laramie wy
T., to an of fifty-four square miles; repeal
ing the law forbidding the appointment to any
position in the army O. any person who served in
any capacity in the military naval or civil se-v-
ice of the Confederate States in the late rebellion
A bill was introduced for the relief of settlers on
public lands within railroad limits. The Legis-
lative, Judicial and Executive Appropriation bill
was considered in Committee OF the Whole.