The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-03-23
Forty Fourth COugress-First Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON Ma

ution Oh the New YORK Chamber of Commerce
10 relation to the Japanese indemnify fund and
reported a bill in relation to the PAYNE Mt of
said fund. Placed on the calendar.
The bill was passed Tor tbe sale of the arse
nal and lot at Stonington. Conn.
The Senate resumed the consideration of. the
Senate bill providing for the counting of votes
for President and Vce-President.
Mr.. Morton asked the Senate to remain in
session to-day till the bill was disposed Of The
subject was diseased by Messrs. Whyte Thur
man and Johnston. Thesatter's amendment
aleady Published was rejected, ITO to 80.
Mr.. Cooper's amendment was also rejected,
Ii to 30, as was also Maxcey's,7 to SO.
Mr.. Edmunds said it was evident that they
would not finish the bill day. He movedsan
executive session.
Mr.. Morton said he would like to vote on all
the amendments to day at least, but yielded for
the motion, and at o'clock the Senate went
into executive session and at adjourned.
HOUSE
Mr.. Luttrell of California introduced a bill
to prohibit contracts for servilel labor. Re-
ferred.
Mr.. Rice of Ohio, from the Committee ON
Invalid Pensions, reported bill providing that
all pensions on account of death. wounds and
diseases 10 the service of the United States
since March 4th, 1871, shall commence from
the date of death or discharge, and for the paw
ment OF arrears of pensions. Referred to the
Com mittee of the Whole and made a special
order for Wednesday next.
On motion of Mr.. Atkins of Tennessee, the
Senate amendments to the bill to supply the
de1clency, in the appropriation for certain
Indian tribes were non-concurred in
The House then took up the bill reported
yesterday from the Judiciary Committee, pro.
hlblting contributions to the election funds by
omcers OF the United States, the question being
on an amendment offered by Mr.. Blaine to ex-
tend the application of the bill to Senators,
representatives and delegates in Congress
Mr.. Blaine proceeded to address the House.
he regarded it as very significant and crafty
ing circumstance that the Judiciary Com
mlttee, composed of Democratic members and
presided over by state rights Democrat, had
reported unanimously bill proposing to give
Congress the right to take cognizance of local
electlons, even in counties and districts. He
heretofore held by the Democratic party on that
subject. 1t was admitted everywhere that
there was as great necessity for legislation to
secure honest vote and fair count as there
was to guard poor clerks from five dollar con-
trlOutons tor election purposes. With that
part of the bill he sympathized. He did not
tnlnk there had been under the Republican
regime in Washington any coercion of clerks
or any dlsmissals for not contributing, tut both
parties were in the habit of receiving assess
ments and contributions from office.holders.
Inat was something altogether too we'll known
ana TOO notorious to be denied or dubbed
about. 1t might run into a great evil He
thanked the Judiciary Committee for propos-
House for the very large majority with which
1T had yesterday indicated its purpose to strike
at an evil far greater than that He undertook
to say that the contributions made in con-
gresslonal elections, both by successful and
defeated candidates, exceeded by many times
over contributions by persons holding state or
federal offices. He thought that was equally
notorious, and if the House designed to correct
tnat evil and tear it up BY the roots, the bill
would have to be so amended that neither a
Senator, representative nor delegate, nor
a candidate for such position, could safely use
money for the purpose of securing his election
MT. Brown of Kentucky replied to Mr.
Blaine's suggestion as to the Democratic party
surrendering its state rights principles, and
SAID that the substitute proposed by himself
was not open to that criticism.
MT. Goode also replied to some of the re-
marks made by Mr.. Blaine, illustrating the
mode bv which some election frauds are per.
petrated in Virginia. and which Blaine had
described as playing dice for election, with one
side using loaded dice.
The debate was further continued by Messrs
Luttrell, Caulfeld and Southland
Finally the House proceeded to vote on the
Dill and the various amendments.
vote was first taken on Townsend's amend
mept providing that expenditures for election
purposes, allowed by the law of any state,
should rot be construed as being affected by
the act. Rejected.
The next amendment in order was Mr.
blaines, including senators, representatives
ana delegates n Congress in the provisions of
bill. Mr. Blaine called for the yeas and nays
and the amendment was agreed to-yeas 1913
nays So.
Mr.. Hoar's amendment, providing that
nothing in the bill should prevent voluntary
contributions for the purpose of circulating
documents for the purpose of giving Informal
ton, was reJected-yeas 81. nays 119.
The next vote was on Blaine's amendment
to the substitute offered by Mr. Brown of Ken
t3cky pe!ng the same amendment as offered by
Blaine to the original bill and adopted
Amendment was rejected, yeas 102 nays 107
The next vote was on the amenlment offered
by Goode OF Virginia to Mr.. Browns substitute
making it a misdemeanor for any person to
use force, duress meance, violence or bribery
to influence the elections of President, Vice
PRESIDENT, senator, representative or delegate
in Congress Adopted, yeas 212, nays g.
The next vote was on the amendment offered
by Reagan as substitute for the first section
OF Browns substitute making it unlawful for
any officer. postmaster, clerk or employe Of tn
United States, or for any senator or member of
Congress 10 solicit, ask, receive or accept any
gut for election purposes. Rejected.
Next vote was on Browns substitute The
first section is: THAT no officer or employee of
the government shall require or request, give or
receive from any other officer or employe of the
same or other persons directly or Indirectly any
money or property or other thing of value for
ploye who shall offend against the provisions
OF the act shall at once be dismissed from the
service of the United States and also be deemed
guilty of high misdemeanor and on couvic.
ton thereof be fined not less than $500 nor
more than $4,000 aud Imprisonment not more
than one year at discretion of the judge trying
the case"
The secoud section is the amendment offered
by Goode of Virginia and adopted The third
section gives United States District courts
jurisdiction of the offences created by the act.
The substitute was agreed to without yeas and
nays and the bill as thus amended passed, yeas
178. nays s.
House at o'clock adjourned