The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1876-05-11

were among the bills introduced and referred
under the call of the states To reorpanize
the navy, ltproyidcs that there shall be on
the active list six rear admirals eighteen
c0mmodores, fifty captains and scvcnty.fve
commanders, and that the promotions in
these grades shall cease until those numbers
shalt be reached. To permit the national
banks to issue circulating notes equal in
amount To one hundred per cent Of the eur.
rent market value Of the bonds deposited by
them. Mr.. Saylcr presented petition from
the tobacco manufacturers Of Cincinnati and
| COvlngtOn, for reduction Of tax ON tobacco
to sixteen cents per pound, Referred. MIR.
Blaine took the floor, and proceeded to make
| personal explanation in regard to the news
| paper charges connecting him with the Union
Pacific railroad. In rcfutNtion Of the charge
that he had received, in some indirect man.
ncr, the large sum of SiXty.four tho and
dollars in 1871, which allegation was based
partly upon the authority Of Morton, Bliss
u Co., bankers, Of New York, through whom
q draft for sSty-four thousand dollars was
said to have been negotiated for his benefit,
! MIR, Blaine presented letter from the firm
denying that any draft, note or check had
ever passed through their hands in which he
was supposed to have any interest, direct or
indirect Other documentary evidence waS
| submitted to the same tenor, and IN summing
up the senator denounced the charges, each
| and ALL ms without shadow Of truth The
| house then resumed consideration Of the dis.
triCt tax bill but without action adjourned
In the house, on the 25th, the leg
islativc and judiciary appropriation bill
was resumed, but was interrupted TO allow
Mr. Lord, chairman Of the impeachment
managers, to present the rcioinder to the
demurrer filed by Mr.. W. W. Belknap.
The paper wMs read, and is to the effect
that the house Of representatives, in the
name Of itself aud all the people in the
United States, says that, first, the replication
to the plea OF Mr., BelknNp to articles of inn
parchment and matters therein contained,
are IN matter and form sufficient in law for
the house to maintain its articles of impcach.
mcnt, and that the senate ms a court Of i'm.
parchment has jurisdiction to hear, try and
determine the same; and that as Bclknap
has not answered such articles Of impcach.
mcnt, or in any manner dcnicd the same, the
house of representatives prayS Judgment
thereon according to law. As to the first
and second subdivisions Of the rcjoindcr to
the second replication Of the house to the
plea Of defendant, wherein defendant de.
manded trial according to law, the house in |
behalf of itself and Of all the people Of the |
United States does like and as to the third |
fourth, fifth and sixth subdivisions of the |
rclOlndcr, the house asserts il ought not to |
he barred from having aud maintaining arti-
cIcs of impeachment against the defendant,
because 1t denies every argument in such |
,t..t, L.. Il, l..
or intcnts charged against the defendant,
and it rca)rmS the truth of the latter;
and, therefore, the house Of representatives
prays judgment according to law The paper
was approved by the house, aud the clerk |
was ordered to file it with the secretary Of |
state. adjourned.
In the house ON the Goth, Mr. Gibson |
offered II resolution for the appointment of
select committee to make thorough invcs- |
tigation into the conduct and management
of the customhousc and other government
Offices, at New Orleans and to suggest nee.
cssary changes and reforms with power to
sit in New Orleans, and 10 report at the
present session, and that the proceedings Of
the committee he published. Adopted. The
house then went into committee Of the
whole on the Legislative appropriation bill,
commencing with the appropriation for the
war department. After progressing as far
ns page 80, leaving only eight pages to be
disposed Of, the committee rose. Mr.. Wells,
from the conference committee on the def
cheney bill, made n report recommending
that the senate rcCedc from three of its
and that the house concur in
three others of its amcl lmcnts, none Of
them OF any importance. Report was con
cured in. Resolutions were offered by
Mcssrs. Banning and Randall calling for in
aS to the sale Of cOmmissarv arti.
lies and ms to the amount Of post funds at
he military academy at West Point. Adopt
'd. The house then adjourned.
In the house on the 9th, Mr.. I.apham
Introduced an amendment to the constitu.
ion authorizing the president to approve or
isapprovc Of scparatc clauses or provisions
Of Il bill Referred Nj. Turncy made
conference report on the bill excluding Mis-
souri, from the act OF May 10, 1879, to pro-
mote the development Of mining resources
The report adds this clause: "And all lands
in said states shall he subject to disposal aS
agricultural lands,' The report waI agreed
10. Alltf UCtlNlnE To PRINT Nll lht lcStl-
m0ny taken before the committee ON naval
lilairS the house went into committee Of the
whole, Mr. Cox in the chair, on the legisla.
i've and executive appropriation bill. Mr..
Whitchousc offered an amendment to sec
ion two, prohibiting any cmplOyc Of the
government from giving to or receiving from
my other persons, directly or indirectly, any
money or thing of value for political pur. {
,oScs. Adopted. Mr.. IIoar moved an al. \
litional section providing that whenever, in
he judgment Of the head of any depart. |
ncnt, the duties assigned to clerk of one ,
lass "an he ms well performed by n clerk Of !
lower class or by n female clerk, it shall ,,
,c lawful for him to dismiss the number Of
Jerks Of n higher to increase the number Of 4
Jerks of n lower grade to the same extent.
\grecd to. Mr.. Glover moved to insert an
additional section, prohibiting executive Off |
ers Of the government from employing any
Jerk, agent, engineer, draughtsman, mes
enger, watchman, laborer or other employees
II any Of the executive departments in the /.
ity Of Washington or elsewhere, except
hose for whom specific appropriations are
iadc in the bill. Agreed to. Committee then |
osc and reported the bill to the house with. ,
u voting on any Of the amendments. The ;
ouSc then adjourned.