The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-04-07

| then required on the passage of the bill
| Senator Hamlin asked the senate to La
| aside the pending bill and take up the post
rou.e bill, and the senate agreed. In com
| mencing its consideration it was ascertaine'
| that the post-route bill had been sent TO tn
printers with the pending amendment. Th
senate then went into executive session anC
soon after adjourned.
In the senate, on the oath, Mr.. Cam
eron presented memorial of the legislator,
| Of Wisconsin in relation to the improvement
of the st. Croix river. Referred. The chai
laid before the senate its bill on the Siou1
deficiencies, with notire that the house viii
not agree TO the amendments of the senate
The senate voted to insist upon its amend
ments. The senate took up for consideration
the post route bill. Debate ensued, during
the course OF which Mr.. Sargent said let the
departments send their mail matter by {
stroke of the pen. 1t will take no more time
than to lick stamp, and it costs no more tC
send mails in this manner than it does Will
a stamp on them. The bill was amended as
to minor points and passed. The senate theT
resumed consideration of senate bill No.
to count the votes for president and vice
president. Several amendments were re
jected, and the question was then taken upon
the passage of the bill, and it was passed
50 10 %. The senate then took up the con
sular and diplomatic bill and made it the
order of business, and then went into execu
tive session and soon adjourned till Monday
In the senate, on the eth, Mr.. Spen.
Ger, from the committee on District of Co
lumbia, reported back the petition of col
ored citizens, praying that the 14th of April
be set apart as holiday for government EN-,
ployes, favorably, accompanied with joint
resolution providing that all persons employ
ed in the various departments in Washing
ton be granted holiday on the 18th OF
April, 1876, to attend to the unveiling of the
Lincoln monument, in Lincoln park, Wash
ingtOn. Passed. The senate then proceeded
to the consideration of the consular and di-
plomatic bill. The question was taken on
the first amendment proposed by the senate
committee, as follows For salaries of ENJOYS
extraordinary and ministers pienipotentiary
to Great Britain, France, Germany and Rus
sia, fixed by the house at $14,O56, committee
moved to strike out "s14,056" and insert
"$17,570," and the senate agreed to the
amendment. The senate then went into ex-
ecutive session, and after an hours session
adjourned.
In the house, on the Dist, Mr.. Bright
offered resolution instructing the committee
on expenditures in the treasury department
to inquire into the management and DISPOSE
tion Of the captured and abandoned prop.
erty, and it was adopted. Mr.. Reagan, from
the committee on commerce, reported a bill
to amend the law for the regulation of COM
merce and navigation, and for regulating of
steam vessels. Made the special order for
Tuesday next. Mr.. Beebe offered n resolution
calling for statement of accounts of the
navy department with its fiscal agents Mt
London for every vesr since 1868. Adopted.
The house then went into the committee of
the whole. on the legislative and judicial
appropriation bill. After long discussion
the committee rose without action on the
bill. Mr. Wells introduced a bill to pay
bounties to cOlOred soldiers and their widows
and heirs. Referred. The house then adj
journed
In the house, on the 22d, Mr.. Rice,
from the committee on invalid pensions, re-
ported bill providing that all pensions on
account of death, wounds received or diseases
contracted in the service of the United States
since March 4, 1871. shall commence from
the date of death or discharge, and payment
of arrears of pension. Referred. Mr.. Young
presented petition from the chamber of
commerce OF Memphis, Tenn, asking to have
the signal service enlarged. On motion of
Mr.. Atkins, the senate amendments to the
bill to supply the deficiency in the apprO-
priation for certain Indian tribes were non
concurred in. The house then took up the
bill prohibiting contributions to election
funds by officers of the United States govern
ment. Mr.. Blaine's amendment including
senators, representatives and delegates in
congress in the provisions or the bill, was
agreed to, as was also an amendment offered
by Mr.. Goode to Mr.. Browns substitute,
making it a misdemeanOr for any person to
use force, menace, violence or bribery to in
fuence elections of president, vice-president,
senator, representative or delegate in con-
gress The next vote was on an amendment
offered by Mr.. Reagan as a substitute for the
section of Browns substitute, making il un-
lawful for any officer, postmaster, clerk or
employe of the United States, or for any SEN
ator or member of congress to solicit, ask
receive or accept any gift for election pur-
poses. Rejected. The next vote was on
Browns substitute. The first section is, that
no officer employe of the government shall
require or request, give to or receive from any
other officer or employe of the same or other
person, directly or indirectly, any money or
property or other thing of value fer political
purposes, and any such officer or emplOye
who shall offend against the provisions of
this act shall at once be dismissed from the
service of the United States, and also be
deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and
on conviction thereof fined not less than five
hundred dollars nor more than three thou
sand dollars, and imprisoned not more than
one year, at the discretion of the judge try
ing the case. The second section is the
amendment offered by Mr.. Goode. The third
section gives United States district courts
jurisdiction over the offenses created by the
act. The substitute was agreed to, and the
bill, as amended, was passed-173 to s. Ad-
joIEned.
In the house, ON the 23d, Mr.. Stone
introdu bill fixing the compensation of
oe
United States mail. Referred. The speaker
called the committees for reports of public
nature. Mr.. Parsons, from the committee on
private land claims, reported back the bill
for sale of certain lands at Nincennes. Passed
Mr.. Boone, from the committee on Indian
affairs, reported back the bill prohibiting
the cutting of timber on any Indian reserva-
ton or lands to which the Indian title or
right of occupancy has not been extinguished.
Mr.. Cook, from the committee on military
affairs, reported bill to reduce the area of
military reservation of Fort Laramie, Wyom-
ing territory, to an area of ffty-four square
miles, which was passed. Mr. A. S. Viii
iams, from the same committee, reported
bill repeating the law which forbids the APP
pointment to any position IN the army or
navy of any person who served in any capac-
ity in the military, naval or civil service of
the confederate states in the late rebellion.
Passed. Mr. Banning, from the same com
mittee, reported Il bill TO regulate the pay of
army officers. The bill fixes the pay as fol-
lows: General. $4,000; lieutenant-general,
5000; major general, $4,000; brigadier-gen-
eral, So, 900; colonel, $500; Heutenantcol-
onel, SS, 900; major, s., 500; captain, mounted,
5000; captain, not mounted, 81, 800: adju-
tant, 81 500; first lieutenant, mounted, 81 ,600
first lieutenant, not mounted, 81, 800; second
lieutenant mounted. 81 500; second leuten-
ant, not mounted, 81 400. Pending action
on the bill the morning hour expired, and
the house went into committee of the whole
on the legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill Mr.. Yeates spoke IN de-
Tense of the democratic party against the
house. The house then adjourned.