Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-05-20
CONGRESS.

was presented from citizens OF Cali
fornia complaining of mismanage
ment in the Central Pacific railroad
and asking for an investigation Of
its condition. The Senate, at an ear
ly hour, adjourned until Monnay.
In the House Mr.. Cox was elected
Speaker pro TEN. in the absence Of
Speaker Kerr. The post-office appr0
priation bill was further considered
The committee ON printing made 4
partial report in regard to the man.
agement of the government printing
office. The report charges unparal-
elled extravagances in every depart
ment OF the Office, the forcing of bal
anceS and the Justification of ac-
counts. The committee recommend
that the proposition of Francis Rives
of May 2, 1876, for the printing and
binding Of the debates Of Congress be
accepted, to take effect at the begin
ming of the next session and that the
department printing be executed by
contract. The speaker was directed
to certify the testimony to the Dis
trict authorities, In order that the
congressional printer may be indict-
ed and prosecuted.
MAY l3-The Senate WIS not In
session on Saturday. In the House
the Judiciary Committee was dis
charged from the further consid-
Grafton of the charges brought
against Judge Wyiie by Albert
Grant. Mr.. Luttrell introduced q
joint resolution authorizing the
appointment of a commission to
ascertain on what terms a mutual
beneficial treaty of commerce with
Mexico can be arranged. Mr..
Durham made Il personal explain
alton in reference to An article in
the Louisville Courier Journal re-
f1ecting on him for not informing
the House as to the character OF
Mr. Fitznugh, the Door-keeper, be-
fore his appointment, he being
cognizant of the charges brought
against Mr.. F'itzhugh In Ken
lucky, having acted as his counsel
in the arson case. Mr.. White sen:
to the Clerks desk and had read
a full history ofthe charges against
Mr.. Fitxhugh, together with his
U~w<agpUu9 letter too fx1Unx1~ IT
1exas, which latter caused much
Inerriment. Mr.. Glover offered q,
resolution declaring 1t TO be the
sense eff the House that Mr.. Fitz-
hugh was not the proper person to
hold the position of Do0rkeeper,
and that he be forthwith dismissed
from that Office. The resolution
was discussed pro and con by sew
eral gentlemen. and after being
amended by specifying the partic-
ular act for which 1t was proposed
to dismiss Mr.. Fitzhugh This
Texas lette..), was referred to the
Committee on Rules. The House
then went into Committee of the
Whole on the Postoffico Appro-
priation bill, but there not being a
quorum present no vote was had.
After the Committee rose the
Speaker laid before the House
memorials in reference to the sill
yer coinage, the New London Ma
val Station, the Signal Service Bu-
reau, and in reference to postage.
MAY 16,-In the Senate Mr.. Ed
munds reported with amendments
a bill to amend the second, fourth
and fifth sections Of the act to en-
force the rights of citizens of the
United States to vote in the sew
eral States of the Union, and IL was
placed on the Calendar. Mr.. Dem
mis-, of Maryland, introduced bill
for the relief of William G. Spen-
Ger, and Mr.. Whyte presented the
petition of Alexander Brown &
Co., and other merchants of Balti-
more, In regard to the distribution
of the remaining surplus Of the
Geneva award. Mr.. Mitchell
called up the bill introduced sew
eral days since by Mr.. Sargent in
reference to the Chinese immigra-l
ton, and after being discussed by
several Senators,i it was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Rela-s
ti0ns. At LAT the Senate went
into secret session on the Belknap
impeachment, but without reach
ing any decision at 5:25 adjourned.
In the House of Representatives
the only business of public impor-
lance was the consideration of the
report on the Government Print
ing Office, In the course of which
an angry debate occurred between
Mr.. Singleton, who advocated the
majority report, and Mr.. Bailou,
who presented d report in which
he endeavored TO show that the
committee had not acted squarely
toward Mr.. Clapp. The report Of
the majority was finally adopted
by q party vote of 1877 to "a. The
PostOffice Appropriation bill WIS
further considered in Committee
of the Whole, but without reach
ing any conclusion the committee