The New York herald., 1876-08-16
The Closing Hours Of the First
Session CT Congress.
CONFUSION OVER A SMALL ROW.
Complications Feared from the Antic pated
Death of Speaker Kerr.
WORK OF CONGRESS HELD OVER
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT

wAsuISGroN, August Is, 1876.
THE CLOSING PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST sEs-
SION OF TIE FoRTy-FoUETH coNGEEss-coN-
DITIoN OF SPEAKER KEER's HEALTH-AN
ADJOURNMENT ACCELERATED DY FEARS OF
HIS DEATH.
Tue closing hours of the session OF Congress
tame compared with the usual demonstration on
such occasion In the House the friends Of the
hundreds OF private bills (which must lie on the table
until next wnter) were them acted
upon and the democratic lea ers were too watch!u TO
prevent undigested egis4.lye matter to come up, to
allow any leisure Tor fun and disorder The Bland
Silver bill erected its head in the morning
hour which very dark but its
opponents hbusored and used up the hour to its
complete exclusion. Then small sized ensued
between couple Of members and created so much
confusion that the Sergcant-at- Arms was requested
put end and for the first time in the
that Official paradng the door Of the House
with the silver r-moun,cd which forms the sign of
his Office and he waved 1t with magical effect com
mandng the disurbers OF the peace to DO rest At
the hour fixed Tor the adjournment Mr. Ssylcr and Mr.
Cox were complimcnted with resolution OF thanks
ior their services IN the chair, and the former who
had gwen place to Mr. Ciymer while tho resolution
being put and carried, resumed the gave and with
quick and loud knock ended the session. Then there
universal chcer why, it would be hard to ex
plain, and members, clerks, reporters, doorkcepers
messengers and pages shook hands If it a New
Years calling party. Then there WAS general scat.
tcring for the hotel and for the night trains and the
Capitol building left to the dozens OF clerks busy
bringing down their records the hour OF adjourns
menL
good deal of solictude was expressed all day for
the condition OF Speaker Kerr and persons be-
lievcd that he dead aud that the intelligence
kept back, TO prevent complication which might
out of the proprlety OF eecting Speaker in his
place 1t thought to night that this apprehen-
sion prompted speedy an adjournment OF the part
OF the House which, with official notice ofthe Speakers
death, would II the propreties observed, have
had to elect II successor, matter that might have
from RockDr:dge Springs dated at SIX o'clock this
evening, represents Mr. Kerr very low and likely
last but little while, unless change of
TALLY hopeful character should during the course
OF the nIght
THE POST OFFICE APPRoPRIArIoN--APPAR
DISCREPANCY IN THE STATEMENTS OF THE
FIGURES EXPLAINED.
Attention has been called to the apparent dscrep-
ancy the figures Of the Post Olce appropriation as
they have been given out in the earlier reports Of the
committee those in Mr. Randalrs speech II is
usual iu the Post ONCE bill to make allowance for the
estimated receipts OF the postal service and supply
the deficiency between them and the expense OF the
service from tho Treasury The smaller sum given in
In the tables is this appropriation from the Treasury
balance expo nses with receipts.