The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-19
WHEELING w. VA WEDNESDAY MORNING. JANUARY 49, 1876
that the bill must first be considered in &
Committee of the Whole.


that the bill must first be considered in q
Committee of the Whole.
The point was sustained by the Speak
er, and the bill was referred TO Commit
tee of the Whole.
Mr.. Lawrence from the same Commit
tee, reported back adversely the bill to
abolish capital punishment. Laid on
the table.
The Speaker proceeded with the call
Of the States for bills tor reference, and
the following were introduced and re-
ferred:
By Mr.. Riddle-Providing that half
OF the duties on imports shall be collected
in lawful money,
Also declaring U. S. bonds to be pay
able according to the proper legal con-
struction laws under which they were
issued.
By Mr. Hunter-To fx the legal rate
OF interest on national money through
out the United States at not exceeding
six per cent.
By Mr.. Baker-Fixing the pay Of
members Of Congress at $4,000 and 20
allowance. q
By Mr.. Anderson-Fixing the pay Of
members of Congress at $4,000, with
mileage at 10 cents per mile.
Mr.. Frye, from the Judiciary Com
mittee, reported bill to extend the time
for stamping unstamped instruments to
the lst OF January, 1877. Passed.
Also bill 10 extend for three months
he time for claimants before the Alabama
Claims Commission to prove their claims.
Mr.. Morly desired to offer an amend
nent repeating that portion of the law
which restricts the right to present claims
to persons who had borne true allegiance
to the United States during the late re-
bellion.
Mr.. Frye declined TO admit it, and
the bill passed.
Numerous other bills were introduced,
and the House at 3 o'clock, went into a
Committee of the Whole on the State
of the Union, Mr.. Wood in the chair,
on the
Centennial Appropriation Bill,
and was addressed by Mr.. Hopkins,
Chairman of the Select Committee, who
argued that national honor was involved
in the success Of the Exhibition, and that
there could be no extremity of finan-
cial distress that ought to cause an Amer
ican Congress to talter in voting an ap-
preparation to preserve the good name
Of the government, as National unity
was valueless without National honor.
Referring to the national advantages
of the celebration, he said that one Of
these would be to show that the Southern
mon were neither Dukes of Alva nor
Spanish inquisitors, but were men and
brothers.
The Spirit Of 20
would breathe its influence upon the
people. and under that influence all ami
mosities and all angry memories would
fade away. The passage Of the pending
bill by the aid Of those, the sincerity of
whose patriotism had been snjustly ques.
toned would condce to that consumma.
tion so devoutly to be wished.
Mr. Waddell said that if it was sup
posed that the irritating discussion Of
last week would have driven the South.
ern men away from the support of this
measure, he sincerely trusted that the re-
suit of the vote would only add another
illustration to the many already given of
how utterly impossible it is for some peo-
pie to understand and appreciate the
spirit that animates other people. He
and his associates acquitted their North
ern brethren OF all responsibility for that
discussion. They understood it fully, "for
it was transparent" what motive under
layed the introduction of that subject,
and, attaching to that motive its exact
value, they simply looked down on and
passed by the whole subject They
wished the disturbers of the public peace
to understand that, notwithstanding the
spirit exhibited, they were too good
patriots and too sincere men to allow
that spirit either to control them
or serve as an example for them. They
wished TO maintain the honor and char
act0r of the American Union, and they
would do it if they were allowed. One
element in the House had not been
heard from in that di. cussion-the ele-
ment of Southern soldiers in the late
war, of whom he was one. They had sat
in silence and taken the fire which
the gentleman from Maine (Blaine)
had opened on them with no other feeling
than that of gratitude for having escaped
from SO terrible an enemy as he Blaine
must have been durisg the battles of the
late war. II now, when that gentleman's s
hair was silvering and his natural force
preceptibly abatiDg, he could develop
such intensity of spirit, how must his
plume have waved in the forefront Of
that conflict which had occurred
at time when he (Blaine) was young,
strong, and healthy. That elemen. had
not yet spoken. 1t could not be goaded
into discussion. On the contrary, il had
exhibited a spirit which he believed the
American people would not soon forget.
1t had met storm of hate and
persecution as swan meets the
pillows, with q breast of down. He
knew some Of the gentlemen who had been
engaged in the same cause with him who
had intended not TO vote for this
measure before that discussion, but who
now intended to support it so as 10 set an
example of patriotism. Ii there were any
of them who still opposed this bill, he
appealed TO them to unite with him in
doing an act which could only promote
the honor and advance the interests of
the country and the peace and happiness
Of The people.
Mr.. Sheakley offered an amendment
that entrance TO the Centennial grounds
and buildings shall! be free On the ith Of
July and on Thursday OF each week.
Mr.. Willis opposed the bill as uncon-
stitutlonsl, and denied that the faith Of
the Government was pledged in the mat
| ter.
Mr.. Hewitt, OF New York, and Mr..
Ch,tenden spoke in support Of the bill.
Without taking any action on the bill,
the Committee rose.
Mr.. Williams, OF Wisconsin, iDtredCc-
ed a proposed amendment TO the Con-
! stitution. Referred.
Il is supplementary 10 the amendment
proposed By Mr.. Blaine, which prohibits
the distribution or control Of any school
Z a