Evening star., 1877-11-15
FORTEFIF7R CONGRESS.
THURSDAY, November IS.

ale communication from the Secretary OF
Tie Interior, transmitting, in accordance
with the resolution of the Senate, a report
nom The q m missioner of the Ia Il Office ia
relsten 10 The Pacific railUoal. Com niItee
ON iailrCadS.
Bills and petitions were presents VI and
TelefTed as follows; by Mr.. Dswes-A protest
from folty-nve uaIgonal banks In Boston
against the passage OF the bill pending in
ihe Senate, providiIg z for the rem MEDITATION
OF silver. By Mr.. hoar-A similar protest
iIom several saving banks aud national
tanks IN Massachusetts. BY Nj. DorSey-A
bLl 10 revoke the charter OF the Wash ngtoa
Market company. District committee. Rv
Mr.. Bruce-A petition from a number OF
colortd citizens asking for an appropriation
Cf Slto,C00 To enable them 10 tiuigrate TO
Liberia. BY Mr.. COckrell-A petition from
cIiizeUs of Jackson county, Mo-, asking for
an extension OF the Jurisdiction OF the Court
OF Claims, so as 10 embrace cases from the
departments.
Mr. Sargent. from comm ittee on appro-
pTlations, reported back The naval deficiency
Till, and asked IL ils immediate cc:Sidera-
ton. He said the bin was reyorted back
Without any amendment, and woIld occa-
sion 10 debate. The bill was considered az in
committee CT the whole, and passed. without
amendment.
Mr.. Anthony, from committee on printing.
rtIorted me biH 10 provide for printing the
biennial register.
By Mr.. Mitche IA bill TO establish a rail-
road and telegraph line from Portland TO
Astoria, IN oregon. Committee on railroads
BY Mr.. kaon-A bill 10 amend art. section
:, q the constitution OF toe United States.
To select committee.
Mr.. Maxey called up the bill 20 remove the
PollticsI disabilities of {. W. Fields, OF Nir-
ginia- Passed.
BY Mr.. Thurman-A resolution ins,ructing
the committee on naval affairs to inquire
lnto lie eNpediency of removing the Naval
Observatory in Washington TO some more
desirable position IN the city. He had READ
letter from the officer In charge of the OBJ
SeTNatory, setting forth the objections TO the
present location. The resolution was adopt
Rhal1 h. g...n -.
district in tie territory of Idaho; committee
on public lands.
The chair laid before the Senate
TIL ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL.
Nj. Beck said the bill was sn anomaly.
lie asserted that the number OF officers I'm the
army was altogether dlsprOportionaJe to the
number of enlisted men. He read the det ails
OF men which the law provides for, and then
said The n giinents had been SD much reduced
that there were not over ten men to a COM
parry, aud yet the companies and regiments
had iuil compements of officers. He said
he should vote for this bill, but he hoped al
the next sessio that the regiments would be
consolidated.
Nj. Window explained briefly the nature
OF The amendments proposed 10y the Senate
committee on appropriations.
The bill was read by sections, and the first
amendment, reducing the expenses OF the
commanding generals Office from 5000 TO
$3.50, Was adopted. Toe second amend
ment, verbal one, changing the word "pri-
YATES 10 "enlisted men, was adopted The
third amendment. increasing paymasters'
clerks from % to 81, was adopted. The fourth
amer cment, 10 strike out, " PrOyidef, That
force OF four cavalry regiments shall oe re-
crUiied 10 leo men in each company, and tne
same shall be employed in the defence of the
Mexican aud Indian frontier of Texas" and
insert, Thai cavalry regiments may De re-
crGit6d 10 100 men in each company and kept
as near aS pracll cable 10 that number, and q
sufficient force OF Cavalry shall be en-
PloHed in The defence OF The Mexican aud
The next amendment, TO strik Out '.Pro-
vided. that LCthiBg herein contained shall
authorize The recruiting the numDer Of men
on the army rolls, including Indian scouts
al d hospital stewards beyond @, ,nOO;of whom
four full cavalry regiments shsll be kept Ia
service on the Mexican frontier, in Texas
was amended, on motion OF Mr. Thurman.
making the number . 900, and retaining al
but the words after Thousand"
The ojher minor amendments were adopt
cd, aid The bill passed in committee of Tue
whole and reported to the Senate.
Upon agreeing 10 the amendment made I'm
The committee OF the whole, making the
number 5,CO0, the yeas and nays We're or
dered-resulting in yeas 39 nays 10; and tue
amendment was adopted by the Senate.
HOUSE.-Mr. Schliecher Introduced bill
to tqualize promotions OF army officers in
the line OF the army. Also, a bill 10 provide
for cheap transportation of freight betwe IN
tide water on or near the Atlantic ocean ami
the ONO and MISSISSIPPI valleys. Both re-
ferred.
Mr.. Mills presented the memorial of the
STATE grange of Texas asking tina: the Com
missioner of Agriculture be made Cabine,
officer Referred.
Mr.. Sapp introduced a bili TO provide for
chesp transportation of freight from tide
water on the Atlantic ocean 10 the west, by
The construction OF q railroad and brauche,
from New York TO Council Bluffs. RefarreJ.
MI Goth. from committee on M ileage.
submit ed a report 10 the effect that there
was no law authorizing the payment OF
mileage TO members of Congress attending
an extra session OF Congress. Report was
tabled.
The House resumed conside ration OF the
bill 10 repeal the resumption act.
large number of additional amendments
were presented.
In answer 10 questions by Mr.. Hendee the
speaker said that his understa lding OF the
arrangement under the bill was that this
was the last day in which the m 1rning hour
could be excluded. There would, therefore
be morning hour tomorrow. He under
stocd that IL was The purpose OF the gentle
man having charge OF the bill TO have the
debate run 10 morrow, that Mr.. Ewing would
address the House on Saturday, and would
then call the previous question on the bin
and amendments.
Mr.. Esmes then addressed tue House ia
opposition To repeal.
Mr. Ballou gave reasons why be should
vote against repeal.
Mr.. Hubbell was In favor OF resumntio1.
Mr.. Kelley had the noor wben our report
closed.