Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-11-15
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.


PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
In the House on the 9th, a bill regulating
the coinage of silver was passed. The bill
provides that the weight of a silver dollar
shall be 4124 grains troy standard silver, and
shall be legal tender at the nominal value
for all debts and dues, public and private,
except where otherwise agreed by contract.
After the adoption of the silver bill, which
was passed under suspension of the rules,
one hundred and ninety bills were introduced
in the House, among them one by Whit
horne, of Tennessee, authorizing treaty with
Mexico for the protection of American capt.
tel and labor in connection with Mexican
railroads; two for reclaimiug the alluvial
lands of the Mississippi river; one for the
final adjustment of land claims in Florida
and other States and by Gen. Shelly, of Ala
bama, bill to appropriate the alleged illegal
cotton tax to educational purposes in the res
pective States.
In the Senate on the 9Th, number of bills
were introduced and referred. A number of
petitions we're presented by various senators
from females throughout the country, setting
forth that they are taxpayers, and asking
that their political disabilities be removed and
that they be allowed to exercise the rights Of
citizens at the ballot-box. Mr.. Gordon, Of
Georgia, introduced bill to authorize the is
sue of arms to the Washington Light Infan-
try, of Charleston. Referred. The only i'm.
portant matter brought before the House, was
bill introduced by Mr.. Giddings, of Texas,
providing for the establishment of mail steam
ship service with Brazil, the cost to the Uni
ted States not to exceed $150000 year. Re-
ferred.
In the House on the 7th, nothing of public
interest took place, except the discussion on
the bill to repeal the resumption act. Rev.
Mr.. Poisal resigned the chaplaincy of the
House.
On the 9th, there were no Congressional
proceedings of interest, except dicussion in
the House on the bill to repeal the resumption
act.
The Senate proceedings on the 9th we're of
no special Importance. In the House the ar
my appropriation bill was discussed, but had
not made much progress at the hour of ad-
journment. The main points in the discussion
were the need of strong army to guard the
Indian and Texas frontiers and to prevent la
Dor disturbances Most of those who referred
to the latter topic deprecated the use of mill
tary for such a purpose. Mr.. Reagan, OF
Texas, particularly took that ground, holding
that the true way to have peace and prosper
ity in the country was to repeal the resump'
ton act, remonetize silver and reduce the bur.
dens of taxation. In regard to the Texas
difficulties, it was stated by several members
in debate, that the proper course to adopt was
for the U. S. government to put down the ma
rauders by having them pursued and punished
even on Mexican territory. Mr.. Phillips, of
Kansas, described the frontier Mexicans as a
despicable race, halfSpanish and half Indian,
with all the vices and none of the virtues of
either stock. All the propositions looking to
reduction of the army were voted down by
small majority, the Republicans voting SOL
idly against them, backed by the Texas men,
bers, Luttrell, of California, and Williams, of
Michigan. The force beyond which the army
is not to be recruited, was fixed, as in existing
law, at $4,000. The House Committee on
Post Offices and Post Roads agreed to recon-
mend the passage of the bill introduced by
Mr.. Mooney, of Mississippi, providing for the
appropriation of a sufficient sum to pay all
ante bellun, Southern mail contractors, or their
heirs or legal representatives, the balances due
for transportation of the mails up to the 3lst
ofMay, 1861.
In the House on the 10th, the consideration
of the army bill, in committee of the whole,
was finished, and an amendment adopted lin
iting the force of the army to its present num-
Der, but directing four cavalry regiments
with 100 men to each company to be sta
toned in Texas. This was found after the
bill was reported to the House, to conflict with
a previous amendment, and as there was not
time to straighten out the crookedness, no f.
nal action was taken on the bill. The dis
cussion in the Committee developed the fact
that within the last few weeks the army had
been recruited to the number of 565 men.
This action of the Secretary of War was char
acterized by the Chairman and other men,
bers of the Appropriation Committee as be-
ing without law and deserving Of impeach-
ment A sharp discussion then ensued by
members of both parties, each fixing, from
his own standpoint, the responsibilities for
lack of military appropriations during the
greater part of the year. An amendment
was offered BY Mr.. Hooker, of Mississippi,
providing that no money should be expended
in sending any part of the army into any
State for the purpose of suppressng insurrec-
ton or protecting the peace, unless on appli-