The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-02-15
CONGRESSIONAL.


CONGRESSIONAL.
In the Senate, on the ID, bill was pass
ed providing for the punishment Of persons
making or having in their possession dies,
molds, ETC., for manufacturing counterfeit coin;
also bill declaring all claims against the United
states shall be barred unless presented within
SIX wears from the time they accrued......,.
The House considered the Legislative Appropri.
alton bill in Committee of the Whole. fhe bin
approprates Ga, 266, 1880. A long discussion
ensued on the provision TO reduce the salaries of
members Of Congress, which was finally adopt
ed In committee,
In the Senate, on the Sd, number of res
olutions and bills Of a miscellaneous character
were introduced and referred, when after a
short executive session the Senate adjourned
I'll Monday. -. The House was again engaged
in considering the Legislative appropriation bin
in Committee Of the Whole.
In the Senate, on the 9th, Mr.. West rus
to a personal explanation regarding the letter
addressed TO him by Gov. Wells and read on
Saturday before the House Committee, which
explanation he was not permitted to make, he
SAID, before the committee. He could have
availed himself of his privileges as a Senator
and refused to divulge the contents Of the letter
but he desired that all the facts in regard TO the
Louisiana count should be known. He had not
held, did he intend to hold, biardestine
correspondence with any one in regard 10 inc
counting the Electoral votes. About the tine
that the letter should have beeh delivered to him
he was informed by the Secretary of War that
man by the name Of Maddox was here attempt
Ing 20 Trade OF the vote OF Louisiana. He WEST
Immediately denied that he had any such au-
thority, and telegraphed 10 New Orleans to a
friend in substance as follows "Tell Govern
or Wells that man by the name Of Maddox
10 here proteesinE TO be authorized to
speak for him and the Returning Board of Lou
isana. What does this mean?" The answer
came back as soon as the wire could bring it:
Mr.. Maddox has no such authority" Mr..
West, in answer to a question Of Mr.. Bogy as to
what explanation he could make Of the LETTER,
said that he WEST was ambitious 10 be his own
successor IN the Senate, and the letter referred
70 s9 That AS 70 speaking Of million" Coy.
same manner as Col. Sellers did
he meant there was a 'barrel OF money" there
to be used against the Republicans and aid was
needed; that is, If money was TO be spent on one
side II must be spent on the other. He (West)
would not rest for moment under any suspicion
that he was traficking in the Electoral votes....
The Legislative, Judicial and Executive Appre-
priation bill was passed by the House. The
amendment fixing the salary ofSenators and Rep
resentatives at ;, 0O0was agreed to; the amend
ment increasing the compensation Of the Presi-
dent TO S5O, 900 was stricken out.
In the Senate, on the 9th, Mr., Paddock,
from the Committee on Public Lands, reported
favorahly the Senate bill for the relief of set.
titTS upon pubic ldnuS under pre- eTODtIOn laws.
Passed. The bill aboshing the Board of Met
ropolitan Police Commissioners of the District
which passed both houses unanimously and was
vetoed by the President, was then taken
from the table, the question being-Shan the
bill pass notwithstanding the objections OF the
President; 1t was decided in the negative
yeas, 80; nays, e2-two thirds not voting in the
af1rmative.. 1.-The House had under consider
alton the Deficiency bill. The two largest APP
preparations are one of $500 600 for deficiency
IN IN tne Navy department, and one Of s2l7,OtO
Tor pensions TO soldiers who have lest limbs
In the Senate, on the It'll, the Eads APP
preparation bill was discussed and laid over.
The House bill authorizing the Commissioners
OF the Freedmen's Savings and Trust Company
TO dispose of certain property was concurred
The House adopted an amendment to the
Senate bill providing for deficiency Of $50, 900
in the appropriation for Government printing
which prohibits the Government Printer after
the close of the present Congress from paving
higher prices for labor than are paid in New
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. The De-
hclehcy Appropriation bill was again considered
In Committee of the Whole.
In the Senate, on the Sth, the credentials
of Senater-elect Garland, of Arkansas, were
filed. The Indian Appropriation bill was pass
ed. In the House, Mr.. Hale rose to priti-
legged question and read letter addressed to him
from j Madison Wells and Thos. &. Anderson,
stating that they were confined in damp dark
dungeon of the cellar Of the Capitol; that yester
day, by order of the Speaker, they had been
transferred TO a much better foom and that they
bad been thought back to the cell by order of the
Sergeant at Arms; and that on account of the
bad air in the cell one of them (Gov. Wells) was
on his sick bed. Mr.. Hale said il was inhuman
to keep them in such a room, and he therefore
offered resolution directing the Sergeant at
Arms TO remove the prisoners to a well lighted
and well ventilated room, where their health
may not be endangered. Mr., Cox said it was in
this same cell that Republican Congress had
il carcerated Stewart and Irwin. The prisoners
we're confined and in the close custody of the
Sergeant at Arms, but they could release them
selves by simply purging themselves of contempt
OF the House and answering the questions which |
they had refused TO answer. The witnesses had |
simply been treated as other witnesses had been.
Mr.. Clymer, on behalf of the Sergeant at Arms |
SAID that that officer bad done ali in his power |
for the purpose of rendering the prisoners COM
Portable. The room they occupied was well heat |
ed, well lighted and well ventilated. 1t was the
room which had been used for the same purpose |
by preceding Congresses. They were allowed to |
have cow creations with their friends. Mr. Cox |
moved TO refer the T, solution to the Special Com
mittee on Elections in Louisiana, with instruc- |
tons to report speedily to the House whether |
such state Of affairs does exist as is stated in |
the communication from J. Madison Wells and |
Thos. Z. Anderson. The motion was carried |
yeas, ltsi nays. 40. The Deficiency Appropri-
alton bill was completed in Committee of the |
Whole and reported to the House.
In the Senate, on the 9th, a number of
and bills were introduced and re-
devoted to a discussion Of the Pacific Railroad
bill. The House passed the Deficiency APP
bill; also, bill providing for the dis
trlbution OF awards made in the Convention be-
tween the United States and Mexico. Mr.. Nor
rison, Chairman of the Special Committee on
Louisiana Affairs, submitted the report of that
committee, which concludes with a resolution
declaring that the Democratic Electors received
a majority OF the votes in the State OF Louisiana;
that the pretended canvass and compilation of
the vote for Electors by the Board of Returning
officers was without authority of law fraudu-
lent and void, and that the vote of that State
can not be counted for Hayes and Wheeler with
out the confirmation and approval of the illegal
and fraudulent action of said Returning Board. |
Mr.. Townsend, of Pennsylvania, submitted a
minority report, recommending the adoption Of
a resolution declaring that the Republican
Electors have been elected in Louisiana and
thatthe election was examined into, determined |
declared and promulgated by the proper au-
thOrities of said State, under all forms Of law,
and in compliance with the Constitution Of the
United States. Both reports were ordered
-. 4