The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-10-20
OPENING OF CONGRESS-.

Both Houses of Congress came together
quietly, on Monday, i'll the presence of
large crowds Of spectators. and organized
for business. In the Senate, J. Donald
Cameron, Stanley Mathews and Mr.. Arm
strong took the oath of office. commit
tee was appointed to inform the President
that the Senate was organized, and then
the body adjourned. In the House, the
Democrats elected their nominees for
Speaker tRandall) and the House officers.
Three Louisiana members were objected
to, and We're not sworn in. The drawing
for seats took place and the House ad-
journed.
TUESDAY,.
The Presidents message was sent to
Congress on Tuesday, and read to both
Houses. A number of appointments were
also sent to the Senate but that body did
not wait to receive them, and the nomina
lions are accordingly not announced. eau
cuses were held by the two parties in the
Senate yesterday. Judge Davis remained
in the Senate Chamber alone while they
were in session. The Southern Republi-
cans will vote with their party in organic
ing the committees. In the House the
seating of Darrall, Rainey and Cain, Re-
publicans from the South, was carried
through by Democratic votes, and served
When the vote was taken on the ad-
mission of Mr. Rainey and Mr.. Cain, the
Bourbon Democrats were beaten nearly
three to one. Among those who voted in
the affirmative were such prominent Demo
Gratis as Messrs. Willis IN. W, Dongless
va. Stenger Penn J, Bouck( Wis. }, House
Tenn J, Guitar Y. j. Cabell (Na.), Mills
Texas, and Potter N. ". These votes
were not all given for technical reasons.
1t was apparent that Mr.. Rainey's right
to IL seat in the House, until the contest
in his district was decided, was unimpeach
able, and that every Democrat who looked
at the question calmly and without pre-
.judice was bound to act with the Repub-
licanS.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The message after referring to the failure
of the late Congress to pass the army ap
preparation bill, and speaking Of the army
as a branch of the Government authorized
by existing statutes, and of the obligation
to maintain it in full force, says that, in
the absence of a specific appropriation, the
Government was unauthorized to make the
necessary expenditures. The absence of
this authority is regarded as fit ground for
the assembling of Congress in extra session.
The message asks that the appropriation
be made upon the basis of an army of 3D.,
600 men, and that the consideration of all
questions of the increase or decrease or
modification of the personnel or admins
tration in either branch of the military
service be postponed until some future
time. The message then sets forth that
the amount considered necessary by the
War Department for this purpose, accor-
ding to the estimates, is $32 436, 164. Some
reasons are then G iven for the various est-
mates which accompany the message, such
as the items for Library of Congress, for
binding newspapers files, ETC., 500 800; for
adjudicating cases under the Court of
Claims, $1,206, 453; for divers miscelane-
Gus deficiencies in the Treasury Depart
ment, $273,S 9l; for printing stamps in the
Post Office Department, 500 900; for the
deficiency of navy pay, So, 003, SCI, and for
contingent expenses of United States Courts
$500, j35.
The President also calls attention to the
great benefits to accrue to the industrial
and manufacturing interests OF the ulted
States, by a proper representation OF
American industries at the Exposition at
Paris, to be opened in May, 1878. He al
ludeS to the receipts of communications
from our diplomatic representatives in the
various countries of Europe, which have
expressed determination to participate,
and he recommends plan somewhat similar
to that adopted by Congress for representa-
tion at Vienne in 1878. The message re-
fers to the amount of 100000 as the sum
appropriated for that occasion.
The Presidents closes his message by al,
luding to the invitation sent to this Gov
eminent to appoint representatives to the
International Prison Congress, to be held
next year, at Stockholm, and adds that
these measures, in the interest of the pre-
vention of crime, are regarded as highly
satisfactory in the past. He recon-
mends that suitable appropriation be
made, so that the invitation may be ac-
cepted, and representatives of the United
States be sent to participate in their de-
liberations.