The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-12-05
CONGRESS...EXTRA SESSION.
Senate.

successor of Senator Morton, Of Indiana.
Mr.. Window introduced a bill to establish q
branch Of the government to be known as the
department Of commerce.
Mr.. Conkling rose to personal explanation
and denied having held. such an interview"
as Was attributed to him in the columns Of the
New York Herald Of the previous Friday.
The army appropriation bill from the House
was read BY title and referred to the committee
on appropriations
Mr.. Chaffee called up his resolution asking
the President to report to the Senate what
reasons, if any, there are for not compelling
the Union Pacific railroad and its branches Of
comply with the requirements Of the laws Ito
Congress. He supported the resolution by q
speech, but It was laid over, a. Mr.. Saunders
desired to speak upoa the matter.
A message was received from the House of
Representatives announcing the passage Of the
deficiency appropriation bill, and it was re-
ferred to the committee on appropriations.
the resolution submitted by him, ~instructing
the committee on Indian affairs to inquire into,
the expediency and propriety Of constructing
q system Of defensive works on the Rio Grande
frontier Of the United States. Mr.. Coke also
spoke Oh the same subject and said the interest
at stake was one affecting the prosperity Of
the whole country. The resolution was re-
ferred to the committee on military affairs.
The deficiency appropriation bill was taken
up and passed without discussion. The bill
next goes to the President for his signature
The army appropriation bill was then taken
The Recommendation Of the Senate COM
mittee that the army BIO permitted to recruit
to $4,000 men. instead Of up to 20, 900 as
to, and the bill was then passed 1t goes
next to the House, for the action Of that body
the Senate amendments.
Mr.. Hoar presented a remonstrance OF OFF,
GERS Of savings banks Of Worcester, Mass,
against the passage Of the House bill for the
reconciliation Of silver, which was referred to
the committee on finance. The petitioners
state that their banks are places of deposit for
the working class Of Massachusetts,, and they
have large amounts invested in government
bonds, therefore they demonstrate against the
passage of a bill which will depreciate the
Of those bonds.
Mr.. Davis. resolution inquiring into alleged
discrepancies in the accounts Of the treasury
department was discussed, hut no action was
taken upon the matter.
The Vice-President was authorized to ap-
point o committee Of five to investigate al
legged discrepancies In the treasury department
az charged in q resolution Of Mr.. Davis.
The Senate receded from its amendments to
the army appropriation bill which were non-
concurred in by the House ; the bill was pass
ed and went to the President for his sigma
ture.
The bill to enable Indians to become citizens
Of the United States was taken up and DISCUSS
ed without action.
House Of Representatives.
After further discussion the appropriation
bill was passed. The bill, as passed, fixes the
standard of the army at 20, 900 men.
Mr.. Phillips intr oduced q bill providing for
notes as soon as they are quoted at par with
legal tender coin of the United States.
The deficiency appropriation bill was taken
up and discussed. 1t appropriates 80, 240, 665,
of which 81, 446, 688 are for the pay Of the navy.
After general debate the bill Was passed.
The bill to repeal the resumption act was
taken up, and speeches made in opposition by
Messrs. Chittenden and MMroe.
Mr.. Glover offered q resolution for investi-
CATION into all the departments Of government,
which was referred to the committee Of ways
and means.
An amended resolution by Mr.. Butler, in
structing the judiciary commission to inquire
into the facts OF the Imprisonment Of Robert
Smalls q member Of the House from South Car
DINA, was adopted.
Debate on tho bill repeating the resumption
act was resumed. Mr.. Refer offered al
amendment prohibiting the cancellation Of re-
deemed greenbacks and authorizing their reis-
sue in payment Of all debts against the United
States or in exchange for coin or bullion. MIR.
Deering offered an amendment postponing re-
sumption from 1879 to 1880. Messrs. Rel and
FELTON, spoke in favor Of the repeal Of the re-
sumption act and Messrs. Chittenden and
Townsend spoke in opposition.
Ar Do111, I1o1. .ol L., Lo1;o@ Sln& H., ea1no1
of the resumption act would be detrimental to
Eames said the repeal Of the resumption clause
would be hasty, i'll advised. and fraught with
great evil alike to the credit and honor of the
country ut home and abroad.
Mr.. Kelley eulogized the grsenback, " which
served 80 well in war and was not deserving Of
tho contempt heaped upon it in peace"
Mr. Hartzell said that the resumption act
had destroyed all the business transactions Of
the country, and had taken the money from
the pockets Of the people and placed it in tho
possession of the Shylocks and money lenders.
He defended the action Of the House in pass
ing the silver bill
MI. Swami chairman Of the committee on
foreign affairs, reported a bill relative to the
Paris exposition. Referred to the committee
of the whole. The bill accepts the invitation
received from the Republic OF France to take
part in the exposition, and appropriates $780,
600 to defray expenses in so doing. MIR. Cox
offered q substitute appropl iating $4,000 for
expenses, which was also referred.
MIR. Singleton, from the appropriation COM
mittee reported another deficiency bill provid.
ing for various insufficient accounts amount
ing to 81, $50, 62S.
Discussion Of the a~nt-resumption bill was
resumed by Mr.. Hart who spoke in opposition
to tho passage Of the bill, as did Messrs. No
Cook and Garfield. the latter making q lengthy
speech, in which he said that the elements
were all now in favor Of resumption"
Mr.. Buckner advocated the. passage Of the
bill repeating the resumption act, saying that
" whatever others might do the duty Of the