Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-01-30
44th Congress. Second Session.


44th Congress, Second Session.
SENATL.- Monday, Jan. 22nd.-After
the morning hour, the bill was called up
TO provide for and regulate the counting
OF the electoral vote, and Mr.. Morton
spoke at length against the bill, and will
conclude his remarks tomorrow. Mr..
trelinghuysen spoke in favor of the bill.
moved to proceed to the consideration of
executive business, but the motion was
rejected. Mr.. Edmunds gave notice that
he would endeavor to have the vote
taken on the bill before the Senate ad-
JOurned the next day.
HoUsE.-In the House Mr.. Frye in
troduced bill to establish a court for the
trial of contested election for the offices
of President and Vice President. A mes
sage was laid before the House from the
President in reference to the service of
troops in cer.ain Southern States since
August first.
SENATE.-Tuesday, Jan. 23rd.-A
number of petitions were presented from
various States approving the bill for
counting the electoral vote. A bill was
introduced providing for the care and
ASSPAh6 VI way dutS, uIuukdIuS anu
idlers in the District of Columbia. The
bill of the joint committee to count the
electoral vote was called up, and Mr..
Sherman spoke in opposition to the bill
He was followed by Mr.. ConkIing in
advocacy of the plan. After speaking
two hours Mr.. Conkling announced that
he would have to suspend his remarks
until the next day. Mr.. Edmunds stat
ed that he would ask the Senate to vote
on the bill the next day.
HoUsE.-In the House Mr.. Swami.
| from the committee on foreign affairs.
presented a communication from the
Secretary of State in relation to the
Mexican commission and the awards
hereunder. The House took up the re-
solutions reported from the special COM
mlttee on the powers and privileges of
the House, Mr.. Seeyle opposing the
majority report, and Mr.. TUCK er sustain
ing it in a lengthy constitutional argu-
ment.
| SENATE. -Wednesday, Jan. 24th.-A
M mortal was presented from the Phil
adelphia Board of Trade praying the
passage of the electoral count bill. This
bill was then taken up, and speeches
were made by Messrs. Sargent, Conkling
and Morton. At five o'clock motion
to adjourn was voted down by vote of
8 yeas to 54 nays. A motion to take q
recess until 1870 o'clock was then adopt
ed. At the hour named the Senate re-
assembled, and Mr.. Bayard took the
floor in advocacy of the bill. The debate
was continued.
| HoUsE.-In the House the resolutions
reported by the committee on privileges
and elections on the powers ofthe House
in counting the electoral vote were call
ed up, Mr.. McDill speaking IN favor of
the minority report, and Mr.. Bright in
favorsof that of the majority. A resolu-
ton was offered by Mr.. Wood, and a.
! dopted, that the message OF the Presi-
dent in regard to the use of troops at the
| late election be referred to select COM
mittee of eleven to inquire whether there
had been an exercise of authority not
warranted by the constitution and laws
IN the use of troops, for.which the Presi-
dent Is justly responsible, with power to
send for persons and papers.
| SENATE.-Thursday, Jan. 25th.-In
the United States Senate the bill to count
the electoral vote was continued
throughout Wednesday night and until
seven o'clock Thursday morning, when
a vote was reached and the bill passed
yeas Al, nays IL. After the passage of
the bill the Senate adjourned until Fri
/ day.
/ HOUsE.-ln the House the electoral
count bill, which had come from the
Senate, was called up after the morning
hour, and Mr.. Payne, chairman of the
committee reporting the bill. announced
that the debate would run on all day
that there would be an evening session,
and that on Friday there would be five
hours debate, from 10 A. M. to P. NJ,
four hours of which would be devoted to
ten minutes speeches, after which the
previous question would be called and
the bill placed on its passage Debate
Iowa, advocating the bill. He was fol.
lowed on the same by Messrs. Goode and
Hunton, of Va, Hoar, of Mass, and
Hewitt, of N. Y; and by Messrs. Hale,
of Maine, and Monroe, of Ohio, in op-
position to the plan. At five O'Clock q
recess was taken until 7:30. At the even
ing session a number Of speeches were
made, the principal one being that OF
Mr.. Garfield, in opposition to the bill.
SENATE.-Friday, Jan. 26th.-Mr.
Jones, of Fla, called up the petition oil
the democratic presidential electors oil
that State, asking that their vote be
counted as the returns, and spoke at
length in favor of the petition. The
Military Academy appropriation bill
was reported, the amendments being I'M
important; the fortification appropria-
ton bill was also reported from the APP.
preparation committee, with an amend.
ment increasing the appropriation fol-
the armament of sea coast defenses from
100000 to 5000, 600
HoUsE.-The bill to count the electoral
vote was called up at 10 o clock, and dis
cussed, without intermission, until s
O'Clock in the afternoon. A large num-
Der of speeches were made pro and con,
the most striking being those of Messrs.
Hill, Hartridge, Field and Lamar in
favor of the bill, and Messrs. Knott,
Mills and Townsend in opposition. Al
5 o'elock, Mr.. Payne, Ohio, chairman
of the House committee reporting the
bill, called the previous question, which
he supplemented with brief remarks in
advocacy of the bill, and then the vote
was taken, resulting in l91 votes for the
bill and Sc against it. The House is
composed of 294 members, and it will be
seen that 277 votes were cast, remark
ably full vote.
SENATE.-Saturday, Jan. 27th.-The
electoral count OIL was presented from
the House, bearing the certificate of the
Speaker that it had passed that body il
was then signed by the President of the
Senate and handed to the committee on
enrolled bills to be delivered to the
President of the United States. The
Military Academy appropriation and
fertilization bills were called up, amend.
ed and passed. The bill in regard to a
Pacific railroad sinking fund was called
up, but its consideration was postponed
until the next day.
HousE.-dn the House the members
of the Louisiana returning board, NJ essrs.
Wells, Anderson, Cazanove and Kenner
were aTraigned for contempt, and after
some delay presented lengthy paper
denying that they intended any con.
tempt. and declaring that the papers de-
manded by the House investigating
coyn litfpc ha6 paSSod ont of !, nj r o,