Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-01-24
CONGRESSIONAL.

"A lcoolutiou WAY pdSScu III lHt ocHdtt,
the 18th, to print $40 extra copies OF the tes-
timony taken before the Committee on Privileges
and Elections in regard to the late elections IN
Louisiana Florida and South Carolina. A large
number OF petitions we're presented and referred.
New rules were reported and considered for the
government Of the Senate. The time for the re-
port OF the committee 10 inquire into the changes
in the relative value OF gold and silver the causes
thereof, etc, was extended to Feb 10. Mr. Win
dom made a personal explanation relative to
tain charges III the Washington Union rejecting
upon his character, ana moved the APP
pointment OF committee of investigation,
which motion was unanimously rejected, sew
eral Senators expressing themselves ga listed
OF the falsty of the charges Mr.. Orton l'resl-
dent of the Western Union Telegraph Company
was before The bar OF the House for contempt in
not appearing before the l. uIiana Investigating
Committee, and pleaded Illness as an excuse, dis
claiming any disrepeG and expressing a willing
ness 20 appear before the committee on its return
to W ashingtOn and give his testimony fully and
freely. Go "as reminded. resolution was
adopted recitng that fears We're entertained that
there might not be peaceable settlement of the
Presidential question, and declaring that any al
| tempt TO prejudice or excite the public mind in
advance OF the authority provided for in the Con
! stitution was unwise, unpatriotic, and full of
| danger to the country.
A petition was presented in the Senate,
| on the 18th, from ID. II. Chamberlain, II. II.
! Greayes, Z. l.. Cardoza, X. b, Elliott, John X.
Talbot and others, OF South Carolina, in reply to
and denying the allegations in petition of Wade
/ hampton and others previously presented to the
! Senate. resolution WAS submitted and re-
| ferred recognizing the Chamberlain Government
| in South Carolina as the lawful government OF
| the State. The message of the President in re-
gard to the occupation of Petersburg by the mill
| tary on election day was taken up and, after de
| bate, resolution was adopted instructing the
| Judiciary Committee to examine whether the
construction of the laws touching the cleo i've fran
| chise, promulgated by the Attorney General in
! his order OF Sept. / be correct. In the House a
| bill was introduced and referred removing the po
| litcal disabilities o' women. A report was made
from the judiciary Committee I, lative to the re-
| fusal OF Wells, Anderson Casa nave and Ken uer,
| members of the Louisiana Returning Board to
| produce before the House Committee in Louisi-
| ana certain papers demanded by such committee.
aud the report was accompanied by a resolution
! that such named gentlemen be brought before the
| d n OF the House for cuntempt; running debate
| ensued on the report aud resolution, after which
! the previous question seconded and the reso-
| luton went over 10 the 18th.
| Several private bills were passed in the
1 Senate on the 18th. Mr.. Morton made state
| ment that the appropriation to carry on the in
| yestigations by the Committee on Privileges and
| Elections was exhausted, and that Senate bll
making additional appropriations was delayed in
! the House and the sub committee in Louisiana
could conld not go on with us investigation with
! out money The report OF the Committee on
| Rules revising the rules for the government of
| the Senate was further considered, amended and
agreed to. :. Bills were introduced in the
! House-to provide for the organization of
the Territory OF Oklahaina; extending the time Of
payment or public lands in cases where the crops
have been destroyed by grass shoppers; establish
ing a land district in the Black lills The reso-
luton reported by the Judiciary Committee for
the arrest of the members of the Returning Board
OF LOU siana and their production before the bar
OF the House To answer Tor contempt, was, after
considerable debate, adopted by party vote 81
to -. some Ofthe Senate amendments to the Con-
til gent Deficiency bill were concurred in and 9TH
ers were rejected.
In the Senate, on The 18th, a petition
was presented from the Democratic Presidential
Electors OF Florida, claiming that they had been
legally elected and asking that the vote cast by
! them, as Electors, for President and Vice Pres-
dent, be counted. instead OF that cast BY the
Electors on the other side. 4 Conference Com
to the Contingent Fund deficiency bill. bill
was passed amending The Pension law, so rs TO
remove the disability OF those who, having par
tcipated in the rebellion have since enlisted
in the army OK the United States and become
disabled. The special committee on the sub
ject Of counting the Electoral votes made their
report, which was signed by all the members
of the joint committee with one exception tMr
Norton. ... The report of the House and Senate
Committees on counting the Electoral votes WAS
made 10 the House, recommitted and ordered
printed. A minority eport Was made by the four
Republican members OF the Committee the
Privileges and Duties of the House in Counting
the Electoral Votes, declaring that, in the absence
OF legislative provision on the sub ect, or authorl-
taIlve direction from Congress. the President of
the Senate opens, counts and declares such vote.
The majority resolut. Ms from the same commit
tee were debated at considerable length.