Evening star., 1877-11-14
FORTI-TIFTH CONGRESS
WEDNESDAY November u.

VA a. iBS IDA llsNfCdsS OF pay 10 A--sL-E NtE-
rers; referred. Mr.. lngalls, from committee
on In disn affairs, ported The bill to eoab,e
Iudiars to become citizens OF tls United
States fSvOrably; placed on the calendar.
Mr.. EdmuDuS, from committee on j Id ciarY,
reported favorable on the Diil To reno e sIe
political dlSa blllties of Charles W. Fields,
OF Virginia; placed on calendar Mr. Dawes,
from eUWmittee on public building. and
GROUNDS, repoTtt d iayorably on the res 'luLiOn
Ming place for erecting the statue of Major
General Greene az the Intersection of Mary
land avenue and MaSssenus.-.t & avenue east:
al The same was passed. Mr. Con over in
troduced bill 10 grant additional nome
steads TO citizens OF Alabama, Mississippi
and Flor da; committee on puoltc lanis.
MI Windom. from com mnittae on appropris-
lions, reported back ihe army bill wiia GER
tam amendments, which he asked TO he
printed; SO ordered.
Mr. Maxsy called up the resolution offered
by him last week calling upon the president
for informal or regarding The alleged f0rci-
Die rescue of two prisoners from the Jaii IN
Starr county. Texas.
Mr.. Maxey addressed the Senate AZ some
length, setting forth the history o. the an
nexatfon of Texas, and mnch of the personal
history of some OF the Mexican 6audittt,
especially Cortina. he detailed the cfrcu N
stances attending the alleged rescue OF
prisoners, whom he designated as horse
thieves, from the jail, ana clsinet that IL
was only one OF the many outrages that
have been committed upon the citIzens OF
Texas along the RIO Grande. He read largely
from reports OF Srmy officers aud the con-
mittee sent To Texas from The House last year
10 prove his assertions. After reciung these
grieN anceS ..be asked If there was remedy.
He asserted that no TemeJ Y could be expected
from the government of Mexico, for the pres
ent rulers there were utterly powerleSs to
execute sny law or order. In fact, DlaZ was
a usuTper himself, and could not maintain
himself outside OF the city of Mexico, a nd 1t
required all the force be possessed 10 sustain
himself there. He said that the rules i'm
Mexico were subject TO constant changes for
the principle prevailing there was that
"Might makes right" couseQ uently no rem
edy was TO be found there. Neither was Il
practicable 10 use the militia OF Texas for
such purpose.
Mr. Wadleigh introduced a bin to amend
the statutes in relation to patents; referred
10 committee on patents.
Mr.. Wbyte introduced a joint rasOlu don to
print 1000 additional copies OF the North
Polar expedition; committee on printing.
Mr.. Wlthers reported back favOraDl from
the committee on sppropriai ions the joint
reso utlon TO pay the Chaplain OF the RI Juse.
Passed.
Mr Hoar introduced bill to allow a So
ciefy at Puget Sound, and kindred societies,
10 navigate a vessel for missionary pur
poses. Committee on naval affairs.
Mr.. Coke addressed The Senate on support
OF the resolution offered by Mr.. MaXey, and
relielateS the grievances of the citizens OF
Texas, and urged that some measure should
be adopted 10 abate them.
HOUSE.-Mr. Peddie introduced a bill
prepared by the National Boari OF Traie for
the establishment OF a department of conf
merce. Referred.
Mr.. Laihrop introduced bill ID fx the
time within which suits for Irfringsme It Of
PATENTS may be commenced. Referred.
Mr.. Blourt Offered resolution auth)riZ!ng
the employees OF the HoGse OF l. spreSent atIvzs
who had neglected I'd take the oath required
by law 10 be paid out OF the fund. Retire..
1ER CASE or CONG EESSMAN sMALLs
MIR. Townsend IN. v onerel a res)luJlOn
instrUciBg The Judiciary committee To in
Guire into the cause OF the Imprisonment or
Robert Smalls, a member OF thls House from
the state OF south carolina, and report forth
with whether such Imprisonment IS not a
violation of tue privileges of the Ho1se.
The Speaker ruled that this was question
Of high privilege.
MIR Butler offered a resolution reciting tha
II appears from the telegraphic sta enents
in the newspapers that ROOert Smllls, a
member OF the House from South Carolina
was arrested on The eve Of starting TO attend
the extra session OF Congress, for a crime al
legged To have been committed four years
ago and before he had ever become
n member of Congress-; thai he was
admitted TO bail, and thereafter appeared at
the bar OF the House and took the oath as q
member thereof; thai he subsequently re-
TUNED 10 South Carolina to answer TO his
. bond; and that said smalls is now held in
close arrest and custody by authority OF the
state state OF s0H,n caroline oil thst ne is prevent
he is absent without the leave of the House,
and that the Judiciary committee be there
fore instructed to inquire and examine into
the precedents and facts and ascertain aud
report whether the rights and privileges OF
the House have been violated, aud whether
the detention OF said Smalls is illegal and
what course should be pursued in the matter,
and that said committee be authorized To
send for persons and papers, 10 examine wit
CesSes, &c.
Mr.. Hamilton moved to lay the whole sub.
= ject on the table.
/ Mr.. Butler said his resolution referred the
whole case To the law committee of the
House. II was matter of great concern to
every member. He desi ired no definite action
until after the Judiciary committee had re-
Mr.. Wood and Mr.. stephens said it was a
question OF the highest privilege, aud they
hoped the resolution would be adopted unan-
Mr.. Hamilton said that the comm ittee on
elections could determine the question, a
the case was before that committee on the
: prima facie case.
Mr.. Butler said that was very different
: case.
! The resolution was then adopted.
THE ADJOURNMENT QUESTION.
Mr.. Wood, from the committee on ways
and means, reported resolution for the adj
iournment of both Houses of Congress on
I Thursday, the I'D Instant, al six O'clock p.
no. He said he would not ask consideration
! of the resolution now, but would let it lay On
the table to be called up at any time.
Memoers I'm all parts OF the hall suggested
that action be taken now.
Mr.. Wood said he could not accede To the
request in the present condition of the busi-
/ Iess.
Mr.. Reagan called attention TO the fact tha.
the resumption question was still undecided,
/ ana ne, Tor one, cOuld not consent To aQl0urn
until that matter was disposed of,
The resolution was laid over for future
| consideration
! The House then resumed consideration of
the
BILL TO REPEAL THE RESUMPTION ACT.
Mr.. Bell addressed the House in favor OF
! the committees bill for repeal. He obi bjected
al length TO fixing definite time for resump-
ton.
THE CHARGES AGAINST Mr.. HAYr-The
Senate committee on Indian affairs passed a
resolution this morning asking the Secretary
Of the Interior TO give the committee all in
formation III his possession concerning
charges which il is understood the depart
ment has investigated in relation to Mr