Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-11-22
The Murkrille Gnqnirer.
YORKVTLLE. s, C. Z:
THURSDAY MORNING, NOV. %, 1877

THURSDAY MORNING, NOV. %, 1877.
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
In the Senate on the 18th, Hon. D. w.
voorhees, was sworn in as Senator from Indi-
ana, to FIJI the vacancy occasioned by the
death of Hon. o. P. Morton. Among the
bills introduced and referred, was one by Mr..
Matthews, of Ohio, for the enforcement Of
judgments and DEGREES in States other than
those where rendered or made. Mr.. Maxey,
of Texas, submitted resolution instructing
the committee on military affairs to enquire
into the expediency of constructing defensive
works on the Rio Grande frontier. Laid over
for the present. Mr.. Conkling arose to
personal explanation and referred to recent
publication purporting to give his views as
deprecatory of the present administration, and
in vague manner denied many points of the
reported interview. The House passed the
army bill without a division. The amend
ment, allowing four cavalry reg giments to be
recruited to 100 men for each company and
to be stationed in Texas, was agreed to. An
amendment limiting staff officers to the rank
and pay of their regular army grades was re-
iected. In the course of the discussion, Hew-
lit, of New York, charged the Secretary Of
War, General Sherman and the Adjutant-
General, with want of frankness and conceal
ment of facts regarding the enlistments. Mem
bers on the Republican side replied to the
charges and defended the high reputation of
those officers. Afterwards large number Of
bills were introduced and referred.
In the Senate on the 18th, a number Of
bills were introduced and referred to appro-
pirate committees among them the following:
By Mr.. Mcdonald, of Indiana, in relation to
the distilling and rectifying of spirits. By
Mr.. Garland, of Arkansas, to authorize the
election ofa delegate to Congress from Indian
Territory. The Senate finance committee con-
sidered the silver bill, and heard delegation
Of New York, Philadelphia and Boston bank
ers regarding the bill recently passed in the
House, but did not arrive at any decision on
the question. In the House, the naval deh-
cheney bill was passed, after debate in which
the acts of the late Secretary of the Treasury,
in diverting funds from one branch of the
service to another, was the principal topic.
Mr.. Blount, of Georgia, who had charge Of
the bill, led the discussion on the Democratic
side, and expressed the intention of that side
to have full and searching investigation into
the management of the navy department,
while Mr.. Hale, of Maine. who led the de-
fence expressed his conviction that such in'
vestigation would not show single dollar d.
verted from its Legitimate uses. Afterward'
the bill to repeal the resumption act was ta-
ken up and debated. Mr.. Metcalf (Republi-
can) received his certificate as elected to Con-
press from the Third Missouri District, issued
under mandamus from the Supreme Court of
that State.
In the Senate, on the 18th, Mr.. Ingalls,
from the committee on Indian affairs, report
ed bill to enable Indians to become citizens
of the United States. Placed on the caen-
dar Mr.. Conover introduced bill granting
additional homesteads to citizens of Alabama,
Mississippi and Florida. Referred. Mr..
Window reported the army bill with amend.
ments, striking out the clause restricting the
army to 10000 men, and striking out the
clause providing for four full cavalry regl
ments for the Texas frontier, leaving the force
to be stationed there to the discretion of the
President as Commander-in.Chief. Messrs.
Maxey and Coke made speeches upon Mexi-
can outrages on the border, and at $40 T.
M. the Senate adjourned. In the House,
shortly after the reading of the journal, Mr..
Townsend, of New York, offered resolution
instructing the judiciary committee to enquire
into the cause of the imprisonment of Robert
Smalls, member of the House of Represen-
tatiyes, from the State of South Carolina,
and report forthwith whether such imprison'
ment is not violation Of the privileges of
the House. The Speaker ruled that this was
question of high privilege, when the follow
ing proceedings were had:
Mr.. Butler offered substitute, reciting that it
appears from the telegraphic statements IN the
newspapers that Robert Smalls, memoer OF th me
House from South Carolina, was arrested on the
eve of starting to attend the extra session or Con-
press, for crime alleged to have been commltted
four wears ago and before he had ever become
member of Congress; that he was admitted TO
bail and thereafter appeared at the bar OF TINS
House and took the oath as a member thereo1; I;
that he subsequently returned to South Caronna
to answer to his bond and that said Smails IS now
held in close arrest and custody by authority OF
the State of South Carolina; that he is prevented
from attending to his official duties, ana that ne
is absent without the leave OF the House, and that
the judiciary committee be, therefore, instructed
to inuuire and examine into the precedents and
facts and ascertain and report whether the rights
and privileges of the House have been violated,
and whether the detention of said Smalls is llie-
gal, and what course should be pursued III the
matter, and that the said committee be author
lied to send for persons and papers, 10 examine
witnesses, etc.
Mr.. Hamilton moved to lay the whole subject
on the table. . A.
Mr.. Butler said his resolution referred the
whole case to the law committee OF the house; IL
was matter of great concern to every member !;
he desired no definite action until after the Ju-
dietary committee had reported.
Mr.. Wood and Mr.. Stephens said it was CUES
ton of the highest privilege, and they hoped that
the resolution would be adopted unanimously.
Mr.. Hamilton said that the committee on elec-
tions could determine the question, as the case
case Mr. Butler said that was very different
case The resolution was then adopted.
The consideration of the bill for the repeal
of the resumption act was resumed and dis
cussed by Bell and FELTON,, of Georgia, Da-
Wis and Steele, of North Carolina, and Rea-
Hyv