The Osceola times., 1878-02-16
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
HOUSE.


In the house, on the 4th, among the
bills introduced and referred during the
morning hour is one by Mr.. Southard an.
thorizing the payment OF customs in legal
tender notes, and one by Mr.. Mills providing
that all bonds hereafter issued by the gov.
eminent shall be payable, principal and in.
terest, in gold, silver or legal tender. BY
Mr.. Davis, Of North Carolina: To reduce
the tax on brandy made from apples, peaches
or grapes, 30 cents. BY Mr.. Riddle. For a
constitutional amendment providing for the
election of president by direct vote of the
people. BY Mr.. Sexton: Making receivers
OF railroad corporations apendable to pro
cesses and judgments Of the courts of the
several states through which said railroads
are run......M Mr.. MacMahon moved to suspend
the rules and adopt the resolutions reciting
that in the present condition of public dis.
tress IL is important that the wealth of the
country shall bear fair proportion of the
burdens OF taxation, and instructipg the
committee on ways and means to report
bill at the earliest practicable moment i'm
posing a gradual tax on excess of incomes
above reasonable minimum to be fixed by
law. Defeated-yeas, 1876; nays, Ss-less
than two-thirds voting in the affirmative.
The Affirmative votes came chiefly from
democrats and the negative votes from re.
publicans. Adjourned.
IN the house, on the 9TH, bill to au.
thorize the construction of a bridge across
the Mississippi river at Memphis, was taken
up and briefly discussed, and referred to the
committee of the whole on the state of the
union .......Mr. Knott, from the judiciary
committee, reported back the bill introduced
yesterday by Mr.. Hooker, authorizing the
holding of special terms Of the circuit court
for the southern district OF Mississippi at
Scranton, Jackson county, on the second
Monday in March for the trial Of cases
arising out of alleged depredations on gov.
ernment lands and the cutting of logs and
timber thereon. He explained that the
object of the bill was to afford accused par.
ties a speedy, convenient and cheap trial,
which they could not otherwise have. Ii
objection were made that this tr al OF the
cases in the immediate vicinity of the
accused would lead to the impanneling of
Jurors whose sympathies would be with the
defendants, the answe: to that was that the
court might direct the summoninx Of Jurors
from other parts Of the district Mr..
Hooker described the utter prostration of
business which had attended the seizure OF
the lumber mills in that region, the aggregate
Business of which amounted to some $4,OOO,.
600 year. They had all been stopped
through the action Of the government, and
vessels engaged in the carrying trade there
have been left idle or have gone into other
business. Finally the bill passed d-yeas, l39
nays, l02......The house then went into COM
mittee of the whole. Mr.. Blackburn in the
chair, and resumed consideration of the
military academy appropriation bill. Mr.
Clymer intimated that there were far too
many professors at West Point. There were
of the IN TO every 81 4 students, and their
pay, exclusive of quarters, etc amounted to
about 5000 more tnan the cost of supporting
the $40 cadets. There was something radi-
caliy wrong in that The committee on ap.
preparations had not wished to recommend
the reduction Of the number OF professors,
lest they might be accused Of absorbing too
much liquidation, but he commended the
subject TO the attention Of the committee on
military affairs. Without disposing Of the
pending amendment the committee rose and
the house adjourned.
In the house, on the 9Th, Mr.. Bruce
presented resolutions of the Mississippi Leg
islature in favor Of the passage of a bill re.
munerating certain citizens, mill owners and
log men, for damages sustained by them on
account of the seizure Of certain lumber and
logs in the lumber district by agents Of the
United States. Referred ...... The senste bill
to remit taxes on insolvent savings banks
was called up by Mr.. Davis, of Illinois. and
discussed until the expiration OF the morning
hour, when the consideration Of the silver
bill was resumed, and Mr.. Thurman spoke
in favor thereof. Mr.. Thurman argued that
silver and gold had been the metallic money
OF the world for thousands OF years. They
were also the money of the constitution.
They were the metallic money Of the colonies,
and afterward Of the United States from the
declaration OF independence until silver was
demonetized by mistake, and without the
knowledge OF the people or congress, by the
enactment Of the revised statutes in 1874.
Both metals are suited to perform the func-
tions Of money, and silver does perform that
function among large majority of the hu.
man race. Silver Ia especially suited for
small transactions, and may therefore be
properly called the money OF the people la
humble circumstances. II fo,lows that the
burthen Of proof rests. on those who insist
tha; silver should be demonetixed. II was
argued that to rehabilitate the dollar with
4i2h grains would defraud the public cred
itor. This can not be true, sor The contract
is to pay In either gold ss silver of standard
value in the United States % July II 1o7o.
when the silver dollar ef AK grsins wss (
fall Legal tseiee, with ~ hsas 6 uslinils1