The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-03-20
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.
Senate.

piled.
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.
Senate.
Vice-President Wheeler being absent, MIR.
Ferry, of Michigan, was chosen president pre-
tenn, receiving 20 votes to % for MIR. Thurman,
of Ohio. The House bill to authorize the
granting of an American register to a foreign.
built ship, for the purposes Of the Woodruff
Scientific Expedition around the world, was ob-
jected to by Mr.. Spencer, and laid over. After
On executive session the Senate adjourned.
MIR. Hoar, Of Massachusetts, presented the
Mass, against the passage Of the Sargent bill
to organize q coast guard and life-saying SER
vice, and urging the passage OF the bill intro
duced In the House on the same subject.
Mr.. Sargent, Of California, said the reports on
the lfe-saying service emanating from the
treasury department showed q disgraceful
state Of ineficiency THE bill to authorize
the President to appoint q person for sixty
days to perform the duties Of pension agent at
New York, Mr.. Coster having failed to file the
required $3.50, 600, was discussed at length.
Messrs. Conkling, Blaine and others opposed the
bill as unnecessary and injudicious, the first
named asserting that it transferred the whole
appointing power to the President without the
advice or consent of the Senate. The bill was
fnallylpsssed by q vote Of 48 to 8....The bill to
authorize the issuing Of a long bond for
savings was taken up, and MIR. Wallace OF
Pennsylvania explained it. Adjourned.
Mr.. Chaffee, Of Colorado, from the commit
tee on Territories reported with amendment
the Senate bill to establish the Territory OF
Lincoln, and provide a temporary government
therefor, and it WAS placed on the calendar. 80.
After a short discussion upon the message OF
the President vetoing the silver bill, q vote
was taken and resulted in 46 for and 10 against
passing the bill over the Presidents veto.
Adjourned.
Vice-President Wheeler, having returnedto
Washington, again presided. Bills were intro
duced By Mr.. Cockrell, Of Missouri-To au.
thorize the deposit OF silver bullion in bars and
the issue ..ofl certificates therefor !; by MIR.
Bruce, Of Mississippi-To authorize the pay
ment of bounties to the heirs Of soldiers who
we're enlisted as slaves. . The Senate went
into executive session, and.among other wCrk
it confirmed the nomination of Bayard Taylor
as minister to Germany. Adjourned.
A petition 700 yards long, and signed by 3d.
900 names, for the repeal Of the law il relation
to the transmission Of matter through the
mails, was presented by Mr.. Butler, of Mass
achusetts, andreferred. The bill to regulate
inter State commerce and prevent discrimina'
ton by common carriers was reported in the
House from the committee on commerce.
An appropriation Of $40, 600 to investigate thu
army-worm was reported. Mr.. Chalmers, o.
Mississippi, made . long political speech, meant
as a reply to Gen. Garhe)d's speech of a few day
previous. About the middle of the speech
MIR. Reagan, Of Texas, made a point Of order
that the speaker was not making a persona
explanation, and he deprecated keeping up an
imosity by such q course. MIR. Chalmers wal
allowed to fDish his speech. Gen. Butler
then read a long speech on the financial ques
ton. He favored silver coinage, advocated thu
issue Of irredeemAble paper as the money o.
the country, declared himself for "a dollal
that shall at all times have q certain fixed ant
staple value beyond which 1t cannot Co." ant
would fund the greenback currency by a 3.6s
per cent. bond. Adjourned.
A bill was reported authorizing the sale o.
the Watervleit, Washington, Allegheny, Pixies
| Vile, and Watertown Miss arsenals. .Tht
| bill authorizing the President to restore e1
| Surgeon General Hammond to the army re
tired list was reported, and passed without de
bate. The bill granting pensions to tn
soldiers Of the Mexican war was taken up II
committee Of the whole, and discussed. Messrs
Brogden' and Davis, Of North Carolina, sup
ported the bill. and the latter denied that
would place the name Of Jefferson Davis OF
the pension roll. Mr.. Sinnickson, OF New
Jersey, opposed the bill, and said that If it wa
passed he would offer an amendment granting
pensions to all Federal soldiers. Mr.. Town
send, Of New York, opposed the bill because
would be impossible to pay the pension claims
After further discussion the House adjourned
A bill was reported authorizing the equip
ment of a Polar expedition, on the plan Of
colony, and appropriating $50, 900 for that pur
pose. The message Of the President vetoinl
the silver bill was received and the bill passet
over the veto by 1856 to 49,. The Mexican wa
pensions bill was taken up in committee Of tn
whole, and during the discussion a letter from
Jefferson Davis WAS read, authorizing tn
friends Of the bill to say that If the exclusion
of his name from the roll would help the bill
he hoped they would insert q provision to tina
effect. The House adjourned without actor
on the bill.
The Senate bill amending the laws granting
pensions to officers and soldiers OF the war o
1872 was reached, and Mr.. Stephens, Of Geor
gia, moved to pass the bill. It places on til,
pension rolls the names Of such officers AM
men as served fourteen days in the war will
Great Britain, and directs the restoration to tn
pension rolls Of those names stricken there
from on ~account..of going over to the Confed
crate States, but provides that no back pa,
shall be allowed. Mr.. Joyce, Of Vermont
wanted a provision in the bill excluding from
its benefits those persons who took part in tn
war on the Confederate side. Mr.. Wait, o
Connecticut, stated that Of the forty-hve mel
who had entered the war Of 1912 from Norwich
Conn.,, but one remained alive, and he hopet
the House would pass the bill Immediately
The bill was then passed-yeas 217, nays q
Adjourned