Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-04-13
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
HOUSE.

| CONUhESolONAL PkOCEEDI NHS,
HOUSE.
In the house, on the 1st, the followin,
bills were introduced and referred: By Nh
Stevens: For the financial relief Of tn
country, and to facilitate return to spec
payments without injuriously affecting tn
commercial business of the people. Ii dj
rects the secretary of the treasury, when tn,
amount OF coin and bullion in the treasur,
shall exceed $1O0,00000O, to redeem tn,
present outstanding United States lega
tender notes, when presented in sums O
SlOOO and upward, with coin OF full standlrc
lue.....,By Mr.. Money: To regulate con
tracts for carrying the mails. 1t provides
that when any contractor shall sublet hi,
contract the postmaster general shall caDce
such contract and make new contract al
rates not to exceed the old one, and define,
subletting as the employment by any con
tractor OF any person to perform service al
his own expense and care, no part of the
service being borne by such contractor. ...
BY MIR. Bright; To prevent reduction of the
national currency by fraudulently withdraw
ing legal notes from circulation 49,. By Mr.
Fuller: Declaring the waters of the Hot
| Springs OF Arkansas forever free to the
people. e..,...By Mr.. Williams (Mich): Grant
ing jurisdiction to the court of claims upon
claims OF officers and soldiers of The late war
'...:, by Mr.. Martin (by request) To establish
and maintain speedy communication with
neighboring republics, colonies and islands
by Mr.. Harrison: To provide for more
efficient civil service in the United States
BY Mr.. White Pa. J. Making an appropriation
of $3OO,00O for making of slack water nayi.
CATION in Keskiminetas, Conemaugh and
Allegheny rivers in Pennsylvania; also, Joint
resolution proposing an amendment to the
constitution requiring the presentation OF
all claims agreeably to the provisions of law
within six years, and providing that when
rejected by congress or department they
shall not again be presented until after the
lapse OF six years.....By Cravens: Contihu.
ing until February 1st, 1879, the term of
office of the Hot Springs commission. ..... Mr..
Singleton, from the appropriation commit.
tee, reported bill providing for the def>
cheney in the appropriation for public
printing and binding for the present fiscal
year. Adjourned,
In the house, on the 2nd, a Joint reso.
luton was reported authorizing the commits.
sion having in charge the Washington
monument to apply $4,000 to give greater
stability to the foundation. Passed ...... II
was voted-yeas AS, nays 70 to take up for
consideration the report of the committee
on civil service reform in regard to the case
OF doOrkeeper Polk .....Mr Harrison GILL;
proceeded to explain the report of the
majority, which recommends the adoption of
the resolution declaring the office of door.
keeper vacant.."..At the conclusion OF his
speech the house adjourned.
In the house, on the 4th, Mr.. Butler
introduced a bill to supply convenient
currency with which the minor transactions
OF the country may be done. Referred. ....,,
Consideration was then resumed of the Polk
case, and Mr.. Cook spoke in favor of retain.
ing the doorkeeper. The question REQUIRED
on the resolutions reported by the committee,
which are as follows: Resolved, That the
position of dOOrkeeper of the house of rep.
resentatives be and hereby is declared va.
cant; and further Resolved, That until the
appointment of new dOorkeeper, the duties
OF that office be and hereby are devolved
upon the sergeantatarms. Mr.. Conger de.
manded division of the question, and the
vote was, therefore, taken on the first reso.
luton and it was adopted-yeas, 139; nays,
so. The next vote was on the second resolu.
tion, putting, temporarily, the duties Of
doorkeeper on the sergeantatarms. 1t was
adopted-yeas, 122 nays, ll5. Immediately
on the announcement of the vote Mr.. Hale
rose to move that the house proceed to the
election of dOOrkeeper. Mr.. Eden moved
that the house adjourn. Agreed to-yeas,
l2l; nays, 1l3-and the house accordingly
adjourned.
In the house, on the 5th, Mr.. Butler
(Msss.) put in nomination for the position Of
dOorkeeper Gen. James Shields Of Missouri
Democrat,"...A long and exciting debate
ensued on the point of order; participated
in principally by Butler and Cox of New
York, the democrats resisting the right tC
make the motion as a question of privilege
and the republicans trying to force the issue
on the house. Finally the speaker, declin.
ing to decide the question whether motion
to proceed with the election of doorkeeper
was privileged question, submitted it to the
house for its decision, and, on motion of Mr.
Beebe, consideration of the question was
postponed until Monday next, the democrats
all voting for the postponement aud the re,
publicans all against it The house ad
lourned until Monday.
SENATE.
In the senate, on the 1st, Mr.. Ingalls,
introduced bill to levy tax on spirituous
and malt liquors in the District of Columbia
by the introduction of the Moffett bell punch
Referred. ...... The bill to regulate the adver,
tising of mail letting and for other purposes
was taken up and after the adoption OF
sundry amendments was passed .........On
motion of MIR. Coke. the bill amending
section 1861, title Is Of revised statutes
relative to the issue OF arms to the militia Of
the several states, was taken up. Pending
further consideration of the bill Mr.. Whyte
moved to go into executive session. Mr..
Davis, of w. Va, demanded the yeas and
nays, and the motion was agreed to-yeas,
81 nays 15-and the senate went into ex.
ecutive session, and when the doors were
reopened adjourned,
In the senate, on the 2nd, Mr. Burn
side called up as special order the bill to
remove all restrictions now existing in regard
to the enlistments of colored citizens in any
army of the United States. After discus
sion the bill was recommitted, with an
amendment proposed by Mr.. Blaine that
to enlist in all arms of service. ...... The rail.
road funding bill came up as unfinished
business, and Mr.. Morrill, addressed the
senate in support Of the judiciary commit
tee bill, Mr.. N rrill having concluded, Mr.,
Thurman gave notice that he would offer an
amendment making the first mortgage bonds
of the company one of class of bonds in
which the sinking fund proposed may ne
invested .....After executive session the
senate adjourned.
In the senate, on the 4th, Mr.. Morrill,
offered resolution providing for a select
committee of seven to consider the propriety
Of taking the tenth census. He said an
arrangement had to be made during the
present congress for taking the tenth census,
and as the next session was a short one the
preliminary steps should now be taken. The
resolution was agreed tO..".At the expira.
ton of the morning hour consideration was
resumed of unfinished business, the Pacific
railroad funding bill, and Mr.. Matthews
replied to the arguments against the rail
road committees bill. Adjourned.
In the senate, on the 9th, consideration
was resumed of unfinished business on the
pending bill, and Mr.. Bayard advocated the
judiciary Committees measure ,.. Mr.. Ssr
gent spoke in opposition to the judiciary
bill. Adjourned until Monday.
z
A NEAR.sighted book agent talked 9
lay figure to death in front of a Denver
clothing store the other day. The figure
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