The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-29
WORK IN CONGRESS.
PAYMENT OF THE FISHERY AWARD
PASSAGE OF THE BILL PROHIBIT
ING THE FURTHER RETIREMENT
OF LEGAL TENDERS.

PASSAGE OF THE BILL PROHIBIT
ING THE FURTHER RETIREMENT
OF LEGAL TENDERS.
The Army Appropriation Bill SO Amended
As To Conform to a Force Of 90, 900
Men and Passed-Bankrupt Law Re-
pealed.
WAsH1NGToN, May pa petition from the
Board of Trade of Philadelphia was presented,
asking an appropriation Of $4,000 for the
Improvement of the Delaware river below
League Island Referred to the Committee
on Commerce.
Mr.. Morrill,, from the Committee on FL
nance, reported q bill authorizing the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury to constitute superin-
tendents of minis and assay offices Assistant
Treasurers to facilitate tho purchase of bull
lion. Passed.
Mr.. Mcpherson introduced preamble and
resolution recting that the agitation of the
question of taxation on tobacco had the effect
to prevent business and leave labor unem-
ployed therefore
Resolped, That it is unwise and inexpedi-
ent at the present session of Congress to
change taxation on tobacco. He asked
present consideration of tho resolution, but
objection was made by Mr.. Withers and the
resolution went over,
Mr.. Oglesby presented a petition of the
! Board Of Trade OF Chicago asking that the
ments of thousand men each Referred to
the Committee on Military Affairs.
| Mr.. Hamlin, from the Committee on For
eign Relations. submitted report on the
t fishery question, iii which attention Is called
| to the fact that the award was made by only
| two of the commissioners; that the award Is
! exorbitant and the suggestion made that In
| the settlement Of the claim. the utmost care
be taken to impress upon the British and
Canadian governments and people, that the
American people do not consider this just
measure of the value OF the Halifax fisheries.
They recommend that the Executive Depart
ment be authorized to pay the award, If after
| correspondence with the government Of Great
Britain, the President of the United States
SHALL without further communication with
Congress, deem that such payments shall be
demanded by the honor and good faith of the
| nation.
RETIREMENT OF LEGAL TENDERS
The bill to prohibit the further retirement
OF legal tender notes came up as unfinished
| business
Mr.. Bayard offered an amendment pro-
| viding that the notes. when reissued, shall be
received for all dues to the United States ex-
cept duties on imports, and shall not be q legal
| tender. He then went into an elaborate argu-
ment against the constitutionality of making
the notes OF the government legal tender
| between other parties and charged that the
act which had made them SO had been greatly
detrimental to public and private interests.
! Referring to the course of the Secretary of
| the Treasury on the management of finances
| Mr.. Bayard said that officer was not in the
office by his wish or vote, but he could not
find it in himself to embarrass his methed of
| approach to specie payments. SO much to be
desired with the aid OF the resumption act,
| or in spite of the act We were now on the
verge Of resumption, and no man who stands
upon the st. Louis platform. which had I'M
equvocally advocated resumption and de-
nounced the act as hindranCe to .resump-
| ton. could now vote for it's repeal.
| He cOntended that the true policy of the
government was to require payment of dues
in coin to the extent of the interest on the
public debt, in order that an assured reserve
may always be at hand to meet the require
ments of the government The more es-
pecially at this time, when paper and coin are
so nearly at par and the paper needs no
credit.
After further debate, the bill was passed as
1t came from the House, by the following
| vote:
Yeas-M essrs. Allison, Armstrong, Baily
Cameron of Wisconsin, Cockril, Coke, Como
Grover, Harris, Hereford, Hill, Ingalls,, John
ston, Jones of Florida, Kellogg Kirkwood,
McCreery, Mcdonald, Mcmillan, Mathews,
Maxey, Merrmon, Morgan, Ogesby, Pad
dock, Ransom, Saunders, Spencer, Teller,
Chairman, VOORHEES,, Wallace, Window and
| Withers-41.
Nays Messrs. Anthony, Barnum Bayard,
Burnside, Butler, Chrstiancy. Conkling, Ea-
ton, Howe, Herman, Mitchell, Morrill, Ran
dolph, Rollins, Salisbury, Wadleigh and
Mr.. Window called up the legislative ap-
preparation bill, to have it in order as UNI
finished business.
At the expiration of the morning hour Mr.
Bayard rendered his resignation as a visitor
to West Point, being unable to go there on
the first of June. He was excused and Mr.
Morgan was appointed in his place.
On motion of Mr.. Spencer the Senate agreed
tn ,<Nf
provide a form of government for the District
Of Columbia. Mr.. Spencer said he should
decline to serve on the conference committee
as he was not thoroughly conversant with the
bill. The committee will be appointed to-
morrow.
The Senate then, at 90 p. M, went into ex
ecutive session, and when the doors were
again opened at 40 p. m., adjourned.
The House.
Mr.. Harris. of Virginia, from the Committee
on Elections, reported bill authorizing the
State of Colorado to hold elections for Con-
greSSmen in September OF each year, instead
OF November. Passed
The regular order having been demanded,
the House resumed consideration of the
amendments to the army appropriation bill,
as reported from the committee of the whole.
The bill was amended in its details to make
it conform to an army Of 10000 men. Nearly
all the amendments made in committee of the
whole were cOncurred in.
"A separate vote by yeas and NAYS was de-
manded on the amendment transferring the
Indian bureau to the War Department. The
amendment was agreed to by a vote of 100
to 115
The next question npon which separate
vote was demanded was on the amendment
proposed by Mr.. Knott, to prevent the use of
TIE army as posse cOmitntus in the States.
This was adopted by a vote Of 100 to III, and
the bill was passed as amended.
Mr. Reagan, of Texas, called up the I'M
finished business which was the bill to reg
ulate Interstate commerce.