The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-12-07
From Washington.

Both houses of congress were called to order
at 12 O'Clock on Monday and both showed q
quorum present. While waiting for the Prpsi
dents message in the senate, Lamar introduced
"A resolution to raise commission to enquire
into the cause of the yellow fever epidemic
and how to prevent it; Blaine a resolution fol-
n committee Of inquiry into southern election
frauds; and Vooshccs resolution to make the
trade dollar legal tender. All were suitably
referred. The message was then read ana the
senate adjourned.
In the House, after reading the message
Wood severely criticised the presidents change
of southern policy and called his talk about
election frauds nonsense and impudencc, him
self being the creature of such frauds Gar
field and Hall fired up at once and replied with
vchcmcncc, the latter accusing the democratic
party of vascillaton, whereby many at tie late
elections had been vascilatcd out of office.
Cox said Hale himself had been "vascllated'
in the same way and ridiculed him unmcrci-
| fully. The message was then reterrettao the
committee Of the whole rs usual and the House
adjourned.
The only items worthy of note in the pro-
ceedings OF senate and house on Tuesday were
a swarm of bills in both houses on the silver
question, the leading objects of which were,
making the trade dollar IL legal tender, and
providing for the free coinage Of silver.
On Wednesday, the senate refused 10 take
up the Texas Pacific Railroad bill, indicating
Il purpose not to act on that measure this SEES
sion Salisbury introduced bill to REQUIRE
the government in maintaining specie pay
ment to pay - per cent. in gold and % per
cent IN silver
The House passed a bill to supply an omis
sion in enrolling the sundry civil service bill
at the last session, in reference to the Hot
Springs reservation in Arkansas Fort offered
resolution proposing to wind up all national
banks that Disseminated against silver but
being objected to, the resolution was not re-
ccivcd.
On Thursday, in the senate, the yellow fever
committee was appointed, consisting of lIar-
ris, Matthews, Lamar, Paddock, Conovcr, Eus-
lis AMI Garland. \ resolution was adopted to
wind up the affairs of the Freedmen's savings
bank and prosecute its original managers.
In the house II yellow fever committee Slmi-
lar 10 that in the senate was appointed The
naval and consular and diplomatic approprIa.
ton bills were reported. Mr. Brcntano, rep.
rcscntative from Chicago, read an article in
the Washington Post accusing him of taking
81, 800 for voting for bill directing the in
tercst 10 DC paid on the District of Columbia
bonds, and asked for an investigation of the
matter, which was granted. Both houses nd,
journed over to next Monday
The republicans have already held several
secret caucuses and the programme of the stal
warts in general terms was adopted Its leading
feature is to force an angry debate on the south.
ern question with view To raising once more
into prominence the bloody shirt II
\ national convention of negroes is also in
the programme, To petition congress to take
away the representation IN the south based on
the negro vote, on the ground that the right
offranchise is in fact denied to the negroes.
Among the documents sent to congress On
Monday was a long communication from See
Rotary Schurz, addressed TO the President, IN
reply 10 the asperslons of Generals Sherman
and Sheridan on the management of the In