The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-19
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.

In the Senate, December 9, Mr.. Cameron
put through resolution, calling upon the
Attorney General for copies of the reports
made by the United States Marshal of
North Carolina regarding the recent
election troubles. At the expiration
of the morning hour the bill to amend the
revised statutes relating to the Presiden-
tial elections and to provide for and regu-
late the counting of the votes for President
and Vice President and the decision of ques-
tions arising, was read. Mr.. Edmunds then
addressed the Senate in favor of the bill.
........In the House, Mr.. FELTON,, of Geor-
gia, introduced bill requiring National
Banks to receive silver standard dol ars as
the equivalent of gold coin. A motion to
suspend the rules and pass bill prohibit
ing the further coinage of the trade dollars,
and directing their exchange for. and their
recoinage into, standard silver dollars, was
defeated-yeas, 154; nays, 91-not the nee
essary two-thirds. Mr.. Fort moved to sus-
pend the rules and adopt the resolution de-
claring the legal tender quality of silver
dollars of 41215 grains shall be maintained
and enforced, and that any discrimination
against them by any national bank in re-
fusing to receive them, and treat them as
legal dollars, shall be deemed defiance of
| the laws; and instructing the Banking
Committee to report bill for the with
drawal of circulating notes Of banks so Of
| Tending. Defeated-yeas, $50; nays, 80 ;
| not the necessary two-thiIds in the affirma
tive. MIR. Young offered a resolution for
the appointment of a committee to investi-
| gate the method of preventing the intro
duction and spread of epidemic diseases
dopted.
| In the Senate, December 10, Mr.. Wallace
| introduced a bill to authorize the exchange
of subsidiary coin for trade dollars. Re-
ferred. The bill provides that the sub
sidiary coin shall be exchangeable for
I@11 fla rE L. \
cents for each of said dollars, and they
| shall forthwith be recoined into subsidiary
coin, and the gain, if any be made, may
be used by the Secretary of the Treasury to
pay the expense Of sending the subsid-
iary coin to such persons or banks as may
desire the same in exchange for other bonds
The coinage Of the trade dollar shall cease
from and after the passage of this act. Mr.
Allison, from the select committee to inquire
into the char es against Stanley Matthews
submitted a resolution requesting the
House to transmit to the Senate a copy
Of the testimony of James E. Ander
son RELATING to Mr.. Matthews taken be
fore the committee. Agreed to. When this
testimony is furnished the committee viii
enter upon the investigation. At the ex
piration of the morning hour consideration
was resumed of the bill relating to Presiden
tial elections, and Mr.. Morgan made a speech
favoring the measure..........1n In the House
the Speaker announced the COMMITTEE
to inquire into the causes of the yellow
fever epidemic-Messrs. Young, Gibson
; Goode, Hartridge, Morse, Garfield, Harme
and Chittenden. The Speaker also an
nouneed the appointments to fill vacancie
in Committees. The House then went int
Committee OF the Whole (Mr. Springer il
the chair on the Consular and Diplomat
Appropriation Bill. On motion Q
1 Mr.. Hale the salary of the Minis
: ters to England, France, Germany an
t Russia, reported in the bill at $15 900, wa
p by vote SO to 81 put back to the presen
:. figure $17, 800. An amendment to increas
- the salary of the Ministers to Spain, Austri;
!, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Japan and China frol
a $4,000 to $4,000 was defeated. Likewis
an amendment providing for Ministers I
Belgium and Netherland.
J. In the Senate, December II, Mr.. Windol
e reported the Fertilization Appropriate
q Bill, and gave notice he would call it up t.
!. morrow. Mr.. Blaine reported the Hou'
Bill to correct an error in the enrollmel
:. of the Sundry Civil Appropriation Bil
IS in regard to the Hot Springs reserv
e ton, and asked present consideration, bl
n it went over. Mr.. Beck introduced bi
Il for the repeal of the section of the revise
j. statutes which prohibit the appointment
. the army of any person who served uEd
Is the Confederate Government; laid
le the table for the present: Mr.. Ferry intr
1.
nc the Railroad Mail Service, which was
ferred. Mr.. Merriman submitted a resol
50 ton calling upon the Secretary of w
r, for a statement as to the arms and equi
r, ments issued for use by the Office
ID of the Treasury and Interior Department
p and the Department CT Justice, where SUE
- arms are now, and whether any of them ha
~ been sold. Agreed to. On motion of NJ
e. Hamlin the Senate proceeded to the consi
a. Grafton of the resolution submitted
ar Mr.. Blaine in regard to the inquiry as
whether, at the recent election, the cons
tutional rights of American citizens WEI
violated. Mr.. Blaine took the floor and spol
at some length in support of the resolutio
Debate followed, participated in by Messl
Thurman, Lamar, Edmunds and Blair
DIT The debate between Lamar, Blaine al
30 Edmunds was characterized by good mai
h. personal illusions. The resolution w
ID finally laid aside and consideration resum
~ of the bill to amend Patent laws. Z
u Senate took up the bill 10 revise Pate
er laws. Pending the discussion the Sena
y, went into Executive session and soon q
a journed......I In the Honse the Pension
M preparation Bill was reported, referred
the Committee of the Whole, and made t
special order for tomorrow. The Speak
he announced the regular order to be cons
of alton of the bill reported last year from
-. Committee on Commerce to regulate int
'SS State commerce. The bill makes it l
ist lawful for any person or perso
ed engaged in transportation of property
-o- railroad from one State to another, or to
nd from any foreign country, to receive a
greater or less amount of compensa ii
from one person than another for like II
ui- contemporaneous service. It also mai
lre it unlawful for any person so engaged to
nd low any rebate or drawback on shipmel