American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-03-09
FORTY-FTFTH CONGRESS.

FO ORTY-FTFTH CONGRESS.
In the Senate, on the 25th, the Vice Pres
| ident gave notice of his intended absence for
several days, on account of illness, and ask
/ ed that a President pro tenn be desipnated
/ Mr. Booth, from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported with an amendment
granted in pm ai3 4 oeGFaff of fb certain Lands
Of the Pacific Railroad. @ GS1iS'F"S'iol by act OF
| July lst, 1862, and July p 1854 subject to taxa
ton Placed on the calendar. NJ Plumb III, in
tf0duced bill supplemental to several act.
! relative to the Union Pacific Railroad and its
Dranches; also, an amendment to the Mill
| tary Appropriation bill; also, a resolution of
inquiry i'll regard to aid extended by the
Ordered printed. Senator Voorhees, called up
the resolution submitted by him on the I4th
issue OF certain bonds by several railroad
companies of contingent grants of lands to
Indians of Indian Territory The amend
ment OF senator Dorsey, submitted on the
18th, directing an inquiry to be made also as
to the money expended by the several tribes
of the Indian Territory in support of tine del
egates to Washington, etc, was accepted by
senator voorhees,, and the resolution as
amended, was agreed to. 1t was ordered
that an investigation be made by the Com
nlttee on Territories. the
House, number of bills in reference
and referred. Mr.. Blair introduced bill au-
thorizing the Southern Pacific Railroad to
extend its line eastwardly to Ell Paso Mr.
Scales, Chairman of the Committee on Indi-
an AHa1rs reported bill to transfer the In
uAfih ADuIcdu from InG Interior Department
to the Committed of the Whole.
Mr. GoOde, Chairman of the Committee on
Education and Labor, reported a bill apply
ing the proceeds of the public lands to the
support of free schools. Recommitted. Mr..
Hartridge offered a resolution directing the
Judiciary Committee to Investigate the con
dltion of the Government interests in
connection with the proposed foreclosure
Railroad Company, and. any fraud or
wrong doing on the part of the Directors of
EMIL ft.fNrR %f,ea(
tee on Public Buildings and Grounds report
ed back the bill to forfeit certain public lands
granted to aid in the construction of certain
railroads. Printed and recommitted.
In the Senate, on the 26th, Senator Ferry,
republican, was nominated and elected Pres
1dent pro tenn, by a vote of 20 to 2s.
ton to substitute the name of Senator Thur
man, Democrat, was rejected by the same
vote Senator Davis of Illinois voted with
the Democrats. No business of general in
terest was transacted. In the House, Mr.
reported back the bill for the appointment
OF commission to investigate the origin of
and the best means of destroying the cotton
army worm- The bill appropriates Slo, 600
for expenses of the commission. Referred to
Committee of the Whole. Mr.. Chalmers made
quite quit a lengthy political speech in reply to
one made by Mr. Garfield last week. Gen.
Butler spoke upon the currency question. de-
claring himself for full restoration of silver
to the coinage.
In the Senate, on the 9th, Senator Alli-
son introduced bill to provide for the entry
of lands by Indians under the Homestead
law Referred The bill to authorize a long
bond for the investment of savings was then
taken up, and Senator Wallace explained the
provisions of the bill at length He said there
We're two purposes in the bill-one to pro-
vide fund for the investment of the earn
ings of the poorer classes, the other to mi
debt among our own people by a popular
loan, at a low rate of interest,
burden of our taxation and keep our surplus
earnings at home. 1t antagonizes syndicates
yond the national banks and finds an anchor
TOR public faith with the people themselves.
-. In the House, the bill authorizing the
President to review the court martial pro-
ceedings of 1864, in the case of ex-Surgeon-
General Hammond, to annul the same and
place DR.. Hammond the retired list
as Surgeon General, but without giving
him any right to past, present or future pay
or allowances, passed without debate. The
bill pensiOning soldiers of the Mexican war
was then taken up. MesSrs. BrOgden and
Davis, of North Carolina, advocated the bill,
place the name of JEFF Davis the pension
rolls. After considerable discussion the
House adjourned without action on the bill.
In the Senate, on the 2Sth, Mr.. Chaffee,
from the Committee on Territories, reported,
with amendment, the Senate bill to estab-
lish the Territory of Lincoln and provide a
temporary Government therefor. Placed on
the calendar. The resolution of Mr.. Plumb,
submitted a few days ago, directing the
secretary of the Interior to inquire of the
Government Directors of the Union Pacific
Railroad as to the nature of securities taken
or held by that company for aid granted by
it to the Colorado Central and other roads,
was agreed to. At 3:l0 p. m, message
was received from the House of Repre-
announcing that that body had
passed the bill authorizing the coinage of 4
silver dollar and to restore its legal
tender character, Notwithstanding objections
OF the PRESIDENT thereto Mr. Allison moved
proceed to consider the Silver bill A number
of objections were interposed, but overruIed
by the President pro: tenn, and Mr.. Allison's
motion was carried. The Silver bill was
then read, after which the veto message of
the President read. Mr.. Whyte moved
the bill and message be printed and laid on
the table. Rejected without roll call. The
President pro tenn: Shall the bill be pass
ed?' \ Senator: Notwithstanding the OBJ
jectiOns of the President?" The President
pro tenn: The Chair uses the words of the
call the roll, and the bill was passed over the
veto-yeas As. nays 10. The Senate then ad-
of the Whole, consideration was
resumed of the bin to pension soldiers of the
speeehes 6R 6Rd Mes anaaT wiiHm of
bama; Williams, of Oregon; Ryan,
White and Riddle, the committee proceeded
to consider the bill by sections. During the
speech made by Mr.. Singleton, he sent to the
Clerks desk and had read a letter from
Jefferson Davis, requesting him (Singleton)
to inform friends of the bill that if the sue
cess of the bill depended excluding him
(Davis) from its benefit, he hoped that such
provision would be inserted in it. With
out action the Committee rose. message
was received from the President announcing
sage having been read, in the midst of pro-
found silence, the Speaker stated the ques-
ton was, Will the House, on reconsideration,
pass the bill? MIR. Stephens: son that move
the previous question: [Clapping of hands
and other demonstrations of approval among
members The previous question was second
ed and the main question ordered; the result
being-yeas 1876. nays 70. The Speaker an
nounced the vote and said: " In obedience
to the requirement of the Constitution, two
thirds have voted in the affirmative and the
bill has passed, objections of the President
to the contrary Notwithstanding" The an
was received with general hand
clapping and other marks of jubilation. The
bill and veto message were thereupon sent to
the Senate.
The Senate was not in session on the
lst .....In the House, Mr.. Shelley in
troduced a bill to aid the Great
Southern Railroad Company to construct
a line of railway in Georgia and Flor
ida. Referred. 1t provides that the
may issue bonds to an
amount not exceeding SIS, 100000, payable
in 30 years in gold, at the rate of per cent.
interest per annum, and authorizes the Sec
retary of the Treasury to indorse the guar
antee of the United States for payment of the
interest on said bonds. 4 number of private
bills were disposed of, when the House ad-
jouIned till Monday.
The Final Vote on the Silver Bill.
SENATE.
YeGs-Messrs. Allison, Bailey, Beck. Bruce
Chaffee, COckrell, Coke, COnOver, Davis Nll).
Davis wv. Va.), Dennis. Dorsey, Eustis Fer
ford, iIill, Howe, Ingalls,, Johnston, Jones
(Fla.), Jones (Nev.), Kellogg, Kirkwood Nc
Creery, Mcdonald, Mcmillan, Mathews Max
ey, Merrimon, Morgan, Paddock, Patterson,