Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-28
The Senate Finally DispOses Of the Bill
to Provide Permanent Government {
for tire District Of Columbia
Other Business In Both
Houses.

WASHINGTON, May 27.-Four per cent
subscription, $26S, $50.
THE FRAUD INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE.
The Potter committee met to-day, all the
members being present. No formal PROPOSE
ton was submitted from either side In regard
to the scope that should be given 10 the COM
mittee's inquiries. The Republican members
claimed, however, that they ought to be in
formed by the majority at the outset what
are to be the limits of the investigation, In
order that they may make their preparations
accordingly. Several members of the major.
Ity expressed themselves In favor of combining
the investigation to louisiana and Florida,
but there was no general expression of views
on that point, and with a view to considering
the question among themselves, the majority
suggested an adjournment until Wednesday
next, which was agreed to, and an answer to
the minority will probably be given at that
time.
In the House.
WASHINGTON, May 27.-Under the call of
States the following
were introduced and referred.
By Mr.. Willis: To regulate the sale of
United States securities. The bill makes 1t
unlawful for the secretary of the treasury to
enter into any contract or negotiations of the
bonds now authorized to be issued or sold,
whether for funding the national debt or any
other purpose, with any banking association,
firm or individual; or any combination OF
banking associations, unless he shall invite
first proposals by advertisements for no less
than three weeks, in five newspapers, and
that only those proposals are to be accepted
which may be the most advantageous to the
government.
BY Mr.. Wood: To establish a permanent
sinking fund. 1t provides that there shall
l. III e.
mencing July, 1873, and for each succeeding
year, out of the customs revenue, the sum of
one hundred million dollars, which shall be
applied, first, to pay the interest on the pub
lie debt, and second, to the redemption or
purchase of SO much of the outstanding prin-
cipal Of the public debt as can be purchased
or redeemed at not more than par and ac
crued interest; all bonds so purchased or re-
deemed to cease to bear interest, and to be
cancelled and destroyed. 1t also repeats the
act providing for an annual sinking fund.
Section 5 of the bill provides that the act
shall be known as the sinking-fund act of
1878.
By Mr.. Chalmers: To encourage and aid
the higher education of colored children In
the District of Columbia and several States,
requiring that two hundred thousand dollars
of colored soldiers unclaimed bounty to be
invested in bonds, and the interest thereof to
be paid to the Harvard university, which is
to furnish educational facilities without
charge to students of the colored race who
have passed through the public schools of
the District, and to two colored students an
nually from each State in the Union.
BY Mr.. Neal: TO establish national uni
versty at Washington.
DECORATION DAY.
Mr. Banning moved to suspend the rules
and adopt a resolution for the adjournment
of the house from Wednesday to Friday
next, In order to observe with due respect
and reverence the day on which the graves
of the dead heroes of the late war are to be
decorated. Agreed to.
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES.
Mr.. Southland, from the select committee
on counting the votes for President and Vice
President, reported a bill on that subject, and
gave notice that he would call 1t up for con-
sideration and disposal on the sixth of June.
Mr.. Throckmorton, from the committee on
Indian affairs, reported bill to extend the
jurisdiction of the court of claims to the cases
growing out OF the Indian treaties. Referred
to committee of the whole.
THE ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL RESUMED.
The house then went into committee of
the whole, Mr.. Springer in the char, on the
army appropriation bill, the question being
on the amendment by Mr.. Scales to transfer
the control of the Indians to the war depart
ment.
After debate on the amendments to ex-
clude from the operations of the act the In
dams of New York and the Indian Territory
were made and rejected, Mr.. Scales amend
ment was adopted-1l3 to 107.
Mr.. Knott offered an amendment prohibit
ing, under penalties of fine and Imprisonment,
the employment of any part of the army as
posse c0nIitGtnS, or otherwise, under the
pretext or for the purpose of executing the
laws, except In such cases and under such
as such employment of troops
may be expressly authorized by act of con-
gress.
After long discussion on point of order
made by Mr.. Garfield, the amendment was
ruled to be in order.
In course of the discussion on the amend
ment, Mr.. Burchard suggested that it would
prevent the use of troops In enforcing the in
ternal revenue laws and suppressing illicit
distillahon.
Mr.. Schleicher wanted to exclude from its
operation the State of Texas and the e1ecu-
ton of the neutrality laws.
1t was suggested by Mr.. Lapham that it
would be better not to pass the bill at all. and
to disband the army at once.
1t was claimed by MIR. Knott that if the
President could use the army without law the
pretext of this being a republican govern
ment was a sham and a fraud.
Ii was intlmated by Mr.. Aldrich that the
INCONSISTENCIES, anu pcEuhpo OtUcIe III htn-
lucky, would be delighted with the amend.
ment and he sent to the clerks desk and
had read a memorial from the municipality
of Chicago for an army of one hundred thou
sand men.
1t was asserted by Mr.. Southland that the
laboring men of the country were as honest
and law-abidlng as any other class, and the
army should not be kept up on the threat of
oyerawing the laborlng men.
1t was-proclaimed by Mr.. Herbert that as
long as there was a chronic disposition on
the Republican side to use the army for un-
lawful purposes, so long there would be a
chrome disposition on the Democratic side to
defend the liberties of the people.
Finally vote was reached, and Mr.. Knots
amendment was agreed to-ayes, 40; nays,
ll2.
The committee then rose, and reported the
bill and amendments to the house.
The first vote taken In the house was on
the amendment increasing the limitation of
the strength of the army from twenty to
twenty-five thousand men. The vote resulted
in ll6 yeas, to 10 nays. All the Repub-
hcans voted In the aft NATIVE, and had for
allies on the Democratic side all the Texas
members except Reagan, who voted nay,
and Messrs. Patterson, Williams Mich. and
Wigginton.
Mr.. Garfield, at the close of the roll-call,
changed his vote from aye to nay, so that ne
might be able to move to reconsider the vote,
the actI al vote being, therefore-ayes, III;
nays, 1l9.
When the result was announced, Mr.. Gar
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