Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-12-19
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.

lace introduced bill to authorize the
exchange of subsidiary coin for trade
dollars. Referred. The bill provides
that subsidiary coin shall be exchange
able for trade dollars at the rate of 100
cents for each of said dollars, and they
shall forthwith be recoined into subsid-
iary coin, and the gain, if any made,
may be used by the secretary of the
treasury to pay the expense of sending
subsidiary 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. The bill author
izing the appointment of DIR. Junius
Powell (who served in the confederate
army when minor) assistant surgeon
IN the U. S. army, passed. After exc
cutive session, adjourned.
TUESDAY, Dec. 10-House.- fol-
lowing committee was announced to in
quire into the yellow fever epidemic:
Messrs. Young, Gibson. Goode, Hart
ridge, Morse, Garfield, Harmer, and
Chittenden. House then proceeded to
consider the consular and diplomatic
bill which was passed after defeating
amendments to increase the salaries of
minister's to Great Britain, France, Ger
many, and Russia from $4,000 to $17,-
600, and those of the ministers to Spain
Austria, Italy, Brazil, Mexico and Ja-
pan from $4,000 to $4,000. The naval
appropriation bill was then taken up.
Mr.. Clymer in charge of the bill said it
was substantially the bill Of last year as
1t became a law. The estimates of the
secretary of the navy had been only
about $4,000 greater than last years
appropriation. The committee ap-
preparations had been able with
out detriment to the service and
with concurrence of the department to
reduce the amount asked for by $133,-
134. The appropriation last year was
! $14, ,151 ,S03, and the bill recommended
$14,016, AGO; not a single amendment
was offered to the bill, and it was i'm
mediateiy passed.
| WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11-Sendte.-Bills
were introduced: Beck, for the repeal
of that section of the revised statutes
which prohibits the appointment to the
army, of any person who served under
the confederate government; it was laid
on the table for the present; Ferry, to
fix the salary of persons in the railway
mail service. The vice president an
nOunced as the committee on the part
of the senate to attend the next annual
examination of cadets at West Point,
Messrs. Widom and White. Mr.. Blaine
then addressed the senate at great
length in favor of the resolution in re-
gard to an enquiry whether. at the re-
cent elections, the constitutional rights
Of any American citizen had been vio-
| lated. MIR. Thurman replied in opposi-
| ton and submitted an amendment to
the resolution making enquiry as to
whether said election had in any man
ner been interfered with by federal or
administrative actions, whether the
army and the US. constabulary force
had been used to influence votes, ,wheth-
er official patronage had been employ
ed as an agent; and whether money had
not been unlawfully assessed from office
holders. Pending discussion the senate
adjourned.
! WEDNESDAY, Dec. -HouSe-Ne Nearly
the entire session of the house was de-
voted to discussion of the bill to regu-
! late interstate commerce, which finally
| passed by vote of 139 to 110. The
bill makes it unlawful for any person or
persons engaged in transportation of
property by railroad, from one state to
another, or from any foreign country,
to receive any greater or less amount
OF compensation from one person than
another, for like services or to allow any
rebate or drawbacks on shipments
made by them, or to enter into any
combination with another carrier to
prevent the carriage of property from
being continuous, and prohibits the
pooling of freights.
THURSDAY, Dec. 12-Senate.- The
fortification bill, with an amendment
for an additional appropriation of from
$4,000 to $250,000 for the armament
CT sea coast Notifications, and one from
100000 to 100000 for preservation
and repairs of Notifications, passed.
The house bill to correct the civil sun
dry bill in reference to the Hot Springs
commission passed; also the West Point
military academy appropriation bill.
Mr.. Davis, of Illinois, presented a petit
ton of the citizens of Chicago asking
that tract of land not less than one
million nor more than three million
acres; to be held and used for a nation
al charity farm, where all classes Of the
poor, sick, disabled or infrm persons
may have home. Mr. Paddock intro
duced bill to render the posse con,itdtus
clause of the army bill imperative in
states and territories subject to Indian
incursions during the present fiscal
year.
THURSDAY, Dec. 2.-Rouse-BilIs
were introduced: Harrison, to repeal
the duty on quinine; Evans, to remove
the disabilities of Ex-senator James
Chesmet, of South Carolina. Bills
passed: to repeal so much of the civil
sundry bill as appropriates $4,000 to
the payment of the claims of Chas. P.
Burksick, late agent at the PiDca Indi-
an agency; the pension appropriation
bill.
FRIDAY, Dec. -SeRate.-Bills were
introduced: to provide for temporary
increase Of the army in an emergency;
to regulate attorneys fees in pension
cases; to more efficiently collect reve-
nue. on cigars. A long debate followed
upon the bill in regard to the electoral
count. It was passed by the following
vote:
YEAS.
| Allison, EdmundS Morgan.
Anthony, Ferry, Morrill,,
I Bayard, Hamlin, Oglesby,
Blaine, Hoar Paddock,
! Booth, Howe, Patterson,
! Burnside, Ingalls,, Plumb,
Cameron (Pa.D. kellogg, Rollins,
cameron wis Kirkwood, Saunders,