The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-06-12
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY,
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Mr.. Plumb, Of Kansas, called up the Senate
bill authorizing the secretary Of war to have
erected headstones oyer the graves Of Union
soldiers who have been inferred in private
cemeteries. Passed. The bill to establish q
permanent government in the District Of Col
umbia was disc sed without action. Ad-
journed. ~
Mr.. Edmonds ..om the select committee on
the counting of the electoral vote, reported .
bill amending the present law In some respects.
. THE committee on education and labor re-
constituting the eight-hour law, and prohibiting
reduction Of wages by the government on &C
count of decrease OF hours. The bill provid-
ing for an additional judge, for the second
New York; judicial circuit was passed. The
District Of Columbia government bill was again
considered in committee Of the whole, without
action. Adjourned. ..
A resolution calling for the unpublished por-
lions of the correspondence relating to the
fisheries award was agreed to..:.A bii appro-
priating $3.50. 600 for a fre-proof building for
the National Museum at Washington was re-
ported. . The bill providing for a government
for the District Of Columbia was further
amended and passed. The bill provides for
the appointment of three commissioners-to be
nominated by the President and confirmed by
the senate-to manage the affairs of the Dis
Clct. ADJOURNED.
House. .
Mr.. Beebe, of New York, offered a resolution
calling for information as to Pre- sidentia] par
dons Of criminals since March, 1877. Adopted.
....A resolution was submitted as . question
of privilege by Mr.. Harrison, Of Illinois, d.
reoting the Potter special Florida election in
vestigation committee also to investigate al
legged frauds in Oregan and South Carolina,
and declaring that, as the Forty-fourth Con-
gress had counted Ithe Electoral votes and
declared the result, it ia not now in the power
Of Congress, nor is 1t the purpose OF the
House, to attempt to annul the action of
being raised whether the resolution was
q question Of privilege, o standing vote was
taken, but few voting. A vote was then
taken by yeas and nays, the result :being
yeas II, nays so. But few Of the Republicans
voted. and not nearly all Of the Democrats.
The objection being made that no quorum had
voted, Mr.. Harrison (amid a storm OF calls to
order) withdrew the resolution, stating that he
was not DESTROYS Of obstructing business. MIR.
Wilson, Of West Virginia, then offered o reso-
luton authorizing the select committee to IN
vestigate electoral frauds in any State where 1t
should have probable cause to believe that such
frauds were practised. Mr.. Cox, Of New York,
moved to refer the resolution to the select
committee, and demanded the previous ques-
ton. The motion was defeated-yess 80, nays
115 : and the resolution Was adopted without
discussed without action. Adjourned.
The army appropriation bill was taken up,
and after discussion the amendment increasing
the strength from &c, 900, as proposed, to u.s.
600, it's present force, was adopted by LID to
107. The item for pay for the army was, on
motion Of Mr.. Hewitt, increased from $780,
900 to 80, 900, 900, to correspond with the in
crease Of the force from 20, 1000 to 2 5000 men;
the item for subsistence was also increased in
die, Of Tennessee, a bill to amend the pension
act Of 18th June, 1874, WAS taken from the cal.
endar and passed. It increases to $24 q month
the pensions Of all those pensioners who have
lost an arm below the elbow, or 80 near the
elbow as to destroy the use Of the arm, or 8
leg below the knee, or so near the knee as to
destroy the use of the leg. Adjourned
Bills from the committee on pensions were
passed, as follows A bill repeating the SEQ.
zion Of the revised statutes which provides that
no claim for pension not prosecuted to q sue
cessful issue within five years from the date
Of filing the same, shall be admitted without
record evidence from the wsr or navy depart
msnt o bill increasing to $72 per month the
pensions paid to soldiers or sailors who have
lost both arms, or both legs, or the sight OF
both eyes, and a bill making it unlawful for
any attorney or claim-sgent to demand or re-
ceive for his services in q pension case q great
or sum than $40. The army appropriation
bill was debated without definite action. Ad-
journed.
Mr.. Wood, of New York, introduced a bill to
establish a permanent sinking fund by appro-
priating 300, 900, 900 annually to pay interest
on the public debt and buy and cancel such
bonds as can be bought at par, and, at the
same time, repeating the existing sinking fund
law. - The army appropriation bill was taken
up, and Mr.. Scales amendment, transferring
the Indian control to the war department, was
adopted by 113 to 1O7 Mr.. Knott moved to
mend by prohibiting the use Of any part Of
le army as a posse co'nitatus or to enforce the
laws except when expressly authorized by
Congress. Adopted by 100 to 112. The bill
was then reported to the House, and q vote
taken on the amendment making the maximum
force rs, 900 instead Of 20, 900, which was de-
feated BY yeas, ZIG; nays, 100. A motion to
reconsider was laid on the table. The force is
thus limited to 2O,O 900 men. Adjourned with
out disposing Of the bill.