Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-06-21
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.

Senate.
| The death Of Major Mcdonald, chief clerk
| Of the Senate, was announced and resolution
was passed to pay the funeral expenses Of
| deceased and q further sum equal to three
months pay, to be given to his heirs. The
bill giving any country the privilege OF landing
| ocean cables on our shores on condition that
similar privilege is granted to the United
| States was passed. .. The army appropriation
bill was taken up, and Mr. Blaine explained
! the changes made by the Senate committee on
| appropriations, restoring the force to 1000
men, striking out the reorganization clauses,
and otherwise modifying the measure. The
amendment increasing the force was agreed to
| by SO to 10. and various other amendments
reported by the committee. Adjourned
! The committee on elections reported adverse
ly on the bill authorizing the present legislature
of New Hampshire to choose United States
| senator. The committee on army appropria-
| tinno submitted a substitute for the twenty
eighth section rovidng for joint commission
| Of three senator's and four representatives to
report on the expediency of transferring the
Iudian bureau to the war department, which
was agreed to after long discussion. Ad
| journed.
Mr. Spencer, of Alabama, submitted a reso-
luton calling for the appointment of a commit.
tee to investigate alleged frauds in the presi-
dental election of 1876, in the States of South
Carolina, Florida, Louisiana Oregon, Alabama,
/
cumstances connected with the presidential
election. Laid over. .Messrs. Edmunds, Of
| Vermont Allison, of Iowa Ingalls,, of Kansas;
Hoar, Of Massachusetts,: Davis, of Illinois
Whyte of Maryland, and Jones, of Florida,
were appointed a committee, under the resolu-
ton offered by Senator Matthews, to inquire
as to the alleged connection himself or any
Senator had with any real or pretended frauds
or other wrongs committed in the conduct and
returns of the election In Louisiana in 1876,
promises made to one James E. Anderson, etc.
The army appropriation bill was reported and
passed with amendments, which sent it back
| to the House -. The fisheries award bill was
amended and PASSED. .. The conference report
on the military academy bill was made and
agreed to. Adjourned.
the Spencer resolution for an investigation
Of all alleged frauds in the election of 1876 was
referred to the election committee. E. The
| Democratic members of the Matthews inyes-
tgation committee asked to be excused from
serving and the Senate consented to excuse
them, but upon motion of Mr.. Allison, of
Iowa, the vote to excuse them was reconsid-
cred. Adjourned.
The river and harbor appropriation bill was
taken up, and many amendments increasing
the amounts already reported were adopted,
after which the bill was passed by vote of
35 to "a. Adjourned.
House.
Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, made an ex-
PLANTATION and defended himself from attacks
which be said had been made upon him in
regard to his action as member of the ways
and means committee by Mr.. Wood, of New
York. After Mr.. Wood had replied the general
deficiency bill was reported Mr.. Schlei her
fr I'M the committee on foreign affairs, reported
bill authorizing the President to pay to Japan
$3.50 600 from the japanese indemnity fund.
Adjourned.
Reports were made in the South Carolina
contested case Of Tillman against Smalls, the
majority report declaring the seat vacant and
the minority declaring Mr.. Smalis (Repubcan)
| entitled to the seat. The general deficiency
BILL after the adoption OF several amendments,
was passed -. The conference report on the
District of Columbia government bill was
agreed to- Adjourned.
A bill appropriating 100000 for new barge
Office in New York was passed Mr.. Butler,
of Massachusetts, reported bill to enforce.
under penalty of fine and imprisonment, Sec
ton 1,754 of the revised statutes, which pro-
vides that soldiers and sailors honorably dis-
charged by reason of disability resulting from
wounds or sickness incurred in the line of duty
shall be preferred for appointments to civil
Office, provided they possess the necessary ca
pacity. The bill was passed after some discus
sion. Adjourned.
The sundry civil service bill was discussed.
and various amendments were adopted .
Senate bi regulating the appointment of cadet
mdshipmen and cadet engineers in the Naval
Academy, was passed with a slight amend
ment; also bill to abolish the vo unteer navy,
directing that all such officers as are mentally
morally, and physically qualified to perform
their duties shall be appointed to like rank in
the regularnavy, and any such officer as is not
qualified shall be mustered out of the service
with either six months or years pay Ad-
journed.
The House Presidential Election Investiga-
| ttOn.
Upon reassemblng the next day Mr.. Cox, of
the committee, stated that he had received
from Senator Matthews tho correspondence
between that gentleman and Anderson, and
they were put in evidence. The correspon-
dence was made up of letters written by An
derson to Mr.. Matthews in regard to the for
mer's apple for an official position. After
the letters had been read Mr.. Butler offered
resolution inviting Senator Matthews to appear
before the committee and testify concerning
the correspondence that had passed between
himself and Anderson. Adopted. Aaron B.
Levisee, one of the presidential electors in
Louisiana, was next examined, and gave the
history of an alleged attempt to bride him to
cast his vote for Mr.. Tilden in 1875. Witness
testified that he had been approached by the
agent of some gambling spectators with an
offer Of $40, 900; that in order to draw the
parties on, but without ever intending to &C
cept bride, he led them to believe he would
accept the proposition il the amount was in
creased that having learned the principal in
the attempt to bride him was one Joseph Her.
mandez, and having gone as far as be intended
he dropped the whole matter. After long
cross-examination the attention of witness was
next directed to the Louisiana presidential
electoral returns which were laid before the
Electoral commission and have since been in
the custody of the secretary Of the Senate, and
he testified that in several instances where his
name appeared upon the papers it was not
written by him, or with his consent Or knowl
edge. One return which was shown to the
witness he identified as having been signed by
him the day or the day after the vote was taken
in the Electoral College-about the 7th of De-
cember The returns on which the signature
was not genuine bore the New Orleans post
mark of Dec. 49, 1876. Adjourned.
After long secret session spent in examin-
ing the papers received from Louisiana relative
to the electoral vote of that State, the commit
tee received q communication from the Pres
dent accompanied by such correspondence as
had passed between him and Hon. Stanley
Matthews and others in regard to an appoint
ment for James E Anderson. These letters
were forwarded by the President in compliance
with the request of the committee, and are
from Hon. Stanley Matthews. W. T. Kellogg
and others. Some of the letters request the
appointment of Andrews, while others protest
against such appointment. After they had
been read the committee adjourned.
A. b. Levisee was recalled and stated that he
had not the remotest idea who signed his name
to the Louisiana election certificate to which,
witness had testified, some one had forged his
J name. Witness was positive there were no
blank votes cast and he had no doubt that the
eight ballots Of Louisiana we're cast for Hayes
and Wheeler. Senator Ferry, who, as presi-
dent of the Senate, received the cleo oral
returns after the presidential election was
examined In regard to the manner in which
the returns from the different States had
reached him. He testified that when he
received the first return from Louisiana he
| refused to accept IL because IL appeared to be