The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-02-16
Congressional Proceedings

FRIDAY.-In the Senate. n resolution ,,,as
passed to inquire into the question whether
the ~ work on the public buildings in the city
OF washington, now suspended, NAV be re-
sumed forthwith, SO as to give employment to
workingmen whose families are suffering.
various petitions on silver, rights of colored
people, workingmen, &c, wer presented and
referred. The silver bill was discussed by
Senators Hill and Withers. Adjourned until
Monday next.
In the House, Mr. Wood, of New York.
presented petitions from the banks of Balti-
more, Boston, New York and Philadelphia
against the proposed silver Iee;sI.t;on ~
they were referred to the committee on coin
age. In the Louisiana contested election case
the majority OF the committee on elections re.
ported IN favor of seating Acklin, dem, and
tne minority IN favor Of Darrall, rep. The
Dill approprIatlng SIS, 430 to New York mar
ties Tor the use of Pioneer Mills In Alexan.
dria, Va, by the United States authorities
during the war gave rise to animated discus-
SION, and was finally rejected.
SATuRDAY.-The House met for general
debate only. Mr.. Joyce, Vt, spoke in advo.
cacy OF SIX years presidential term and of
civil service reform; Mr. Chittendeu. n. Y
against the proposed silver legislation: Mr.
kenna, w. Va, in favor of the remonetiza.
ton OF silver and coordinate doctrines: Mr.
harrison, Ill, IN reply to a portion of Mr..
Chlttendens remarks; Mr.. Ellsworth. Mich.
against arraying labor against capital: Mr..
Haskell, Kansas, IN favor of silver remoneti-
cation, Mr.. Bell, Ga, in favor of pensions for
Mexican war soldiers. Senator Davis. of ".
Va, has the floor in the Senate to-day on the
silver bill. Mr.. Conkling, il is understood,
will make speech in opposition to the silver
bill during the week.
MONnnr -
that at two O'Clock Tuesday the Senate will
adjourn and the members will proceed To the
hall OF the House, where the picture of the
signing OF the Emancipation Proclamation
Will be formally received. The silver bill
was then taken up and speeches in its favor
were made by Messrs. Davis, of W. Va.
Salisbury, of Del, and Coke of Texas.
In the House large number of bills were
introduced, including one providing for the
SAFE oil al government property at Harper's
the Governors of Pennsylvania, Kentucky
and Vermont, for payment of balances due
those States for arming and eduipping troons
for the Federal Government, were reported
back from the Committee on Military and re-
ierred to the Committee on Claims. Mr..
Morrill,, of ermont, from the Committee ON
Finance, reported favorably the House Joint
resolution declaring it inexpedient to reduce
Tor the tax on spirits; also a substitute
the bill providing for q commission on
the liquor traffic. The Senate bill appropri-
ating $4,000 for the purchase of the Freed
mans Bank Building in Washington was
passed. recess was taken to attend the
reception of the Carpenter painting. The
Silver bill was discussed, and, after an exec
utive session, the Senate adjourned.
In the House, the Military Academy bill
was considered in Committee of the Whole.
but not disposed Of The ceremonies attend
ing the reception of Carpenters painting of
the Signing of the Emancipation Proclama.
ton, in which the Senate participated. oecu-
pied the rest of the session. The addresses
were made by Messrs. Garfield, of Ohio. and
Stephens, of Georgia. At the conclusion of
Mr.: Stephens remarks the Senators retired.
and the House adjourned.
WEDNEsDAY.-ln the Senate, Mr.. Hamlin,
from the Committee on Foreign Relations.
reported back the petition of citizens of New
York for an appropriation for the relief of the
starving Chinese, and asked that the commit.
tee be discharged from further consideration
on the subject. Mr.. ingalls,, of Kansas. in
troduced bill TO provide for funding the
national debt into "home bonds convertible
into currency" The House resolution de-
claring it inexpedient to reduce the tax on
whisky was considered. The silver bill was
discussed until adjournment, and it was unan.
imously understood that a vote should be
reached on Friday.
In the House during the consideration of
the Military Academy appropriation bill Mr..
Hewitt made personal explanation in re-
gard to the remarks he had made on Monday
in reply to what Mr.. Aiken, of South Carroll.
ma, said in regard to selling West Point.
During his explanation Mr.. Hewitt paved a
warm tribute to the loyalty of the Southern
people, and stated that he had reason to know
that had assurance not been given that militia
~ domination should cease in the South the
electoral count would never have been COM
pleted within the halls of Congress. The
explanation brought a rejoinder from Mr..
Aiken, OF South Carolina, and finally an ex.
tended debate ensued, in which the electoral
count and the withdrawal of troops from
Louisiana and South Carolina were gone into.
Messrs. Ellis, Garfield, Foster and Others
emphatically denied knowledge of auv bar.
gain in the electoral count There was con.
siderable excitement during the debate, but
the House adjourned in good humor
THURsDAY.-ln the Senate a resolution was
passed, ayes 40, nays 8, declaring reduction
of the whisky tax inexpedient. After the ex.
piration of the morning hour the silver bill
was taken up. Mr.. Jones, of Nevada, smoke
at length in its favor, and Mr. Wadleigh in
opposition. A vote on the bill was taken on
Friday.
In the House, Mr. Gibson, of Louisiana,
made a personal explanation, explicitly de.
nying any knowledge of any bargain by which
the late electoral count was allowed to pro-
coed upon the understanding that the military
should be withdrawn from Louisiana. He
also defended the action of the Louisiana
courts in the prosecution Of the returning
board. The Speaker presented communica,
ton from the Secretary of the Treasury in re-
gard to decrease OF the revenues for the
current fiscal year compared with the last ifs.
cal year, and suggesting as one cause Of the
decrease the agitation of the reduction of the
tax on spirits and tobacco. The communi-
alton after the debate was referred to the
committee on ways and means. The militia
ry academy appropriation bill was passed.