The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-06-12
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.


CONehhSBAOENhA
Senate.
A bill was reported from the Judiciary COM
mittee to create an auditor of railroad accounts,
as A substitute for the Senate bill relating to
the filing Of Pacific Railroad reports "A bill
was introduced by Mr.. Cameron, OF Wiscon-
SIM authorizing the present Legislature OF
New Hampshire TO elect Senator for the term
beginning March 4, 1879. The bill author
izing the appointment Of an additional judge
in the seventh judicial circuit illinois and In
diana) was passed. The legislative, judicial,
and executive appropriation bill was disposed
of in committee Of the whole and passed. go.
The fisheries award concurrent resolution was
discussed without action. Adjourned.
The House amendment to the Senate resolu-
ton for a final adjournment Of Congress on
the 18th was adopted. The Senate resumed
consideration of the concurrent resolution
approving the report Of the foreign relations
committee ON the Halifax fisheries award A
long debate took place, in which it was argued
| that the award, notwithstanding it was exor-
bitant, should be paid. Several senators in
timated that the proceedings Of the Halifax
commission were not regular, and that the
award had been reached through improper
| influences Finally an amendment was adopted
declaring that the provisions Of articles Is and
81 OF the Washington treaty ought to be ter
minated as soon as possible, and then the res
olution authorizing the President, after further
correspondence, to pay the award was adopt
ed. Adjourned.
Mr.. Dorsey, from the committee on the Dis
trict of Columbis, reported favcrably on the
Senate bill for the protection of dairymen and
to prevent deception in sales Of butter and
cheese in the District Of Columbia An
amendment to the House bill appropriating
| 800, 900 for the expenses of the louisiana and
Florida presidential election investigation COM
mttee was reported from the judiciary COM
mittee appropriating $4,000 for any investi-
cation the Senate may order during the forty
| fifth Congress The post route bill was taken
up and various amendments adopted. Mr..
| Hamhn submitted an amendment virtually
reyiving the franking privilege, which, after
| discussion, was rejected by 20 to 20. Adjourned.
The Senate bill to repeal the bankrupt law
was signed by the president Of the Senate, and
it went to the President for his signature.
The committee on appropriations reported the
army bill. The House provision reducing the
army to 10000 men was amended, and the
force left at the present fgure-25, 0U0 men.
The committee also struck out the section
prohibiting the use of the army as a posse COM
itdttts for the purpose of enforcing and exc
cutting the laws except in cases expressly
authorized by Congress. The clause in
the House bill transferring the Indian
bureau from the interior to the war de-
partment was agreed to by the committee
Adjourned.
On motion of Mr. Atkins, of Tennessee, the
bill appropriatng 1000 to defray the ex-
penses OF the Florida investigation committee,
was taken from the calendar and passed with
out a division. Forty-five bills on this pri-
vate calendar were passed =. The speaker ap-
pointed Messrs. Blount, Manning, and Fort as
the board Of visitors to West Point on the part
Of the House Adiourned
Under the call of the States the following
bills were introduced and referred: By Mr.
Bland, OF MISUNDERSTANDING the issue Of
$50, 000, 900 in United States treasury notes to
be applied for the improvement of the Missis-
sippi river from st. Louis to the Gulf of Mexi-
co. BY Mr.. Culberson, of Texas-To restrain
the secretary of the treasury from paying the
outstanding 500 bonds, except in legal tender
treasury notes. By Mr.. Wright, OF Pennsylva-
nia-Authorizing the issue of $400 000, 000
United States notes, to be known AZ national
money =. A bill was reported to let the print
ing and engraving Of the national currency,
United States notes and bonds, after public
advertisement, to such parties whose proposals
shall be most advantageous to the government
Adjourned.
The House Presidential Election Invesitxa.
ton.
The House special committee appointed to
investigate alleged frauds in the Louisi
ana and Florida presidential election opened
its sessions in the basement of the old Capitol
which had been fitted up as a court room
The full committee was present, and Secretary
Sherman was represented by Messrs. Shella'
barger and Wilson, as counsel. The first wit
ness called was James e. Anderson, jour
, nalist, who had been supervisor of registration
in the parish of East FelicIana, La, during
the election OF 1876. Witness states that be-
fore the election Governor Kellogg and Others
tried to drive him from his post because
knowing how the election would 60, he refused
to make up case OF "intimidation;" thai
after the election he had been asked to sign 0
protest, alleging the election had been car
ried unlawfully, but that he refused; tina
subsequently he did sign, but not swear to
' protest that had been garbled and changed
to suit the purpose for which it was in
tended, namely, to throw out the vote of thu
= parish. Witness gave the particulars Of al
i interview which he and Don A. Weber (super
visor ofregistration IN sReest Eeliciana garish
leans restaurant. At that interview, witnes
said, Mr.. Sherman made the following remark
: Gentlemen, want to see you, as 1 under
stand there is some difficulty in your RESPECTIVE
: parishes: This is time when the assistance
: OF every Republican and true PATRIOTS needed
!, and trust you will stand by u.s." Mr.. Webe
!, remarked that in endeavoring to do their dut
= they incurred the displeasure OF Messrs. Pack
alu duu houOBB, ana were COuptil6u 10 l6hV
!; their respective parishes; and in the event o
Mr., Packards election as governor, we will &c
: nothing from the administration, whereupol
!; they were assured by Mr.. Sherman that the
u would be cared for as Mr.. Hayes would con
!. troll the Federal patronage. All he desire
!, OF them was that they stand firm and let th
v record run along as it is. After lapse Of
short time Messrs. Weber and Anderson con
. cluded to forward a letter to MIR. Sherman
informing him that they were not satisfied wit
!. their conversation with him as regards beinI
y taken care Of, and requesting that he inforr
them in writing as to whom they should loo
y for the fulfillment of his promises. Messrf
!. Hiscoek, Butler and Cox, OF the committee
y objected to the reading of what was elaine
= BY the witness to be copy OF the reply t
. their letter to Mr.. Sherman, taking the groun
4 that MIR. Sherman should first see the docu
'S ment, and, il he recognized it as q copy @
his reply, then, and not until then, should
% be admitted In evidence. After discussio
ID 10 was determined by the committee TO ca
'r Secretary Sherman and allow him t. testif
u concerning the letter. After recess Secretar
TX Sherman appeared before the committee, an
70 the letter, which was claimed by Mr.. Anderso
m to be reply to his letter, was shown to tn
:. secretary, and he said: "Mr. Chairman, b.
10 lleve from my recollection of the views hav
TX taken that never wrote such letter. If
70 was written, it must have been when the n
81 turning officers convened to count the return
Is and do not believe ever wrote this lettei
n AT the same time, there are things in this LEI
10 ter would have written to these or any 9th,