The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-06-06
CONGRESSIONAL.

In tne Senate, May III, MIR. Beck intro
duced bill to repeal the existing taxes on
the capital and deposits of banks and
bankers, and to impose taxes on dividends
in excess of eight per cent. Referred. Mr..
Mcdonald, from the Committee on Judi.
ciary, reported with amendments the
Senate bill to authorize the States of
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinsis, respectively,
to commence and prosecute suits against
the United States in the Supreme Court of
the United States, on account of the sales
OF public lands in each of the said States.
Placed on the calendar. The bill providing
for permanent form of Government was
reported from Committee of the Whole,
with amendments adopted, read the third
time, and passed. The House bill to forbid
further retirement of legal tender votes
was, by agreement, taken up in precedence of
the Appropriation bills-yeas, 2S; nays, 26.
.....In the House, Mr.. Banning moved to sus-
pend the rules d adopt resolution for
ad ,ournment of the House from Wednesday
10 Friday next, in order to observe with due
respect and reverence, the day on which the
graves of dead heroes of the late war are
decorated. Agreed to. Mr.. Southland, from
the Select Committee on Counting Votes for
President and Vice President, reported a bill
on that subject, and gave notice he would call
it up for consideration and disposal June 6.
The House then went into Committee of the
Whole, Mr.. Springer in the chair, on the
army appropriation bill, the question be-
ing on the amendment offered by Mr.
Scales, to transfer the control of the Indians
to the War Department. The amendment
was adopted. Mr.. Knott moved an amend
| ment prohibiting, under the penalties of
fine and imprisonment, the employment of
| any part of the army as posse, comitatus
or otherwise, under the pretext or for the
purpose of executing the laws, except in
| such cases and under such circumstances as
such employment of troops may be ex-
pressly authorized by act of Congress.
Agreed to-120 yeas; 112 nays. The COM
mittee then rose, and reported the bill and
amendments to the House. The first vote
taken in the House was on the amendment
| increasing the limitation of the strength of
the army from 10000 to $4,000. The vote
resulted-yeas, 116; nays, 120. All the Re.
publicans voted in the affirmative, and had
for allies on the Democratic side all the
Texas members except Reagan, who voted
nay, Patterson, Williams of Michigan, and
Wigginton. A motion to reconsider was
then made, and the motion was laid on the
table. Without d1sposing of the bid, the
House adjourned.
In the Senate, May %, Mr.. Hamlin, from
the Committee ON Foreign Relations, re
ported bill providing for the payment o
the award made by the Fishery Commission
at Halifax under the treaty of Washington
Placed on the calendar. Mr.. Eustis called
up the Senate bill defining the manner il
which certain land scrip may be assigned
and providing for the issue of patents
in the name of the locator Of
his legal representative. Passed. A
the conclusion of the morning hour
consideration was resumed of the Beus,
bill to forbid the further retirement o
United States legal tender notes. The bill
after discussion, was passed by vote of A.
| Tn, fhn ot.1 of n.
Wood, the Senate amendments to the Hous
bill for the free try of articles importe,
for exhibition by societies established fo
the encouragements of arts and science
were concurred in and the bill passed. Th
Army appropriation bill was taken up, an,
passed, are fixing the strength of the arm,
at twenty thousand men, fixing the mum
, Der of cavalry regiments at eight
with companies of one hundred an,
twenty-five privates; and of infantry req
ments at eighteen with companies of NO
less than sixty private); reducin
the force of various, staff departments
ize those departments; providing for
board to recommend retiring or musterin
out of officers; fixing the number of Mai
Generals at one, and of Brigadier General
at three; after those figures shall have bee
= reached reducing the number and rank q
, dlus-ue-cdmpy TeuuclDS Ine pay anu emOlt
. ments of officers; transferring the India
Bureau to the War Department, and pre-
hibiting the employment of troops for civ
+ purposes, unless specially authorized by az
of Congress. Mr.. Caldwell, from the Pos
, Office Committee, reported bill amendin
: the revised statues SO as to provide tbs
l every postmaster appointed by the Pres
: dent shall render monthly accounts of a
: such moneys SO received. Passed. Th
Bankrupt bill, as amended by the Senat,
fixing the date of repeal at September
r was passed. The bill now goes TO the Pres
g dent for his signature.
: In the Senate, May 80, Mr.. Sargent teste
d the Senate on one branch of the woman
i rights question by calling up the bi
to allow women to practice in the Supren
Court of the United States. There hay
It been two adverse reports upon this measul
# at The present session from the Conmittt
. on Judiciary. Mr.. Sargent moved a subst
tute, allowing women to practice in an
II United States court, and upon this the ye,
l. and nays being taken, the Senate, to tt
n vided, the motion being lost by tie vo
~ of twenty-six yeas to twenty-six nay
The Senate Commerce Committee conclude
&c the river and harbor bill, and reported it
le the Senate to-day. The gross amount a.
,e propriated by the House is increased $90(
Of 0O0 $150,00O is added for the Mississip
"a River Commission, with five engineers,
y consider the whole subject of the improv
~ ment of that river. A message was receiv,
from the House of Representatives, a
e. nouncing that that body had agreed to ii
,o Senate concurrent resolution in regard
~ the final adjournment of Congress, with
LII amendment fixing the date at June
o. instead of June 10. Adjourned till Frida
o. ......In the House, the Senate resolution