National Republican., 1878-12-03
SENATE.

prayer, referred to tho yellow fever epidemic
of last summer and the sorrow IL had caused
throughout the land. He returned thanks to
Divine Providence for that spirit Of q great
brotherhood which had risen from the plague.
He invoked the Divine blessing upon Con-
gress, tho President and Vicc-President of the
United States, and al! our rulers, and prayed
thai, as Congress had this day been brought to.
gether In safety, all might bo endowed with
strength and wisdom for tho responsibility and
task before them.
Mr.. ANTHONY submitted tho usual rcsolu-
tion providing that, until otherwise ordered,
tho hour Of meeting of the Senate shall be
twelve o'clock noon. Agreed to.
Also directing the Secretary to notify the
House Of Representatives that quorum OF tho
Senate had assembled and was ready to pro-
coed to business. Agreed to.
Also resolution providing for the appoint.
ment Of committee Of two Senators to join q
similar committee of the House of Representa-
tives to wait upon the President Of tho United
States and inform him that . quorum of the
two Houses had assembled, and that Congress
wss ready to receive any communication lie
might be pleased to make. Agreed to.
And the vice.Prcsident appointed Messrs.
Anthony and Bayard as such committee.
Mr.. SAUNDERS submitted resolution to
mittee appointed to consider tho feasibility Of
transferring the Indian Bureau to the War
Department.. Laid on the table, to be referred
to the Committee on Printing, when appointed.
number Of petitions and private bills were
presented aud laid on tho table, to be referred
to the committee hereafter.
Mr.. HARRIS submitted resolution that o
Joint select committee Of four Senators and
1vo Representatives bo appointed to investi.
cato and report tho best means Of preventing
the introduction and spread Of epidemic dis.
eases, especially yellow fever aud cholera,
within tho limits Of the United States; that
said committee be allowed q clerk, and, II In
the course Of Its investigations IL Is found nec-
essary, u stenographer, and that said commit
teo have power to send for persons and papers,
TO employ experts aud scientists not to exceed
seven in number, and send them to, aud by
subcommittee visit, recently-intccted locali-
ties, for tho purpose Of obtaining the fullest
and most accurate information, and that said
committee may report at any time during the
present session Of Congress, by bill or other
wise He gave notice that he would call tho
resolution up tomorrow.
Mr.. LAMAR submitted n resolution Of similar
character providing for the appointment of
committee OF three Senators and three Repre-.
sentatives and several experts to make the in.
puiry.
Mr.. EUsTrs submitted similar resolution
providing for the appointment Of o joint COM
mittee consisting Of five Senators and five Rep
resentativcs.
All Of these resolutions wero laid over, to be
considered together.
Mr.. MORRILL, presented the joint resolutions
recently adopted by tho Vermont Legislature
In opposition to the silver bill passed at the last
session. Laid on the table, to be referred to the
Committee OIL Finance when appointed.
Mr.. BECK introduced bill to provide for re-
tiring the trade dollar, and for its rccoinage
into the standard silver dollar Laid on the
table, to be referred to tho Committee on
Finance when appointed.
Tho bill provides that for period of twelve
months after tho passage of this act tho out.
standing trade-dollars shall be receivable as
legal tender for all debts and demands, includ.
ing customs dues owning 10 the United States,
and said trade.dollars SO received shall be re-
coined as soon as possible into the standard
silver dollar of il2i grains.
He also introduced u bill amcndatory of
title 4S Of tho Revised Statutes Of tho United
States so as TO authorize the purchase of for.
eign-built ships by citizens of the United
States. Laid on the table, to be referred to
the Committee on Commerce when appointed.
Tho VICE.PREsIDENT laid before tho Senate
tho credentials of Hon. Justin s. Morrill,, TO.
elected United States Senator from Vermont
for six years from March 4, 1873. Read and
placed on file.
lIo also laid before the Senate the proceed
ines OF the meeting Of the National Academy
OF Science held In New York in November
last, In regard TO scientific surveys IN the
United States. Laid on the table, to be referred
to the Committee on Appropriations.
Nr. VOORHEES, submitted the following:
Resoired, That the Committee on Finance be aud
IS hereby instructed to inquire into the expe.
diency Of making the trade.dollar authorized by
section 10 OF the act OF Congress OF February lSI3n
legal tender for all debts, public and private, and
O. providing for It's recoinage into the standard
dollar OF il3la grains.
Mr.. EDMuNDs. Let that lay over under the
rules. So ordered.
At 1850 message was received from the
House Of Representatives by Mr.. Adams, its
Clerk, announcing that quorum of that body
had assembled and was ready to proceed to
business.
Mr.. BLAINE submitted the following:
Resolred That the judiciary Committee be In.
utrucled to inquire and report TO the Senate whether
n the recent elections the constitutional rights of
American citizens were violated In any Of the
States OF the Union; whether tho right Of suffrage
Of citizens Of the United States OF any class OF
such citizens, was denied or abridged BY the action
Of the election officers Of any State in refusing to
ceiyc their votes In failing TO count them, or
In receiving and counting fraudulent ballots In
pursuance Of a conspiracy TO make the lawful votes
citizens were prevented from exercising the cleo
tive franchise or forced to use against their wishes
by violence or threats or hostile denominations
ot armed men or other organizations, or by any
other unlawful means or practice.
Resolved. That the Judiciary Committee be fur
ther instructed to inquire and report whether 1t Is
within the competency OF Congress to provide by
additional legislation for the more perfect security
of the right OF suffrage to citizens of the United
States In all the States of the Union.
ResOlred That IN prosecuting these inquiries the
Judiciary Committee shall have the right to send
for persons and papers.
Laid over under the rule.
The Senate then at 1855, on motion of Mr.
THURMAN, took o recess for three quarters of
nm hour.
Upon reassembling the committee appointed
TO wait upon the President of tho United
States reported that they had discharged that
duty, and the President replied he would com
municate with Congress in writing imme-
distely.
Soon aftcrward Private Secretary Rogers de-
livered the message, and II was read by Mr..
G0rham, Secretary of the Senate.
1t was ordered that the message lie upon
the table and be printed.
The Senate then lat halfpast two p. NJ
adjourned until tomorrow.
Mcssrs. Barnum, COckroll, Conkling, Cor
don, Hoar, Jones (Ncy,), Herman, Morrimon,
Patterson, Plumb, Sargent, Sharon, Spencer,
and Whyto wrru not present.
HOUSE RESENTiIITES.
Tho session of the IIuuSs WAS Oupnpl wit IA