Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-05-22
Congressional Summary.

MONDAY. May 13th-Senote.-I the
senate Mr.. Conover from the committee
on post offices and post roads, reported
an amendment to the post office appro-
priation bill, authorizing the postmaster
general to advertise for carrying rates
between San Francisco and Hong Kong
and launching at Yokohama, and to
pay therefor not exceeding $50 per
mile. This amendment is similar to
that recently reported by the commit
tee. providing for steamship service be-
tween New York. New Orleans and
Brazil. 1t was referred. An amend
ment reported by Mr.. Conover from
the committee on postoffices and post
roads. also provides for a mail steam
ship service between San Francisco
and Sydney, Australia, touching the
Sandwich Islands and New Zealand at
a cost not exceeding $50 per mile.
MONDAY May 18th Ho,,se.-In the
house joint resolution was introduced
reciting the danger to which the count
ry may be subject to by the threatened
eruption of Sitting Bull, by raids across
the Mexican and Canadian borders, by
instructions in several States such as
occurred last year, and authorizing the
President, if, in his judgment, it may
seem necessary, to increase the army
during the recess of congress by the en-
listment of volunteers, not exceeding
$4,000 in number. Mr.. Johnson intro
duced bill to levy, by the Moffett bell
punch, tax on liquors in all places in
the district where intoxicating liquors
are sold by the drink Referred. Mr..
Morrill, presented petition of half
a dozen mechanics Of Boston, Iavoring
the repeal of the S-hour law. They de-
clare it is uni Just to pay workmen en-
ployed by the government as much for
eight hours work as other workmen re-
ceive for ten. Referred.
Mr.. Potter, as a question of privilege,
presented the following preamble and
resolutions: ."I.'
WHEREAS, The State of Maryland has
by its legislature formally declared that
due effect was not given to the electoral
vote cast on the 9th day Of December,
1876, by reason of fraudulent returns in
the electoral votes from the States of
Florida and Louisiana; and WIZ ,..
WHEREAS, An affidavit byS. B. McLin,
Chairman of the Board of State Cam
vassers of the State of Florida for an
election held in that State in November,
1876, for electors for President and Vice
President, has been made public, allcg-
ing false and fraudulent returns for
votes for such elections in that State,
whereby the choice of the people of
that State was annulled and reversed,
and that the action of the Board of
State Canvassers in making such re-
turns was influenced by the conduct
and promises of Hon. Edward F. Noyes,
now Minister to the Government Of
France; and
WHEREAS, 1t it alleged that conspi-
racy existed in the state of Louisiana
whereby the republican vote in all the
precincts of the parish ofEast Feliciana
and in some Of the precincts Of West
Felicinia, at the general election in No
vember, 1876, was purposely withheld
from the polls to afford preteXt for
the exclusion, by the board of that state,
of votes cast in these precincts for cleo
tors Of president and vice president;
gistration of East Feleciana, and d. A.
Weber, supervisor Of registration in
parish Of West Feliciana, state. that in
furtherance of the conspiracy, they
falsely protested, that the election in
such precincts had been fair and free.
and that the state returning board there
upon falsely and fraudulently excluded
votes of said precincts, and by means
thereof, and of other false and fraudu-
lent action by said returning board, the
choice of the people of that state was
annulled and reversed, and that such
action of said Weber and Anderson
was induced Or encouraged by assur-
ances ofJohn Sherman, secretary Of the
treasury of the United States; and,
WHEREAS, The gravity of these
charges and the nature of the evidence
upon which they are reported to be
based, and the official dignity and po-
sition of the persons named in connec-
ton with said frauds, make it proper
that the same should, be investigated to
the end that the honor of the nation
may be INDICATED and the truth as to
such election made known.
Therefore, be 1t resolved, That a. select
committee, consisting of eleven mem
bers Of this house, be appointed to en-
quire into the afore said allegations as to
the conduct of persons in Office as
aforesaid, in respect to said election,
and into the alleged false and fraudu-
lent canvass and return of votes by
states to the parish and precinct officers
in said states Of Louisiana and Florida,
and into all of the acts which, IN the
Judgment of said committee, are con
nected with or pertinent thereto, and
that the said committee, for the purpose
of executing this resolution, shall have
power to send for such persons
and papers, to administer oaths, and
to take testimony, and in their dis
erection to detail the subcommittee with
the lawful authority of said committee
in every particular, and with power to
Sit in Florida and louisiana; which
subcommittee shall be committees of
this House, and the chairman thereof