Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-06-06
Congressional Summary.

UIIuSI VIC Vi SdI.l VI w dSlIl1StOll. IIdC6u
on the calendar. The concluding
portion of the committee is as
follows: Your committee fur
ther recommend that the executive de-
partment of the United States should
be authorized to pay the award without
further communication with congress,
should it deem that such payment shall
be demanded by the honor and good
faith of the nation, and in pursuance of
that conclusion the award shall be paid;
and that the president shall as soon as
may be thereafter, lay the correspond
ence with the British government relat-
ing thereto before congress, unless in
his opinion it shall be incompatible
with the public interests. We would
suggest in the event of payment being
offered by the United States the utmost
care and circumspection be employed
to disabuse the minds Of the British
Canadian government as well as the
British Canadian people, of any possi-
BILE impression that the United States or
the America people do, or ever can ac-
cept the award of the Halifax commits
sion as a just measure of value of the
in-shore fisheries in Canadian waters.
Against the inference, deduction, con-
clusion or belief, the congress of this
nation, the senators Of states, and rep
resentatives of the house Of representa-
tives and of the people. respectfully but
firmly and decidedly protest. And they
DO not protest merely from a sense of
injustive that is done in the award. but
also and especially because in future
noOrnt1ntin,,C TN,o.x1o..l
commerce between the United States
and Dominion of Canada, the govern
ment of the United States will not rec
ognize the award of the Halifax COM
mission as IN any sense a Just measure
of value of the fisheries in question. :"
AT the conclusion of the morning
hour consideration was resumed of the
house bill to forbid the further retire
ment of United States legal tender notes.
The bill having been considered in
committee of the whole was reported to
the senate and read third time and
passed. yeas 40, nays 1S The follow
ing is the full text of the bill:
Be 1t enacted etc., That from and after the pas
sage of this act it shall not be lawful for the sec
retary of the treasury or other officers under him
to cancel or retire any more United States legal
tender notes. and when any of said notes NAV be
redeemed or be received into the treasury under
any law. from any source whatever, and shall be.
long to the United States, they shall not be re-
tired, cancelled or DESTROYED. but they shall be
relssued and paid out again and kept in circuia-
tlon; provided nothing herein shall prohibit the
cancellation and destruction of mutilated notes,
and the issue OF other notes of like denomina-
tion In their stead, as now provided.
All acts or parts of acts in conflict herewith
are hereby repealed.
1t now goes to the president for his
signature. After an executive session
the senate adjourned.
TUESDAY, May 28-H0ue. The house
took up the army appropriation bill,
and voted separately upon the
amendments adopted by the committee.
The house then voted on the amend
ments to the army appropriation bill.
All items which had been increased on
the basis of an army force of $4,000
men were restored to the original
amounts on the basis of 100000
By Il vote of $50 yeas and 115 nays,
the amendments adopted in committee
of the whole, transferring the Indian
bureau from tire interior to the war de-
partment, were agreed to. Also the
amendment, prohibiting the use of
troops for civil purposes unless specially
authorized by act of congress.
and the bill then passed. The
main features of the bill as
passed are fixing the strength of the
army at 10000 men; fixing the number
of cavalry regiments at s, with COM
panies of not less than 125 privates, and
of infantry regiments at Is, with COM
panies of not less than 60 privates; re-
ducing the force of various staff de-
partments; providing for board to re-
organize those departments; providing
for bOard TO recommend the retiring
or mastering out of officers; fixing the
number of major-generalS at l and of
brigadier-generals at 8, after those
figures shall be reached, reducing the
number and rank of aids-de-camp: re-
ducing the pay and emoluments of
officers; transferring the Indian bureau
to the war department., and prohibiting
the employment of troops for civil pur-
poses unless specially authorized
by act of congress. Mr.. Rea-
gan called up his bill to regu-
late interstate communication on rail
ways. The question of consideration
being raised the house refused to con-
slider the bill now; yeas 153; nays 122
The house then proceeded to business
of the morning hour which was
At the expiration of the morning
hour the house proceeded to q consid-
Grafton of business on the speakers ta-
bic, and number of execu-
tive documents were referred.
The first bill on the table was that for
the repeal of the bankrupt law, with
the senate amendment. On mo-
ton of Mr.. Knott the amend
ment was concurred in without a di-
vision. The bill now goes 10 the presi-
dent for bis signature. After long
debate on the Hot Springs commission
the house adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, May 29-Senate. The
senate passed the consular diplomatic
appropriation bill and labored during
the rest Of the session on the legislative,
judicial and executive appropriation
bill rejecting about all the house
amendments, but adjourned without
final action.
WEDNESDAY, May 29-House.-The
house after considerable debate passed
:he senate resolution to adjourn sine die
after fixing the date at June 18th in
stead of June 10th. A large number OF
committee reports were made and the
house adjourned until Friday.
FRIDAY, May 31-Senate. the sen.
ate Mr.. Davis called up the bill provid-
ing for the appointment of an addition
al circuit judge IN the seventh judicial
circuit, composed of the states of Indi
ana and Illinois. which led to a politi.