The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-06-22
Congressional Proceedings.

for female suffrage. A resolution was
| passed asking for an investigation in the
case of Edward 0. Nj. Condor, now con-
fined in an English prison on the charge
of having conspired to liberate certain
Fenian prisoners. A bill was passed crea-
ting sinking fund for the liquidation of
the debt due the government by the Kan
sas Pacific Railroad Company. A bill
was also passed creating board of Pacific
railroad commissioners; Charles Francis
Adams and Albert Fink and an officer of
the engineers, to be named by the Presi-
dent, are to be the commissioners, who are
to be paid S625 each per month.
In the House Mr.. Burchard, of Illinois,
republican, offered resolution that no
subsequent Congress and neither House
has Jurisdiction to revise the action of the
joint meeting of the Forty fourth Congress
in declaring the result of the late presi-
dental election, and that "any attempt by
either house to annul or disregard such
action, or the title to Office arising there
from, would be revolutionary and is dis
approved by the House. The resolution
passed by vote of 215 yeas to q nays
Messrs. Henry and Henkle, of Maryland,
voting in the negative. Mr.. Hartridge,
from the judiciary committee, then pre-
scented an adverse report on the Kimmel
bill, together with resolution declaring
that the two houses ofthe Forty fourth Con-
gress having declared the result of the late
presidential election, 'sthere is no power in
any subsequent Congress to reverse that
| loo ho nv
ercised by the courts of the United States,
or any other tribunal that Congress can
create under the constitution" The res
olution was adopted-yeas 234, nays IA,
Messrs Kimmel and Henry, of Maryland,
voting in the negative.
| SATURDAY.-The conference report on
the river and harbor appropriation bill
passed both houses; it appropriates So,-
361, 200, of which New York gets 81 ,2OO,-
900. The army bill also passed both
houses; it fixes the strength of the army at
25, 900 men. In the Senate, report was
made from the committee on elections that
the evidence taken in the case of Senator
Grover, of Oregon, did not sustain the
charge that his election had been secured
by bribery and fraud. The Senate also
passed House bill increasing the pension
of Gen. James Shields to 500 per month.
In the House Mr.. Knott, chairman of
the judiciary committee, presented his
views in opposition to the adverse report
on the Kimmel bill and the resolution of
the Maryland Legislature on the subject
of the presidential election. Most of the
session was spent in discussion the internal
revenue bill, and an amendment to estab-
lish an income tax was voted down-yeas
"a, nays 139.
MoNDAY.-Both houses of Congress
passed resolutions for the appointment of
committees to investigate the present de-
pressed condition of the country. In the
Senate, the life-saving service bill was
passed as it came from the House. The |
civil sundry appropriation bill was report
ed, and large number of amendments |
adopted An amendment appropriating
Sc, 900 for the expense of the commission
sent to Louisiana by the President led to
long debate, Mr.. Conkling, particularly,
vigorously opposing the amendment, during
which he referred to the commissioners as
'stourists or visitors" The amendment
was finally laid on the table-yeas 30, nays
%. An amendment was adopted appro-
priating $4,000 for the purchase of relics
of George Washington from the Lewis
family, of Clarke county, Va. At mid
night the Senate was still engaged on the
civil sundry bill.
In the House the bill reducing the tax
on tobacco occupied the entire morning
session, and number of amendments were |
adopted, including one abolishing the tax
on lucifer and friction matches. The bill
finally passed-yeas 100, nays los. Its
principal provision is to reduce the tax on
tobacco to sixteen cents pound, and is to
90 into operation September 1, if the Sen
ate should pass and the President approve
it. At the evening session resolution
was adopted requesting the Senate to give
leave to Hon. Stanley Matthews to testify
before the Potter investigating committee.
The House at midnight proceeded to bust
ness on the Speakers table.
TUEsDAY.-In the Senate Mr.. Kirk |
wood, from the conference committee on
the post route bill, reported that the COM
mittee had been unable to agree, the House
conferees refusing to agree to the amend
ment for the admission of foreign books
through the mails free of duty. The sun-
dry civil service appropriation bill was
finally passed, after being variously amend
ed One of the amendments appropriates
S., 500,0 900 in gold coin to pay the Halifax
fishery award, and another directs the Sec
rotary of the Treasury to pay the Southern
mail contractors for services rendered prior |
to the war; At the evening session res
olution was passed authorizing the COM
tee on military affairs to sit during the
recess, for the purpose of considering the
revision of the army regulations. A num-
Der of bills of an unimportant character
generally were passed.
In the House, Senate bill granting site
for dry-dock in Baltimore was passed.
Senate substitute for House bill repeating
the resumption act failed to receive two
thirds vote, and the bill, therefore, failed
At the evening session the House nom
concurred in Senate amendments to the
sundry civil bill, and a new conference
committee was ordered.
WEpNEsDAY.-In the Senate a bill |
was passed fixing the second Tuesday of
October next for the election of members
of the Forty-sixth Congress in West Vir-
ginia, and North Carolina on the Sec
ond Tuesday in November [The same
bill passed the House, House bill for the
payment of customs duties in legal-tender
notes passed to second reading, when OBJ
lection was made to a second reading, and
the Chair decided in favor of point of
order against further progress on the bill,
which defeated it for the session. At the
evening session resolution was passed au-
thorizing the committee appointed to exam
inc into the alleged connection of Senator
Matthews with election frauds in Louisiana
to hold its sessions at such places as deem
ed most convenient The conference re-
port on the civil service bill was present
ed and adopted in both houses.
In the House, motion made by Mr..
Ewing to suspend the rules and pass bill