Connecticut western news., 1878-02-21
Our Weekly News Summary.
UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
SENATE,


 York city and State.
 Senator Eaton introduced bill, which, in furtherance of Civil Service reform, :" proposes to empower the President of the United States to "detail for such duty as he may deem expedient retired officers of the army, navy and marine corps, who may apply to him for employment in the following branches of the civil service, namely. the Indian and Pension Bureaus, the Diplomatic service, the Llfe-Saving service, or in such other branches of the Civil Service as he may deem compatible with the public interest, said officers to receive while performing such duty the full pay and allowances of their rank and no more.
 with amendments, the Senate bill to re- move all restrictions now existing in re- gard to enlistments of colored citizens ln any arm of the United States military service. Placed on the calendar
 Mir. Maxey, by request, introduced a bill to extend the commerce of the United States with Mexico, secure economy in the expenditures required for national defences, and provide for the complexion of a Southern Pacific Rail road. Referred.
 Mir. Dorsey (Rep., Ark called up the Senate bill to make Feb. p legal holiday in the District of Columbia. It was amended so as not to apply to Feb. p, 1878, and passed.
 The bill appropriating $275,000 to purchase the Freedman's Bank building passed This will enable the receiver of the Bank to declare sixty per cent. dividend.
 MT. Merrill (Rep., Vt.) called up the House joint resolution declaring that a reduction of the tax on distilled spirits is inexpedient, which, after debate, was passed-40 to 9.
 Several amendments were offered to the Silver Bill, and rejected, among them one by MT. Morrill, (Rep., Vt.) as fol lows Provided further that for the first year after the passage of this act no more than 25 per cent. and for the second year not more than 50 per cent. of any payment for duties shall be receivable in the coinage hereby authorized"
 The question was then taken on the amendment of the Finance Committee to strike out of the House Bill the free coinage feature and insert new clause, and 1t was agreed to by a vote of 49 yeas and g nays.
 MT. Edmunds (Rep. Vt.) substituted the following amendment 1:
 s'But nothing 1n this section contained shall be construed to interfere with the coinage of gold and subsidiary silver coins as now authorized by law
 This amendment led to long discus sion, and it was finally rejected by vote of yeas 26, nays 42.
 The question then recurred on the second section of the bill reported by the Committee on Finance. providing for an international commission to adopt a common ratio of legal tender as between gold and silver MT. Allison modified the amendment by striking out the words " of legal tender" so that the confer ence should be free to adopt common ratio between gold and silver without reference to legal tender, and this was adopted by vote of 40 yeas to 30 nays. The Bland Silver bill fnallly passed the Senate by 8 vote of AS yeas to 21 nays.
 The bill on it's final passage, came to a vote about o'clock Saturday morning, the Senate having been in session all night.
 The following amendments to the bill were passed:
 Giving the Treasury the profits of coining silver, striking out the free coinage clause, and substituting clause for the coining of from $2,0O0, ,000 to 100000 8 month, was carried by a vote of forty-nine to twenty-tWo.
 The International Monetary Confer, ence was carried by forty to thirty.
 Authorizing the issue of silver certif cates on deposits of silver coin in amounts of $10 and over.
 Making silver legal tender for all stipulated.
 Requiring the purchase of at least $2,000, GOO worth of silver monthly, to be coined as fast as purchased.
 Although several senators pa fred, the bill received more than two -thir ds vote
 HOUSE.
 The resolution reported by mai jorlty of the Committee on Elections, declaring Wiggington, the contestant, from Cali fornia, entitled to the seat, was adopted Yeas, 136: nays, 125; and he wal sworn in.
 Bills were introduced and referred declaring forfeited all grants of publi, lands to railroad or other corporation where the conditions of the grants hay, been violated, and appropriating saic lands to the use of actual settlers; de claring 1t unnecessary and inexpedient either to maintain or impose taxes fol thespurpose of providing for the amour asked by the Secretary of the Treasury for the sinking fund, and directing the Secretary of the Treasury not to pur chase any bonds for the reduction of the national debt until strict compliance with the law requires it.
 MT. Rice, of Ohio, Chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions, reported bill granting pensions on account ot wounds, etc, received in the service o1 the United States since March 4, 1861 for the payment of arrears of pensions, anu for the restoration to the rolls of the names of invalid pensioners stricker therefrom on account of disloyalty. Re tered to the Committee of the Whole.
 The House being in Committee of the Whole on the Wet Point Military Acddemy bill, MT. Hewett Dem., N. Y ;trose to personal explanation relative to some remarks he had made on the same subject few days before. He de- clarcd that in those remarks he meant no reflection on Southern gentlemen and If there was anything in the language which he had used which could be con ''trued into any islander of the represen tatives of the Southern States he would take 1t back A most exciting scene fol lowed, in which Republicans and Demo crats took part, and many issues not connected with West Point were intro duced.
 The Speaker presented communica ton from the Secretary of the Treasury It enclosed copy of letter from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, set ting forth that the internal revenue re- celpts for the current fiscal year, as com pared with the same period of the last