The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-04-23
GENERAL NEWS.
A Quiet and UneventfuI Day In
Congress.
The Time Approaching for a Vote on
the Bills---UnpOpularlty Of Night
Sessions In the House.
The Nihlllsts Determined to Shoot
Stab and Kill Until their De-
mands are Satisfied.
The Zulu Wharf.-The British Getting
their Work In on Cetywayo's
BraVes---Ekowe Burned.
FoRTY-srxTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, April %.
SENATE.

Az lne expiration Oh tne morning h0ul
Mr.. Wallace's resolution to vest the ap
pointment and removal Of Senate employes
In the Secretary and Sergeant-at-A Arms was
taken up, the question being on Mr.. Ed,
munds substitute, which was opposed By
MIR. Pendleton and advocated by Mr.
Conkling. Owing To the absence OF Mr.
Edmunds the resolution went over until
tomorrow.
MIR. Pendleton gave notice that on Thurs.
day, after the disposition OF the Army
Bill, he would call up his bill providing fol
giving the Heads Of the Departments seats
on the floor of the Senate and House.
Consideration OF the Army Bill was then
resumed. ..
Mr.. Davis, Of Illinois, took the floor and
spoke at length. In the course Of his re.
marks he said: In the pending army bill
nothing Is proposed but to strike out the
single clause forbidding the presence OF
troops at the polls. In no respect is the
authority OF the President to answer q
call to repel invasion or suppress
insurrection in any way abridged. The
amendment is germane to the bill and is
simply condition as to the use Of the
army which the peoples representa-.
tives had a perfect right to i'm.
pose. 1t is not in any proper
sense general legislation, and lift was, that
the statute books are full OF precedents
that the friends Of the present measure
might cite against theiropponents. Wheth-
er the clause in question ought to be re-
pealed, is a fair subject for discussion,
but the form Of presenting is not liable to
Just criticism. Personally l should have
preferred to vote on the proposition as an
Independent bill, because the practice OF
both parties Of legislating on appropriation
bills is more to be honored in the breach
than in the observance. II this course had
been pursued 1t Is probable that the
whole debate would have been less
acrimonious, and excitement which has
followed it could never have been worked
up toso high pitch, 1t has been alleged
that there is IN attempt 10 coerce the
Executive in this bill. Certainly none ap.
pears on the surface, and he is left entirely
free to exercise his own judgment II It
should be sent to him in the present or a
modified form; 10 assume that he will ap-
prove or veto or to introduce him in any
way into debate, is departure from a
wise usage. The Presidents sphere Of
action is defined and any attempt to
influence legislation by suggestions Of what
he may or may not do is an obtrusi, n
deserving rebuke. 1t will be time enough
to criticize the act Of the President when
he shall have exercised his constitutional
right and any discussion OF his supposed
course before the mis- wholly out Of place
in this body. Let us hope Mr.. President,
when this bill has passed from our hands,
that the angry debate which has attended
it will operate as electricity does in
purifying the atmosphere and we
will all come together better dis
posed to give to the country what has
been given to the party in a united effort
to provide relief for the prevailing dis
tress in every pursuit OF life.
Mr.. Logan said he understood his col.
league to remark that the laws were obey.
ed alike in the North and South.
Mr.. Davis-I mean Federal laws.
Mr.. Logan differed with his collegue,
and then referred to the annual report OF
the Commissioner OF Internal Revenue
for the year 1878, TO show q
very large number OF violations
OF internal revenue laws in the South as
compared with the North, and that five
murders in that connection were com.
mitted in the South and none in the
North.
Mr.. Davis said he had no doubt that vi.
olations OF internal revenue laws were tax.
ing place all over the country.
Mr., Logan asked his colleague whether
he could show a solitary murder com.
mitted in the North, or men wounded in
execution OF the law and repeated bis for.
mer assertion that the laws are not equally
obeyed North and South.
Mr.. Davis stated hiscolleague was deter.
mined to have the last word. He Davis
did not know whether the criminal laws
were obeyed as well in the South as in the
North, but he adhered to what he had al.
ready said, that the Federal laws as sys.
tenn arc obeyed with as much allegiance
in the South as in the North.
Mr.. Allison, in the commencement oil
his remarks, asked il itwas possible that
they had been day after day and hour
after hour debating whether in republic
there should be free and honest ballot!
Was there party arrayed against a prin.
ciple so well grounded? If there was
such party it was not the Republican
party.
After an Executive session the Senate
adjourned. NE9 53
HOUSE,
Reading Of the Journal was dispensed
with, and consideration was resumed oI
the subsidiary silver coin bill.
After brief statement by Mr.. Chitten,
den, iavoring tho bill, voting on the
amendments began.
An amendment was offered by Mr.. Gil
lette, for the redemption OF the subsidiary
silver coins iR paper fractional currency
Of five, ton, twenty-five and fifty cents
which currency shall be q legal tender tc
the amount OF $40.
Mr.. Stephens, who has charge Of tht
bill, said he was in favor Of the amend
ment, and the subject was before IN,
Committee on Coinage, but he did no
want this bill linCumbered with II. Upor
this representation Gillette withdrew hi
amendment, -It.-} n
The amendment OF Mr. EavLerry, re
quiring small coins, cent, cents, &c.
| to be received atthe postofIiCes for postag
stamps in sums not exceeding three dol
lars, was after discussion agree TO.
The bill was finally passed, ltprovide
that silver coins Of 4 smaller danomina
tIon than one dollar may be eSchangeabl i
Into lawful money whom presented i
sums oi $50; makes lawful money o.
changeable into silver coins In llk
amount; makes subsidiary silver coin
! legal tender for all debts, public and pr
yste, in sums Of not exceeding SO; an
, makes minor coinage receivable at pos
Offices, to the amount Of three dollars.
Mr., Knott, from the Judiciary Commi
. too, made q report on the question Of III
; subpoena dues teciip served on Ehs O
aIn.i, ~ Iha Unuaa N nnndnNa rarf N