The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1879-05-28
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.
Senate.


The bill removing the political disabilities of
John S. Saunders, of Baltimore, was passed
.... The House resumed consideration OF the
bill to amend the laws relating to coinage and
to coin and bullion certificates, and q number
of amendments were presented. Adjourned.
Joint resolution was introduced by Mr..
Cockrell authorizing and requesting the Presi-
dent to open correspondence with France on
the subject of a commercial treaty. Referred
to the Committee on Foreign Relations -.
Mr.. Beck explained the provisions OF the Leg
islative Appropriation bill as it had been
amended Mr.. Thurman proceeded to discuss
the bill, and in long speech argued in favor
of the repeal of the test oath and the laws
appointing supervisors of Federal elections
| Adjourned.
| MIR. Ingalls, introduced resolution, which
was agreed to, asking the Secretary OF the
| Treasury to report to the Senate the amount
| of the legal-tender notes of the United States
that have been redeemed in coin since january
| l, 1879, and also what amount OF gold coin he
considered himself authorized to keep in the
Treasury to maintain specie resumption under
| the act OF February IA, 1875. Debate on the
Legislative Appropriation bill was participated
in by Messrs Eaton, Conkling Voorhees, and
| Herman. Adjourned.
The President pro tenn laid before the Senate
n communication from the Secretary of the
Treasury in reply to resolution calling Tor
| information with regard to the direct tax i'm
posed on the States and Territories in 1861.
| Mr.. Bell explained briefly his reason for calling
for the information. He said the whole amount
of the tax was 500, 100000, OF which there is
now due and uncollected the sum OF $50, 000, 900
from portion of the States and Territories.
| He said that some speedy and effectual method
should beadopted for the recovery of the same.
| The report OF the Secretary shows that the
amounts due ard unsolicited from the eleven
States which participated in the late rebellion
-uue from All otrier r5urles uilu territories
amount to $i55,22S. The principal items form
sGS eis CIV eosl lor wisconsin,
$S55, TAI for Oregon, and S26, 1882 for Utah.
Oi1setting war claims have been presented, but
not yet adjusted, from the States OF Wisconsin
and Kansas. The amounts reported as still
due from the eleven States are about rs fol-
lows: Virginia, $286,000; North Carolina,
$4,000; South Carolina, SSl53,000 Georgia,
$500, 900; Alabama, $529,000; Mississippi,
$343,000; Louisiana, $7l, 900; Tennessee,
1888, 900; Arkansas, $l0S,0 Florida, $7l, =
900; Texas, $4,000. Secretary Sherman on
transmitting this report says: " There can be
no doubt that the Secretary OF the Treasury is
charged with the duty of collecting this direct
tax under the provisions of existing laws. 1t
remains for Congress to decide whether the
collection shall proceed under the methods
provided by existing statutes, or whether adj
ditional legislation is necessary" A further
communication from the Secretary OF the
Treasury in regard to the redemption of legal
tenders and the amount ofgold in the Treasury,
stated that " there has been redeemed in coin
since January /, 1879, oflegal-tender notes an
amount of SS4 1873, 5l3," and that T" to issue GER
tain bonds OF the United States the coin re-
serve of the Treasury has been increased to
$l38000,00 900, that being about forty per cent.
of the notes outstanding to be redeemed, and
believed to be the smallest reserve upon which
resumption could be prudently commenced and
successfully maintained-as fully set forth in
my last annual report. This reserve arose
from the sale OF Ss95, 500,0 900 bonds and from
surplus revenues as authorized by law, and it
must under existing law be maintained unim-
paired for thepurpose for which it was created"
-. Messrs. Blaine, Eaton, Bayarj, Vance and
Logan debated the Legislative bill. Executive
session and then adjournment.
After debate on the Legislative Appropria-
ton bill, the motion of Mr. Edmunds to strike
out the clauses repeating the statutes relating
to the test oath was lost--yeas, 26; nays, 81.
Mr.. Edmunds then moved to strike out the
} clause establishing mode of drawing United
} States jurors. Lost-yeas, q nays, g. He
! then moved to strike out the clauses repeating
the statute relating to United States deputy