Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-04-03

Masons. The workmen then placed the cor
ner.stone, the venerable DR.. Shand of Trini-
ty Church pronounced benediction, and the
ceremony was ended. -.
EXTRA SESSION OF CONGRESS.
In the Senate on the 25th, large number
of bills and memorials were presented, among
them bill by Booth authorizing the secretary
of the interior to declare railroad grants for
feited in certain cases. Davis, of West Vlr-
ginia, introduced joint resolution for a spe-
cial committee to consider and report as to
the best means of promoting agriculture.
The Senate took up the resolution OF Hoar,
declaring as unconstitutional and revolution
ary, the Democratic programme of legislation
as announced by Beck at the close of the late
Congress. Hoar spoke at some length on this
subject, deprecating in emphatic terms the
course of legislation thus pretigured, and say
ing that the dominant power sought to effect,
by simple process, what could be done only
by a change of the Constitution of the United
States altering the present relations OF the
three departments of the government.
In the House, Mr.. Harris, of Virginia, ask
ed leave to offer resolution directing the
committee on the judiciary to inquire into facts
connected with the action of Alexander Rives,
Judge of the United States District Court for
the Western District of Virginia, in inter
fering with the action of the State judges hold
ing State courts in accordance with the laws
of Virginia. Conger objected. Cox, of New
York, asked leave to offer a resolution for the
appointment of select committees on the CEN
sus, the declaration of the law relating to
presidential elections, civil service reform and
the yellow fever epidemic. COnger objected,
stating that he would object to the introduce
ton of anything unless it had reference to the
appropriation bills The house then, at l2.40,
adjourned.
In the Senate on the 26th, various bills We're
introduced, among them one by Pendleton
providing that the principal officer of each OF
the executive departments may occupy seats
on the floor Of the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatives. The Senate went into executive
session at 12t o'clock, and when the doors
were opened at 12.40, adjourned. ..
The proceedings in the House were unim-
portant. Cox, Of New York, offered a resolu-
tion for the re-appointment of the special
committees on the census, yellow fever cpl
demic, reform in the civil service, and declsr-
alton of the result of, the. election for Presl-
dent and Vice-President. Conger inquired II
the last committee was the Potter committee.
Cox replied that it was not. The resolution
was referred to the committee on rules. Frye
asked leave to offer a resolution reciting that
the extra session had been OccasiOned by the
failure of the last Congress to make the 1leces-
sary appropriations, and that the business in
terests of the country and the welfare OF the
people demanded rest and peace from legisla57
ton, and instructing the committee on rules
to report, forthwith, a rule providing that no
bills except those making necessary approprla-
tions, shall be reported from any committee or
considered by the House during the special
session. Objection was made to the introduce
tion of Frye's resolution, and he gave notice
that be would, next Monday, move to suspend
the rules and adopt it. Conger then moved to
reconsider the vote by which Cox's resolution
was referred. Pending the motion to lay that
motion on the table, the House adjourned.
In the Senate on the 9th, the usual number
of bills were introduced and referred. Mr..
Hoar's resolution declaring the course of the
dominant party to be revolutionary, was then
taken up, and running debate ensued with
out dispOsing of the subject. After the con-
clusion of the debate, the Senate went into
executive session and afterwards adjourned
until Monday. g., 49,.
In the House. the army appropriation bill
was introduced and considered in committee
of the whole. Nearly all the sections were
disposed of. A motion to reduce the army to
$1,000 was rejected by a. vote of SO to 1l9.
The section relating to the use of troops at
the polls was passed over for the present,
though it will he debated before the final dis
position of the bill. ....
In the House on the 2Sth, the army appro-
priati0n bill was discussed in committee OF the
whole. After the adoption of two or three
amendments of no particular general interest,
Tucker, of Virginia, offered an amendment
repealing section 12lS of the revised statutes.
This is the section which prohibits appoint
ment to the army of any person who served
in any capacity in the military, naval or civil
service of the Confederate States. Conger
made a point of order against the amendment.
Tucker argued that the amendment was ger
name. He trusted the amendment would meet
with universal appreciation on both sides, and
that the stigma which rested on very large
class of people Of the Southern States would
he, as matter Of justice, wiped out from
the statute book. After some discussion be-
tween Messrs. Tucker and Conger, the latter
stated his party friends desired to meet the is
sue in manly way, and therefore he withdrew
his point of order. Sparks, of Illinois, renewed
it. The chairman sustained the point on the
ground that the amendment was not in the
direction of economy, and changed the exist
ing order AN amendment to amend the act
granting pensions to the soldiers and sailors
of the war Of 1912 was ruled out Of order.
McCook, of New York, moved to strike out
the section prohibiting promotions or appoint
ments in the army beyond the rank of cap
tain, except in the engineers. fn the discus
sion which followed, some sharp remarks were
interchanged between Sparks, of Illinois, and
Conger, Of Michigan, as to the services rem
dered by them respectively during the late
war, Sparks stating that like the gentleman
from Michigan, he had been little too coward
ly to fight on either side. Cqnger replied that
he had served as member Of the State militia