West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-02-15
FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.


panied by Senator will be excluded from
the floor Of the chamber. A bill was passed
providing that no person under the age of
twenty-five or thirty-fve shall be
appointed chaplain in the army
The widows o. the late Admiral
Paulding and Gen. Robert Anderson were
allowed pensions OF $50 per month each.
The pension of DR.. Mary f.. Walker was
increased 10 $50 per month. Mr.. ALI
son was placed on the Judiciary Com
mittee in place OF Mr.. Christiancy.
In executive session the appointment
OF Senator Christiancy as Minister to
Peru was unanimously confirmed 800.
HOuse-The Post-office Appropriation Bill
was considered in Committee of the
Whole. number of amendments were
discussed, and afterward adopted. No final
action was taken. At the evening session
bills were passed authorizing the Chilli.
Gothic & Des Moines Railway Company to
bridge the Missouri at Lexington, and the
bloomfield Railway Company TO build n
bridge across the Wabash
JANUARY 3O.-Sendte-A special commit
tee OF 1--WE was appointed to report upon
the rights OF the Senate in the matter of
amendments TO the Post Route Bill, which
includes the Brazilian Mail Line subsidy
Mr.. Edmunds's resolution declaring the val
ldity OF certain constitutional amendments,
was discussed, Mr., Morgan, of Alabama,
making the set speech of the day
In opposition to the resolutions. Before
Mr. Morgan concluded, the Senate went
into executive sessions Ouse-The Post
office Appropriation Bill, after many of the
items were increased in amount, was finally
passed. wrangle ensued on devotiug the
morning hour to discussion of the Southern
claims, and the remainder of the session
was taken up in roll calls and other ilibus.
tering. In the afternoon number OF bills
were introduced and referred.
JANUARY 81 --Sendte-Mr. Pruden, As.
sistant Private Secretary of the President,
appeared in the Senate Chamber with n
message from the President. He was &C.
comPanied by messenger bearing huge
bundle oil documents, supposed TO be from
Secretary Sherman, regarding the New
YORK Customs appointments, but the bun
die was not disturbed in open session. The
Nice-Presdent laid before the Senate the
credentials OF George G.. Vest, elected
United States Senator from Missouri
Placed on file. Mr.. Saunders, from the
committee to inquire into the expedienoy
OF transferring the Indian Bureau from the
Interior to the War Department, reported
that the committee had been unable to
agree, and submitted a report accompanied
by bill to authorize the President 10
temporarily transfer the custody, con-
troll, and management to the Indian
tribes from the interior to the War Depart.
ment and for other purposes. Laid on the
table, and Mr.. Saunders give notice that
he would call il up for consideration at
an early day.. House-Mr. Morgan, from
the Committee on Indian Affairs, reported
bill FOR the relief of settlers in absentee
Shawnee lands in Kansas. Passed. The
House then went into Committee of the
whole, Mr.. Covert in the chair on the mi.
vate calendar, the pending bill being the
one known as the Fairfax Seminary Bill.
Mr.. White opposed the bill as a war claim
and Mr.. Potter defended it, arguing that il
was not war claim, After a further de-
bate the motion to report the bill to
the House was defeated-yeas, rs; NAYS
rs; and on motion of Mr.. Burchard, the
enacting clause was stricken out, and the
committee lin accordance with rule). rose
and reported its action to the House, which
by vote of yeas, l21 nays, 50, concurred
in that action.
FEBRUARY I.-Sendte-Mr. McCreerv from
the joint committee appointed to inquire
into the eXpediency of transferring the I'm.
dian Bureau from the Interior to the War
Department, submitted n report, signed by
four members of the committee, in favor of
tue transfer. Ordered printed. Mr.. Hoar,
from the Committee on Privileges and
Elections, presented minority report in
favor of the sixteenth amendment to the
Constitution, prohibiting a State from dis.
tranchlslng persons on account of sex
Ordered printed. The report is signed by
Messrs. Hoar, Cameron (Wis.) and Mitchell,
The Nice-President laid before the Senate
a communication from the Secretary of
war, inclosing letter from the Chief
OF Engineers respecting the plan of the
national survey by the National
Academy of Science, aud transmitting
drawing To accompany the report of the
Board OF Officers on the Eads improvement
al the south Pass of the Mississippi River,
the letter of the Commlssary General of
Subsistence relative TO the organization of
subsistence Department, as proposed by
the bill to reorganize the army, and esti.
mates of additional appropriations required
Tor the War Department, all of which were
referred. He also laid before the Senate
communication from the Secretary of War.
Enclosing letter from the Attorney General
In relation to eXtravagant damages
awarded by local juries for damages under
the Fox and Wisconsin River Improvement
Act, Referred. Consideration was then re.
sumed OF the resolutions of Mr. Edmupds.
declaring the validity Of the 10 h., 18th, and
i5th amendments TO the Constitution, and
Mr.. Morgan continued his argument i'm In.
yor Of the substitute presented by him. Mr..
Bayard then took the floor hut yielded to
Mr.. Ransom Tor motion Oi executive ses-
sion ........ HoUse-The Speaker announced
that the regular order Of business was the
morning hour, and the pending bill 10 be
the bill for the relief OF Maggie Barton
This being Southern claims bill +" II was
discussed at length by Messrs. Chalmers.
hooker, Wells, and others, and the bill
went over till the next morning hour The
Army Reorganization Bill was called I'M.
but after some confusion the House refused
yeas ", nays 112-to consider that bill.
and went into Committee OF the Whole on
the Army Appropriation Bill. Mr. Hewitt.
Of New York, having charge of the bill.
explained its provisions. IL appropriated
80, 747 300, ~ against the estimate OF 900.
6SJ5OO, and the Appropriation last year of
f25,1lS,l67. The reduction in army appro.
prlations the last three years amounted To
$b,OOO,OO0. The committee rose before any
action was taken on the bill.
FEBRUARY -Senate-Mr. McCYeery in.
troduced bill to transfer the Office Of In.
dian Affairs from the Interior TO the War
Department. twas laid on the table, to be
called up hereafter by Mr.. McCreery. who
gave notice that he desired TO submit some
remarks. Mr.. Teller presented a
petition from the colored people of
Louisiana, complaining that they are
not protected, either in life or property. ADD
mat at the recent election they were met by
armed white men, known as the Democratic
CUB that they were shot, and not allowed
to hold meetings. They, therefore, invoked
the protection Of the Federal government.
10 was referred ~ a select committee. OF
which Teller is Chairman.... Hour
Among bills introduced, was one by Mr..
cutler appropriating one hundred millions
oi dollars for the payment Of arrearages Of
pensions. Mr. RurohorI rooved ~ eve,.,rd