Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-12-18

ment to the constitution relative to trade
marks. Printed and recommitted. A bill
has been introduced by Acklin, of Louisiana,
and referred, for the appointment, by the
President, of a commission of engineers to ex-
anime the surveys of the contemplated canal
across the Isthmus of Panama. A resolution
was offered by Shelley, of Alabama, and re-
ferred, for the appointment of select COM
mittee of FIVE to investigate the cause of the
negro exodus from the South, and to report
such measures as the exigency may require.
Mr.. Hubbell, of Michigan, from the appro-
priation committee, reported a pension appro.
priation bill, which was ordered to be printed
and recommitted. The bill appropriates
$32, 2,400,0 900, an increase of about s3,000,OO0
over last years appropriation. The House
then adjourned.
In the House on the 18th, Mr.. Baker, of
Indiana, from the committee on appropria-
tions, reported back the forti6cation appro-
priation bill, which was referred to the COM
mittee Of the whole, and the House then, at
1.20, went into committee upon that bill. Mr..
Baker proceeded to explain the provisions of
the bill. With one single exception, the bill
was the same as had been reported for the
two last years. 1t appropriated for the pres
ervation and repairs of Notifications $780,.
900, and $4,000 for the preparation of tor
pedoes for harbor defense. The item for the
amount of seacost forti6cations, including
heavy guns, howitzers, powder, etc., had been
increased by the sum of 100000, so that
item of the present bill amounted to $225, 900
in place of Sl25,0OO last year. The estimate
of the Chief of Ordnance for that service
had been 81 ,O67,OO The Secretary of War
had reduced that estimate to $5O0,000, and
the committee had reduced it to 1925, ,000
The increase in the appropriation was for the
purpose of converting smooth bore cannon
into riAed guns. If Congress continues to
appropriate s225,000 year for that purpose,
it would be twenty years before enough could
be converted to arm the forts in the harbor
of New York. Mr. Reagan moved to amend
by making an appropriation of $4,000 for
batteries for the defense of Galveston harbor,
which was accepted. The committee then
rose and reported the bill to the House, when
it was passed. The House then, at o'clock,
went into committee, Mr.. Hooker, of Missis-
sippi, in the chair, on the pension appropria-
ton bill. Mr.. Hubbell, of Michigan, pro-
ceeded to explain the bill. 1t appropriated
s32, $4,000 as against S29 ,266,0OO last year.
That increase had been necessitated by the
large increase in the number of pensioners
during the past year. The bill was agreed
to in committee without amendment, and, on
being reported to the House, was passed. The
House then went into committee-Mr. Mills,
of Texas, in the chair-on the private calen-
dar, and, at 40, adjourned until Monday.
In the Senate on the 10Th, Mr.. VOORHEES,, of
Indiana, presented the petition of 1000 ex-
soldiers and sailors, praying to be paid in
greenbacks the difference between the value
of greenbacks in which they were paid for
services to the government, and the value Of
gold at the time of the payment. Laid on
the table. Mr. Butler, ofSouth Carolina, in
troduced an amendment to the Senate joint
resolution introduced by Bayard, withdraw
ing the legal-tender quality of greenbacks.
The resolution as proposed to be amended
willie read: "That from and after Janu-
ary l, 1885, treasury notes of the United
States shall be receivable for all dues to
the United States except duties on imports,
and shall not be otherwise legal tender, and
any of said notes that shall thereafter be is
sued shall bear this superscription." ;" Referred
to finance committee. The Vice-President
presented communication from the postmas
ter-general recommending deficiency appro
priations of 1926, PIP for exigencies of the ser.
vice caused by the extension of star routes
and for other minor Deficiencies Referred
VOORHEES, introduced resolution providing
for committee of FIVE Senators to investigate
causes leading to the negro emigration from
North Carolina to Indiana. Laid over on
objection of Edmunds to its present considera-
ton. The Senate on motion of Maxey, took
up the Senate bill to amend rule 103, Rules
and Articles of war, so as to provide rule of
limitation for the prosecution of desertion.
Laid over on motion of Edmunds to allow
further examination of its provisions. A bill
to enable the secretary of war to purchase
land to enlarge and protect the United States
arsenal at San Antonio, and appropriating
$4,000 for that purpose, was taken up and
passed.
In the House number of bills were intro
duced, among them one by Mr.. OConner,
of South Carolina, to re.establish the office of
United States assistant treasurer at Charles
ton also calling for information as to the pro-
ceeds of the sale of land for direct taxes in
the State of South Carolina. By Mr.. Steele,
of North Carolina, bill changing the time
for the meeting of Congress to the second
Monday in January.
The proceedings of neither House, on the
18th, were of special Importance. The Sen
ate, in executive session, confirmed a large
number of Presidential nominations, chiefly
of post-masters. The Senate committee on
military affairs decided to postpone action
upon all pending army nominations, ITO in
number, until after the Christmas recess.
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.
The recent colored fair at Abbeville is
pronounced failure by the Mediam.
- 1t is thought that Governor Simpson will