Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-12-24
FoRTY.sIxTH CONGRESS.


presented petition of 1000 ex.sOldiers and
sailors, praying to be paid in greenbacks,
the difference between the value of the
greepbacks in which they were paid for
services to the government and the value
of gold at the time of payment. Laid on
the table........ Butler Is. CO. introduced an
amendment to the senate joint resolution
introduced by Bayard Withdrawing the
legal quality of greenbacks The resolution
from and after January LIST 1880, treasury
notes of the United States shall be receiv-
able for all dues to the United
States except duties on imports and
shall not be otherwise legal tender, and any
of such notes that shall hereafter be issued
ehall bear this superscription." Referred,....
Bills introduced and referred: To author.
ize the ST. Paul and Chicago Shcrtline Rail
way company to construct q bridge across
Lake st. Croix, and to establish it as post
route for the organization of the territory
of Okohoma out of the present Indian Ter
ritory; making appropriations for the i'm
provement Of the Big Sandy and Elk rivers,
in West Virginia, and for the continuing
tn Improvement of New River and Great
Kanawha river, w. Va.....Adjourned.
TUESDAY, December ia bill to
donate twelve condemned bronze cannon to
the Francis P. Blair monument association
in Louis, was passed, as was also the house
bill authorizing allowance for loss by leak
sgs or casualty, of spirits withdrawn from
distillery warehouses for expectation.
...... Window offered an amendment to Voor.
hees' resolution for the appointment of q
commission of five senators to investigate
the cause of the negro exodus. The amend
ment instructs the commission it it finds
hot oif hon of
their rights to consider the expediency of
providing such territories as may be neces-
sary for the use and occupation of such per-
sons as may desire to emigrate from their
present homes in order to secure their en-.
joyment of constitutional rights. ) tt,eed
printed and laid on the table. Aftera n ors
exclusive session the senate adjourned,
WEDNESDAY, December 17.-Morgan
introduced resolution instructing the sec.
rotary of the interior to declare forfeited
and restore to the public domain all Ian DIS
which have been appropriated to railroad
companies that have slept on their rights
and privileges to the detriment o the pub.
lie welfare. In the list of such dormant
railroad enterprises and appropriated lands
appear the following: Detroit and Milwau.
kee, 355, 420; Houghton and Ontonagon,
formerly Marquette and Ontonagan, $751;
5l5; North Wisconsin, formerly ST. Croix
end Lake Superior, and branch to Bayfield,;
Wisconsin Central, formerly Portage, Win
nebsgo and Superior. 100000; St. Paul
and Pacific, ST. Vincent, Extension, for
merly branch to Red River of the North,
100000; st. Paul and Pacific, Brainerd
branch, formerly branch to Lake Superior,
900; Hastings and Dakota, $50, 1000
Oregon Central, 100000; Atlantic and Pa.
cifc, 100000; Northern Pacific, A.
100000. Referred. ..... Morgan introduced
another resolution declaring that the con.
tinuance of the existing volume of United
States treasury notes, with their legal tender
quality preserved, and the maintenance of
their equivalence in value with coin, is
demanded by the present necessities of
trade, commerce and industry, and that the
full restoration of silver coinage to an
equality with gold is necessary to secure to
the people of the United States a sufficient
and permanent supply of money to main.
tain our national prosperity. Referred $500.
passed among others bill to authorize the
free entry of competitive prizes won by
American citizens in foreign countries
.....Adiourned.
THURSDAY, December 1S.-Bills intro
duced and referred: To provide for the
appointmen of commissioners to ascertain
and report the losses sustained by citizens
of the United States by reason of Indian
depredations; for continuing the court of
commissioners of the Alabama claims and
for the distribution of the moneys of the
Geneva award. THE resolution of Davis
(W. va.) instructipg the agricultural COM
mittees of both houses to consider the SUBJ
ject of agriculture and report what ought to
be done by the government to promote agri
M oAn knl Thnx
sion appropriation bill passed.. On motion
of Voorhees, the senate took up the
resolution offered by him on Monday last
for the appointment of committee to
investigate the causes of the emigration of
the blacks from the northern to southern
states. An amendment by Window in
structing the committee to inquire whether
it was advisable for the government to pro-
vide separate territories for the blacks,
where they could exercise their constitu-
tional rights, etc., was rejected. After de.
bate Voorhees, modified his resolution some
what and accepted an amendment by
Window so as to make it call for an investi-
cation, by committee of five, into the
causes of the exodus. The resolution was
then adopted by vote of 2 to 12......Ad-
journed.
FRIDAY, December 19.-After the
reading of the journal, Thurman said there
was evidently no quorum present and no
probability that one would be obtained and
moved to adjourn, but withdrew the motion
temporarily to permit the transaction of
some unimportant business. This done,
the vice president appointed Voorhees,,
Vance, Pendleton, Window and Blair a
committee to investigate the causes of negro
emigration from southern to northern states,
and the senate adjourned until the 9th of
January.
MONDAY, December 15.-Bills intro
duced and referred: For the encourage
ment of American shipbuilding and manu-.
features; ior a commission to ascertain and
report basis for reciprocity treaty be.
tween the United States and the British
provinces; to provide against "omnibus"
legislation, or bill with more thar one sub
ject; to amend the prison laws 80 as to grant
pension to all surviving enlisted men,
including volunteers and all drafted in the
service of the United States in the late war
and their surviving widows and dependent