The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-04-05
Congressional Proceedings.


The Senate was not in session Friday, hay
ing adjourned over from Thursday to Monday.
The session Of the House was devoted 10
the consideration Of the army appropriation
bill, the section repeating The statutes allow.
ing the military to preserve the peace at the
polls preciplta;ing the House into debate
which promises to be protracted.
In the House on Saturday, debate was con
timed on the clause in the army appropria
ton bill torbddlng the presence Of troops at
the polls Mr. Conger point al order, made
on Friday, that the clause was new legislation
aud not IN the interest Of retrenchmeni was
oyerruled by the chairman. Mr.. Cohger an.
pcaled from the decision, hut the House sus.
tanned the ruling by vote Of l25 to lO7.
General Garfield then took the floor and pre-.
sented the Republican case in long speech.
Messrs. Stephens and Mcmahon we're the
principal speakers on the Democratic side
In the Senate, on Monday, several bills
were introduced, among them one by Mr..
Grover extending the time for construction
Of the Northern Pacific Railroad aud one
by Mr., Johnston authorizing the National
Board Of Health to investigate infections and
contagious diseases of animals. Mr. Harris
called up the bill appropriating 100000 for
the construction Of relrigerating ship for
dislnlecting purposes, and il was discussed
and laid over. Mr.. Ferry moved to 90 into
Executive session, but n motion by Mr.. Ker.
nan TO adjourn was carried.
The House was not in session on Monday
having adjourned over till Tuesday in order
to avoid giving the Greenbackers an oppor.
tunity Of introducing lot of wildcat financial
schemes which they had prepared
In the Senate, Tuesday, Mr. Gordon, of
N...l n 1.
his seat. The bill appropriating $500, 600 for
the construction of refrigerator shin was
passed. After an executive session the SEN
ate adjourned.
In the House, the Legislative Appropria-
ton bill was reported, with the "riders'i
agreed upon by the Democratic caucus, and
was referred to the Committee of the Whole.
Debate on the Army Appropriation bill was
continued until adjournment, the discussion
assuming heated sectional and partisan
tone.
In the Senate, Wednesday, bill was intro.
duced providing for treaty with the Repub.
lie of Mexico. The Senate by vote of 35 to
90 laid on the table Mr.. Hoar's resolution
condemning as unconstitutional and revolu.
tionary the Democratic programme of legisla.
ton. Mr.. salisbury made report against
the admission of Mr.. Bell us Senator from
New Hamphire, on the appointment of the
Governor; minority report, fayoring the
seating of Mr.. Bell, was also submitted.
In the House, it was ordered that general
debate on the army appropriation bill should
close at three O'Clock Friday afternoon. after
which the debate shall be limited to FIVE min
ute speeches. Debate on the bill was then
resumed, and a number of speeches were de.
hvered, the principal ones being by Mr.. I
Wflltn,,~ # 4
Mr.. Townshend, Democrat, Of Illinois. The
former defended the use Of the bayonet, and
that the President had 'the right
TO send troops to the polls or into the Church
of Christ Mr.. Townshend criticised Mr.
Gariield's late speech, and said il that gentle.
man wanted to find reyolutionist, he would
point TO John Sherman, the revolutionist Of
1867, when general legislation had been placed
upon the civil sundry appropriation bill.
In the Senate on Thursday the session was
spent IN discussing the right of Mr.. Charles
II. Bell to a seat in the Senate from New
Hampshire under an appointment from the
Governor. The Senate then adjourned until
Monday next.
In the House, the amendment TO the army
bill prohibiting the use Of troops
at the polls led protracted and exciting de. I
bate. Mr.. Knott, of Kentucky rdiculed the
republican cry of revolution, and maintained I
the coustitutionalty of the amendment Mr.. I
Of N. j., maintained the right Of I
government to keep peace anywhere within (
q State" but failed, when requested by Mr.. /.
MclaHe, of Nd, to refer to any decision Of /
the Supreme Court which recognizes any /
peace a. all as the ''peace of the United I
States Mr.. Houek, OF Tennessee, favored /
a bill providing for holding oil national elec. I
f.In ts,t ..
clusion Of the States. Mr. Blackburn main. (
tanned the conslilutionality Of the amendment, |
showed that both Mr.. Garfield and President 1
Hayes lat that time member Of the House. /
voted to impeach President johnson because /
of his exercise of the veto power, and con /
cuded by declaring it to be the purpose Of |
the Democratic side Of the House to maintain 4
its ground. An evening session was held In
which speeches on the amendment to the |
army bill were made. The vote will probably 1
be taken to-day, Saturday.