The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-17
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.

CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.
Senate
The first regular session of the Forty.sixth
Congress began in the Senate by Vice-Presi-
dent wheeler's calling the members to order
at twelve O'Clock. The secretary was directed
to notify the House that the Senate was In
session, and Senators Bayard and Anthony
were appointed a committee to join q similar
committee on the part OF the House to wait
on the President and notify him that both
houses OF Congress were in session and ready
to receive any communication he might choose
to make. ...At 1:45 P. N. the Senate commit
tee to wait on the President reported that
they had done so, and had been informed that
he would at once communicate 70 Congress q
message in writing. Immediately after the
committee had reported, the Presidents pr
vate secretary appeared and delivered to the
Senate the message, which was read by the
clerk. At the conclusion Of the reading Mr:
Ferry rose and said that the sorrowtul Official
duty devolved upon him Of announcing TO the
Senate the death OF his late colleague, Zacha-
riah Chandler. It was not his present pur.
pose to speak of the character and services OF
one 30 long and go notably a member OF TINS
body, but at some suitable time he would IN.
vite the Senate to express, by resolution and
by eulogy, its sense Of the irreparable loss Inc
nation has sustained in the death Of so dis
tinguished a citizen. As a mark OF respect TO
a senator present ct the last adjournment, and
absent now torevermore, he moved That the
Senate do now adjourn. Agreed to. -,
Mr.. Gordon introduced a resolution recltlng
that tie project of the construction OF an IN.
teroceanic canal in Nicaragua is recognized
as q necessity tor the prosperity OF The com.
merce of the world and the development OF
the maritime and commercial interests OF the
United States; and as such enterprise n'is!
Of necessity be considered as OF international
utility, under the protection OF the govern
ment of the United States, it is therefore re:
solved that the government OF the United
States pledges to accord full and entire pro-
lection to the company to which Shall De
granted q concession by the government OF
Nicaragua. for the construction OF said inter-
oceanic canal, and will secure to said COM
pany the peaceful enjoyment Of the rights con-
ceded by such grant. Referred to the COM
mittee on commerce. 80. Mr.. Eaton introduced
a bill to protect lite and property, and to pre-
vent accidents and the delay'of mails on rail-
roads and steamboats, operated under the lur-
isdiction Of the United States. Reterred....
Mr.. Burnside moved to discharge the COM
mittee on foreign relations from further con
sideration of the Joint resolution introduced
by him in June last, declaring that the people
of the United States would not view without
serious inuuietude any attempt by the powers
of Europe to establish under their protection
and domination q ship canal across the 18th.
mus OF Darien, and such action on the part OF
any European power could not be regarded in
any other light than as the manifestation OF
IN untriendly disposition toward the United
States. MIR. Burnside expressed the opinion
that the construction OF a canal across the
Isthmus under the direction Of q European
government would not only enable that gov
eminent to control the destiny of the State
through which it should pass, but it would be
dangerous to the peace OF the United States.
Having attained his object, which he stated
to be to set forth the reasons and to correct
wrong Impressions here and abroad as to the
motives leading to his introduction OF the
Joint resolution, Mr.. Burnside withdrew his
motion to discharge the committee on foreign
relations from its further consideration. Ad-
journed.
Hon. Henry P. Baldwin, appointed as a
SCI ator to I'LL the unexpired term OF the Hon.
Zaehariah Chandler, of Michigan, deceased,
ws.s sworn in and took his seat. Mr.. Beck
introduced a bill to authorize the payment OF
QUA W III lckhleU0uaOA AoDCo oo - SAAA
anne ndatory OF title No. 48 oil the revised
statutes 80 as to authorize tho purchase OF
tore; n-built ships by citizens OF the United
States for use in the foreign-carrying trade
both OF which were referred to the committee
on I'm ance. Mr.. Bsyard introduced q joint
resolu ton removing the egal-tender quality
OF the greenbacks and making them receivable
by the government Tor all dues except duties
on impo rts . &. Mr.. Ingalls, offered q resolution
that, in the opinion Of the Senate, the present
volume ut United States notes should not be
reduced, and that said notes ought TO continue
to be O lega]-tender in the payment Of debts.
Laid on the table and ordered to be printed.
Adjourned.
The first regular session of Congress was
opened in the House by Speaker Randall, who
called the members to order. After q prayer
by the chaplain the roll was called, when 232
members responded to their names, IS being
absent. The four members from California,
W. &. Thompson. of Iowa, and Waldo
Hutchins, Of New York, were then sworn in:
go. Messrs. Atkins, Biclnen and Garfield
were appointed O committee to wait upon the
President and announce to him that the House
was ready to receive any communication he
might desire to transmit. Alter an hours
recess tile Presidents Message was received
and read by the clerk, utter which the Hous
adjourned.
Mr.. Ellis introduced a Joint resolution pledg-
ing the protection of the government to the
Nlcarauguan InteroceaDic Canal Company
when it shall have obtained q grant from the
Nicarauguan government, which was referred
Mr.. White introduced O Joint resolution
proposing constitutional amendments provid-
ing that general appropriation bills shall con-
tain nothing but appropriations, and granting
tho power to the President to d%isapprove o
any separate item of a bill without thereby de.
feating the entire bill. Referred. MIR. Fort
introduced q resolution reciting that any at
tempt to withdraw or change the legal status
and quality Of any OF the paper money issued
by the United States or reopen, by legislation,
the currency questions settled by the decisions
OF the supreme court and universally adopted
und approved by the people, would be inju-
dicious and m~ischievious, and could only result
in disturbing business and retarding the re-
turning prosperity, and this House is emphati-
cally opposed to any such legislation" - Bills
were introduced: TO remove the Ute Indians
from Colorado. Revising the statutes so as to
provide that deputy marshalls shall be elected
from different political parties. Prohibiting
dress paradcs of the army on Sunday. Ad-
iourned.
On the first "bill day " among the more i'm
portant bills introduced were the following:
BY Messrs. Garfield and Woodworking
tor the reiunding OF the national debt. BY
Mr.. Weaver-provid:ng an appropriation OF
$500, 900, 900, with which to pay to the soldiers
OF the late war the difference between the face
value OF their pay in currency and the price OF
gold at that time. By Mr.. Findley-For the
transfer OF the Indian bureau to the war de-
partment. Adjourned.
FDRTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.