Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-12-25
THE XLYI CONGRESS-.


were the following: By Bruce, to pro-
vide for the investment of certain un-
claimed pay and bounty moneys now in
the treasury, and to facilitate and encour.
age the education of the color
ed race; by Booth, appro-
priating s20,00O for the erection
of statue of Prof James Henry at the
Smithsonian Institute. Bills were passed
as follows: Authorizing allowance for
| loss by leakage or casualty, of spirits
Withdrawn from distillery warehouses
| for expectation; to amend sections 1924
and 1926 of the revised statutes, so as to
allow applications and affidavits required
| for the obtainment of patents for min
eral lands to be made by the agent of
nOn-residents; to amend articie103 of the
rules and articles of war, so as to pro-
vide limitation to prosecution for deser-
| tiOna, fter an amendment by Mr. .Edmunds,
SO as to prevent its construction as ap-
plying to defaulters, &c. After a sh 0rt
executive session, the senate adjourned
TUESDAY, Dec. 16.-H0aSe.-Mr. King
offered a resolution for the appointment
of select committee of eleven, whose
duty it shall be to examine into the sub.
ject of the selecti1n of a suitable route
for the inter oceanic ship caaal, to which
all petitions, memorial, and reports re-
lative to such canal shall BE- referred,
and which shall have authority to report
at any time. Bills were passed for the
esta 1lishment of land office IN Mon
tana Territory; also bill for the estab-
lishment of land office in Dakota Ter
ritory; restoring to the public domain
part of the military reservation of Fort
Ripley, Minnesota; also confirming g
grants OF swamp lands made by the state
of Minnesota, in aid of the construction
Of railroads and other internal improve
ments; abolishing the military reserva-
tions Of forts Abercombie, Seward and
Ransom, Dakota territory.
WEDNESDAY Dec 17-Senate.-
Morgan offered the following resolution:
That the continuance of the existing vol
ume of U, S. treasury notes, with their
legal tender preserved, and the main
tainance of their equivalent in value
with coin, is demanded by the present
necessity of trade, commerce and indus.
try, and that full restoration of silver
coinage to an equality with gold is nee
essary to the people of the United States
as sufficient and permanent supply of
money to maintain our national prosper
ity. ; Mr.. Morgan discussed his resolu-
ton at some length. Mr.. Thurman pre-
sented a memorial of citizens, of Ohio,
largely interested in stock raising, asking
the appointment of commission to in
vestigate domestic diseases Of animals,
and to adopt and enforce, under sanction
of the secretary of the treasury,
rules for the prevention and
treatment Of sach diseases Mr.
Pendleton, from the committee Oh cen.
sus, reported a bill amending The act
providing for taking the tenth census
1t provides for the free transmission,
through mails, of correspondence be,
tween census officers and the department
of the interior. 1t also amends the said
act by striking out Of the 11th section SO
much as provides for schedule four, con-
tanning the inquiry relating to the
ownership of the public debt of the
United States. 1t also amends section
II, so as to allow the report obtained
from railroad corporations, express, tele-
graph and insurance companies to be
made for the fiscal year ending June l.,
1880. 1t amends section 10, so as TO re-
quire the enumerators to commence
June 1, 1880, and to require an enumera.
ton in cities having 100000 inhabitants to
be taken within two weeks from that date
Ordered printed and laid on the table.
The senate then held 6 short executive
session, and when the doors re-opened
passed among others, bill to authorize
the free enJry of competitive prizes won
by American citizens in foreign coun-
tries.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17-H0use-Bils
were introduced: Restricting the legal
tender currency to constitutional require
ments, the billreading as follows: "That
section $3.50 of the revised statutes, max
ing United States notes legal tender in
payment of all debts, public or private,
except for duties on imports and interest
on the public debt, is hereby repealed,
and that hereafter gold and silver coin
only shall be received in payment
of debts; also bill repeating
the stamp tax on bank checks. The bill
exempting postal employees from serving
on juries passed. A concurrent resolu-
ton for the appointment of a joint COM
| mittee of three senators and five repre-
| sentatives, to investigate the present
system of salaries, fees and emolument
allowed officers of the several United
States courts, to ascertain whether any
abuses exist therein, and granting such
committee power to report any time, was
agreed TO. The military academy bill
was discussed at length and passed with
out amendment.
THURSDAY, Dec. 1S-SenGte. The fol
lowing bills were introduced and refer
red: TO provide for the appointment of
commissioners to ascertain and report
| the loses sustained by citizens of the
United States by reason of Indian depre-
dations tor continuing the court Of
commissioners of Alabama claims, and
| for the distribution of the moneys of the
Geneva award Mr. Pendleton from the
committee on Indian affairs, reported
with an amendment, a bill to authorize
the secretary of the interior to deposit
certain Indian funds in the United
| States treasury in lieu of investment. An
amendment changes the rate of interest
| to be paid by the treasury on such mon
eys from five to four per cent.
| Mr.. Salisbury, from the committee
ION privileges and elections, reported
resolution that an attachment be issued
TO the rgeant.at-arms, commanding
| him to bring to the bar of the
senate for contempt, Smith and
other witnesses subpGnaed by the sub
committee to investigate the charges
against Senator ingalls,, and who have
refused to testify. Members of the Massa-
CHuSetlS nlSlOIICaI SoOlety p0litiou IOT dH
appropriation for monument to COM
memoratc the victory Of Yorktown. Re-
ferred. Petitions were also presented of
citizens, asking the appointment of a
labor commission. Referred. The reso-
luton of Mr.. Davis, (W. Va) i2structing
the agricultural committees of both
houses to consider the subject of agricul-
ture, and report what ought to be done
by the government to promote agricul-
tural interests, was adopted. The
pension appropriation bill passed.
| A long debate occurred on Voorhees, res