River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-12-25
THE XLyI CONGRESS-.

MONDAY, Dec. -lSeRate-Mr. Voor-
hees presented the petition of 1000 ex-
soldiers ana sailors, praying to be paid
in greenbacks the difference in the value
of the greenbacks in which they were
paid fer their services to the government
and the value of gold at the time of pay
ment- Mr.. Butler, of South Carolina,
introduced an amendment to the senate
joint resolution introduced by Mr.. Bay
ard, withdrawing the legal quality of
greenbacks. The resolution, as proposed
to be amended, will read "That from
and after January LIST, 1885, the treasury
notes OF The United States shall be re-
ceivable for all dues to the. United States,
except duties on imports, and shall not
otherwise be legal tender; and any of
said notes that shall hereafter be issued
shall bear this superscription.n The
vice-president presented a colnmunica-
ton from the postmaster-gen recon-
mending a deficiency appro pfiation of
$206,2l2 for extra star mail routes
VOORHEES, also introduced resolution
providing for the appointment of COM
mittee OF i've senators to investigate the
causes leading to negro immigration.
MONDAY, Dec. i5-House.- Among the
bills introduced were the following: To
~
for the appointment of a committee to
report basis for reciprocity treaty
with the British provinces requiring
the secretary of the treasury to pay out
all gold and silver coin, legal tender
notes and national bank notes in the
treasury not required for current ex
penses, IN the purchase of government
bonds; annulling and revoking the court
martial findings and sentence in the case
of General Fitz John Porter, rest oring
him to the service as colonel in the army,
and providing for the payment of all ar
rearages as major-general up to the 1st
of September, '66, and as colonel there
after; providing that in case of
the non-surrender of the Ute Indians en-
gagged in the White river massacre, within
thirty days, the tribe shall be declared
public enemies to the United States, and
its rights to its reservation shall be de-
clared forfeited; for the organization of
the territory of Okohoma, oat of the
present Indian territory; providing for
the payment of arrears of pensions to the
widows and minor children of persons
who died of injuries received in the war
of the rebellion for the establishment
of a branch mint at indianapolis; to en-
courage the education of the colored
race; granting bounty lands to the sol
diers of the United States who served in
the war of 1861.
TUESDAY, Dec -l9eAate-Cockrell
bill authorizing the secretary of war to
don ate twelve condemned cannon to the
Francis p. Blair monument association
passed. Among the bills introduced
were the following: By Bruce, 10 pro-
vide for the investment of certain I'M
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 $4,000 for the erection
Of a 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 1895 of the revised statutes, so as to
allow applications and affidavts required
for the obtainment of patents for min
eral lands to be made by the agent of
non-residents; to amend article 1903 Of the
rules and articles of war, SO as 10 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 sh ort
executive session, the senate adjourned.
TUESDAY, Dec. -House-Mr. King
offered resolution for the appointment
of select committee of eleven, whose
duty it shall be to examine into the sub
ject of the selection of suitable route
for the inter oceanic ship cadal, 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
establishment 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
grants o. swamp lands made by the stale
of Minnesota, in aid of the construction
of railroads and other internal improve
ments; abolishing the military reserva-
tons of forts Abercombie, Seward and
Ransom, Dakota territory.
WEDNESDAY Dec. 17-lSeHate.
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 a full restoration of silver
coinage to an equality with gold is nee
essary to the people of the United States
as a sufficient and permanent supply of
money to maintain our national prosper
ity. Mr.. Morgan discussed his resolu-
ton at some length. Mr.. Thurman pre-
scented 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 such diseases. Mr.
Pendleton, from the committee on CEN
sus, reported 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 18th section SO
much as provides for schedule four, con-
tanning the inquiry relating to the
ownership of the public debt of the
United States. It 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 !,
1880. 1t amends section 19, so as TO re-
quirc the enumerators TO commence
June 1, $780, and TO require an enumera.
ton in cities having 10000 inhabitants to
be taken within two weeks from that date.
Ordered printed and laid on the table.
The senate then held short executive
session, and when the doors re-opened,
passed among others, bill to authorize
the free entry of competitive prizes won
by American citizens in foreign coun- |
tries.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. -House-Bils |
were introduced Restricting the legal |
tender currency to constitutional require |
ments, the bill reading 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 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