The Portland daily press., 1880-12-10
xLvIth CoNGRESS-2d Session.
SENATE.


WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.
On molten of Mr.. Pendleton that so much of
IL Q Presidents message as refers to civil
service reform was referred to select co,n.
mittee for examination of the civil service
Bill for the sale of the remainder of certain
Indian reservations was taken up and debated.
Bill providing for the sale of the reservation
of the Otoe and Missouri tribes and the remov-
al of these Indians to another reservation was
passed.
Bill to secure the safe keeping of money paid
into the courts passed.
Pension bin for Mrs. Mary A. Lord was re-
jected.
Mr. Withers Dem.) of Virginia, by request,
introduced bill to provide for the judicial de-
termination of pension claims against the
United States. Referred.
Bill to allow marshals and deputy marshals
to take bonds in certain cases was referred.
Bill to extend the time for filing claims for
horses and equipments lost by officers and en-
taken up, but the Senate adjourned until Mon
day without decisive action thereon.
HOUSE.
The fortification approprition bill was re-
ported, ordered printed and recommitted.
Mr.. Kelly introduced bill repeating the
tax on bank checks, medicines, friction
matches, bank capital and bank deposits.
wasreferred. +~
B:ll amending the law in relation to tax on
saving banks. Referred.
On motion of Mr. Talbot of Maryland all
action on the bill for the relief of j. M. Keis-
kell was vacated.
House resumed the consideration of the
Senate concurrent resolution relative to the
electoral count.
Mr.. McLane (Dem.) took the floor and pro-
ceeded to speak on the Senate resolution in re-
ply especially to the speech made yesterday by
Robeson. That gentleman (Robeson) had laid
dowd the proposition that no judicial power
could be exercised by Congress except by ex-
press grant. The te"th article of the Constitu-
tion was an express grant to Congress to count
the votes through all time. The twelfth arti-
Gle gave the House power to elect President
under certain contingencies. The House
must judge when the contingencies on which
| it might elect President. had occurred, and
the House could net thus judge unless it veri-
| fed every vote. The twelfth article imposed
on the House the actual necessity of counting
and verifying the vote When the day Of
| counting comes. let the Democrats take their
| seats and see that the votes opened by the
Vice President are genuine votes. If, per-
chance, they showed that (as twas the case in
1879 electors had voted whQ were not quail
| fed, let them have the courage to refuse to
certify or count such votes. or if they find the
Vice President opeued certificates where votes
alleged to have been cast are forgeries. let
them have the courage now and forever to re-
fuse such votes. He hoped the Democrats
would not be influenced either by filibustering
or by offensive insinuations that they were
Matching mischief. Except in the case of a
Hancock state, there was no question lin any
state. There was question. and very seri-
GUS question as to the vote of the State of
| Georgia.
A disiointed running debate then ensued,
participated in by Messrs. McLane, Calkins,
Cox and Mills.
Mr.. Lapham (Rep.) said that at the last ses-
sion he looked upon the pending measure as
an attempt to debauch the electoral count.
| Why were the wheels of legislation now
| blocked by question when it was admitted
there was no necessity whatever for the opera
tioD of the extraordinary provisions of this
resolution. That there was lying behind it
some purpose he was bound to assume from
the tenacity with which the matter was pressed
Under its provisions questioning returns
would justify majority in rejecting the vote
of state.
Several others spoke on either side and the
House adjourned.