The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-03-09
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.


The amendment of the Senate committee 10
the finding bill, fixing the rate of interest at
three and u half instead o: three per cent. rs
fixed By tho House, was rejected by a vote of 33
nays to 90 yeas. The amendment making the
bonds payable semi-nnnually was agreed to, as
was the amendment 10 create n 5-20 instead Of
@ $40 loan. Other amendments were voted
upon, after which the bill vas reported from
committee Of the whole To the Senate. g.. Mr..
Voorhees, offered n resolution, which WAS agreed
to, instructing the judiciary committee to i'll
quiro into the brS. method Of protecting inno-
cent purchasers from tho impositions practiced
by tho fraudulent ycnders of patents and patent
rights, and report by bill or otherwise.
After further amendments to the funding
bill had been voted upon the bill was passed
substantially rs it ranc from the House, except
that Il $40 instead of a $40 bond is pro-
vidcd for. |: provides for three per
cent. londs and treasury notes in tho pro-
portion of :4O0, 000, 0O0 o: bonds and $500, 000,-
ON Of treasury notes. Tho bonds arc to run
twenty wears, rc,lccmable after five years. The
commissions for the expense Of placing the
loan, etc, were increased from one-quarter to
one-half of one per cent.
The credentials Of Scnators-clCct johnson u.
Camden, of West Virginia, Howell l.. jackson,
of Tennessee, and james q. Fair, of Nevada,
were presented. 30. Mr.. Bayard, from the
finance committee, reported with q substitute
therefor the Senate bill to repeal all laws that
impose taxes upon the capital of and deposits
with banks and bankers, and upon bank checks.
The bill was considered, on motion Of Mr.. Bay
ard, who stated that the Substitute reported by
the committee, provided simply for the repeal
of the tax on bank deposits. The substitute
was rcad and agreed i. and the bill as thus
amended, passed.
Mr.. Blount reported from the appropriations
committee the snndry civil appropriation bill,
which appropriatcs sl9, 99l, 900. Printed and
rccommittcl. ...Th" river ard harbor appro-
"priation bill. which appropriates about $40, UO0,-
000, was passed The speaker laid before the
House q message FROM the President transmit
ting the report of the secretary of state in re-
la.ion to the resolution Of the House on the
thirty-firat Of January last, Oh the subject Of
international action for the restoration OF silver
to its full usc as money. The President says
the prospect Of al international conference on
that subject, promising valuable results to the
interests of this country, is such that he recon-
mrnds to the immediate attention of Congress
the propric;y of an appropriation providing for
the proper representation of the government Mt
such conference. The message was referred.
Mr.. Covert explained the provisions Of the aS'
ricultulal appropriation bill. The am cunt ap'
prODriatcd was $2.i2, 900, all increase OF S35,OO
over the appropriation for the present year.
One Of tie items leading 10 this Increase was
ting ur,.r.cl al.!nHnt which had been approprl-
atcd tr the rIMti.:alte of the experiments III
sorglrum. ...I Ir. Hard gave notice that he
would offer all uincntlmcn! providing for a
statis!ician and s,:barlinmte officers in the az
ri.ul.ur&l department, and IT. iniring that officer
to nak" l report ~ to the effect the customs
and r.yrnrr law. would, if continued in force,
l.uvr hereafter OH Tie agricultural people Of thu:
country; whether IT,: effect "f such laws has
hcc,! t. increase or diminish the price Of Amer.
ical, agricultural products in foreign markets
wl.:t effect they hav. lad on the price of cloth
iu. aul Vi a.ricIi5 ural tools III this country
alll whether or no: the wages of farm-laborrra
AMI tn" profits Of PERSONS engaged III aSricnl.
t,rc have been affected by such laws, and; ii
70, in what way and I" what extent.
Mr.. Carlisle. from the committee OIL ways
and means. reported O bill repeating all law.
im,usiii. taxes on bank checks, drafts ant
orders, bank deposits, friction matches, mcli
cal preparations. prrfumcrr, cosmetics, cologne
and other articles. .... Mr. Tucker offcref
resolutions, which were adopted, providing
that as a mark OF respect to the memory OF thu
late Fernando Wood. and in order to enable
members to attend his funeral, the House al
jo,lrn ut two o'clock. 80. The conference re.
port on the army appropriation bill was agreed
to.
Nr. Martin offered an amendment TO thu
agricultural appropriation bill appropriatinl
5000 for the continuation Of experiments ii
connection with the manufacture of sugar from
bccts, and for the cultivation of bects for tina
purpose. Adopted. Mr.. Bedford moved tc
increase TIE appropriation for the reclamation
of arid and waste lands in certain Western
States and Territories from $4,000 to $780, 900
Agreed to. The committee then rose and re-
ported the bill to the House. The amend
ment which was adopted in committee ~increas'
ing the appropriation for tho reclamation o
arid and waste lands was defeated in thu
Honsc md the bill was then passed.