Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-05
OPENING DAY In CONGRESS.
BUSINESS SESSION OF THE SENATE.
KEIFER,
SPEAKER.

OKGANlZlNG THE HOUSE.
KEIFER ELECTED SPEAKER
The Senate.
The regular session OF the Forty-seventh Con.
greSS began to-day, and both Houses were called
to order at noon.
In the Senate, after the usual interchange OF
friendly greetings by the members, the President
pro TEN. Senator Davis, Il) formally convened
the Chamber and, after prayer by the chaplain,
presented the credentials of Senator-eect william
Window, chosen to I'LL the vacancy caused by his
resignation In the term ending March g. 1888; said
vacancy having been temporarily filled by the ap-
pOintment OF Ex-senator EdgertOn.
After the reading OF the credentials, Senator
Window, accompanied by Senator HOar, appeared,
Was " qualified, and entered upon his duties
Resolutions for committees Of notification to the
House of Representatives and the President, in
forming them Of the organization OF the Senate,
The annual reports OF the Acting Secretary of
the Senate, Sergeant-at-Arms OF the Senate, Chief
clerk OF the Court OF Claims and Public Printer
A communication was also presented by the
chair from the agent of the National Associated
aress making application for desk room on the
noOr ordered to be referred to committee on rules
when appointed.
The hour of meeting daily was fixed at IL
Mr. Ferry submitted resolution fnstructing the
commissioner of Patents to consider and report,
Dy 1Ill or otherwise, such proposed legislation as
snail ehectually protect all innocent purchasers
and users Of any device or article patented
under the laws OF the United States from pay
ment o. or obligation to pay any royalty for such
purchase, or use OF any patented article abandoned
70 pubic or general use by the inventor or paten-
Tee thereof. or from the payment of any royalty
Ior such purchase or use OF any patented article
Whatever, unless claim therefor shall formally be
made or presented by the inventor or patentee to
the purchaser or user OF the same within two years
article SO claimed to have been duly patented.
Mr. Ferry asked present consideration OF the
same, Dut at the suggestion OF Mr.. EdmundS the
rule.
THE LATE PRESIDENT
Mr.. Sherman submitted resolution, which also
lies over until tomorrow. for the appointment ON
the part OF the Senate OF six Senators to join such
committee as may be appointed on the part OF the
House to consider and report by what token of re-
Spect and affection it may be proper for the Con-
greSS OF the United States to express the deep
sibity OF the nation the event OF the decease of
the late President. James A. Garfield; and that so
much OF the Presidents message as relates to that
melancholy event be referred to the said COM
mittee.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
The regular orders were then proceeded with,
when numerous bills were introduced, read twice
and laid on the table to be referred to committees
when the same are appointed. Among these were
the following. BY MI: Morrill-FOr a commission
..
By Mr.. COnger-TO promote the efficiency of the
life saving service.
By Mr.. Beck-To provide for the retirement of the
trade dollar and its recoinage into the standard
By Mr.. Miller (Cal)-To enforce treaty stipula-
tions relating to the Chinese.
Memorial Hospital.
BY Mr: Hll (by request-In relation to the vene-
Zuelan award.
By MI. sherman-To provide for the issue of
three per cent bonds.
At 1:10 pm, on motion of Mr.. Ingalls, recess
was taken until 2:3O pm. to await the reception
of communications from the House and the Prest
dent
THE SENATE ADJOURNED.
Upon reassembling, Mr. Edmunds offered a res
olution continuing the committees OF the Senate as
they existed at the end OF last session.
Mr.. Pugh moved an amendment authorizing
the President OF the Senate to decide whether the
committees shall be equally or otherwise divided
between the two political parties.
At 2:35 the Senate adjourned.
THE CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY.
Senator voorhees, to-day introduced the bill for
the construction OF a building for the congress-
ional library east of the Capitol which passed the
Senate in the last Congress but died in the House.
rary building, and hopes to get bill through In
time for the work to be commenced next spring.
SENATOR sHERMAN's REFUNDINa BILL.
The following is the text of the three per cent
refunding bi introduced in the Senate this after
noon by Senator Sherman:
Be 1t enacted, de- That the Secretary of the Trea-
sury is hereby authorized to receive at the Trea-
sury and at the office of any assistant treasurer OF
the u. s. lawful money OF the u. s. to the
to 81 IN or Re Of that
amount OF registered or coupon bonds OF the
United states OF the denominations of $50,
prescribe, bearing interest at the rate of per
cent per annum, payable either quarterly SEMI
annually at the Treasury OF the United States.
Such ponds Shall be exempt from all taxation by
or under state authority, and be payable at the
pleasure of the United States After the first day
to be determined by law or in the absence Of such
legislation by rules and regulations to be pre-
scribed by the Secretary OF the Treasury. The
applied solely to the redemption of the bonds OF
the Q. s: bearing 81 per cent interest, and the
aggregate amount OF deposits under this act shall
not exceed the sum OF $500, COO, ,000
The House Of Representatives.
The assembling of the first regular session of
the FOrty-Seventh Congress had the effect of draw
ing to the Capitol this morning vast number OF
visitors AS early as 10 O'Clock the approaches
leading to the building presented lively appear
ance and by II every seat in the galleries of the
House OF Representatives Except in the space re-
served for the diplomatic corps was filled, even
the steps leading to them being utilized as resting
cordial hand-shaking and greetings Mr.. Keifer
STOOD for short time in the of the desks and
was warmly congratulated by his colleagues upon
his success in obtaining the republican nomfna-
ton for Speaker.
CALLING THE ROLL
The hum Of conversation and the bursts of
merry laughter continued until 12 o'clock, when
1t was promptly hushed as the Clerk OF the House
MIR. Adams, called the bo1y to order and an
nounced the opening OF the session. He then pro-
ceeded to call the r0 beginning with the state OF
Alabama.
The roll call disclosed the presence of 2s5 Repre-
sentatiyes-elect, and the list Of absenteeS was
called.
Mr.. Kasson, OF Iowa, called attention to the fact
that the clerk had called the name OF Farnum, as
Representative from the third district OF Vermont
instead or Gr0ut.
The clerk stated thatit was mere clerical error,
which he Immediately rectified.
The roll call was then finished and showed that
go Representatives had answered to their names
The absentees being Morse, Scales Mills and
DQeSter.
MR. KEIFER ELECTED SPEAKER.
Nominations for Speaker being then in order,
j. Warren Keifer, Of Ohio, was put in nomination
by Mr.. RobesOn; Samuel J. Randall, OF Pennsylva-
MIA, by Mr.. House, and Nicholas Ford, OF Missouri,
by Mr.. Murch.
MeSsrs. Burrows, (Mich.), Holman, McCoOk and
Ladd were appointed telleTS
The roll was called, and the result was as fol-
lows: whole number OF votes cast, 2S5; necessary
For Mr.. Keifer, 148; for Mr.. Randall, 129; for Mr.