The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-01-26
FORTY.SEVENTH CONGRESS-.
SRnnIE.

Petitions for q commission Of inquiry con-
cerning the alcoholic liquor traffic, for an in
crease of pay to members of the life service,
and from citizens of Kansas for woman suffrage,
were presented. -. Bills were introduced pro-
villng FOR Il commits -ion on the alcoholic LIQUOR
traffic; permitting Ward Hunt, supreme court
Justice, T. retire; granting pension to Lucreta
L. Garfield, etc. -. The arrears of pension bill
and the sherman rofilndinS bill were succes-
sively discussed.
Tho bill toretire Supreme Court Justice Ward
HUNT was reported iavorably. Mr.. Blair of
Tered a resolution instructing the committee
on public lands to inquire into the administra-
ton OF the land laws ana systems, their opera
tons III the practical disposition of the public
lands, and any abuses and hardships which
may exist in their administration, and to re-
port facts and recommendations. Adopted
MIR. Brown made a speech on the currency
question, his text being his resolution declaring
the inexpediency OF contracting the currency
by the withdrawal Of the silver certificates. or
the d1scontinuance or further restriction of
silver coinage, and that gold AMI silver coin,
based upon proper ratio of equivalence be-
tween the two metals, and issues of paper
predicated upon and convertible into coin on
demand, constitute the proper circulating me-
dum of this country. The Sherman refund
ing bill was further discussed by Messrs Nor
gan, Sherman, Beck and Bayard. Mr.
George introduced bill to encourage agricul-
all duties and imposts now laid ON machinery
Tor the manufacture of cotton or woolen goods
OF goods composed of hemp or jute; also on all
tools OF mechanics which are used solely in
manual labor; also on all agricultural imple-
ments and on all iron cotton-ties.
lively debate took place on the eherman
finding bill, the participants being Messrs.
salisbury, Window and Hill %. The bill retir.
ing Supreme Court Justice Hunt was passed
by vote of Al yeas to IA nays.
House.
Mr. belmont offered resolution asking for
full information as to the relations of the gov
ernmcnt with South America Mr. Robeson
called up the report of the committee on rules
increasing the membership of various commit
tees Of the House. Mr. Orth offered as a
substitute for the committees report his amend
ment for the election, at the beginning of each
Congress, OF commission charged with the
duty of assigning the membership of commit
tees. A long discussion followed during
which there was considerable excitement A
motion 10 lay Mr.. Robeson's report on the
table was lost 10y a vote Of lI0 nays to l07
yeas.
A bill was introduced for the sale of the
United States courthouse at Boston. "A bill
was reported for the sale OF the land of the
Miami Indians in Kansas, and report was
made on the subject of metric coinages, The
report OF the committee on rules, proposing an
Increase in the membership of certain commit
tees. was further discussed.
The day was chiefly occupied in the discus
sion of the report of the committee ON rules in
regard to enlarging the committees OF the
House; the report was finally recommitted by
a vote of 159 to 90.