Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-01-26
CONGRESSIONAL.
MONDAY, JAN. I6.


Seudte-Sen Logan introduced bill to pay
Mrs. Abraham Lincoln arrears of pension for the
five years intervening the death of her husband
and the passage of the act granting the pension
the estimated total being SIS 600, and asked i'm
mediate action.
| Sen. Blair, of the pension committee, suggested
the reference of the measure to that committee
| as 1t was pertectlng more comprehensive BILL
which included this case and that of Mrs. Gar
| field The bill was so referred.
The senate then took up ingalls, resolution
seeking arrears of pensions
Sen VOORHEES,, OF Indiana, the champion of the
soldiers cause, made ringing speech in support
of the resolution. Explaining the features os the
bill as formerly passed, he said if soldiers broken
down with disease and wounds, had been slow in
presenting their claims, and have allowed the five
year limit to pass without doing So he would still
be permitted to prove his injuries and receive bis
pension from the time he was discharged from
the army on that account. 1t is said to the SOL
diers widow, that, though penury and ignorance
might have prevented her from asserting the
right for years, yet the government would still
make annual payments to her from the day and
hour when the husband sealed his measureless de-
votion to that government with death.
On bihl9 sve Gat Of the large
lowing are the most important:
To repeal the law imposing tax deposits
in banks; also repeating the stamp law on bank
checks and matches.
To define the crime of bigamy, and to provide
for the trial and punishment of offenders there
under.
To regulate the paper fractional currency. 1t
directs the secretary that within ninety days of
the passage of this act to procure suitable plates
for the production of paper currency, which
shall be legal tenders in less than one dollar.
This currency shall be of denomination of 10,
% and 80 cents Sixty millions of each shall be
issued, exchangable in sums of $40 and multiples
thereof in coin or legal tender notes of bonds of
the United States. 1t further provides that in no
case shall the currency be designated or termed as
notes promises to pay.
TUESDAY, JAN. II.
| Senate-A petition from the citizens of Kansas
was presented favOring womans suffrage.
Bills were introduced In relation to alcoholic
| traffic.
To authorize the cutting and sale of dead and
| damaged timber on Indian reservations by the in
| terror department.
| To enable the several states to collect school
funds by the taxation of fermented liquors.
| Authorizing and directing the purchase by sec
retary of the treasury for public use, of the
Freedman's bank property, and the real estate
and parcels of ground adjacent thereto, belonging
to the Freedmen's Savings and Trust Co.
| Hotse-In the house to- day but little was done
ofimpOrtance. The time was mainly spent intro
ducing bills and submitting resolutions, none of
which are Of general interest.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. IS.
Sendte-A communication was received from
the secretary of the treasury, in response to the
present rates of duties imposed by France, Ger
MANY and Mexico on American manufactures.
The committee ON judiciary reported back ia
vorably, the bill to permit Ward Hunt, associate
Justice of the supreme court of the United States
to retire.
The remainder of the morning hour was occu-
pied by Brown, in remarks on the currency. The
question of his text being his resolution declaring
the inexpediency of contracting the currency by
the withdrawal of the silver certificates the dig
continuance further restriction Of silver coin
age; and that gold and silver coin, based on a
proper rate as the balance between two metals
and issues of paper predicated upon and con-
vertble into coin, on demand to constitute a
proper circulation medium in this country.
THURSDAY, Jan. 19.
iSenate.-The president pro ten. submitted a re-
sponse of the secretary of the interior 70 the
resolution of the 18th inst, inquiring as to the
lapsing of the land grant to the Northern Pacific
railway, and in connection Herewith to the action
. of ex-Secretary Schurz, etc. The chair referred
the communication to the committee on railways.
! A long and earnest debate was had upon the
bill for the retirement Of Judge Hunt from the
supreme bench, which was finally passed by yOte
of Al to IA.
Sen. Shermans funding bill was taken up, and
Sen. Salisbury favored the bill. When he had
concluded, motion made by Sen. ingalls, to
lay the bill on the table, in order to test the sense
Of the senate upon it.
, Sen. Window having obtained q temporary
, withdrawal Of Ingalls, motion, proceeded to OPP
pose the bill as unnecessary, experimental, and
likely to involve the government in loss.
Assem5Iy.-The house resumed the considera-
ton Of the report of The committee ON rules in
creasing the memberships of the various commit
tees.
Mr.. Belford, having obtained Eve minutes time
from Mr.. Page, who entitled to the floor
! ridicuied the pending proposition. He tooB
| Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to task for not
, being satisfied with the chairmanships they now
hold on various committees, and then proposed
) that every member of committee be allowed one
clerk and two boot blacks. This brought down
the house. Mr.. Williams, of Wisconsin, then
took the floor and replied to Mr.. B.
The house voted by yeas and nays Joice's
motion to recommit the report, and the motion
was agreed to by loo ayes to 90 nays.