Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-12-13
FOrty-Seventh Congress.

MONDAY, December 4.-The presidents mes
sage was read and ordered printed. The senate
adjourned early, as a mark OF respect to the mem
DRY OF the late Senator Hill OF Georgia O.. Quite
a number of bills we're introduced into the house,
among them the Indian appropriation bill, a bill
TO further protect executive officers and employees
OF the government from political assessments,
and bills to reduce internal revenue taxation, for
the better regulation Of the civil service, to pre-
serve the purity Of the elective franchise, and
Others OF less important character. tt report
OF the taIih commission was pre- ented, and Tues
day next was fixed upon for the consideration OF
civil service reform bills. The death OF Congress-
men Lowe and Updegraif were announced, and
an adjournment was taken out of respect for the
memory OF the deceased members
TUESDAY. December Din the senate q resolu-
tion was offered by Mr. Beck (democrat) of Ken
lucky directing the judiciary committee to inves-
tigate the matter of levying political assessments
on government employees. bill was passed
permitting retired army officers to hold official DO
sitons In the territories. In the house bill
was reported from the ways and means COM
mittee for the abolition Of the internal revenue
tax on tobacco, snuff, cigars and cigarettes, and
referred TO the committee of the whole. A bill
was passed repeating and amending certain acts
pertaining to the shipment and discharges of sea-
men.
WEDNESDAY, December 6-The time Of the
senate was principally consumed In discussing
the bill for the establishment of a uniform bank
ruptcy system throughout the country, the ques-
ton going over as III finished business for Thurs
days session. A resolution was adopted 10 the
house authorizing the appropriations committee
to incorporate In the post-office appropriation bill
clause reducing letterpostage to two cents A
bill was passed (the first one of the SESSION. re-
funding to the state OF Georgia s35, 900 expended
for the common defence in It'll The views OF
the minority OF the ways and means committee
on the internal revenue bill were presented and
ordered printed.
THURSDAY, December TN the senate sub
stitute was offered to Mr. Beck's political assess
ment investigation resolution, directing an in
curry also into the contributions levied by the
democratic committee on liquor dealers, brewers
and other associations for campaign purposes.
The bankruptcy bill was further discussed, but
| no decision was reached. The house passed a
concurrent resolution TO print 20 900 copies OF the
tariff commission report The Indian appropria-
| ton bill was passed, and a bill to establish a
| home for INDECENT soldiers and sailors at Erie,
| Pennsylvania, was defeated.
FRIDAY, December Sin the senate Mr.. Nor
| rill of Vermont introduced an amendment to the
house nternal-revenue bill Incorporating the en-
| tire schedules adopted by the tariff commission
| ~ a substitute for the present tariff Mr. Beck 8
| political assessments resolution was debated.
| Messrs. Hale, Beck, Hawley. Allison, Edmunds
and Iioar participating The bankruptcy bill
| was also discussed MIR. Hoar speaking at length
| In defence OF the Lowell bill. The diplomatic
appropriation bill was reported In the house, and
| referred to the committee OF the whole. A bill
for the relief Of the officers and crew Of the iron.
clad Monitor, who participated In the action with
| the rebel iron-clsd MeIrmac, was debated In
committee Of the whole A bill was reported fol
reducing letter-postage to two cents.
SATURDAY, December 9.-ln the senate Mr.
Beck's political assessments resolution was dis
cussed at considerable length, Messrs. Voorhees,
| Hale, Beck and Edmunds being the principal par
ticipants In the debate Mr.. Hoar continued hi
| argument In support of the Lowell bankruptcy
bill Mr. Hawley introduced a bill to proven
officers Of the United States from collecting sub
scIiptions for political purposes, and MT DAwe
offered substitute for the Pendleton ciyil-servlc
bill. In the house resolution was adopted
asking the secretary OF war to specify items II
the last river and harbor bill which were not II
the interest OF commerce, The consular appro
priation bill passed and a bill introduced TO i'm
prove the civil service.
MONDAY, December IL In the senate the Low
ell national bankrupt bill was substituted for tn
ingalls, equity bill by a vote OF thirty-four t.
thirty. The measure was subsequently recon
mitted TO the judiciary committee for revision
A bill was introduced to amend the act re-eslah
fishing the Alabama claims court, and MIR. Haw
ley reported from the civil service reform com
mittee his bill to prevent government officers AM
employees from collecting subscriptions or asse.s
| ments from each other In executive session I'll
nominations Of Bligadier- General Pope to b
major general and Colonel Mackenzie to b
brgadel-general, respectively, were confirmed
80. The session OF the house WAS devoted mainl
, to the Introduction OF bills and resolutions
Among the former was one proposing cOnstitu
tlonal amendment relative to the election 4
president and yice-pIesident Of the United atei
and one for the abolition of internal reyenu
taxes and to allow a rebate on whiskey and I,
+, baccoi also one TO reduce the specie In the tIet
/ uTy TO 100000 by requiring the secretary /
pay out silver dollars for the current expenses
the government