Year: 1879




WASHINGTON, May 26.-The bill reported by
Senator Bayard to provide for the exchange Of
subsidiary coins for lawful money and making
such coins legal tender in sums not exceed
ing $50 was taken up and Senator Edmunds
argued against the bill.


THE MILITARY AND ELECTIONS.


When Senator EdmUnds concluded, consid-
Grafton was begun of the bill introduced by
Senator Mcdonald authorizing the employment
of the militia and land and naval forces in
certain cases, and to repeal the election laws
Senator McDonald claimed that the respective
States have the absolute right to subscribe the
machinery for conducting elections. No power
tor this purpose was ever delegated
to the general government and it was
never exercised until of late years,
agency of supervision. The debates in the
convention that adopted the constitution sup
port the position he had taken. Nor was the
principle departed from until 1870, when
false plea of security and freedom and fairness
at elections was urged as an excuse for the en-
actment of the election law. The control of
the Southern States was passing from the Re-
publicans Hence they assumed the power of
interfering in elections for their own advan-
tage.


At the conclusion Of Senator McDonald's ad-
dress Senator Edmunds said he intended speak





LEGISLATIVE BILL SIGNED.


The President pro tenn. announced his sigma
turc to the legislative approximation bill, which
goes to the President.


TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMALS.


The bill relative to the transportation of ami
mails was then taken up.


Senator Mcpherson explained and advocated
the bill.


Senator Maxey opposed the last clause of the
bill, which authorizes the commissioner of
agriculture to appoint an inspector at each
port from which live stock and dressed animals
are exported, who shall inspect all animals Of
fered for export and is found in good health
he shall give the owners shippers certifi-
cate to that effect, and whose salaries shall be
81 500 per annum. He thought such officers
should be appointed by the President by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The clause also provides that the commissioner
of agriculture may fix fees for inspection to be
paid by the owner or shipper. As the repre-
sentative of great cattle producing State, he
protested against this direct tax on the export
OF cattle.


Senator Voorhees, moved to strike ont the
clause above referred to. Though he supported
the bill in the main, these inspectors would
have too much power They could ruin
shipper by withholding a certificate, and they
could receive bribes for giving certificates for





cased, but became infected in the stock yards
in Eastern ports, and any additional delay
there would increase the liability to disease.
For this same reason a certificate of health
given to cattle that spend only short time in
these ports would be worthless, because disease
incurred there might exist in the germ and be
developed while on the vessel. No
foreign country would accept certificates
of out inspectors. Governments are
jealous in these matters and depend only on
their own officers. England has found is nee.
ccssary to schedule against certain countries
where disease among cattle exists, and this is
one of those countries. No certificates of any
inspectors will take us off that test. The only
remedy to eradicate disease is by proper quar-
cntins and other health regulations.
Senator Mcpherson said that while he be
ieved the clause objected to should be re.
tanned. he would not in 'ist upon it as the prin-
cipal object of the bill was to prevent cruelty
to animals in transit, and to guard against
danger to public health from consumption o1
meat of exhausted and ill fed ANIMALS.


Without further action the Senate went int
executive session and soon after adjourned.