Year: 1872

! Senator Edmunds offered a resolution
of inquiry of the Secretary of War for
| information relative to re-imbursing
the Territory of Washington for sup
pressing the Indian troubles in 1856.
Senator Rice moved as an amend
ment to this resolution, that q special
commission be appointed to investigate
the Arkansas elections, saying that he
did so in order to get the matter before
the Senate. He then proceeded to de-
tail the allegations of fraud against the
Republican officials in that State, charg-
ing that the returns were falsified to de-
fraud the Conservative candidates of
their election.


Senator Clayton said that he was salts
fed that the allegations of hiskolleague
were incorrect.


Senator Sherman would not vote for
this proposition as an amendment to a
matter to which it was entirely foreign; |;
but he thought the subject was proper
one for inquiry. There were two sets of
electors claiming the right to cast the
vote of that State, and that it was proper
that the Senate should ascertain which
of them had the right to cast the vote of
the State. He would, therefore, favor
referring the subject to the Committee
on Privileges and Elections, and if the
committee saw proper it could authorize
sub committee to undertake the inves-
tigation.


Pending further discussion, Senator
Window called for the regular order,
the Indian appropriation bill. He then
moved to lay the Indian appropriation
bill on the table, which being agreed to,
he said that the Committee on Appro-
priations had considered the deficiency
appropriation bill and approved it. He
therefore moved to discharge the COM
mittee from further consideration of the
bill, his purpose being to bring it before
the Senate for immediate action.


Senator Edmunds raised a point Of
order, that the motion made by Senator
Window must lie over for one day.


The Chair submitted the question to
the Senate, and it was decided that the
motion could be made-ayes %, noes %.


Senator Window then said that al
though the bill could not now become a
law, still it would be a source of comfort
to the poor people who were interested
in it to know that it would be passed as
soon as the Senators came back from
the holiday festivities. He now asked
unanimous consent to have the bill con-
sidered to-day, and he now reported it
from the committee.


The bill was then taken up.


Senator Edmunds declared that he
should not consent to vote the lump
appropriation for the District Board of
Public Works. He insisted that there
should be an investigation as to whether
they had expended the moneys with
prOpriety.


Senator Morrill, Vermont believed in
the main that the Board had acted with
fairness, and justice and according to
law.


Senator Edmunds moved, as an
amendment, that the Secretary Of the
Interior shall reimburse the Board of
PublicWOrks for such reasonable eXpen-
ditures only as are incurred in making
Improvements in front of the govern
ment property. Rejected-ayes l6, nays
80.


Senator Edmunds then moved, as an
amendment, that the amount appTopTia-
ted shall be paid on approval of the
prices named by the Commissioner of
ayes -, nays q.


The bill was then passed ,and now goes
to the House for its concurrence in the
amendments.


The Senate after going into Executive
session, adjourned until the sixth of
January.


IN THE HOUSE.


Bills were introduced by Mr.. Lowe to
extend the time for entries on the Usage
lands in Kansas; by Mr.. Shanks to Sc
cure a more efficient Indian administra-
ton in the Territories and by Mr.. Park
er to amend the constitution in regard
to the election of President and Vice
President by the people.


A call of the House showed thirteen
less than a quorum present. Much time
was lost in cali G the yeas and nays on
the motion to adjourn. Finally the
struggle to keep the House in session
was abandoned, and at half-past two
that body adjourned until the sixth of
January.