Year: 1876

wAsHIsGroN, March 20. 1876.
number OF bills and memorials were introduced
and appropriately referred.


A Personal EXPLANATION.


Mr. WRIGHT trep.) OF Iowa, said no desired to do
what he thought he would do. While he was
confined TO his home by illness last Thursday the Sem
ator from Pennsylvania (Cameron) had sent TO the
Clerks desk and had read newspaper paragraph
charging several Senator's himself among the number
with having private secretaries paid for by the govern
ment For himself, he had no clerk appointed In the
Indian Bureau for three years. There is no person
ihere whom he had recommended; there Is no person
lhere who does any work for him, and he has pri-
yate secretary whatever. The only person who does
any work with anything with which he connected is
tho clerk to the Committee on Claims, who does the
work Of the committee. little paper published here
In Washington had repeated this SANDER and he could
pnly say that so far it related to him 1t
qualified sander, and he thought he understood what
we're the motives which prompted it. If such mons
strous misstatements continued in the papers
the press would become totally unreliable be
useless, and will become promoter of mischief In
Btead OF one OF usefulness


Mr.. WIrHERs, from the Committee on Appropriations
reported House bill No. 25s9 to supply the deficiency
for feeding the Sioux Indians He moved to strike out
of the bill the words $500 O00" and insert $3.50 OOO
Amendment agreed TO and bill passed


THE BLACK HILLS RESERVATION


On motion of Mr. ALLISON the Senate then took up
for consideration Senate bill No 500 providing for
agreement with the Sioux Nation in regard to por
tion of their reservation and for other purposes


The matter briefly discussed by Mr. HITCHCOCK.
who said he opposed to any further appropriation
Tor these Indians tor other commissions There
out there now-General George H.. Crook
who able TO make any agreement with these In
iians any commission that could be sent out to
hem.


Mr.. BoGY-we have been feeding these Indians
longer than were compelled to do by the treaty OF
S6S and this bill agreed to iced them during this year
Ill could what arrangement could be made with
hem concerning the Black Hills. The fact Is the In
iians in the right They own the Black Hills, and
duty TO prevent trouble; and 1t was for this
that the committee had agreed TO this bill
avoid trouble while the smatter being arranged,
and they believed the best way feed them this
summer A large number of whites had entered the
Black Hills and he believed II best always to expend
$000 If necessary each year. rather than incur the
Mr.. HAMILTON SAID this appropriation to drive
out the people who were in the Black Hills where
they had no right to be- and who were robbng
these Indians OF the only means they had o, getting a
living Two commissions sent out last year at
great expense who accomplished nothing, and II
was proposed by this bill to send out another commits
SION, when ought TO invoke the army 10 drive out
those who were wrongiuly occupying the lands Of
Mr.. ALLISON said that only one commission was sent
out last year. and that commission had paid their own
expenses and had not received one dollar of II
back and within the province of Senators hero
to say whether they ever should receive cent For
himself he did not care whether they were
paid not This bill to provide for
keeping the Indians while negotiations were pending
Tho bill contemplates doing certain things if the
Indians will do certain things. The obligations of the
feed them under the treaty OF 1858
cancelled and this bill said to the Indians 'we will do
the Black His You do not, and insist upon holding
us to the treaty Of 1865. then We will hold you TO the
same treaty.


Mr. MORTON said he had permitted this debate,
hoping the bill would pass; but, 1t quite evident
that could not he would call up the regular order
Senate BILL No. TO provide for counting the votes OF
President and Vice President


Mr.. MERRixoS, (dem,) OF N. c., asked leave to offer
an amendment to the pending bill, that the President
colonel in place OF the nve persons mentioned in the
bill Ordered printed


COUNTING THE ELECTORAL VOTE


Senate bill No l was then taken up, when Mr.. Ran
doph briefly addressed the Senate in support Of his
amendment providing that should the two Houses Of
Congress- acting separately, fail to agree as TO which
Is the true valid of State, tnen and in
that only the President OF the Senate shall
der decision on the question, and such rendition
shall be in favor OF that return OF State which shall
have received majority OF all the votes cast in both
Houses of Congress considered as II both Houses had
east their votes in JOINT meeting assembled He said
that the whole twenty-second rule had outlived Its
usefulness 1t sort OF political bastard which
had been dropped none too soon. State might have
wo of returns. For instance, Louisiana might
como here with two sets OF returns. The House
night agree to count set aud the Senate
might agree that the other set was the valid one.
IN hat case tAe vote Of Louisiana would be
thrown There would be 361 electoral votes ef and
$50 OF them might be for the republican electors and
si Of them for democratic electors and IN such case





cast for the republican candidate democratic Presi
dent would be declared elected He believed 1t TO be
bc duty OF Congress to SEQ that tho vote OF every
State counted.


Mr.. wHYTE tdem.) OF Nd, contended that the pre-
siding officer OF tho Senate was the proper person to
decide which the valid and proper return and he
thought It the duty of the Senate to determine that
question first


Mr.. MORTON said the twenty-second rule had been
abolished and within year they would be called
upon count the Presidential votes In the absence
pf that rule who but Congress would be competent
decide questions that might arise and would the
passage OF this bill be the decision OF Congress- and IL
the two Houses Of Congress do not settle the questions
that may arise who settle them


Mr. DAWES said he would admit that the pending bill
better than and be should vote for II, but It
not complete enough.


The CHAIR laid before the Senate the Military bill
from the House with the notification that the House
fail TO concur In the amendment OF the Senate.


The Senate agreed to adhere 10 the amendments and
ask committee Of conference, and Senators Sargent
Cockre and Harvey appointed the part Of the
Senate


Pending the discussion at forty minutes after tour
the Senate went into executive session. and at Eve
O'Clock adjourned