Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1874 — FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS.

Thursday, January 15.—Senate—Petitions were presented—asking for the appointment of a Commission to investigate the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors:, asking for the right of suffrage for women... .After consideration of the hill to establish post-routes throughout the country, the Finance resolution was taken up, and Mr. Morton addressed the Senate in reply to Mr. Schurz’ speech of the day before, saying that he believed that in order to bring our currency to par we must resort to some other means than contraction... .A resolution was agreed to directing the Supervising Surgeon of the Marine Hospital Service to prepare a brief history of the yellow fever epidemic of 1873 as it prevailed at various points in the United States, with especial reference to details of prevention and hygiene, and transmit the same to the Senate... .Executive session and adjournment. House—h. resolution was reported from the Committee on Elections declaring Wilson and . Martin entitled to seats from the First and Second Congressional Districts of West Virginia, and a minority report was presented by Hazleton, of Wisconsin. Both reports were ordered printed.... A bill was passed providing for. an appeal from the Circuit Courts to the Supreme Court in cases of habeas corpus... .The Naval Appronr ation bill was taken up in Committee of the Whole, and after the rejection of the amendment to punish officers for making outlays in excess of appropriations, except in cases of sudden emergencies in which the President may authorize in writing such expenditures, the bill was reported to the House and passed.... Adjourned. Friday, January 10.— Senate.—Numerous petitions were presented, one asking for the appointment of a Commission to investigate the manufacture of alcoholic liquors....A bill was passed appropriating $2,500 for busts of the late Chief Justices Taney and Chase.for the Supreme Court r00m... .The consideration of the resolution reported by the Finance Committee was resumed, and Mr. Sherman addressed the Senate at length, expressing himself as being opposed to inflation, and in favor of a gradual return to specie payment. ... Adjourned to the 19th. House— A large number of private bills were reported, and most of them were referred to the Comnfittee of the Wh01e.... Leave was asked and refused to introduce a resolution Instructing the Committee on Appropriations to inquire and report how many horses are maintained by the Government in the District of Columbia, the expense and uses, and who use them, and whether they are required for the public service: and, also, carriages and other vehicles owned by the Government. .. .Adjourned, the session on the 17th to be for debate only. Monday, January 10.— Senate —Petitions were presented from citizens of Kansas, asking that measures be taken to issue currency based on real estate securities; in behalf of the Winnebago Indians of Wisconsin.... Among the bills Introduced were—to reimburse Missouri for expenses incurred in arming and equipping troops hi the late war; authorizing the President to appoint five commissioners to collect information as to the effects of the liquor traffic and the practical workings of the prohibitory laws, etc.; authorizing the St. Paul * Sioux City Railway Company to construct a branch road from Sibley, lowa, to Yankton, Dakota.... The Finance resolution was further debated. Messrs. Wright and Logan speaking against the practicability of immediate resumption of specie payments.... Executive session and adjournment. Haute.— A large number of bills were introduced, among them—providing that the heirs of any soldier who was killed or died while in the

military service daring the late war, whose period of enlistment was for less than one year, or who shall have since died by reason of wounds received of disease contracted, shall be entitled to receive the same bounties as if that soldier had enlisted for three years; to amend the National Banking law sot as to provide for free banking, to give better security to depositors, to prevent usury, give elasticity to the currency, and place the finances on a more secure and substantial basis; to establish a branch mint at Bt. Louie; to provide for an examination and survey of the Minnesota River in the State of Minnesota, and for an estimate of the cost of constructing canal locks and dams on the same.... Resolutions were offered in favor of an increase in the currency with a view to relieve the business stringency, increase the revenue, etc., and instructing the Committee on Banking and Currency to prepare and report to the House without delay a bill for this purpose.... A motion to suspend the rules and adopt the resolutions, was defeated—-yeas 135, nays 98—two.thirds not voting in the affirmative.... A motion to suspend the rules and pass a bill providing that all printed matter, printed by order of the Government and beanng the -Official signature of either House of Congress, shaft pass through the mails free of charge until the Ist of July, 1874, was rejected—yeas 71, nays 163.... Adjourned. Tuesday, January 20. Senate. — Several petitions were presented among which was that of the Nuiloaal Board M Trade in regard-to cheap transportation, which-was referred... .The credentials of A. G. Thurman, re-elected to the Senate from Ohio for six years, from March 4, 1875, were presented....A bill was introduced for the payment of bonds of the Louisville and Portland Canal. ....Consideration of the Finance resolution was resumed, and the Clerk read remarks of Mr. Brownlow, who thought an immediate return to specie payments would be destructive to the business of the country. Mr. Gordon opposed a speedy return to specie payments, and Mr. Chandler thought the only plan was for the Govern meut to say it would resume specie payment on the 15th of January, 1875, atfd to make provision accordingly. ...Amendments were offered to the Post-route bi 11.... Adjourned. House.— A bill was reported from the Committee on Railroads, ordered printed and recommitted, to regulate commerce by railroads among the several States... .A new rule was adopted—l 24 to 101—providing that all motions to suspend the rules, except to go into Committee of the Whole, shall, before being submittd to the House, be seconded by a majority, as in the case of the previous question.... Adjourned. Wednesday, January 21.— -Senate. -Several petitions were presented and referred from women in various parts of the country, asking for legislation conferring upon them the right to vote; also, a memorial of the Indianapolis Woman’s Suffrage Association, protesting against the passage of the law limiting suffrage in the Territories to males... .A bill was passed explanatory of the act of March 2, 1799, to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage.... Consideration was resumed of the resolution reported by the Finance Committee, declaring it to be the duty of Congress to adopt measures to redeem the pledge of public faith, and furnish a currency of uniform value, always redeemable In gold or its equivalent, and Mr. Merrimon advocated the immediate resumption of specie payments... .Executive session anffadjournment. ——T7 ——~ House.— A bill was reported from the Judiciary Committee, and passed, authorizing Legislatures in the several organized Territories, except Utah, at each regular session, to make an assignment of judges to hold courts in districts, and when the Legislature fails to do so, then the judges of each Territory to make an assignment, to continue in force till the close of the next regular session of the Legislature A bill, was reported from the Select Committee on the Centennial Exposition requesting the President to extend, in the name of the United States, a respectful and cordial invitation to the Governments of other nations to be represented and take part in the International Exhibition to be held at Philadelphia under the auspices of the Government of the United States in the year 1876. Considerable discussion followed on the question as to the appropriations likely to be asked of Congress to aid in carrying out the enterprise, when a motion to lay the bul on the table was lost—42 to 206-and the bill was then passed.... The West Virginia contested election case was taken up and discussed, the question being which of the two elections, held on different days and resulting differently, was the legal and valid one... .A recess was taken until 7;30, the evening session to be for the consideration of the bill revising and consolidating the statutes.