Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1874 — FORTY-TIIIRD congress. [ARTICLE]

FORTY-TIIIRD congress.

Thursday, February 5. — Senate.— The House joint resolution authorizing the appointment of a Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives to investigate the government of the District of Columbia was passed, and the Chair subsequently appointed as the Senate members of such committee Messrs. Conkling, Boutwell and Thurman....A bill was introduced by Mr. Carpenter “to restore the rights of tbe State of Louisiana.”... .The bill (o facilitate the execution of and to protect certain public works of improvement at the mouth of the Mississippi River was taken up and passed—yeas 36, nays 9... .The Bankrupt bill was taken up, and an amendment limiting the operations of the 39th section, as amended and reported by tbe committee, to persons owing $3,000 and over wag lost—yeas 20, nays 28. An amendment was offered and debated, providing that persons who have stopped or suspended and not resumed payment of their commercial paper shall not be deemed as having committed an act of bankruptcy until after the expiration of ninety days, Instead of forty, as In the original bi 11... .Adjourned. Howe. —Bills were passed—concerning practice in the Territorial courts, and appeals therefrom; to amend the act of March 3, 1873, to encourage the growth of umber on the Western nrairies....The bill to incorporate the Colorado Canal Irrigation and Land Company was reported adversely from the Committee on Public Lands, and laid on the table... .The Army Appropriation bill was further considered In Committee of the Whole. ...The bill to revise the statutes was considered at the evening session. Friday, February 6. Senate. —Bills were passed—in relation to bounties,providing that alLwho enlisted in the army under the proclama tion of May 3, and previous to August, 1861, be paid a bounty of SIOO, providing the same has not already been paid; House bill amendatory of an act to provide for the removal of Flathead and other Indians in Montana Territory... .A bill was introduced and referred providing that all lands granted to railroad companies Bhall be subjected to State and county taxation The Bankrupt bill was taken up and several amendments were disposed of, among those agreed to being one fixing the time at forty days within which any banker, broker, merchant, tradesman, manufacturer, or miner who has stopped or suspended and not resumed payment of his commercial paper shall not be deemed bankrupt.... The Chair announced as a member of the Committee to Investigate into the Management of the District of Columbia Government,Mr. Morrill (Me.), in place of Mr. Conkling. Mr. Morrill requested to be, and was subsequently, excused from serving on such committee.... Adjourned. House.— A number of private bills were reported and acted upon, after which the Honse adjourned, the session on the 7th to be for general debate. Monday, February 9.— Senate.—' The credentials of John S. Hager as Senator from California were presented, and he was sworn in,... Bills were introduced—amendatory of the National Currency act; to amend the internal Revenue laws... .Mr. McCreery, at his own request, was excused from further service on the Committee pn Territories, and Senator Hager was appointed In his place. ...A bill was passed—4o to 20—for the relief of the East Tennessee University, and appropriating SIB,OOO to compensate * that institution for property belonging to it occupied and destroyed by the Federal troops during the late war. The Bankrupt bill was further considered, and several amendments were disposed of Adjourned. - , Howe. —Bills were introduced and referred—to reduce the rate of letter postage to two cents; fixing the salaries of Postmasters in certain cities; to regulate the hours of service in the departments at Washington, and to reduce the number of clerks; for the construction of the Bt. Philip Canal; also, of the Atlantic & Great Western Canal, and for opening the navigation of the Tennessee and Coosa Rivers in Alabama, and the Ocmulgee In Georgia; to repeal the Internal Revenue taxes on whisky and tobacco; granting aid to the Atlantic & Great Western Canal Company; to amend the law anthorizing a railroad bridge over the Mississippi River at Clinton, 10wa.... A concurrent resolution for a sltie die adjournment on the 15th of May was debated and finally referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.... Resolutions were adopteddeclaring It to be the sense of the Ilonse that Congress should not adjourn until some measures are enacted providing for a reform in the present system of the currency, on the subject of transportation, and for more economical administration of the Government; declaring It to be within the constitutional power of Congress by law so to regulate commerce among the States as to protect that portion of the internal commerce which is among the several States from all unjnst or oppressive tolls, taxes, obstructions, or other burdens, whether imposed by railroad companies or by combinations thereof, or by other common carriers, and that the present condition and mag- ‘ nitude of the commerce among the States demand a prompt and wise exercise of those powers find duties—l2o to 64.... Majority and minority reports in tkc contested election case from the Third Congressional District of Arkansas were presented and ordered printed. The majority report gives the seat to Wilshire as his prima fade right. The minority report directa the Committee on Elections to report on the merits of the case. ....A bill was passed appropriating $20,000 to dredge and protect the navigable channel at the mouth of Buffalo River against the sand-bar formed by the gale last December.... Adjourned. Tuesday, February 10.— Senate.r-A joint resolution of the Legislature of Missouri In regard to Illegal charges made by the Union Pacific Railroad Company was presented, and referred, ... .Bills were introdneed—to relieve the political disabilities ol Raphael Scmmes, of Alabama; directing the Secretary of the Interior to appoint Commissioners to locate and open a road for military, postal and commercial purposes across the Indian Territory from the month of the main Cashee River, in Texas, via Fort Cobb, Fort Sill and Wichita, to the month of the Walnut River, in Kansas; granting to the Atlantic & Great Western Canal Company currency notes to the extent of SBO,OOO per mile for each section of ten miles of canal that shall he constructed, provided that the company's first mortgage forty-year bonds to an equal amount shall have previously been deposited as security for the Government; authorizing the coinage of twenty-cent silver pieces... .The Uoubc bill authorizing the President to extend. In the name of the United States, a cordial invitation to foreign Governments to take part In the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia was reported from committee without amendment. ... .The Chair announced, as a member of the Committee to investigate into the management of the Government of the District of Columbia, in place of Mr. Morrill, of Maine, excused, Mr. Allison, of lowa, so that the Committee now consists of Boutwell, Thurman and Allison.... The Bankrupt hill was taken up, and amendments were agreed to—providing that arrangement for settlement between creditors and debtors, la order to be valid, shall receive the signatures of two-thirds of the number of creditors, representing one-half the*" value of the debta; that a creditor, proving his debt or claim, shall not be held to have waived his right of action or suit against a bankrupt when a discharge has been refusedipor proceedings been determined'without a discharge; that all notices of sales nnder this act by any assignee or officer of court shall be published in a newspaper or newspapers, to be deeign&tcd by the Judge, which. In his opinion, shall pest be calculated to give general notice of the sale. The bill as amended was passed—yeas 43, naya I;l....Adjourned. House.—A. bill* was passed prescribing an oath to be taken by Postmasters...,,.Several postal bills were reported, one providing that on mail matter of the third clase the name and address of the sender may be written, and also the number and kind of articles incloeed, and there may also be written in any book or pamphlet sent through the mall tbe form of presentation without extra postage being charged. ...The Army Appropriation bill was considered in Committee of the Whole... .A resolution was adopted providing for an Investigation into the affairs and management of the First National Bank of Washington at the time of and prior to Its failure.. ..Adjourned. Wednesday, February 11.—Senate.— The bill for the withdrawal of $25,000,000 of National Bank currency from those States having an , excess and the rsUsne of it to States not having their pro rata of currency came up In regular order, and an amendment to the eeetiou authorizing the Comptroller of the Currency to issue $25,000,001) to those States having lees than tbelr proportion, declaring that the Comptroller might do ao without waiting for the return of the circulating notes of other banks, was agreed to, after which a spirited and lengthy debate occurred on a proposed amendment to Insert "sev-enty-five" In piece of “twenty-tve" relating to tie amount to be withdrawn and reissued.... Adjourned.

House. —Bills were passed—extending to tbe Ist ofJanuary, 1875, the time within which settlers on the Cherokee strip, in Kansas, may make proof of settlement and payment, the deferred payments to bear 5 per cent, interest; relative to private contracts or agreements made with Indians prior to the 21st of May, 1872, declaring that until snch contracts are indorsed by the Secretary of the Interior and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs their legality must not be recognized by any Government official; to secure a more efficient administration of Indian affairs.... The Senate amendments to the joint resolution for g military court of inquiry In the case of General O. O. Howard were concurred in.... Mr. Bass (New York) was appointed on the Joint Select Committee on the Affairs of the District of Columbia, in place of Mr. E. H. Roberts, same State.... The Army Appropriation bill was farther considered in Committee of the Whole, reported to the Honse, with amendments which were agreed to, one of which extends the time for the presentation of claims to Noy. 1, 1875, and the bill as amended was passed.. ..The Fortification bill was taken up In Committee of the Whole and partially disposed of. ...An evening session was held for consideration of the bill for revising and consolidating the statutes.