Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1874 — FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS.

Thursday, Feb. 19.—Senate.—A. bill was passed amendatory of the act to revise, consolidate and amend the statutes relating to patents and copyrights.... The currency question was again taken up, and an amendment to the pending bill, repealing all acts of Congress limiting the amount of the circulating notes of National Banks, was rejected—yeas 26, nays 32; other proposed amendments were discussed and a substitute for one of them was agreed to, Instructing the Committee on Finance to reporta bill providing for the convertibility of United States Treasury notes into gold coin or 5 per cent, bonds of tho United States, and also for free banking under the provisions of the National Bank act. The question then recurred on the motion to recommit the bill, and a motion was made to reconsider the vote by which the foregoing substitute was adopted, and after debate the Senate adjourned. Home. —Bills were passed—extending to April 5 the time for completing the Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay & Lake Michigan Ship Canal; to provide for the.election of the twoßepresentatives-at-Large for Alabama unless the Legislature shall otherwise provide bylaw before the time fixed for the clectiotf; “requiring United States Marshals and Clerks of the United States Courts who have received fees and emoluments in excess of their legal compensation to deposit the same with the Treasurer of the United States....An animated discussion occurred on.the bill for the free distribution of pnhlic documents printed by authority of Congress, seeds furnished by the Agricultural Department, for the free exchange of newspapers between publishers, and for the free transmission of weekly newspapers within the county where published, after which a recess was taken, the evening session to be devoted to the bill revising the statutes. '

Friday, February 20 .—Senate. —The motion was agreed to—3l to 23—to reconsider the vote hj; which the substitute was adopted instructing: the Committee on Finance to report a bill providing for the convertibility of United States Treasury notes into gold coin or 5 per cent, bonds of the United States, and also for free banking under the provisions of the National Bank act, and the substitute was then rejected, and an amendment was agreed to—2B to 25—instructing the committee to report as soon as practicable a bill providing for an increase of the National Bank circulation so that the whole volume thereof shall not exceed $400,000,000. An amendment was then rejected Instructing the committee to report so as to provide for free banking under the present National Bank law... .Adjourned to the 23d. Howe. —Several committee reports of a private character were made....Chief-Justice Waite was present and a recess was taken, during which he was formally introduced by the Speaker to each member... .Bills relating to affairs of the District of Columbia were considered...,Adjourned, Saturday, February 21.—Senate not in session... .In the House, a petition was presented to have the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday declared a public holiday.... Several private bills were reported from Committee of the VVholoaud passed....A motion was agreed to—--115 to 88—to adjourn over until the 24th, on the ground that the 23d was to be generally observed as the birthday of George Washington. Tuesday, February 24 Senate— A joint resolution of the Legislature of Wisconsin, in favor of the removal of Indians from that State, was presented and referred.... Bills were introduced and referred—to regulate the service of the collection of customs ;4o regulate duties on imported wines; to enable the Menuonites of Russia to effect a settlement on public lands; to abolish the offices of Commissioner of Internal Revenue, the Commissioner of Customs, etc.... Petitions were presented from merchants of Chicago against any further Issue of irredeemable paper currency, and in favor of a return to specie payment; of 1,967 business men of Chicago, asking an increase of the currency; of two hundred and seventy merchants and business men of Chicago against any further issue of irredeemable paper currency... .A number of private bills were passed... .The bill to extend the time for completing the Wisconsin Central Railway was reported favorably from the Committee on Public Lands... .The bill to equalize the distribution of the currency was further considered, and Mr. Schurz spoke at length in opposition to an increase in the volume of the currency, and Mr. Morton briefly replied to the arguments of Mr. Schurz. ... .Executive session and adjournment! ; House. —A bill was passed to facilitate the exportation of distilled spirits.... Bills were introduced—yielding to the State of Indiana the lauds covered by Wolf Lake and Lake George; to increase the currency and provide for its Interconversion with Government bonds, and to abolish the sinking fund; to abolish capital punishment.... A lengthy discussion was had on the bill to provide for the distribution of public documents printed by the authority of Congress, of seeds furnished by the Agricnltural Department, for the free exchange of newspapers between publishers, and for the free transmission of weekly newspapers by mail within the county where published, and notices were given of an amendment to and a substitute for the pending bi 11.... Adjourned. Wednesday, February 25.—Senate After the introduction ot a few petitions and bills the hill to provide for the appointment of a commission on the subject of the alcoholic liquor traffic was taken up and briefly debated ....The bill to legalize the distribution of the currency came up and was further discussed, personal remarks and explanations taking place between Senators Schurz and Morton, both of whom were, in the course of the debate, called to order for unparliamentary personal allusions. The discussion on the hill was participated in by other Senators, the pending motion being to recommit the bill to the Finance Committee with the instructions agreed upon, directing the committee to report in favor of increasing the volume of the National Bank currency to $400,000,000... . A message was received from the President in regard to the Centennial exhibition, which massage was ordered printed and to lie on the table... .Executive session and adjournment, House. —Bills were passed—for the issuing and recording of commissions to Postmasters appointed by the President, wfih the consent of the Senate; to amend the Steamship Passenger act in regard to the publication of lists of immigrants.... Resolutions of the New Hampshire Press Association were pfesented in favor of the restoration of the law allowing wcekly newspapers free transmission through Ihe mails in the county of their publication, and declaring hostility to nny action that may result, directly or indirectly, in the restoration of the abuses of the franking privilege... .The bill to provide for the free distribution in the mails of public documents, etc., was further debated, after which the previous question was seconded—ll 2to 67—and the vot% on ordering the main question resulted in yeas 126, nays 117;, No further action was had on the bi11....An evening session was held for the consideration of the bill to revise the statutes.