Congressional Proceedings

Tuksday, Jan. 15. - Slxate. - A number of bilis wcre introduccd and referred. Aniong thein were tbc following : By Mr. Dorsey, to authorizc tbc payment of fees of counsel for the defenae of poor persons in the courts of the United States; by'j Mr. Davis, to promote injiuüinititm to the Uuited 't States, and lor the protection of immigrante; by Mr. Wmdoni, for the reatoratlon of wageö in the i Government printiKg offices. . . . Mr. CliriRtiiiTicy presented a reeolutiou of the State Grange of Michigan, in favor of the construction of a nhip c:inal ' acrosts the lower peninsnla of Michigan. Referred. . ...t the expiration of the uiorning hotir, the resolution of Mr. Matibewa in regard to the puynient of bondu in Bil ver was taken up as unnuiBbcd business, and then laid anide informalïy, in order that Mr. Yoovhees uiight addrees the Seuate on a resolution subniitted by h(m before tho ' holidays, dcclaring it of the highest importance ■ that the financial credit of the Government be ' muintuincd. In order to bc so, the Government ' aelf, in all lts departnientB, should, in good faith. i keep all lts conti acts and obliga tions entered iuto with lts own citizen f?. Mr. Mat'hews, in exprcsBing i hiB willingncKs to have hie resolution Jaid axide for tho present, gave notice that he would aak the Senate to vote U on Monday next. Mr. Voorbecs then aililrrpsed tbe Senate upon the resohition submitted byhim... After the conclUBion of his remarke tho Senate tï journed. House. - The following billa were introdneed and referrod: By Mr. Duunell, to declare jurisdictíon of the United StateB over harbors and navigablc waters of the United States ; by Mr. Blalr, for the reduction of poBtage; by Mr; Springer, to prevent the farmer contract ion of the curreucy The House tben went iuto comniittce of the whole on the state of the Union, and db-cussed the eilver %ucstion The comniittce rose and the House adjourned, Wkdnksdat, Jan. 16. - Sknate. - At 12:30 a vote was taken on the pending question, to rcfcr the rcöolntion of Mr. Mat'.hewe, in regard to payin' bonds in silver, to the Committee on i the .ïudiciury, and it was rejected- ycas, 19 ; nays. 31 .... Af tor fióme diecuseion, fnrther coneideratinn of the MatthcwB resolution was, Dy uuanimouft consent, postponed until Friday next, at 1 o'clock, to-day being assigned for j eulogiefi upon the late Senator Bogy. At the ] piratiou of tbe morniug honr business j pended, and Mr. Oockrell forinally announced the i death of the late Senator Bogy, of Missouri, and ; eulogimxui were made by Senators CoekrelJ, Maxey, ! (Jiiristiancy, Johnson, Kernan, Merrinion, Sargeut and Arnjtjtro: g. The Senatc iben adjournc.l as a ; mark of respect to the memory of the Seuator. House. - A gift'to the Government of Carpontors painting of " Tbe First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamatiou" was reeeived and accepted The Jud"ctary Coroniitteo report d bilis to provide for stamping ungtamped d cuments and maktag porsons charged with crime, competent witncsspB in United States conrts. . . .The Houbo went into committee. of the whole and paëtied uoine provtmeut billi. . . .The comniittee rose and the ! House adjourned. Thcrpday, Jan. 17.- Sen ate.- Billa wcre i troduced and referrcHl as folio wb : By ilr. Ho we to punifih tho forciblc obrttructiou of inter-State commerce by railways. By Mr. Ferry, pro vid ing for the clafisin catión of mail matter and ratea of postale thercon Mr. Wadïeigh said that the ianiily-of the late Senator Morton found among hie papers his views as a niember of the. special committee in regard io Chinitie immigration, and be now ! pented Fiieta views, and moved that they be printed. So ordered .... After the morning business had been disposed of Mr. McDonald subnrittiHl resolutions of respect to tho mrmory of the. late Senator Morton. EulogieB wero pronounced by Messrfi. McDonald, Thnrman, Conkling, Morgan, Bruce, Voorhees, Edmundo, Bumside, Tïooth. thony, Wadleigh and Padduck. The Senate, theu, ; oh & f urthur mark of respect, adjourned. House. - Bills were introdneed and referred as follows : To retrict Chinese immigration ; extending tho operations of tho Lighthouse Board over j the TllinoiB river.. .Mr. Hewitt reported a bilí grantin' pensions to the surviving olncers, soldiers and sailors (or their widown) of the Mexican, Creek, Florida and Black Hawk wars. Ordered pnnted Mr. Wateon introduercl .1 bill to extend the províbíous of the laws relating to soldiera and saüors of the war of 1812. Referred Tbe House tbeu took ap and paesed tbc bill to makeperHOUB chargcd wiih crimes and offeiises competent witneuee in United States courts Mr. Banniug reported a bfll dirocting the Secretai-y of War to pky to the nmnera and soldiers engaged Ín the war wilh Mexico j the time iitonths1 extra my already providcd for by tne act of Congrees. Passed Mr, Cox reported back the joint resolution extending thanks to Henry M. Stanley, whifh was uuanimonsly paaeed Adjourned. Feiday, Jan. 18.- Sen ate.- Mr. Voorhees, by requeat, introduced a bill reviving and continuing the Court of Commiesioners, of the Alabama claima, and for the distribution of the unappro]riated moncys of tho Geneva award. lleferred ko the Comniittee on Jtidiciary Mr. Ferry preeeuted a memorial f rom the Michigan State Grange in favor of the conetruction of a sbip canal acrosa the lower península of tbat Stato. Heferred M-. OnnflVOD pronented 11 resolntion i)f tbe Wisconein Legislaturc in favor of the impro vemen t of Ibe 8t. Croix riveT, litferred Mr. Chrintiancy, from the Conituittee on the Jtidiciar% reported advnoly on the Seuati) bill to enliirge the jurisdíction cf tbe Court of Claims, and it was indennitcly poRtponed At tbe expiration of tbe morning hour the Sonate resumed conaideratiiin of nntinished bnriness, boiug tbo reeolution of Mr. MatthewB declaring the rlght of the Government (o pay the interest itnd principal of tbc bouds in tiilver, and Mr. Mcrrimon and Mr. M;ixey spoke in favor ttiereof... The Victs PresictöQt lafd befOM Ihe S nate a report of tiio Attorney General that he for.nd no authority in present laws foi PresLdenJ to obUge tbe Ouion Paolfio r;iiln :i-i 1.1 with the Kansas Paotflo, and tbat additioiml leielation is necessary. Referred. ... Afier exocutivo beaeion tho Benate adjourued tiil Monday. Housk.- Mr. Durhair. reported the Military Academy Appropriaiiíui bilí, nppropríuting $272,155, and it was made the special ouler for Tuesday next .... Mr. Siu glotón introduced a bill extending the jurisdiction cf tbe Southern Claimt Comuiission, Referred Mr. Springer, from the Election CommnV teo, presentod a report in rfard to the contestcd■!(- un ciie fur tht; Fonrth District of California. j Tbo report decJartB tbat Peter D. Wlgginton is entitled to tho eeat. Mr. HÍBcock subniittc d a minority report, declaring Romualdo Pacheco enUtled to a sat. Priuted and reoommltted Mr. Mills, of Texas, introducid a bill donaiing janda to the aeveral State and Territorien whicb may próvido college g ior the education of teníales. Bejerred Tbe uoiifte. went into committeo of the wholfl on private biUs Aflerward, Mr. Hauua called up the Benate resnlutione in x-egard to tbe death of Senator O. P. Morton, and enlogie oa the life and public services of tho dcad Senator wcre pronoanced by Messre. Iïanna, lírowne, líunter. Cal kin, Wilson, Hardenb(frh, Gurfit-ld, DanDeU, Wüliams of AVisconnirj, and Hazleton. The reeolutions were adopted, and the House aüjourued till Monday, Mondat, Jan. 21.- Senate.-A bill haviiig been reported to the Senate, Mr. Bock submitted a concurrent resolntion declaring that it is unneceeBary and iijexpedient to impose the taxey at thi timo aslred for by the Secretary of the Treasury to próvido $37,0(10,000 for a Binking fund, and direotintí tlie Secretary not to purciaso any moro bonds for tho liqnidation of the pTiblic dc-bt until dirocted to do o by C merrcsB. Laid over and printed BíIIb were introduced and referred as follows: liy Mr. McDonald, to eatabliah a mint for tho coiaaKO of gold and Bilver at InrtinnapoMs, Ind ; by Mr. Caineron, authorizing the coinage of a standard silver dollar, and provkling that gold and ilver jointly, and not otherwiae, shall be a legal tender; by Mr. Eustit, to authorize tho oatnblishmrnt of mail eteaitt=bip pervico between the Uuitcd Statcfland the empire of lirazil At tho expiraüon of the niorning hour, tho Senate rwumed conBideration of toe rf-aolution of Mr. Matthcwa, declarii'f? the rihtof the Government to pay itn bonds in bilver, and Mr. Jones, of Florida, and Mr. Cockrell spoko iu favor thereof Executive bUBineus waB tben traneacted, and the Sonate adjournea. Hoüé"E.- Bills wero íntrodneed: PropOBing an amendment to the constitution providing that no claim against the United States Bhall ever be paid imk'HH tho eame kIiuII have beeu presentad to tb proper tribunal within ten years from the time the claim shall havo accnid ; anthorizing tho coinage of tho uilver dollar, aud declaríuK gold and silver jointly, and not othorwise, to be full legal tender ; to regúlate Ínter-" tato coinmcrce, aud prohilút unjuat discriniiiiation by common camera ; for the trannfer of the índian Buroaii to the War Department; restrlcting the admiBsion of cadete at WeBt Point ; to prevent the further dcstruction or retirenient of the United Statea ireasury notes; declaring the senso of Congresa in regard to KubBidicH ; to suspond íor nve yeare tho operation of the Jaw roqniring the purchase nnnuahy of 1 per cent, oí tho debt of the United Statea.... Mr. Southard moved to tmspend the rules and pase tbo bilí authorlzing the payinent of customs dutlcB in Jegal-tender notes after tho lat of January, 1879. Tho motion to enupend tho rules and pass the biil was defeated - yeae, 154 ; naya, 96 - not two-thirdB In tha affirmative....The House then adjourned.