On motion by Mr. Merrimon, Ordered, That the petition and papers of A. M. Powell, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Claims. On motion by Mr. Merrimon, Ordered, That the petition and papers of H. H. Helper, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. On motion by Mr. McDonald, Ordered, That the petition and papers of George McDougall, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Claims. On motion by Mr. Conkling, Ordered, That the petition of Mrs. Mary Dove, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Claims. On motion by Mr. Davis, of Illinois, Ordered, That Keler K. Jones have leave to withdraw his petition and papers from the files of the Senate. On motion by Mr. Paddock, Ordered, That J. W. Pearman have leave to withdraw his petition and papers from the files of the Senate. The Vice President laid before the Senate an Invitation from the Italian minister at Washington to the members of the Senate to be present at the commemorative services of the late King of Italy, to take place on Tuesday, January 22, 1878, at Saint Aloysius church in said city. The Vice-President laid before the Senate a letter from the Commission ers of the District of Columbia, communicating, in answer to a resolution of the Senate of December 14, 1877, information in relation to the repair and improvement of streets of said District; which was referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia and ordered to be printed. On motion by Mr. Plumb, Ordered, That the petition and papers of Joseph C. Irwin and William Phillips, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Claims. Leave having been obtained, bills were introduced, read the first and second times by unanimous consent, and referred as follows: By Mr. Plumb: A bill (S. 554) to provide for the improvement of the Osage River in Missouri and Kansas; to the Committee on Commerce. By Mr. Plumb: A bill (S. 555) establishing certain post-roads in the State of Kansas; to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads. By Mr. Plumb: A bill (S. 556) for the relief of Joseph C. Irwin and William Phillips; to the Committee on Claims. By Mr. Dawes: A bill (S. 557) directing the Secretary of the Treasury to purchase certain property of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company for the use of the United States, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds. By Mr. Chaffee: A bill (S. 558) declaratory of the meaning and intendment of the fifteenth section of the act entitled "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph-line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, and to secure to the government the use of the same for postal, military, and other purposes, approved July 1, 1862,'" approved July 2, 1864; and also to amend the act of Congress, approved June 20, 1874, entitled "An act making additions to the fifteenth section of the act approved July 2, 1864, entitled 'An act to amend an act entitled "An act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, and to secure to the government the use of the same for postal, military, and other purposes," approved July 1, 1862,'" and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. McCreery: A bill (S. 559) for the relief of James C. Rudd; to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads. By Mr. Conkling: A bill (S. 560) for the relief of William A. Hammond, late Surgeon-General of the Army; to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Conkling: A bill (S. 561) granting increased pension to William H. Nims; to the Committee on Pensions. By Mr. Jones, of Florida: A bill (S. 562) for the relief of William Marvin; to the Committee on Private Land-Claims. By Mr. Eustis: A bill (S. 563) to authorize the establishment of mail steamship service between the United States and the Empire of Brazil; to the Committee on Post Offices and Post-Roads. By Mr. McDonald: A bill (S. 564) to establish a mint for the coinage of gold and silver at Indianapolis, in the State of Indiana, and appro priating certain government grounds and buildings to the use of the same, as also money for the purchase of the necessary machinery; to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds. By Mr. Cameron, of Pennsylvania: A bill (S. 565) authorizing the coinage of the standard silver dollar and providing that gold and silver, jointly, and not otherwise, shall be a full legal tender; to the Committee on Finance. By Mr. Eaton: A bill (S. 566) in relation to the Venezuelan Mixed Commission; to the Committee on Foreign Relations. By Mr. Eaton: A bill (S. 567) for the relief of William Carruthers; and A bill (S. 568) for the relief of Captain James A. Bates; to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Eaton: A bill (S. 569) for the relief of the sureties of E. K. Winship, late assistant paymaster United States Navy; to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. Wadleigh: Å bill (S. 570) to enable Moses Marshall to have a hearing before the Commissioner of Patents; and A bill (S. 571) to enable Albert Fuller to have a hearing before the Commissioner of Patents; to the Committee on Patents. By Mr. Matthews: A bill (S. 572) to incorporate the Rand Gas-Light Company of the District of Columbia; to the Committee on the District of Columbia. Mr. Beck submitted the following resolution for consideration; which was ordered to be printed: Whereas it is of the highest importance in the present depressed condition of the industries of the people that taxation should be reduced to the lowest point consistent with a faithful discharge of the obliga tions of the government and an economical administration of its affairs; and Whereas the Secretary of the Treasury, in his estimates of the sums to be provided by the present Congress, includes $37,196,045.04 to be applied during the next fiscal year in the purchase of United States bonds under the provisions of the acts of February 25, 1862, and July 14, 1870, providing a sinking-fund for the extinction of the uational debt; and Whereas the last Secretary of the Treasury, in his annual report to the Forty-fourth Congress in December, 1876, showed that up to July 1,1876, the literal compliance with the provisions of said laws from the time they went into effect required the application of $433,848,215.37 to the purposes provided for in said acts, and that $658,992,226.14 had been so applied, being an excess of $225,144,010.77 over the amount required by the law to be so applied up to that date; and Whereas the present Secretary of the Treasury, in his report to this Congress in December last, after repeating the statements of his predecessor upon that subject, says: "On the same basis the amount of the sinking-fund would have reached $475,318,888.78 on the 1st of July, 1877, on which date the reduction of the debt, including accrued interest, less cash in the Treasury, since its highest point in 1865, amounted to $696,273,348.17, or $220,954,459.39 in excess of the amount required by law to be provided for that fund": Therefore, Be it resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That it is unnecessary and inexpedient either to maintain or impose taxes at this time for the purpose of providing for the $37,196,045.04 asked for by the Secretary of the Treasury in his estimates for the purpose of providing further for the sinking-fund, and that the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby directed not to purchase any bonds for the reduction of the principal of the national debt till the further order of Congress; and that the committees of Congress having charge of the subject be, and they are hereby, instructed not to provide for the payment during the next fiscal year of any part of said sum in the adjustment of the taxation required for the maintenance and support of the government. Mr. Thurman submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Whereas the President of the Senate has laid before it a letter to him from the Italian minister, stating "that a commemorative service for His Majesty, the late King of Italy, Victor Emanuel II, will take place on Tuesday, the 22d instant, at half past 10 o'clock a. m., in the church of Saint Aloysius, and that seats will be kept for the honorable members of the United States Senate who would honor the ceremony by their presence"; Therefore, Be it resolved, That when the Senate adjourns it be to half past one o'clock to-morrow, in order to allow Senators to attend said commemorative service. Mr. Burnside withdrew the motion submitted by him on the 10th instant to reconsider the vote agreeing to the resolution directing the Committee on the Judiciary to inquire and report upon what action had been taken by any department of the government in the matter of the restoration of Benjamin P. Runkle to his former position in the Army. On motion by Mr. Anthony that the Senate reconsider its vote agreeing to the resolution instructing the Committee on Naval Affairs to inquire into the alleged reinstatement or restoration of Lemuel J. Draper to the position formerly held by him in the Medical Corps of the Navy, Ordered, That the consideration of the motion be postponed to to-mor row. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Adams, its Clerk: Mr. President: The House of Representatives has passed the bill of the Senate (S. 412) to punish embezzlement in the District of Columbia and to protect the records of said District, and for other purposes, with amendments, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate; and It has passed a bill (H. R. 2057) to amend the charter of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company of the District of Columbia, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate. The President of the United States has informed the House of Rep resentatives that he approved and signed, on the 14th instant, an act (H. R. 1637) establishing post-roads; and He approved and signed, on the 18th instant, an act (H. R. 2142) to authorize and direct the Secretary of State to affix the great seal of the United States to a certain document therein stated. The Vice-President announced that the morning hour had expired, and called up the unfinished business of the Senate at its last adjourn ment, viz, the resolution submitted by Mr. Matthews December 6, 1877, relative to the payment of certain bonds of the United States; and The Senate resumed the consideration of the said resolution; and The question being on the amendment proposed by Mr. Conkling, Pending debate, On motion by Mr. Edmunds, The Senate proceeded to the consideration of executive business; and After the consideration of executive business the doors were opened, and, On motion by Mr. Edmunds, at 4 o'clock and 35 minutes p. m., TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1878. The bill (H. R. 2057) yesterday received from the House of Representatives for concurrence was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia. The Senate proceeded to consider the amendments of the House of Representatives to the bill of the Senate (S. 412) to punish embezzlement in the District of Columbia and to protect the records of said District, and for other purposes; and, On motion by Mr. Dorsey, Ordered, That the said bill and amendments be referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia. Mr. Oglesby presented the petition of Martha C. Kendall, praying to be allowed a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Christiancy presented a petition of citizens of Utah Territory, praying the passage of a law changing the place for holding terms of the United States court in the second judicial district of that Territory; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Mr. Maxey presented a petition of citizens of Lamar County, Texas, praying the establishment of a post-route from Paris to Goodland, in that State; which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads. Mr. Cameron, of Wisconsin, presented a petition of the Grand Lodge of Honor of Wisconsin, praying the appointment of a commission to investigate the traffic in alcoholic liquors; which was referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Oglesby presented a memorial of citizens of Chicago, Illinois, remonstrating against an extension of the patent to E. N. Horsford for the manufacture of an acid substitute for cream of tartar, used for culinary purposes; which was referred to the Committee on Patents. Mr. Oglesby presented a petition of citizens of Plano, Illinois, in behalf of Mrs. Mary E. Lowe, praying that she be allowed a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. McDonald presented a petition of citizens of Fort Wayne, Indiana, praying an amendment to section 3387 of the Revised Statutes, in relation to what constitutes the premises or apartments of a cigarmanufacturer; which was referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Withers presented a petition of depositors in the Richmond, Virginia, Branch of Freedman's Savings and Trust Company, praying to have refunded them the amount of their deposits in said institution; which was referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Howe presented a memorial of the Chamber of Commerce of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, praying an appropriation for the completion of the breakwater and the entrance to the harbor of refuge in Sturgeon Bay; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce. Mr. Whyte presented a memorial of business men of Baltimore, New York, and other cities, remonstrating against any increase in the rates of duty on vinegar; which was referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Whyte presented a memorial of William Chandler, late a commander in the United States Navy, praying to be allowed the difference between the leave-pay of a lieutenant and that of a commander from September 14, 1855, to December 22, 1858; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. Mr. Dawes presented a resolution of the Fall River Manufacturers' Board of Trade, remonstrating against the passage of the bill for the remonetization of silver; which was referred to the Committee on Fi nance. Mr. Withers presented resolutions adopted at a public meeting of citizens of Alexandria, Virginia, in favor of the remonetization of silver and for the resumption of specie payments; which were referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Wadleigh presented the petition of Edmund R. Batchelder, late of Company B, Eleventh New Hampshire Volunteers, praying to be restored to the pension rolls; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Memorials, remonstrating against any action being taken concerning a revision of tariff duties until after it shall have been ascertained by official inquiry that such action would best promote general prosperity, were presented as follows: By Mr. Conkling: A memorial of citizens of New York. By Mr. Kernan: Two memorials of citizens of New York. By Mr. Ferry: A memorial of citizens of Michigan. By Mr. Burnside: Two memorials of citizens of Rhode Island. By Mr. Wallace: A memorial of citizens of Pennsylvania. By Mr. Matthews: Two memorials of citizens of Ohio. By Mr. Anthony: A memorial of citizens of Rhode Island. Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Armstrong presented the petition of Virginia Gardner, widow of Commodore William H. Gardner, deceased, late of the United States Navy, praying to be allowed a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Windom presented a memorial of citizens of Minnesota, remonstrating against an extension of E. N. Horsford's patent for an acid substitute for cream of tartar, for culinary purposes; which was referred to the Committee on Patents. The Vice-President laid before the Senate a letter of the Secretary of War, communicating his views in relation to the bill (S. 165) to reimburse the State of Texas for expenses incurred in repelling invasions by Indians and Mexicans; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs and ordered to be printed. |