By Mr. Armstrong: Two petitions of citizens of Missouri. By Mr. Randolph: A petition of citizens of New Jersey. By Mr. Christiancy: Two petitions of citizens of Michigan. Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. Mr. Christiancy presented five petitions of citizens of Michigan, praying the removal of their political disabilities and to be invested with the right of suffrage; which were referred to the, Committee on Privi leges and Elections. Memorials, remonstrating against any change in the rates of duty on foreign imports and against the restoration of the duties on tea and coffee, were presented as follows: By Mr. Thurman: A petition of citizens of Ohio. By Mr. Randolph: A petition of citizens of New Jersey. By Mr. Matthews: A petition of citizens of Ohio. Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Thurman presented resolutions of the legislature of Ohio, in favor of the free coinage of the silver dollar and the restoration of its legaltender character. Ordered, That they lie on the table. Mr. Merrimon presented a memorial of citizens of North Carolina remonstrating against the passage of a law providing for the abolition of the western judicial district of that State; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Mr. Christiancy presented the petition of Robert Grayson, praying an amendment to the pension laws, extending the time of limitation for obtaining arrears of pension to July 4, 1880; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. On motion by Mr. Johnston, Ordered, That the memorial and papers of the heirs of William A. Graham, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Patents. On motion by Mr. Kernan, Ordered, That the memorial and papers of Rollin White, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Patents. Mr. Bailey, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (S. 372) granting a pension to Adelia K. Clark, reported it without amendment, and submitted an adverse report (No. 88) thereon. Mr. Bailey, from the Committee on Peusions, to whom was referred the bill (S. 593) granting a pension to Margaret R. Coloney, reported it without amendment, and that it ought not to pass. Mr. Plumb, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 340) for the relief of William F. Grove, reported it without amendment, and submitted an adverse report (No. 92) thereon. Mr. Plumb, from th Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 341) for the relief of Charles H. Moseley, reported it without amendment, and that it ought not to pass. Mr. Plumb, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 28) authorizing the appointment of stenographers by the judge-advocates of the several military departments, reported it without amendment, and that it ought not to pass. Mr. Butler, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 377) to authorize the restoration of Stephen O'Counor to the rank of first lieutenant in the Army, reported it without amendment, and that it ought not to pass. The Senate proceeded to consider the said bills (S. 372, S. 593, S. 340, S. 341, S. 28, S. 377); and no amendment being made, they were reported to the Senate. Ordered, That they be postponed indefinitely. Mr. Bailey, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (S. 328) granting a pension to Mrs. Esther A. George, reported it with an amendment, and submitted a report (No. 89) thereon. Mr. Burnside, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 178) to remove all restrictions now existing in regard to enlistments of the colored citizen in any arm of the United States Army, reported it with amendments. Mr. Edmunds, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 3072) to authorize a special term of the circuit court of the United States for the southern district of Mississippi to be held at Scranton, in Jackson County, reported it without amendment, and submitted an adverse report (No. 90) thereon. Mr. Plumb, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 401) for the relief of Charles H. Moseley, reported it with an amendment, and submitted a report (No. 93) thereon. Mr. Morrill, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (S. 452) to provide for a commission on the subject of the alco holic-liquor traffic, reported it with an amendment. Mr. Morrill, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the joint resolution (H. R. 90) declaring that a reduction of the tax on distilled spirits is inexpedient, reported it without amendment. Mr. Bruce, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the petition of Nancy E. McClelland, praying for a pension, submitted a report (No. 86) thereon, accompanied by a bill (S. 724) granting a pension to Nancy E. McClelland; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent. Mr. Maxey, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred a letter of the Secretary of War on the subject of an amendment of the 104th Article of War, in relation to the execution of the findings of courts martial, submitted a report (No. 87) thereon, accompanied by a bill (S. 725) to amend the 104th Article of War; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent. On motion by Mr. Spencer, Ordered, That the Committee on Military Affairs be discharged from the further consideration of the bill (S. 165) to reimburse the State of Texas for expenses incurred by said State in repelling invasions of Indians and Mexicans, and that it be referred to the Committee on Claims. Mr. Bailey, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the petition of William McCartney, submitted an adverse report (No. 91) thereon. Mr. Bailey, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the petition of Isabella McGunnegle, reported adversely thereon. On motion by Mr. Spencer, Ordered, That the Committee on Military Affairs be discharged from the further consideration of the following memorials, asking payment to the States entitled thereto of the unpaid balances of expenses incurred for enrolling, arming, equipping, and supplying troops to aid in the suppression of the late rebellion, and that they be referred to the Committee on Claims: The memorial of James D. Williams, governor of Indiana. The memorial of J. F. Hartranft, governor of Pennsylvania. Mr. Plumb asked and obtained the consent of the Senate to submit the views of the minority of the Committee on Military Affairs on the bill (S. 26) to donate a portion of the military reservation of Fort Harker to the State of Kansas for the establishment of an educational or charitable institution, and to open the remainder of said reservation to settlement; which were ordered to be printed to accompany the report of the committee (No. 61). Leave having been obtained, bills and a joint resolution were introduced, read the first and second times by unanimous consent, and referred as follows: By Mr. Matthews: A bill (S. 726) for the relief of Henry E. Sizer; to the Committee on Claims. By Mr. Ingalls: A bill (S. 727) making an appropriation for the protection of the navigation of the Missouri River near Atchison, Kansas; to the Committee on Commerce. By Mr. Voorhees: A bill (S. 728) providing for the liability of receiv ers of railroads, in the State courts of the several States of the Union; to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. Voorhees : A bill (S. 729) for the relief of Jane Polk, widow of John R. Polk, deceased; to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Cameron, of Wisconsin: A bill (S. 730) to amend section 4414 of the Revised Statutes; to the Committee on Commerce. By Mr. Maxey: A bill (S. 731) to extend the commerce of the United States with Mexico, secure economy in the expenditure required for national defense, and to provide for the completion of a Southern Pacific Railway; to the Committee on Railroads. By Mr. Matthews: A joint resolution (S. 19) in reference to the disapproval of an act of the Territory of Arizona; to the Committee ou Territories. On motion by Mr. Dawes, The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the 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 tho United States, and for other purposes; and having been amended on the motion of Mr. Edmunds, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amendment was concurred in. Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time. The said bill was read the third time. Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid. On motion by Mr. Dawes that the Senate reconsider its vote on the passage of the foregoing bill, It was determined in the affirmative. The vote ordering the bill to be engrossed and read a third time, and the vote concurring in the amendment made in Committee of the Whole having also been reconsidered, the question recurred on concurring in the amendment made in Committee of the Whole; and It was determined in the negative. On motion by Mr. Dawes to amend the bill, It was determined in the negative. No further amendment being proposed, Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time. The said bill was read the third time. Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein. On motion by Mr. Dorsey, The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 623) to amend section 993 of the Revised Statutes of the United States for the District of Columbia, so as to make the 22d of February a holiday within said District; and having been amended on the mo. tion of Mr. Hoar, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amend ment concurred in. Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time. The said bill was read the third time. Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein. On motion by Mr. Howe, The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 648) to constitute a commission to consider and report a plan for providing enlarged accommodations for the Library of Congress; and no amendment being made, it was reported to the Senate. Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time. The said bill was read the third time. Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein. The Vice-President announced that the morning hour had expired, and called up the unfinished business of the Senate at its adjournment yesterday, viz, the bill (H. R. 1093) to authorize the free coinage of the standard silver dollar, and to restore its legal tender character; and The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the said bill; and, Pending debate, A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Adams, its Clerk: Mr. President: The House of Representatives has passed, without amendment, the bill of the Senate (S. 702) providing portraits to accompany the memorial addresses on the late Senators Morton and Bogy; and It has agreed to the amendment of the Senate to the joint resolution (H. R. 54) authorizing the printing and distribution of the memorial addresses on the life and character of the late Edward Young Parsons, a Representative from the State of Kentucky. The President of the United States has informed the House of Rep resentatives that he approved and signed, on the 7th instant, the following act and joint resolution: H. R. 2479. An act for the removal of obstructions from the Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, and Red Rivers, and for the preservation of the public property. H. R. 85. Joint resolution extending the thanks of Congress to Henry M. Stanley. I am directed to notify the Senate that the House of Representatives is now ready to receive the Senate in the Hall of the House, to attend the ceremonies of the presentation of the painting tendered to Congress by Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson. The hour of 2 o'clock p. m. having arrived, pursuant to its order of yesterday the Senate proceeded to the Hall of the House of Representatives, to attend the presentation of the painting above mentioned; aud at the conclusion of the ceremonies, The Senate, at 3 o'clock and 15 minutes p. m., returned to its chamber. On motion by Mr. Johnston that the Senate proceed to the consideration of executive business, Yeas. It was determined in the negative, Nays... On motion by Mr. Allison, 21 29 The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are, Messrs. Armstrong, Barnum, Bayard, Burnside, Cameron of Pennsylvania, Christiancy, Conover, Dennis, Dorsey, Eaton, Eustis, Hamlin, Hoar, Johnston, Kirkwood, Mitchell, Morgan, Randolph, Sargent, Saulsbury, Saunders. Those who voted in the negative are, Messrs. Allison, Anthony, Beck, Booth, Butler, Cameron of Wisconsin, Cockrell, Coke, Davis of Illinois, Ferry, Garland, Grover, Hereford, Howe, Ingalls, Jones of Florida, Kernan, McCreery, Matthews, Morrill, Oglesby, Paddock, Plumb, Rollins, Spencer, Teller, Voorhees, Wallace, Windom. So the motion was not agreed to. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (H. R. 1093) to authorize the free coinage of the standard silver dollar, and to restore its legal-tender character; and, Pending debate, On motion by Mr. Sargent, 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. Withers, at 6 o'clock and 25 minutes p. m., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1878. Mr. Conkling presented a memorial of the Chamber of Commerce of New York, in favor of an appropriation for the improvement of the navigation of the Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce. Mr. Ingalls presented the petition of William Winans, praying to be allowed a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Armstrong presented two petitions of mates, masters, pilots, and engineers, praying an amendment to the act authorizing the employment of aliens as engineers and pilots, so as to require such aliens, applicants for renewal of license, to show that they are permanent citizens of the United States; which were referred to the Committee on Com merce. Mr. Withers presented the petition of Joseph Owens, late a captain in the United States Army, in the war of 1812, praying to be allowed an increase of pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Allison presented two petitions of citizens of Iowa, praying an amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the several States from disfranchising citizens of the United on States account of sex; which were referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. Petitions, praying the removal of their political disabilities and that be invested with the right of suffrage, were presented as follows: By Mr. Allison: A petition of Clarissa Seymour, a petition of Mary A. Mills, and a petition of Sarah Coffin. By Mr. Dennis: A petition of Nancy M. Baird. Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. |