By Mr. Ingalls: A petition of the Grand Lodge of Good Templars of Kansas. By Mr. Conkling: A petition of citizens of New York City. By Mr. Burnside: A petition of the Grand Division of the Sons of Temperance of Rhode Island. By Mr. Spencer: A petition of citizens of New York City. By Mr. McDonald: A petition of citizens of Indiana. By Mr. Kernan: A petition of Good Templars of Lowville and a petition of citizens of New York. By Mr. Thurman: A petition of citizens of Ohio. By Mr. Eaton: A petition of citizens of New Haven, Connecticut. By Mr. Anthony: A petition of citizens of New York City. By Mr. Oglesby: A petition of the Howard Temple of Honor, of Howard, Indiana. By the Vice-President: A petition of citizens of New York City. By Mr. Edmunds: A petition of the Independent Order of Good Templars of the United States. Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Finance. Memorials, remonstrating against any action concerning a revision of tariff duties until after it shall have been ascertained, by official inquiry, that such action would promote the restoration of general prosperity, were presented as follows: By Mr. Dawes: Nine memorials of citizens of Massachusetts. By Mr. Bayard: Two memorials of citizens of Delaware. By Mr. Wallace: Thirty-one memorials of citizens of Pennsylvania. By Mr. Kernan : Nineteen memorials of citizens of New York. Mr. Howe presented a petition of citizens of Wisconsin, praying the repeal of the bankrupt-law; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Petitions, praying an amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the several States from disfranchising citizens of the United States on account of sex, were presented, as follows: By Mr. Edmunds: A petition of citizens of Vermont. By Mr. Wallace: Three petitions of citizens of Pennsylvania. By Mr. Cameron, of Pennsylvania: Three petitions of citizens of Pennsylvania. By Mr. Ingalls: Three petitions of citizens of Kansas. Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. Mr. Wallace presented a petition of citizens of Pennsylvania, praying for legislation in the interest of labor and affording relief to indigent settlers on the public lands; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor. On motion by Mr. Johnston, Ordered, That William S. Mitchell have leave to withdraw his petition from the files of the Senate on leaving copies of the same with the Secretary. On motion by Mr. McMillan, Ordered, That the petition of Doughty and Card, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Claims. On motion by Mr. Dorsey, Ordered, That the petition and papers of Patrick Sullivan, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. On motion by Mr. Withers, Ordered, That the papers of Joseph Segar, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. On motion by Mr. Ingalls, Ordered, That Bridget Collins have leave to withdraw her petition and papers from the files of the Senate. On motion by Mr. Conkling, Ordered, That the petition and papers of Mary Wilkes, widow of RearAdmiral Charles Wilkes, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Cameron, of Wisconsin, from the Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the petition of Mrs. Sue Partee, submitted an adverse report (No. 32) thereon; which was agreed to. Mr. Dawes, from the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, to whom was referred the petition of Clemence S. Lozier, president of the National Woman Suffrage Association, reported adversely thereon; and . the report was agreed to. Mr. Jones, of Florida, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 184) to authorize the Secretary of the Navy to transfer to the Secretary of the Interior, for entry and sale, all lands in the State of Florida not needed for naval purposes, reported it with amendments. Mr. Jones, of Florida, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 258) to retrocede to the State of Florida jurisdiction over lands reserved for a dock yard, in the county of Escambia, in said State, reported it without amendment. Mr. Sargent, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 354) to equalize the pay of rear-admirals on the retired-list, reported it without amendment, and that it ought not to pass. The Senate proceeded to consider the said bill as in Committee of the Whole; aud, no amendment being proposed, it was reported to the Senate. On motion by Mr. Sargent, Ordered, That the said bill be postponed indefinitely. Mr. Sargent, from the Committee on Appropriations, to whom was referred the joint resolution (H. R. 59) authorizing payment of employés of the House of Representatives their salaries for time served by them during the present session of Congress without having taken the oath prescribed by law, reported it without amendment. The Senate proceeded, by unanimous consent, to consider the said resolution as in Committee of the Whole; and, no amendment being made, it was reported to the Senate. Ordered, That it pass to a third reading. The said resolution was read the third time. Resolved, That it pass. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof. On motion by Mr. Booth, Ordered, That the Committee on Patents be discharged from the further consideration of the bill (H. R. 1896) for the relief of Nancy A. Herrick, of Rochester, New York, and that it be referred to the Committee on Private Land-Claims. On motion by Mr. Ferry, Ordered, That the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads be dis charged from the further consideration of the bill (H. R. 1889) for the relief of David W. Cheeseman, of Lake City, in Lake County, in the State of Oregon, and that it be referred to the Committee on Finance. On motion by Mr. Dorsey, Ordered, That the Committee on Appropriations be discharged from the further consideration of the bill (H. R. 1888) for the relief of Macon, Georgia, and that it be referred to the Committee on Claims. On motion by Mr. Dorsey, Ordered, That the Committee on Pensions be discharged from the further consideration of the bill (H. R. 1104) for the relief of John Pulford, and that it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Sargent, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 304) to regulate expenditures in the Navy, reported it without amendment. The Senate proceeded, by unanimous consent, to consider the said bill as in Committee of the Whole; and having been amended on the motion of Mr. Edmunds, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amendment 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. Mr. Sargent, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 268) authorizing a general account of advances for naval appropriations, reported it without amendment. The Senate proceeded, by unanimous consent, to consider the said bill as in Committee of the Whole; 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. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Adams, its Clerk: Mr. President: The House of Representatives has agreed to some and disagreed to other amendments of the Senate to the bill of the House (H. R. 1526) to provide for deficiencies in the appropriations for the service of the government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, and for prior years and for other purposes, and it has agreed to other amendments of the Senate to the said bill with amendments, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate. And It has passed a bill (H. R. 2115) relative to the burial of the officers and others of the United States Navy who perished by the wreck of the United States steamer Huron, and for other purposes, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate. The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed two enrolled bills, H. R. 1532 and H. R. 1746, I am directed to bring them to the Senate for the signature of its President. Mr. Conover, from the committee, reported that they had examined and found duly enrolled the following bills: H. R. 1532. An act to provide a method for the settlement and ad justment of the accounts of the attorney of the United States for the District of Columbia. H. R. 1746. An act for the relief of the sufferers by the wreck of the United States steamer Huron, and for other purposes. The Vice-President signed the two enrolled bills, H. R. 1532 and H. R. 1746, and they were delivered to the committee to be presented to the President of the United States. Leave having been obtained, bills were introduced, read the first and second times by unanimous consent, and referred as follows: By Mr. Garland: A bill (S. 446) establishing a post-route in the State of Arkansas; to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads. By Mr. McDonald: A bill (S. 447) to recognize the Woodruff Scientific Expedition around the World, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce. By Mr. McDonald: A bill (S. 448) for the relief of the heirs of George McDougall, deceased; to the Committee on Claims. By Mr. Barnum: A bill (S. 449) to save the rights of patentees under section 4916 of the Revised Statutes; to the Committee on Patents. By Mr. Chaffee: A bill (S. 450) to authorize the President to restore Samuel M. Robbins to his former rank in the Army; to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Conover: A bill (S. 451) for the relief of James C. McBurney, trustee, &c.; to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Morrill: A bill (S. 452) to provide for a commission on the subject of the alcoholic liquor traffic; to the Committee on Finance. By Mr. Cockrell: A bill (S. 453) to remit the tax on insolvent banks in certain cases; to the Committee on Finance. By Mr. Cockrell: A bill (S. 454) granting a pension to Stephen C. Herndon; to the Committee on Pensions. By Mr. Dorsey: A bill (S. 455) for the relief of Patrick Sullivan; to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Merrimon: A bill (S. 456) creating certain post-routes in North Carolina; to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads. By Mr. Ransom: A bill (S. 457) to provide for the settlement of accounts with certain railway companies; to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Anthony submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Printing: Resolved, That three hundred copies of the last edition of the Biennial Register be printed for the use of the Senate. Mr. Edmunds submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Select Committee to take into Consideration the State of the Law Respecting the Ascertaining and Declaration of the Result of the Elections of President and Vice President of the United States be, and it is hereby, authorized to take into consideration and report upon the best manner of electing the President and Vice-President, and the duration of their term of office. Mr. Davis, of West Virginia, submitted the following resolution for consideration; which was ordered to be printed: Whereas section 1625 of the Revised Statutes provides that every able-bodied male citizen of the respective States, resident therein, who is of the age of eighteen years and under the age of forty-five years shall be enrolled in the militia, and section 1661 further provides that "the aunual sum of $200,000 is appropriated, to be paid out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of providing arms and equipments for the whole body of the militia, either by purchase or manufacture by and on account of the United States:" Therefore, Be it resolved, That the Secretary of War is hereby directed to report. to the Senate the condition and number of militia enrolled in the several States and what recommendation he may have, if any, looking to a more thorough organization and collection of information and reports concerning the same; also that he report to the Senate the amount annually apportioned to each of the States under said section 1661; and if any State has received or been credited with more or less than its proportion of the sum annually appropriated, and what amount, if any, is now due any of the States, and if at any time any of the States have been excluded from the benefits of said section; if so, what States and for how long; also, under the term "arms and equipments," what kind of arms and what articles are or can be furnished; also if, in his opinion, the amount annually appropriated should be increased. The Vice-President appointed Mr. Allison a consulting trustee of the Reform School of the District of Columbia in place of Mr. Hitchcock, whose term of service has expired. On motion by Mr. Anthony, The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the joint resolution (S. 3) permitting Commander Edmund O. Matthews, of the United States Navy, to accept a gilt teapot from the Emperor of Siam; and no amendment being made, it was reported to the Senate. Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time. The said resolution 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. Cockrell, The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 32) for the relief of J. M. Micow and others; and the amendments reported by the Committee on Claims having been agreed to, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amendments concurred in. 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 be amended to read, “An act for the relief of the estate of J. M. Micow, deceased." Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein. The Senate proceeded to consider its amendments to the bill of the House (H. R. 1526) to provide for deficiencies in the appropriations for the service of the government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, and for prior years, and for other purposes, disagreed to by the House of Representatives, and the amendments of the House to other amendments of the Senate to the said bill; and, On motion by Mr. Allison, Resolved, That the Senate insist upon its amendments to the said bill disagreed to by the House, and disagree to the amendments of the House to other amendments of the Senate to the said bill, and ask a conference on the disagreeing votes of the two houses thereon. Ordered, That the conferees on the part of the Senate be appointed by the Vice-President; and The Vice-President appointed Mr. Sargent, Mr. Dorsey, and Mr. Beck. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof. |