By Mr. Burr: A bill (H. R. 1642) for the relief of William A. Scott, first lieutenant company F, 14th Illinois volunteers, to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Benjamin: A bill (H. R. 1643) for the relief of Thomas Ridg way, to the Committee on the Public Lands; Also. a bill (H. R. 1644) granting a pension to Catharine W. Murray, widow of Gilbert E. Murray, late captain 21st Missouri volunteers, to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Gravely: A bill (H. R. 1645) for the relief of John A. Beals, late of company M, 3d Iowa cavalry volunteers, to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Newcomb: A bill (H. R. 1646) extending the act of July 4, 1864, limiting the jurisdiction of the Court of Claims, &c., to the loyal citizens of all the States represented in Congress, to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Roots: A bill (H. R. 1647) to amend the laws relating to the Post Office Department, which now require test oaths of persons not paid by the government, to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. By Mr. Loughridge: A bill (H. R. 1648) to establish a post route from Springfield, Iowa, to Victor, Iowa, and from South English to Talleyrand, to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads; Also, a bill (H. R. 1649) for the relief of Lieutenant William H. Needham, late of 22d Iowa infantry, to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Hopkins: A bill (H. R. 1650) to grant lands to the Superior and State Line Railroad Company, to the Committee on the Public Lands and ordered to be printed. By Mr. Axtell: A bill (H. R. 1651) to legalize certain land locations, to the Committee on the Public Lands. By Mr. Sidney Clark: A bill (H. R. 1652) for the relief of certain pre-emption and homestead settlers along the original route of the Union Pacific railway, eastern division, to the Committee on the Public Lands; Also, a bill (H. R. 1653) to incorporate the Central Indian Railroad Company, in the Indian territory, to the Committee on Indian Affairs and ordered to be printed; Also, a bill (H. R. 1654) to regulate the pay of persons in the employ of the United States, to the Committee on the Judiciary; Also, a bill (H. R. 1655) to grant a portion of the military reservation at Fort Leavenworth to aid in the construction of a railroad and wagon bridge across the Missouri river, to the Committee on Military Affairs; Also, a bill (H. R. 1656) granting the right of way to certain railroads through the territories of the United States, and for other purposes, to the Committee on the Pacific Railroad. Also, a joint resolution (H. Res. 403) authorizing the division of certain moneys appropriated for and belonging to the Kansas tribe of Indians, to the Committee on Indian Affairs. By Mr. D. R. Ashley: A bill (H. R. 1668) to amend an act entitled "An act providing for a district and circuit court of the United States for the district of Nevada, and for other purposes," to the Committee on the Judiciary; Also, a bill (H. R. 1657) to aid in ascertaining the value of public lands containing mineral lodes, and for the endowment of a national school of mines, to the Committee on Mines and Mining and ordered to be printed; Also, a bill (H. R. 1658) to establish certain post roads, to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. By Mr. Chilcott: A bill (H. R. 1659) to establish certain post routes in the Territory of Colorado, to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads; Also, a bill (H. R. 1660) to enable the people of Colorado to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of said State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, to the Committee on the Territories and ordered to be printed. By Mr. Cavanaugh: A bill (H. R. 1661) for the relief of John H. Rogers, to the Committee of Claims; Also, a bill (H. R. 1662) to establish certain post roads in the Territory of Montana, to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. By Mr. Banks: A bill (H. R. 1663) to provide for the appointment of a financial agent of the United States in foreign countries, to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and, with the papers relating thereto, ordered to be printed; Also, a bill (H. R. 1664) for the incorporation of the National Art Union Association of the District of Columbia, to the Committee for the District of Columbia. By Mr. B. F. Butler: A joint resolution (H. Res. 400) to aid in the administration of justice in Virginia, to the Committee on Reconstruction and ordered to be printed. By Mr. S. Hooper: A bill (H. R. 1665) to amend the internal revenue laws, to the Committee of Ways and Means. By Mr. Robinson: A joint resolution (H. Res. 401) providing for the independence of Cuba, or securing the annexation thereof to the United States, to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The call having been completed, The Speaker announced, as the next business in order, the call of States for resolutions. Thereupon, Mr. H. D. Washburn introduced a bill (H. R. 1666) to repeal an act regulating the tenure of certain civil offices; which was read a first and second time. Mr. H. D. Washburn moved the previous question on the engrossment of the said bill; which was seconded; And the question recurring, Shall the main question be now put? The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are— Mr. William B. Allison George W. Anderson John A. Bingham James G. Blaine Austin Blair Mr. J. W. Clift Amasa Cobb J. Lawrence Getz Mr. Samuel Hooper Mr. George F. Miller William H. Robertson So the main question was ordered to be now put. William Windom Fred'k E. Woodbridge George W. Woodward P. M. B. Young. Mr. Theodore M. Pomeroy Mr. Lewis W. Ross Worthington C. Smith Robert T. Van Horn Cadwal'r C. Washburn Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time. Yeas. And it was decided in the affirmative, Nays... Not voting.. 121 47 53 The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are Mr. H. D. Washburn moved that the vote by which the said bill was passed be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate in the passage of the said bill. The morning hour having expired, The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House the following executive communications: I. A letter from the Secretary of War, asking the favorable attention of Congress to the claim of Mrs. H. L. Gates, widow of the late Brevet Brigadier General William Gates, an officer of the army for sixty-two years, for difference of pay due said officer; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. II. A letter from the Secretary of War, transmitting the report of the Adjutant General of the army upon the claim of Dr. Seth W. Langdon, of Vermont, for medical services rendered the United States at the draft rendezvous at New Haven, Connecticut, in response to the request of the Committee on Military Affairs; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. III. A letter from the Secretary of War, transmitting, in compliance with the act of February 22, 1867, the report of Brevet Major General L. Thomas, on the national cemeteries of the United States, with remarks thereon by the Quartermaster General of the United States army; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs and ordered to be printed. IV. A letter from the Postmaster General, transmitting a report by Gardner G. Hubbard, of Boston, draught of a bill, and other papers relative to the establishment of a cheap system of postal telegraph; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads and ordered to be printed. The Speaker also, by unanimous consent, presented additional testimony in the case of the contested election of Simon Jones vs. James Mann, from the State of Louisiana; which was referred to the Committee of Elections. By unanimous consent, Leave of absence was granted to Mr. Bowen for three days. The Speaker announced, as the next business in order, the consideration of the bill of the House (H. R. 1570) making appropriations for the consular and diplomatic expenses of the government for the year ending June 30, 1870, and for other purposes, and the amendments thereto, reported on Friday, 8th instant, from the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union; And the question recurring, Will the House agree to the amendments reported to the said bill? Mr. E. B. Washburne moved to suspend the rules to permit the adop tion of a substitute proposed by him for the said bill; which motion was agreed to, two-thirds of the members voting in favor thereof. The substitute having been thus agreed to, Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read the third time. Being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time and passed. Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne moved that the vote by which the bill was passed be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate in the said bill. Mr. Ela moved to suspend the rules to permit him to offer a resolution as follows: Resolved, That a special committee of five be appointed to investigate all matters connected with the contracts of Wells, Fargo & Co., for carrying the overland mails, and also the manner in which the mail service has been performed, and whether any mail service has been increased which was not warranted, and if so to what extent; and whether any money has been paid to contractors without certificate of service performed, and if so to whom and by whose order and to what extent; with power to send for persons and papers, and to employ a clerk and stenographer, and report at any time. And be it further resolved, That the proper officers of the Treasury Department be requested to make no payment to said Wells, Fargo & Co., on their said contract, till the matters connected therewith shall be fully investigated. And the question being put, It was decided in the negative, Yeas... Two-thirds not voting in favor thereof. The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are— Mr. William B. Allison Mr. Amasa Cobb George W. Anderson Samuel M. Aruell Delos R. Ashley Jehu Baker John D. Baldwin John F. Benjamin John A. Binghain Austin Blair Thomas Boles George S. Boutwell Burton C. Cook Mr. Norman B. Judd Mr. John P. C. Shanks Samuel Shellabarger J. H. Sypher Row'd E. Trowbridge Ellihu B. Washburne George W. Woodward. |