a resolution of the House, of the 25th instant, relative to gaugers' fees, to the Committee of Ways and Means. II. A letter from the Secretary of the Interior, in relation to the construction of penitentiaries in certain Territories therein named, to the Committee on the Territories. III. A letter from the same, submitting a report of the commissioners under the 10th article of the Pottawattomie treaty of August 7, 1868, to the Committee on Appropriations. Mr. Dawes called up, and the House proceeded to consider, the report of the Committee of Elections in the cases of J. H. Christy and John A. Wimpy, claiming the seat in this house from the sixth congressional district of Georgia, the pending question being on the following resolu tions accompanying the said report, viz: Resolved, That J. H. Christy, having voluntarily given aid, countenance, counsel, and encouragement to persons engaged in armed hostility to the United States, is not entitled to take the oath of office as a representative in this house from the sixth congressional district of Georgia, or to hold a seat therein as such representative. Resolved, That John A. Wimpy, not having received a majority of the votes cast for representative in this house from the sixth congressional district of Georgia, is not entitled to a seat therein as such representative. Resolved, That the Committee of Elections be discharged from the further consideration of the question of removing political disabilities from John H. Christy, and that the same be referred to the Committee on Reconstruction. After debate, On motion of Mr. Paine, under the operation of the previous question, the further consideration of the said report and resolutions were postponed until the third Tuesday in February next, after the morning hour. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Hamlin, one of their clerks: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills of the House of the following titles, viz: H. R. 1751. An act in relation to the appointment of midshipmen from the lately reconstructed States; and H. R. 833. An act for the relief of Rufus M. Hollister, of Janesville, Wisconsin; severally without amendment. The Senate have also passed a bill of the following title, viz: S. 844. An act for the relief of Captain Charles Hunter, of the United States navy; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of the House. The Senate request the return of the bill of the House (H. R. 65) for the relief of William McGarrahan, with the papers accompanying the same. By unanimous consent, it was ordered that the said bill, (H. R. 65,) with the accompanying papers, be returned to the Senate pursuant to their request. The morning hour having commenced, The Speaker announced, as the regular order of business, the bill of the House (H. R. 1682) relating to the operations of the pension laws, and for other purposes-the pending question being on the pending amendments thereto; When Mr. Niblack moved to recommit the same with instructions. Mr. Niblack moved the previous question, and the House refused to second the same. The question then recurring on the motion to recommit, The morning hour expired. The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House the following executive communications, viz: I. A letter from the Secretary of War, transmitting the report of the chief engineer concerning the alleged claim of one Mr. Dowling, of California, to Goat island in San Francisco harbor; which was referred to the Committee on the Public Lands. II. Reports from the commissioners to revise the statutes, presenting the revision of the laws relative to the army, the navy, patents, and public printing; which were referred to the Committee on the Revision of the Laws. On motion of Mr. Barnes, by unanimous consent, the Committee on Commerce was discharged from the further consideration of the bill of the House (H. R. 1804) to establish a bridge across the East river between the cities of Brooklyn and New York, in the State of New York, a post road; and the same was referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals. Mr. Roderick R. Butler, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 1805) for the relief of George W. Huntsman, of Tennessee; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Cornell, by unanimous consent, submitted a resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, as follows: Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to report to this house such information as he may have in reference to the survey of Rondout harbor, New York, together with such information as he may obtain from the Treasury Department in relation to such survey. On motion of Mr. Covode, by unanimous consent, the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds were discharged from the further consideration of the petition of F. A. Gibbons; and the same was referred to the Committee of Claims. On motion of Mr. Benjamin F. Butler, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union; and after some time spent therein the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. James F. Wilson reported that the committee having, according to order, had the state of the Union generally under consideration, and particularly the bill of the House H. R. 1738, (Indian appropriations,) had come to no resolution thereon. The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, in answer to a resolution of the House of the 5th instant, relative to the condition of the National Mechanics and Farmers' Bank of Albany, New York; which was referred to the Committee on Banking and Currency and ordered to be printed. Mr. Roots, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee on the Rules, viz: Resolved, That in order to grant the States recently admitted to representation a place upon the Committee on the Pacific Railroad, the rules of the House be so amended as to increase the said committee during the remainder of the fortieth Congress by the addition of two members. By unanimous consent, leave of absence for eight days was granted to Mr. McCarthy. On motion of Mr. Shanks, by unanimous consent, Ordered, That an amendment proposed to be submitted by him to the joint resolution of the House (H. Res. 402) proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Unsted States be printed. On motion of Mr. Maynard, by unanimous consent, Ordered, That an amendment proposed to be submitted by him to the bill of the House, No. 1014, be printed. Mr. Twichell, by unanimous consent, presented the petition of Timothy J. Burns for indemnity, &c., as a spy; which was referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. William H. Hooper, by unanimous consent, introduced bills of the following titles; which were severally read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on the Public Lands, and ordered to be printed, viz: H. R. 1806. A bill granting lands to aid in the reclamation of desert lands in the Territory of Utah; and H. R. 1807. A bill for the relief of inhabitants of cities and towns in the Territories of New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. Mr. Starkweather, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Secretary of State, if not incompatible with the public interest, communicate to this house such information as may be in possession of said department relating to the destruction during the late war by rebel vessels of such American vessels as were engaged in trade or commerce, giving the names, character, ownership, and value of vessels and cargoes destroyed or taken; also a statement of damages claimed by the owners of said vessels, respectively, and the time and place of capture or destruction, and by what vessel. Mr. William Lawrence, from the Select Committee on Alleged Election Frauds in New York, reported the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-arms of this house be, and is hereby, directed to arrest and bring before this house Henry Johnson, to answer as for a contempt in refusing to appear before the committee of this house, appointed to investigate alleged frauds at the late election in the State of New York, in pursuance of a subpoena duly issued and served on said Johnson on the 13th of January, requiring him to appear and testify before said committee on that day, and that a warrant be issued by the Speaker of this house to the Sergeant-at-arms commanding him or his special messenger to arrest said Johnson and bring him before this house accordingly, and to abide the order and judgment of this house. Pending which, Mr. Lawrence moved the previous question. Pending which, On motion of Mr. Robinson, at 4 o'clock and 40 minutes p. m., the House took a recess until 7 o'clock p. m. After the recess, The House proceeded to the consideration of the joint resolution (H. Res. 402) proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States. After debate, On motion of Mr. Paine, at 10 o'clock and 20 minutes p. m., the House adjourned. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1869. The following memorials; petitions, and other papers, were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the rules: By Mr. Ferris: The memorial of citizens of the State of New York, praying for the presentation of a bronze medal to the officers, soldiers, and marines for services during the war; which was presented to the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. By Mr. Brooks: The petition of citizens of New York, praying for the removal of obstructions at Hell Gate. By Mr. Moore: The petition of masters and owners of vessels of the State of New Jersey, praying for protection. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Commerce. By Mr. Laflin: The petition of M. S. Casler, praying for an increase of compensation; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. By Mr. Brooks: The memorial of saw manufacturers of the State of New York, relative to the duty on steel. By Mr. Hubbard: The petition of Willis, Barnes, and others, of the State of Connecticut, of a similar import. Ordered, That the said memorial and petition be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. By Mr. Plants: The petition of A. G. Brown and others, citizens of the State of Ohio, relative to dividing the said State into three judicial districts; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. Mercur: The petition of E. M. Davis, a citizen of the State of Pennsylvania, relative to the finances; which was referred to the Committee of Ways and Means; Also, the petition of John Hatfield, praying for relief. By Mr. Lincoln: The petition of Elizabeth Knowles, praying for relief. By Mr. Maynard: The petition of James D. Murray, praying compensation for supplies furnished during the war. By Mr. Bingham: The petition of J. H. Atkinson, praying for relief; Also, the petition of C. G. Kennedy, praying for relief. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Kitchen: The memorial of Nicholas K. Trout, a citizen of Virginia, praying for the removal of disabilities; Also, the petition of Samuel Gold and others, of Virginia, praying for the removal of disabilities from Gilbert De Layfayette. Ordered, That the said memorial and petition be referred to the Committee on Reconstruction. By Mr. Fox: The memorial of the "New York and Antwerp Mail Steamship Company," of New York, praying for a mail contract to Europe. By Mr. Axtell: The petition of J. G. Morrison, a citizen of the State of California, relative to post roads. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. By Mr. Fox: The petition of citizens of the United States, praying for the removal of obstructions at Hell Gate; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations. By Mr. Kerr: The petition of John S. Davis, praying for a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Brooks: The petition of citizens of New York, praying for the erection of a bridge over East river, between the cities of New York and Brooklyn; which was referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals. By Mr. Blair: The petition of W. Wakeman and others, citizens of the State of Michigan, praying for pensions to soldiers of the war of 1812; which was referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions and the War of 1812. By Mr. Banks: The petition of Catherine Walsh, praying for a pen sion; which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Stone: The petition of A. J. Brent, of the State of Virginia, praying for the removal of disabilities. By Mr. Halsey: The petition of Alexander Donnan, a citizen of Virginia, of a similar import. Also, the petition of John C. Armisteads, a citizen of Virginia, of a similar import. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Reconstruction. By Mr. Polsley: The petition of the members of the bar, of Monroe, State of West Virginia, relative to the removal of the circuit court from Parkersburg. By Mr. Robertson: The petition of John Demarest and others, citizens of the State of New York, praying for the removal of obstructions at Hell Gate. By Mr. Spalding: The petition of citizens of the State of Ohio, praying for the enlargement of the Sault Ste. Marie ship canal. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Commerce. By Mr. Kerr: The claim and evidence of S. M. Stockslager; which was referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Schenck: The petition of merchants of the city of New York, praying for a reduction of the duty on anatto seed. By Mr. Jones: The memorial of Peck, Van Hook & Co., citizens of the State of Kentucky, relative to the revenue laws. By Mr. Beaman: The petition of C. H. Parshall and others, citizens of the State of Michigan, praying for the passage of the "civil service bill." Ordered, That the said petitions and memorial be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. By unanimous consent, leave of absence for four days was granted to Mr. Kitchen. Mr. Beaman, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported a bill (H. R. 1808) making appropriations for the service of the Post Office Department during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1870; which was read a first and second time, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, made a special order for Tuesday next after the morning hour and until disposed of, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne, from the same committee, reported a bill (H. R. 1809) making appropriations for the payment of salaries and contingent expenses of the Patent Office for January and February, 1869; which was read a first and second time, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Morehead, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 1810) to provide for the better security of life and property from the dangers of coal oil, crude petroleum, and their products; which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, and ordered to be printed. On motion of Mr. Price, by unanimous consent, the bill of the House (H. R. 394) confirming title to Little Rock island, in the Mississippi river, with the amendment of the Senate thereto, was taken from the Speaker's table and the said amendment was concurred in. Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith. |
