Mr. Hunter asked unanimous consent to submit a resolution, as follows: Resolved, That the Secretary of State be directed to inform this house whether any commissioner has recently been sent as a representative of this country to Spain, and if so, for what purpose and by what authority; the name of said commissioner, the amount of compensation to be allowed him, and out of what fund paid, and also a copy of any instructions given to said commissioner. Objection being made thereto, Mr. E. B. Washburne moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution; which was decided in the affirmative, two-thirds of the members voting in favor thereof. So the resolution was agreed to. Mr. Cook, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on Roads and Canals, reported the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on Roads and Canals shall have power to examine upon oath such skilled and scientific witnesses as they may deem necessary upon the bill referred to said committee in relation to the building of bridges across the Ohio river, provided the same shall be done without expense of mileage for officers or witnesses. Mr. Lynch, by unanimous consent, submitted the following preamble and resolution; which were read, considered, and agreed to: Whereas vessels of the United States are, in ports of the Spanish West India islands, subjected to discriminating tonnage duties and port charges, amounting to nearly double the rates charged to vessels of Great Britain and some other European nations; and whereas the com merce between the United States and said islands is very extensive and of great importance: Therefore, Be it resolved, That the Committee on Foreign Affairs be directed to inquire and report to this house what action should be taken by our government to place vessels of the United States landing at said ports on an equal footing with those of the most favored nations. Mr. Farnsworth, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 1549) to restrict and regulate the franking privilege; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. Mr. Whittemore, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution, which was read, considered, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to report at the earliest moment if suitable accommodations can be provided for the United States courts and officers of the judiciary in the custom-house of Charleston, South Carolina, and if not, to submit such recommendations as he may deem proper. Mr. E. B. Washburne, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Postmaster General be directed to communicate to this house a copy of the advertisement for proposals for furnishing postage stamps; also copies of the several bids offered therefor, together with the decision of the department thereon. Mr. Sypher, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be directed to inquire into the expediency of repealing the sixth section of the act making appro priations for the support of the army for the year ending June 30, 1868, and for other purposes, approved March 2, 1867, which prohibits the organization of militia forces in the States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas; and that they report by bill or otherwise. Mr. Moorhead, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Printing: Resolved, That five hundred additional copies of House bill No. 1349 (the tariff bill) be printed for the use of the House. Mr. Schenk, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested to inform this house what has been done toward the removal of obstructions to navigation at Hell Gate, in Long Island sound, for which an appropriation was made at the first session of the present Congress; and also that he state who was charged with the execution of said work, what plan was adopted, what proposals or bids were made by any person or persons seeking the contract, and generally all information in his power to communicate on the subject. Mr. Farnsworth moved that the rules be suspended, and that the House resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union for the consideration of the annual message of the President of the United States for the year 1867. Pending which, On motion of Mr. Kelsey, the House, at 4 o'clock, adjourned. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1868. The following memorials, petitions, and other papers, were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the rules: By Mr. Miller: The memorial of Joseph Stockbridge, praying for a pension; Also, the memorial of Flora D. McKay, praying for a pension; By Mr. Benjamin: The petition of Mrs. Annie Bagley, heretofore referred November 27, 1867. By Mr. Loughridge: The petition of Enoch Lytle, praying for a pension. Ordered, That the said memorials and petitions be referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Benjamin F. Butler: The petition of John Coleman, of the State of Louisiana, praying for relief; Also, the petition of W. T. Richards, of Louisiana, praying for relief. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Appropriations. By Mr. Chester D. Hubbard: The memorial of B. Stanton and others, of the State of West Virginia, praying for the passage of a law requir ing the circuit court of the United States to be held in the city of Wheeling, in said State, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. Randall: The petition of letter carriers of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, praying for an increase of compensation; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. By Mr. Scofield: The petition of honorably discharged soldiers of the State of Iowa, praying for bounty land; which was referred to the Committee on the Public Lands. By Mr. Stokes: The memorial of Charles A. Frazer, of the State of Texas, praying for the removal of disabilties; which was referred to the Committee on Reconstruction. By Mr. Chilcott: The memorial of Charles A. Pitcher, of the District of Columbia, praying for relief. By Mr. Stokes: The petition of Dr. L. Russell, praying for relief. By Mr. Paine: The petition of G. Vanderburg, praying compensation for property used by the United States. By Mr. Loughridge: The papers in the claim of Henry Berry. Ordered, That the said memorial, petitions, and papers be referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Donnelly: The petition of citizens of the State of Minnesota, praying for the repeal of the tax on distilled spirits and tobacco. By Mr. Getz: A petition of similar import from the citizens of Pennsylvania. By Mr. Blair: A petition of similar import from the citizens of the State of Michigan. By Mr. Upson: A petition of similar import. By Mr. Loughridge: A petition of similar import from the citizens of the State of Iowa. By Mr. State of Michigan. A petition of similar import from the citizens of the - A petition of similar import from the citizens of the State of Minnesota. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. By Mr. Stokes: The memorial of Mary A. Ripley, praying for relief. By Mr. Higby: The memorial of Green and Trainor, of the State of California, praying for relief. Ordered, That the said memorials be referred to the Committee of Claims. By unanimous consent resolutions were submitted, read, considered, and agreed to, as follows: By Mr. Golladay: Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting steam vessels engaged in whole or in part in transporting passengers from carrying petroleum or other inflammable fluids, with authority to report by bill or otherwise. By Mr. Eliot: Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to communicate to this house any report from Major General James H. Wilson concerning the improvement of the Mississippi at the Des Moines and Rock Island rapids which may be in the possession of the department, and not heretofore communicated to Congress. By Mr. C. D. Hubbard: Resolved, That the Committee on Invalid Pensions be, and they are hereby, authorized and directed to inquire into the expediency of granting a pension to Mrs. Eveline Sheridan. By Mr. Price: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Interior be directed to transmit to this house the reports made on the Union Pacific railroad by the government directors and the special commissioners, to which reference is made in his last annual report. By Mr. Shanks: Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be hereby instructed to report to the House, for its action, a bill directing the Secretary of War to furnish, through the proper officers of his department, upon requisition made on him by the authorities legally controlling any home for needy, indigent, and disabled soldiers, which has been or may be established or adopted and controlled by the legislature of any State in which such home may be situated, for the use of the inmates charitably received therein who have been honorably discharged from the military service of the United States, one suit of army clothing each every six months, consisting of one blouse, short coat, or jacket, one pair of pants, two shirts, two pair drawers, two pair socks, one pair shoes or boots, one hat or cap, and each twelve months one overcoat; or so many of the above-named articles as may be needed for the comfort of the inmates of such home. By Mr. Perham : Resolved, That the Committee on Invalid Pensions be instructed to inquire whether any further legislation is necessary to facilitate the payment of arrears of pensions under the sixth section of the act of July 27, 1868, and report by bill or otherwise. By Mr. Pile: Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be directed to inquire into and report to this house what further legislation is necessary for the security of life and property and the promotion of commerce on the rivers flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. By unanimous consent, bills and joint resolutions were severally introduced, read the first and second times, and referred, as follows: By Mr. Higby: A bill (H. R. 1550) to provide for an annual inspection into Indian affairs, and for other purposes, to the Committee on Indian Affairs. By Mr. Ingersoll: A bill (H. R. 1551) directing the Secretary of the Interior to place the name of Edward Kindred on the pension rolls, to the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions and the War of 1812. Also, a bill (H. R. 1552) to authorize the District of Columbia and the cities therein to issue coupon bonds and borrow money. Also, a bill (H. R. 1553) to incorporate the Columbia Railway Company, in the District of Columbia, to the Committee for the District of Columbia. By Mr. Sidney Clarke: Joint resolution (H. Res. 386) changing the policy in regard to Indian relations, to the Committee on Indian Affairs and ordered to be printed. Mr. E. B. Washburne moved that the vote referring the said several bills and joint resolution be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. By unanimous consent, Mr. Julian, from the Committee on the Public Lands, reported without amendment the bill of the Senate (S. 349) granting lands to the State of California to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the town of Vallejo to Humboldt bay, in the State of California; which was ordered to be printed and recommitted to said committee. Mr. E. B. Washburne moved that the vote recommitting the said bill be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. By unanimous consent, Mr. Mungen submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and referred to the Committee on Printing: Resolved, That there be printed for the use of the House five thousand copies of Niles's Register, to be put up and bound in the same style the Congressional Globe is now printed and bound. On motion of Mr. Lynch, by unanimous consent, Ordered, That the Clerk be directed to request the return from the Senate of joint resolution of the House No. 332, "authorizing the appointment of examiners to examine and report upon the expediency of discontinuing the navy yard at Charlestown, Massachusetts, and uniting the same with the yard at Kittery, Maine," erroneously transmitted as passed. The Speaker having announced as the regular order of business the bill of the House (H. R. 1491) reported on the 10th instant from the Committee on Military Affairs, entitled "A bill fixing the amount found to be due to the State of Iowa on account of certain claims against the United States," |