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valley to the mouth of the Columbia river, to the Committee on the Pacific Railroad.

Also, a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury relative to increased compensetion to certain collectors of internal revenue, and recommending the same; which was referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. Also, papers in behalf of J. W. Menard, claiming to have been elected a representative to the 40th Congress from the 2d congressional district of Louisiana, to fill the unexpired term of James Mann, deceased; which were referred to the Committee of Elections.

Mr. Peters, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That there be printed for the use of this house thirty thou sand copies of the eulogies delivered in the House on Hon. Thaddeus Stevens, deceased, ten thousand to be bound in cloth.

Mr. Tift, by unanimous consent, submitted the following preamble and resolution; which were read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Whereas many worthy citizens have not been able, on account of poverty, the large fees required, and other causes, to avail themselves of the benefit of the general bankrupt law:

Resolved, That the Committee on Revision of the Laws of the United States consider, and report by bill or otherwise, the justice and propriety of extending the time in which bankrupts may avail themselves of the benefit of the present provisions of the said law, and of reducing the fees. Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported a bill (H. R. 1464) making appropriations for the payment of invalid and other pensions of the United States for the year ending June 30, 1870; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Hamlin, one of their clerks: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills and a joint resolution of the House of the following titles, viz:

H. R. 1537. An act to repeal certain provisions of section six of an act entitled "An act making appropriations for the support of the army for the year ending June 30, 1868, and for other purposes," approved March 2, 1867 ;

H. R. 1555. An act to amend an act entitled "An act imposing taxes on distilled spirits and tobacco, and for other purposes,” approved July 20, 1868; and

H. Res. 388. A joint resolution explanatory of the act to create an additional land office in the State of Minnesota, approved July 25, 1868: severally without amendment; and

H. R. 1556. An act to relieve certain persons of all political disabilities imposed by the 14th article of the Constitution of the United States; with amendments, in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of the House.

The Senate have also passed a bill of the following title, viz:
S. 700. An act for the relief of Joseph Moorehead;

in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of the House.

Mr. Farnsworth, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 1565) granting a pension to Catharine T. Alexander; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

Mr. Morrell, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution: which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Commissioner of Agriculture be requested to transmit to the House of Representatives a report showing the deficiency in appropriation, if any, for erecting the new agricultural building, with

cost of constructing the same, together with any papers and evidence he may have relating thereto since his last annual report.

Mr. Roderick R. Butler, by unanimous consent, introduced bills of the following titles, viz:

H. R. 1566. A bill to establish an additional agency for paying pensions in the State of Tennessee;

H. R. 1567. A bill to provide for drawback in certain cases;

which were severally read a first and second time and referred as follows, viz:

H. R. 1566, to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

H. R. 1567, to the Committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Scofield, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 1568) giving to officers in the military and naval service of the United States, who were commissioned but not mustered, pay according to the rank of commission; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Sypher presented the credentials of J. Willis Menard as a member of this house from the State of Louisiana, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of James Mann; which were referred to the Committee of Elections.

On motion of Mr. Schenck, by unanimous consent, the bill of the Senate (S. 700) for the relief of Joseph Moorehead, was taken from the Speaker's table, read three times and passed.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

On motion of Mr. Baker, by unanimous consent,

Resolved, That the report of the Commissioner of Education, with the accompanying documents, be referred to the Committee on Education and Labor.

On motion of Mr. Norris, by unanimous consent,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of further legislation to secure greater efficiency in the mail service in the States lately in rebellion against the United States, and report by bill or otherwise.

On motion of Mr. Boutwell, by unanimous consent, the bill of the House (H. R. 1556) to relieve certain persons of all political disabilities imposed by the fourteenth article of the Constitution of the United States, with the amendments of the Senate thereto, was taken up and referred to the Committee on Reconstruction.

Subsequently,

Mr. Boutwell, by unanimous consent, from the said committee reported the said bill, recommending concurrence in the said amendments. The House having proceeded to their consideration,

The said amendments were severally concurred in-two-thirds voting in favor thereof.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

Mr. Haughey, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 1569) for the establishment of a pension agency in the town of Decatur, in the State of Alabama; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

By unanimous consent, resolutions were submitted and severally read, considered and agreed to as follows, viz:

By Mr. Prince :

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, instructed to communicate to this house the amount of claims against the government for services rendered in taking the United States census in 1860, and the amount, if any, necessary to be appropriated to pay such claims.

By Mr. James F. Wilson:

Resolved, That the Committee on Revision of Laws be, and are hereby, instructed to inquire into and report on the legality of the appointment of official or general assignees by certain United States district judges in contravention of the spirit and provisions of the bankrupt law and of the mode adopted by said courts of transferring all bankrupt estates within the limits of their judicial districts to such official or general assignees; also, as to the propriety of so changing the bankrupt law as to prevent any settlement of bankrupt estates by any other than the assignees duly elected by the creditors of estates.

By Mr. Ela:

Whereas it appears from the report of the Comptroller of the Currency that the National Bank of the Metropolis, of Washington, District of Columbia, has been in voluntary liquidation since October, 1866, then owing the United States for deposits $552,712 45, since reduced to $470,954 70, which was secured by a deposit with the United States of $400,000 interest-bearing bonds of the United States; and also that a further deposit of $202,000 of interest-bearing bonds were held to secure the circulation of said bank, all of which is still outstanding; and whereas this bank further appears by said report to have become a depos itory of United States disbursing officers since it has been in liquidation: Kesolved, That the Committee on Banking and Currency inquire and report what legislation, if any, is necessary to enable the Comptroller of the Currency to wind up the affairs of a bank which has no office or place of business, and stop the payment by the United States of interest to a bank upon a debt which the bank owes to the United States, and to prevent an insolvent bank from becoming a depository for United States officers.

By Mr. Starkweather:

Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be directed to inquire what legislation is necessary for the protection of the fur seal in Alaska, and to regulate the taking of the same, and to report by bill or otherwise. By Mr. Julian :

Resolved, That the Committee on the Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of so amending the homestead acts as to allow parties who have availed themselves of the benefits of said acts to make final proof of settlement before clerks of courts of record; also that in all cases where parties have made entries and have failed to comply with said acts, persons desiring to contest such entries may make proof of the fact before such clerks; and that said committee report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. Churchill, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom were referred bills of the following titles, viz:

H. R. 220. A bill to perpetuate testimony in the courts of the United States; and

H. R. 1258. A bill to define felonies and misdemeanors, and to regulate peremptory challenges in the courts of the United States, and for other purposes;

reported the same, the former with an amendment in the nature of a substitute therefor, and the latter without amendment.

Ordered, That the said bills and amendment be printed and recommitted to the said committee.

Mr. Schenck, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, and, by unanimous consent, considered and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to inform this house

how many commissioned officers of the army are detailed for duty in the quartermasters', subsistence, pay, medical, and other departments of the service in and about the city of New York, and how they are each and severally employed; also, how many enlisted men and civilians are detailed or employed in connection with such service in and about the said city; and whether the number of such officers, enlisted men, and civilians cannot with advantage to the public interests and due consideration of economy be reduced.

Mr. Thomas L. Jones, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read and, by unanimous consent, considered and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to inquire into the necessity and probable cost of erecting a suitable building for United States circuit and district courts of the United States, revenue offices, and post office in the city of Covington, Kentucky, and report to this house as soon as practicable.

Mr. Prince, by unanimous consent, submitted the following preamble and resolution, viz:

Whereas John A. Wimpy and John H. Christy both claim to have a right to represent the sixth district of Georgia in the House; and whereas the returns show the said John H. Christy had a majority of the votes cast, and the said John A. Wimpy claims that enough fraudulent votes were cast for the said John H. Christy to invalidate his election; therefore, Resolved, That the said John A. Wimpy be authorized to give to the said Christy notice that he shall contest the election on the grounds of fraud; that said Christy have ten days thereafter to answer the same, and they have thirty days to take testimony from the date of said answer; and that in all things else the testimony be taken and returned in conformity to existing law.

The same having been read,

On motion of Mr. Woodward,

Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee of Elections.

Mr. Benjamin moved that the several votes this day taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to.

On motion of Mr. Van Wyck, by unanimous consent,

Ordered, That leave be granted to the Select Joint Committee on Retrenchment to submit a report in writing on Monday next, and that the same be printed.

On motion of Mr. Henry D.,Washburn, by unanimous consent, leave was granted for the withdrawal from the files of the House of the papers in the case of Miss Victor.

On motion of Mr. Benjamin F. Butler, by unanimous consent, the bill of the Senate (S. 643) for the relief of William A. Griffin was taken up, read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee of Claims. The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House executive communications as follows, viz:

I. A letter from the Secretary of the Navy in answer to a resolution of the 16th instant, stating that no reduction can be made from the estimates heretofore submitted;

II. A letter from the same relative to a deficiency in the appropriation for provisions for the marine corps;

which were severally referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

III. A letter from the Secretary of the Interior transmitting copies of certain papers in relation to the Union Pacific railroad, in answer to a resolution of the House of the 15th instant; which was referred to the Committee on the Pacific Railroad and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Julian, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 1192) for the relief of Joseph A. Ingham, reported the same with an amendment, in the nature of a substitute therefor; which amendment was agreed to, and the bill ordered to be engrossed and read a third time.

Being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time and passed. The title of the bill was then amended so as to read, "A bill to extend the provisions of the homestead act to the orphan children of deceased soldiers, who are under the age of twenty-one years."

Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate in the said bill.

The Speaker named Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne to perform the duties of the Chair on Monday next.

On motion of Mr. Brooks, by unanimous consent,

Resolved, That the Reconstruction Committee are authorized to summon such witnesses to appear before them as the committee may deem necessary to enable them to report fully on the state of affairs in Geor gia, Mississippi, Virginia, and Texas, under the resolution of reference heretofore made.

The Speaker having proceeded, as the regular order of business, to call the committees for reports of a private nature,

Mr. Ferry, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, reported a joint resolution (H. Res. 389) for the relief of Lewis D. Smith, accompanied by a report in writing thereon; which resolution was read a first and second time.

Pending the question on its engrossment,

After debate,

Mr. Ferry moved the previous question.
Pending which,

Mr. Pettis rose and announced the death of Darwin A. Finney, a representative from the State of Pennsylvania.

After remarks upon the life and public services of the deceased,

Mr. Pettis submitted the following resolutions; which were read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the House has heard with deep emotion the announcement of the death of Hon. Darwin A. Finney, a member of this house from the State of Pennsylvania.

Resolved, That this house tender to the relatives of the deceased the amount of its sympathy on this afflicting event, and as a testimony of respect for the memory of the deceased the members and officers of this House will go into mourning by wearing crape on the left arm for the period of thirty days.

Resolved, That the Speaker appoint a committee of nine to attend the remains of the deceased on their arrival at New York from that city to the place of interment.

Resolved, That the Clerk communicate a copy of the foregoing resolu tions to the widow of the deceased.

Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased, the House do now adjourn.

Whereupon,

The Speaker announced the appointment of the following committee under the said resolutions, viz: Mr. Pettis, Mr. O'Neill, Mr. Randall, Mr. Woodward, Mr. George V. Lawrence, Mr. Dawes, Mr. Blaine, Mr. Cullom, and Mr. Beck.

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