July 24, 1866, relative to the purchase of all telegraphic lines by the United States for postal, military, or other purposes; to the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads. By Mr. Haymond: The petition of Joseph C. Cowdin, that the warrecord of Robert W. Sill, late captain Forty-sixth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, be changed, to the Committee on Military Affairs. By unanimous consent, bills and a joint resolution were introduced, read twice, ordered to be printed, and severally referred as follows, viz: By Mr. Goldsmith W. Hewitt: A bill (H. R. 4279) for the relief of James M. Huston, a citizen of Calvert County, Alabama, to the Committee of Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 4280) for the relief of John M. Black, a citizen of Jefferson County, Alabama, to the Committee on the Public Lands. By Mr. Cate: A bill (H. R. 4281) to amend an act entitled “An act authorizing the repavement of Pennsylvania avenue," and the acts amendatory thereof, to the Committee for the District of Columbia. By Mr. Maish: A joint resolution (H. Res. 178) authorizing the Secre tary of the Treasury to pay Mary Fearon and Jessie Crossin, executrices of Samuel P. Fearon, deceased, for certain registered United States bonds redeemed by the Government on forged assignments and power of attorney, to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Hooker: A bill (H. R. 4282) for the improvement of the Pearl River, in the State of Mississippi, and the removal of obstructions to navigation at the mouth of said river where it empties into the Missis sippi Sound, and obstructions in said mouth; Also, a bill (H. R. 4283) for the improvement of Pascagoula River and cleaning out obstructions at or near the mouth of said river where it empties into the Mississippi Sound, and deepening the same; to the Committee on Commerce. By Mr. Douglas: A bill (H. R. 4284) authorizing the commissioners of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company to buy in certain real and other property, and to sell the same at public or private sale, and for other purposes; Also, a bill (H. R. 4285) authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to buy certain property for the use of the United States; to a select committee on the Freedman's Bank. The Speaker thereupon announced the appointment of the said comwittee as constituted at the close of the last session. By Mr. Woodworth: A bill (H. R. 4286) for the relief of Richard H. Fants, to the Committee on War-Claims. By Mr. Fenn: A bill (H. R. 4287) for the relief Jenkins A. Fitzgerald, assistant surgeon United States Army, to the Committee of Claims. Also, a bill (H. R. 4288) authorizing the purchase of gold-dust and bullion at the United States assay office at Boise City and payment therefor in drafts or certificates of deposit, to the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. Mr. Levy, by unanimous consent, presented the memorial of the Board of Underwriters, Chamber of Commerce, Cotton Exchange, and other public bodies of New Orleans, Louisiana, in regard to improvement of navigation of Red River in Louisiana and Texas; which was ordered to be printed in the Record and referred to the Committee on Commerce. The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House a letter rom the Secretary of the Interior, transmitting the estimate of the treasurer of the National Soldiers' Home for the expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs and ordered to be printed. By unanimous consent, leave of absence was granted as follows, viz: To Mr. John Reilly, until Friday next; To Mr. Stanton, for five days; and To Mr. Whitthorne, until January 3, 1877. By unanimous consent, Ordered, That the papers in the case of William Watkins be taken from the files and referred to the Committee ou War-Claims. And then, On motion of Mr. Clymer, at 12 o'clock and 18 minutes p. m., the House adjourned. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1876. The following memorials, petitions, and other papers were laid on the Clerk's desk, under the rule, and referred as follows, viz: By Mr. Lamar: The petition of James Conner, of South Carolina, for the removal of the political disabilities imposed upon him by the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States, to the Committee on the Judiciary. By the Speaker: The petition of William Welsh, Henry Armitt Brown, A. J. Drexel, Henry C. Lea, R. Rundle Smith, Edwin M. Lewis, John Wannemaker, W. C. Harward, and other citizens of Philadelphia, of all political parties, declaring that the questions arising from the late presidential election should be dealt with in a spirit predetermined to harmonize conflicting views, irrespective of success or defeat of individual candidates; that a partisan contest in Congress resulting in the proclamation of a President without the acquiescence of both houses would destroy the confidence of the people in the justice of the decision adopted, and urging that both houses will earnestly seek some mode of reaching a decision of the pending questions that will satisfy the conscience of the country, to the committee on counting the electoral vote. Mr. Lane, by unanimous consent, presented sundry memorials of the legislature of the State of Oregon; which were ordered to be printed and severally referred, as follows, viz: I. Praying that the grantees of certain lands in the State of Oregon to aid in the construction of certain military wagon-roads therein be required to make selections of all lieu-lands to which they may be entitled, and that the balance of the alternate sections within the limits of said grants be restored to market, subject to entry under the publicland laws of the United States; II. Praying that a law be passed providing for the sale of desert lands in East Oregon in quantities greater than one hundred and sixty acres upon reclamation thereof by irrigation; III. Praying that Congress so amend and modify certain acts granting lands to aid in the construction of certain railroads in the State of Oregon as to authorize the sale of public lands within the limits of said grants at the usual minimum rate, and in quantities of a quartersection to any settler, and that the State may be allowed to select lands granted to her by certain acts of Congress at the minimum price of $1.25 per acre; to the Committee on the Public Lands. IV. Praying that an appropriation be made for the survey and improvement of Alsea River, in Benton County, Oregon; V. Praying that an appropriation be made to secure a survey of Cape Fonlweather, with a view of making the same a port of refuge; VI. Praying that $100,000 be appropriated for improving the channel and harbor of Coquille River; VII. Praying that an appropriation be made sufficient to complete the improvement of the Willamette River in the State of Oregon; VIII. Praying that Congress grant liberal appropriations for the opening and free navigation of the great Columbia River; to the Committee on Commerce. IX. Praying that a law may be passed for the extinguishment of the Indian title to the Siletz reservation, and for preparing the same for settlement, to the Committee on Indian Affairs. X. Praying that the act admitting the State of Oregon into the Union be so amended as to make the boundary-lines of said State conform to the boundary lines set forth in her constitution, to the Committee on the Territories. XI. Praying that an appropriation be made to defray the expenses of a scientific and geological survey of the State of Oregon, to the Committee on Appropriations. XII. Favoring the passage of a law by Congress granting pensions to the surviving soldiers of the Mexicau war, to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. The Speaker announced as the regular order of business, as infinished business, the report of the Committee of the Whole House pending at the time of adjournment on Friday last. The House thereupon proceeded to the consideration of the said report; When Bills of the House and a bill of the Senate of the following titles, viz: H. R. 3292. A bill providing for a pension to be paid to Andrew Jackson, (colored,) of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; H. R. 3509. A bill for the relief of the legal representatives of R. H. Munnell, deceased, late commissary Tenth Tennessee Cavalry ; H. R. 3511. A bill granting a pension to Thomas G. Kingsley; H. R. 703. A bill granting a pension to Catharine Ferry; H. R. 2218. A bill for the relief of Mrs. Amanda Rains; S. 408. An act for the relief of Assistant Surgeon Thomas F. Azpell; H. R. 3067. A bill for the relief of Alexander Anderson, late first lieutenant Fourteenth New York Volunteer Cavalry; H. R. 3512. A bill for the relief of First Lieutenant Frederick H. E. Ebenstein, Twenty-first Infantry, United States Army; H. R. 767. A bill for the relief of Samuel B. Stanber and others; H. R. 3513. A bill granting a pension to Dr. P. F. Reuss; H. R. 2229. A bill for the relief of Chaucy J. Poore, late a private in Battery G, First New York Light Artillery; H. R. 3574. A bill for the relief of Marshal P. Thatcher; H. R. 3436. A bill granting a pension to George Martz; H. R. 2237. A bill granting a pension to Anson K. Young; H. R. 2519. A bill granting a pension to James M. Bailey; H. R. 3575. A bill granting a pension to Eliza A. Blaze, widow of Abner T. Blaze, late a private in Company C, Thirteenth Indiana Cavalry Volunteers; H. R. 3577. A bill granting a pension to Catharine Barnes; H. R. 3579. A bill granting increase of pension to Eugene O'Sullivan, H. R. 3581. A bill granting a pension to Minerva Williams; severally reported without amendment, which bills of the House were ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and the bill of the Senate read the third time and passed. Being engrossed, the bills of the House were accordingly read the third time and passed. Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate in the said House bills and notify the Senate of the passage of S. 408. Mr. Bright moved to reconsider the votes last taken, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. The House then proceeded to the consideration of bills of the House of the following titles, viz: H. R. 3415. A bill for the relief of Mrs. Julia H. Totten, widow of James Totten, late lieutenant-colonel and assistant inspector-general, United States Army; H. R. 3510. A bill granting a pension to Cynthia H. Abbott; H. R. 969. A bill for the relief of Charles H. Johnson; severally reported with amendments; When, The amendments to the said bills were severally agreed to. Ordered, That the bills, as amended, be engrossed and read a third time. Being engrossed, the bills were accordingly read the third time and passed. Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate therein. Mr. Bright moved to reconsider the votes last taken, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. The Speaker then announced as the regular order of business the call of committees for reports of a private nature. The Speaker thereupon proceeded to call the committees, and continned the call until all the committees had been called. No reports being made, Mr. Clymer, at 12 o'clock and 25 minutes p. m., moved that the House adjourn; which motion was disagreed to. After debate, Mr. Atkins, at 12 o'clock and 32 minutes p. m., moved that the House adjourn; which motion was agreed to. And the House thereupon adjourned. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1876. Before the journal of yesterday's proceedings had been read, On motion of Mr. Fernando Wood, at 12 o'clock and 5 minutes p. m., the House adjourned to meet, in accordance with its previous order, on Wednesday next, January 3, 1877, at 12 o'clock m. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1877. The following memorials, petitions, and other papers were laid on the Clerk's desk, under the rule, and referred as follows, viz: By Mr. Bland: The petition of the county court of Laclede County, Missouri, against granting subsidies to the Atlantic and Pacific Rail road Company until said company conform to the State laws of Missouri, by paying taxes on their property, to the Committee on the Pacific Railroad. By Mr. Buckner: A paper relating to the establishment of a post route from Troy, via Brussels, to New Hope, Lincoln County, Missouri, to the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads. By Mr. Garfield: The petition of Andrew J. Herroon, late a private in Company F, Twenty-ninth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for a pension, to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Kidder: A paper relating to the establishment of a post-route from Firesteel, via Chauka and Wessington, to Fort Thompson, Dakota Territory, to the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads. By Mr. Luttrell: The petition of J. J. Astor, Brown Brothers & Co., Drexel, Morgan & Co., Phelps, Dodge & Co., Peter Cooper, W. C. Bry. ant, D. Appleton & Co., Arnold, Constable & Co., Benjamin B. Sherman, August Belmont & Co., and other business firms and citizens of New York City, representing a large proportion of the financial and commercial interests of the city of New York, expressing satisfaction at the action of Congress in appointing conference committees to consider a proper mode of counting the ballots for President and Vice-President of the United States, and earnestly asking that all party considerations may be thrown aside and that unselfish patriotism may guide the members of the two houses of Congress in their legislative action, to the Joint Committee on Counting the Electoral Vote. By Mr. Rusk: The petition of L. P. Wetherby and others, bondsmen of J. D. Reymert, late receiver at Hudson, Wisconsin, to be relieved from a judgment recovered against them by the United States, to the Committee on the Public Lands. Also, the petition of citizens of Pierce, Saint Croix, and Dunn Connties, Wisconsin, for the establishment of a post-route from Rock Elm Centre, Pierce County, easterly and northerly, crossing Eaugalle River, near the mouth of Kady Creek Valley, thence up said valley, by Oak Ridge, to Wilson, on the West Wisconsin Railroad, to the Committee on the Post-Office and Post Roads. By Mr. Stenger: The petition of Mrs. Mary Bowman, mother of Calvin Bowman, deceased, late a private in Company E, One hundred and forty-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers, for a pension, to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Mr. Fernando Wood, by unanimous consent, presented a memorial of bankers, merchants, and others of New York, in favor of an amicable adjustment of pending political differences; which was referred to the Select Committee on Counting the Electoral Votes for President and Vice-President and ordered to be printed. Mr. Hale moved to reconsider the vote by which the memorial wąs referred, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. By unanimous consent, bills were introduced, read twice, ordered to be printed, and severally referred as follows, viz: By Mr. Douglas: A bill (H. R. 4289) to amend the act entitled "An act amending the charter of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company, and for other purposes," to the Select Committee on the Freedman's Bank. By Mr. Rusk: A bill (H. R. 4290) for the relief of Leonard L. Lancaster, late sergeant Second Regiment Cavalry, Wisconsin Volunteers, to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. William A. Phillips: A bill (H. R. 4291) to extend the time to pre-emptors on the public lands, to the Committee on the Public Lands. Also, a bill (H. R. 4292) to provide for the appraisement of certain lands, to the Committee on Indian Affairs. By Mr. Buckner: A bill (H. R. 4293) for the support of the govern ment of the District of Columbia for the fiscal year ending June 30, |