appoint a committee of seven members to represent this House at the funeral obsequies. Resolved, as a further mark of respect, this House do now adjourn. The resolutions were unanimously agreed to. The Speaker announced as the committee authorized by the said resolution the following members, viz: Mr. Hanna, Mr. Cobb, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Burchard, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Banks, and Mr. Martin I. Townsend. By unanimous consent, Ordered, That the Speaker be authorized to fill any vacancies that may occur on said committee. And then, In accordance with the foregoing resolution, at 2 o'clock and 12 minutes p. m., the House adjourned. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 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. Dibrel: Petition of William S. Burgess and others, that they be refunded the amount wrongfully collected from them by the United States revenue officials; to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Durham: Papers relating to the petition of W. R. Boice, of Danville, Kentucky, for compensation for property taken and used by the United States Army; Also, papers relating to the claim of Alderson T. Keene, late first lieutenant of Company E, First Kentucky Cavalry, for rations and forage furnished soldiers and horses of the United States Army; Also, memorial of Archibald B. Rue, asking compensation for difference of pay between sergeant and second lieutenant for one year eight months and three days; Also, papers relating to the petition of George Teupnall, of Harrods. burg, Kentucky, for property destroyed while in the possession of the United States Army; Also, papers relating to the claim of the Christian church, at Danville, Kentucky, for use, occupation, and damage to church property by the United States Army; Also, papers relating to the claim of the Baptist church of Crab Orchard, Kentucky, for use and occupancy of church property by the United States Army; Also, petition of John A. Morrison, for services rendered in recruiting for Twenty-third Kentucky Volunteers; to the Committee on War-Claims. Also, papers relating to the petition of Witherspoon & Saffell, for compensation for whisky destroyed by fire while in a United States warehouse; Also, papers relating to the claim of Bidow & Wilson, of Danville, Kentucky, for taxes improperly collected by United States revenue officials; to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Feun: The petition of Jenkins A. Fitzgerald, for relief; to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Frye: The petition of Benjamin C. Webster, for a pension; to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Goode: The petition of John S. Braxton, collector of the port of Norfolk, Virginia, praying to be reimbursed the sum of $1,332.40, advanced by him to cover alleged defalcations by subordinate officials in the custom-house at Norfolk, Virginia; Also, papers relating to the petition of E. H. Lively, postmaster at Williamsburg, Virginia, for relief; to the Committee of Claims. Also, petition of the Mexican Veteran Association of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia, that pensions be granted to them without reference to political disabilities; to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Harmer: Petition of certain citizens of Pennsylvania, for the repeal of the stamp-tax on friction-matches; to the Committee of Ways and Means. By Mr. Hendee: Petition of H. G. Boordman, postmaster at Milton, Vermont, for relief; Also, petition of De Forest W. Carpenter, postmaster at Richford, Vermont, for relief; Also, papers relating to the petition of D. D. Weed, to be reimbursed for stamps stolen from the post-office at Sheldon, Vermont; to the Committee of Claims. Also, petition of Edgar A. Beach, for pay as a lieutenant in the United States Army during the late war; to the Committee on War-Claims. By Mr. Joyce: Papers relating to the petition of Charles H. Frank, for compensation for subsistence furnished the United States Army; to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Kenna: The petition of the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, of Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia, for compensation for property taken by the United States Army; to the Committee on War-Claims. By Mr. McMahon : The petition of William Deegan and William S. Dulin, messengers on the soldiers' roll, for commutation of salary; to the Committee of Accounts. Also, the petition of Griffin A. Eidson, John N. Campbell, James A. Gilmore, and numerous citizens of Eaton, Preble County, Ohio, for a graduated tax on incomes; to the Committee of Ways and Means. By Mr. Morrison: The petition of Philip Phoen, for a pension; By Mr. Morgan: The petition of George W. Butt, of Grauby, Missouri, for a pension; to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Reagan: The petition of N. Frankle, of Anderson County, Texas, for compensation for property taken by confederate soldiers; to the Committee on War-Claims. By Mr. Robbins: The petition of G. W. Norwood, of Winston, North Carolina, for compensation for property wrongfully seized by the United States; to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Alexander H. Stephens: The petition of the letter carriers of Washington, District of Columbia, for an increased compensation; to the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads. Also, the petition of Mrs. A. E. Hubby, P. A. Devine, and numerous other citizens of Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, for an amendment of the pension laws; to the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions. By Mr. Sayler: The petition of the letter-carriers of Cincinnati, Ohio, for an increased compensation; Also, the petition of 2,700 citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio, for the increase of the compensation of letter-carriers; to the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads. Also, the petition of 1,500 citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio, and vicinity, for pecuniary aid for persons desiring to settle on the public lands; to the Committee on the Public Lands. By Mr. Joseph C. Stone: The petition of the letter-carriers of Burlington, Iowa, for increased compensation; By Mr. James Williams: Petition of Milton S. Barlow and 9 other letter-carriers of Wilmington, Delaware, for an increase of salary; Also, the petition of 1,131 citizens of Wilmington, Delaware, for an increase of the salaries of letter-carriers; By Mr. Young: The petition of the letter-carriers and citizens of Memphis, Tennessee, for an increase of salaries of letter-carriers; to the Committee on the Post Office and Post-Roads. The regular order being demanded, the Speaker, at 12 o'clock and 15 minutes p. m., announced the commencement of the morning hour, aud the first business in order therein the further consideration of the bill of the House (H. R. 805) to repeal the third section of the act entitled “An act to provide for the resumption of specie payments," as the unfinished business in the morning hour of yesterday, the pending question being the demand for the previous question on the bill and pending amendment. Pending which, After debate, by unanimous consent, Mr. Frye, at 12 o'clock and 55 minutes p. m., moved that the House adjourn. Pending which, Mr. Foster moved that when the House adjourn it be to meet on Wednesday next. And the question being put first on the motion of Mr. Foster, The yeas and nays being eesired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are So the motion to adjourn over was not agreed to. A. Herr Smith The question then recurring on the motion of Mr. Frye; The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House executive communications; which were referred as follows: I. A letter from the Postmaster-General, relating to deficiencies in the payment of postmasters' salaries during the fiscal years ending June 30, 1876, and June 30, 1877; to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed. II. A letter from the Secretary of War, transmitting the claim of Murphy, Goode & Company and J. Dodd & Company, for paying on grounds of Indianapolis arsenal to the Committee of Claims. The Speaker also, by unanimous consent, laid before the House requests for the withdrawal of papers from the files of the House, as follows, viz: By Mr. Banning: The discharge of Henry C. Hirst, late private Com. pany I, Third Regiment of Artillery, One hundred and fifty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers. By Mr. Page: The papers in the Rio Santa Clara case. There having been adverse reports made on the said cases, the said requests were referred, under Rule 164. By unanimous consent, leave of absence was granted as follows, viz: To Mr. Bagley, for one week; To Mr. John H. Evins, for five days; To Mr. Garfield, for one day; To Mr. B. W. Harris, for one week; To Mr. Turney, until November 7; To Mr. Walker, for two days; To Mr. James Williams, until the 7th instant. Mr. John B. Clark, jr., by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 904) to provide for the remonetization of silver and for the coinage of the standard silver dollar of the United States, and for making it a legal tender in payment of debts; which was read twice, referred to the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Buckner, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 905) to authorize the free coinage of the standard silver dollar and to restore its legal-tender character; which bill was read twice. Mr. Buckner moved its reference to the Committee on Banking and Currency. Pending which, Mr. Stephens moved as an amendment that the said bill be referred to the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. After debate, Mr. Stephens moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered. And the question being put, Will the House agree to the said amendment? It was decided in the affirmative. The question then recurring on the motion of Mr. Buckner as amended, the same was agreed to. So it was Ordered, That the said bill be referred to the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures, and printed. Mr. Stephens moved to reconsider the vote last taken, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. Mr. Sayler, by unanimous consent, presented the petition of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, for the adoption of a resolution of inquiry as to the practicability of the Government adopting in its transactions the metrical system of weights and measures; which was referred to the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures, and ordered to be printed in the Record. Mr. Finley, by unanimous consent, introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 23) proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States so as to elect a President and Vice-President thereof by a direct vote of the people thereof; which was read twice, referred to the Select Committee on the State of the Law respecting Ascertainment and Declaration of Result of Election of President and Vice-President, and ordered to be printed. By unanimous consent, biils were introduced, read twice, ordered to be printed, and severally referred as follows, viz: |