nection with the estimates for the appropriations for the support of the Army for the current fiscal year, estimates for such other deficiencies in the different branches of the public service as require immediate action, and cannot, without inconvenience, be postponed until the regular session. I take this opportunity also to invite your attention to the propriety of adopting at your present session the necessary legislation to enable the people of the United States to participate in the advantages of the International Exhibition of Agriculture, Industry, and the Fine Arts which is to be held at Paris in 1878, and in which this Government has been invited by the government of France to take part. This invitation was communicated to this Government in May, 1876, by the minister of France at this capital, and a copy thereof was submitted to the proper committees of Congress at its last session, but no action was taken upon the subject. The Department of State has received many letters from various parts of the country expressing a desire to participate in the exhibition, and numerous applications of a similar nature have also been made at the United States legation at Paris. The Department of State has also received official advice of the strong desire on the part of the French government that the United States should participate in this enterprise, and space has hitherto been and still is reserved in the exhibition buildings for the use of exhibitors from the United States, to the exclusion of other parties who have been applicants therefor. In order that our industries may be properly represented at the ex hibition, an appropriation will be needed for the payment of salaries and expenses of commissioners, for the transportation of goods, and for other purposes in connection with the object in view; and as May next is the time fixed for the opening of the exhibition, if our citizens are to share the advantages of this international competition for the trade of other nations, the necessity of immediate action is apparent. To enable the United States to co-operate in the International Exhibition which was held at Vienna in 1873, Congress then passed a joint resolution making an appropriation of two hundred thousand dollars, and authorizing the President to appoint a certain number of practical artisans and scientific men who should attend the exhibition and report their proceedings and observations to him. Provision was also made for the appointment of a number of honorary commissioners. I have felt that prompt action by Congress in accepting the invitation of the government of France is of so much interest to the people of this country, and so suitable to the cordial relations between the govern ments of the two countries, that the subject might properly be presented for attention at your present session. The government of Sweden and Norway has addressed an official invitation to this Government to take part in the International Prison Congress, to be held at Stockholm next year. The problem which the congress proposes to study-how to diminish crime-is one in which all civilized nations have an interest in common; and the congress of Stockholm seems likely to prove the most important convention ever held for the study of this grave question. Under authority of a joint resolution of Congress, approved February 16, 1875, a commissioner was appointed by my predecessor to represent the United States upon that occasion, and the prison congress having been, at the earnest desire of the Swedish government, postponed to 1878, his commission was renewed by me. An appropriation of eight thousand dollars was made in the sundry civil-service act of 1875 to meet the expenses of the com missioner. I recommend the re-appropriation of that sum for the same purpose, the former appropriation having been covered into the Treasury, and being no longer available for the purpose without further action by Congress. The subject is brought to your attention at this time in view of circumstances which render it highly desirable that the commissioner should proceed to the discharge of his important duties immediately. As the several acts of Congress providing for detailed reports from the different Departments of the Government require their submission at the beginning of the regular annual session, I defer until that time any further reference to subjects of public interest. WASHINGTON, October 15, 1877. The same having been read, On motion of Mr. Wood, R. B. HAYES. Ordered, That the said message be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and the usual number of copies printed. Mr. Wood, as a question of privilege, submitted the following resolu tions; which were read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the rules of the House of Representatives of the Fortyfourth Congress shall be the rules of the House of Representatives until otherwise ordered. Resolved further, That a committee of five, to consist of the Speaker and four members, to be named by him, be appointed, to whom shall be referred the rules of the House, and who shall be authorized to report at any time such amendments on the revision of the same as they may think proper. Mr. Wood moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was adopted, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. The Speaker stated the case next in order to be that of C. B. Darrall, of the third district of Louisiana; When Mr. Gibson submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That Mr. Darrall, of the third district of Louisiana, be sworn in, and that the credentials of Mr. J. H. Acklen, of said district, with the papers thereunto attached, be referred to the Committee of Elections, when appointed, with instructions to report upon his right to a seat in this House from said district. Mr. Gibson 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. The said C. B. Darrall appeared, and, having taken the oath of office prescribed by section 1756 of the Revised Statutes, took his seat in the House. The Speaker stated the case next in order to be that of J. B. Elam, of the fourth district of Louisiana; When Mr. Frye submitted the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That George L. Smith, having the prima facie right to a seat in this House, be now sworn in. On motion of Mr. Gibson, Ordered, That the said resolution lie on the table. Mr. Lechard submitted the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That the claims of J. B. Elam and George L. Smith to a seat in this House from the fourth congressional district of the State of Louisiana be referred to the Committee of Elections, with instructions to report without delay who is prima facie entitled to the seat. Pending which, On motion of Mr. Harry White, at 4 o'clock and 5 minutes p. m., the House adjourned. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 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. Blonnt: The petition of the city of Macon, Georgia, to have refunded to said city $4,545.47, money collected as taxes from said city by United States officials under the act of Congress taxing banks, bankers, and banking corporations; to the Committee of Claims, when appointed. By Mr. Errett: The petition of 400 workingmen of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for an appropriation to enable them to emigrate to and occupy the public lands as cultivators; to the Committee on Appropriations, when appointed. Also, the petition of the letter-carriers of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for an increase of their salaries; Also, the petition of 5,000 citizens of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for an increase of the salaries of the letter-carriers of said city; to the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads, when appointed. By Mr. Gardner: The petition of T. Worthington, for compensation for services rendered the United States at Camp Dennison, Ohio; By Mr. Goode: The petition of Dr. A. G. Tebault, for compensation for medical services and for medicines furnished to refugees, freedmen, and others; to the Committee on War-Claims, when appointed. By Mr. Hardenbergh: The petition of the letter-carriers of Hoboken, New Jersey, for an increase of their salaries; Also, the petition of citizens of Jersey City, New Jersey, that the salaries of the letter-carriers of said city be increased ; to the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads, when appointed. By Mr. John T. Harris: six petitions, signed respectively by Pickerell & Brooks; David B. Tennant; Virginia Taylor, executrix of Joseph Taylor, deceased; J. Chieves, surviving partner of Chieves & Osborn; Alexander Donnan, administrator of David Dunlap, deceased; and R. A. Young & Brother, that they be paid the net proceeds of the sale of tobacco seized and sold by United States officials as captured and abandoned property; Also, two petitions, signed respectively by William H. Harrison and Richard M. Harrison, for compensation for damages done to their property by the United States Army after the cessation of hostilities between the Confederate and Federal armies; to the Committee on War Claims, when appointed. By Mr. Hendee: The petition of Mrs. Olivia C. Reed, of Charlestown, Vermont, for an extension of a patent for an improvement in handcuffs; to the Committee on Patents, when appointed. By Mr. Pridemore: The petition of W. P. Burwell, for compensation for tobacco lost through the agency of United States revenue officials; to the Committee of Claims, when appointed. By Mr. Stevens: The petition of A. P. K. Safford, governor, and other officials of the Territory of Arizona, that the United States marshal of that Territory be paid the same fees and mileage that sheriffs of said Territory now receive; to the Committee on the Judiciary, when appointed. The Speaker announced as the first business in order the further consideration of the resolution submitted on yesterday by Mr. Leonard and pending at the time of adjournment, viz: Resolved, That the claims of J. B. Elam and George L. Smith to a seat in this House from the fourth congressional district of the State of Louisiana be referred to the Committee of Elections, with instructions to report without delay who is prima facie entitled to the seat. Pending which, Mr. Gibson submitted the following resolution as an amendment in the nature of a substitute: Resolved, That James B. Elam, from the fourth congressional district of Louisiana, and Edward W. Robertson, from the sixth congressional district of said State, be now sworn in as members of this House. Mr. Gibson demanded the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered. The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are Mr. D. Wyatt Aiken Henry B. Banning George M. Beebe Charles B. Benedict Philip Cook James W. Covert Jordan E. Cravens Thomas T. Crittenden Mr. D. B. Culberson E. John Ellis Thomas M. Gunter John T. Harris Mr. Hilary A. Herbert Auburn L. Pridemore Those who voted in the negative are Mr. William Aldrich William J. Bacon Mr. Horatio C. Burchard Mr. H. J. B. Cummings Theodore W. Burdick Lorenzo Danford Mr. George D. Robinson Robert B. Vance Alpheus S. Williams Mr. Charles Foster Frank Hisecek Jay A. Hubbell Morton C. Hunter The question then recurring on the original resolution as amended, the same was adopted. Mr. Gibson 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. The said J. B. Elam appeared, and, having taken the oath prescribed by section 1757 of the Revised Statutes, took his seat in the House. Messages in writing were received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Rogers, his secretary; which were handed in at the Speaker's table. Subsequently, The same were, by unanimous consent, laid before the House, read, referred to the Committee on Appropriations, when appointed, and ordered to be printed, viz: To the Senate and House of Representatives: I have the honor to transmit herewith the report of a board of inquiry appointed by the Secretary of the Interior to examine into the causes of the fire which destroyed a part of the Interior Department building on the 24th of last month. EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, October 17, 1877. To the Senate and House of Representatives: R. B. HAYES. I have the honor to transmit berewith a report of the Secretary of the Navy, setting forth the particulars with reference to the existing defi ciencies in the Navy Department. EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, October 17, 1877. R. B. HAYES. The Speaker stated the case next in order to be that of E. W. Robertson, of the sixth district of Louisiana. When Mr. Frye submitted the following preamble and resolution, viz: Whereas Charles E. Nash presents a certificate of election as a Representative to the Forty-fifth Congress, given by Governor William P. Kellogg, the then duly recognized and acting governor of the State of Louisiana, issued on the 9th day of December, 1876, in strict conformity |