eration the following rules of the House of Representatives, to wit: Rule 79, which relates to the business which may be referred to and considered by the Committee on Commerce; Rule 94, which relates to the business which may be referred to and considered by the Committee on Railways and Canals; and the resolution which relates to the business which may be referred to and considered by the Committee on the Mississippi River; and that the Committee on Rules consider whether there is a conflict between said rules, and, if necessary, that said rules be revised so that there shall be no conflict between them.

Rev. W. P. Harrison, having appeared and taken the oath of office prescribed by section 1757 of the Revised Statutes, entered upon the discharge of his duties as Chaplain of the House.

And then,

On motion of Mr. Durham, at 4 o'clock and 25 minutes p. m., the House adjourned.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 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. Banning: The petition of A. B. Mullett, for compensation for services rendered as an architect in designing the plans and superintending the construction of the new building for the State, War, and Navy Departments, and for designs furnished for improvements in the PostOffice Department, and the jail for the District of Columbia; to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds.

By Mr. Samuel S. Cox: The petition of gardeners, laborers, and others in the employ of the office of Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds, to be paid extra for the time over eight hours per day they have worked;

to the Committee on Education and Labor.

Also, the petition of David Conroy, for relief as to services to the Government of Ecuador;

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

By Mr. Dibrell: The petition of the members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church at Charleston, Tennessee, for compensation for damages to their church building by the United States Army;

By Mr. Elam: Papers relating to the claim of Dr. James B. Sullivan, for compensation for property destroyed by the United States Army; to the Committee on War Claims.

By Mr. Gibson: Memorial of citizens of New Orleans, for a reduction of the duty upon imported wines;

to the Committee of Ways and Means.

By Mr. Harrison: The petition of Mary J. Sears, for a pension;

to the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions.

By Mr. Henkle: Papers relating to the claim of William Talbert, for the use by the United States of his improvement in marine railways;

to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

By Mr. Huuton: The petition of Robert G. Coleman, for compensation for property taken by the United States Army;

to the Committee on War-Claims.

Also, papers relating to the claim of the representatives of M. D. Newman, for services rendered certain Indians;

By Mr. Phelps: The petition of Davis Hatch, of Norwalk, Connecticut, for remuneration for losses sustained by the wrongful acts and conduct of General Orville E. Babcock, when acting as the authorized agent of

the government and of the late Executive, with reference to the annexation of San Domingo;

to the Committee of Claims.

By Mr. Roberts: The petition of the captors of the ram Albemarle, for relief:

to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

Also, the petition of William L. W. Seabrook, late commissioner of the land-office of Maryland, to have refunded certain internal-revenue taxes paid on his salary;

to the Committee of Ways and Means.

Also, the petition of Frances O. Wyse, to be placed on the retired-list as a lieutenant-colonel;

to the Committee on Military Affairs.

By Mr. Sayler: Papers relating to the petitions of William Buckley, August Mellon, and Eliza A. Semple, for pensions;

to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

Also, papers relating to the claim of the Enterprise Insurance Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, for taxes overpaid;

Also, the petition of the heirs of William Tait, that they be paid the amount received by the United States for certain property sold in Cincinnati, Ohio, under a confiscation proceeding;

Also, papers relating to the petition of Charles E. Pierson, to have refunded the amount paid by him contained in a registered letter which was lost;

to the Committee of Claims.

Also, papers relating to the claim of A. G. Collins, for expenses incurred while deputy provost-marshal, sixth district of Ohio;

Also, papers relating to the petition of Mary Ann Stonefield, to be reimbursed the amount wrongfully paid by her late husband for exemption from military service;

to the Committee on War-Claims.

By Mr. Scales: Papers relating to the petition of Edwin I. Nutall, for a pension;

to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

By Mr. Stephens: The petition of Charles Lee, late surveyor of customs at Augusta, Georgia, for additional compensation for his services; By Mr. Tucker: Papers relating to the petition of messengers of the Supreme Court for additional compensation;

to the Committee of Claims.

By Mr. Walker: Papers relating to the petition of William B. Isaacs & Company, of Richmond, Virginia, for the restoration of certain coin belonging to them now in the Treasury of the United States;

to the Committee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. Charles G. Williams: Papers relating to the claim of A. E. Hodges, for cotton and other property seized by the United States authorities;

to the Committee on War-Claims.

By Mr. Albert S. Willis: Papers relating to the claim of John Gauit, for services rendered as a major of volunteers;

to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Swann, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, to which was referred the joint resolution of the House (H. Res. 1) in relation to the international industrial exposition to be held in Paris in 1878, reported on the 9th instant, with amendments, and recommitted to the said committee, again reported the same, with a substitute therefor; which joint resolution, (H. Res. 48,) with the same title, was read twice, committed

to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and, with the accompanying report, was ordered to be printed.

Mr. Samuel S. Cox, by unanimous consent, in behalf of a minority of the said committee, submitted a proposed substitute for the said joint resolution;

And

Mr. Hamilton also, by unanimous consent, submitted an amendment to the proposed substitute submitted by Mr. Cox.

Ordered, That the said proposed substitute and amendment thereto be printed.

Mr. Jere N. Williams, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 1515) to extend the time in certain cases for making proof of residence upon and cultivation of land in the State of Alabama entered under the homestead law, and for other purposes; which was read twice, ordered to be printed, and referred to the Committee on the Public Lands.

The regular order being demanded, the Speaker announced the reg ular order of business to be the call of committees for reports of a private nature, and the first business in order on said call the motion of Mr. Foster to substitute "Military Affairs" for "War-Claims" in the motion of Mr. Joseph J. Davis to discharge the Committee of Claims from the further consideration of the petition of Charles H. Frank, and refer the same to the Committee on War-Claims;

When

Mr. Foster withdrew his said motion.

The question then recurring on the motion of Mr. Davis, the same was agreed to.

Mr. Davis 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. Hubbell, from the Committee on Commerce, to which was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 1265) authorizing the changing of the name of the ship Samuel G. Reed, reported the same without amendment. The House having proceeded to its consideration,

Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time.

Being engrossed, the bill was accordingly read the third time, and passed.

Mr. Hubbell 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.

Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate therein. On motion of Mr. Hubbell, by unanimous consent, the bill of the Senate (S. 289) to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a register and change the name of the schooner Captain Charles Robbins to Minnie was taken from the Speaker's table, read three times, and passed.

Mr. Hubbell 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.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

Mr. Waddell, from the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads, to which was referred the joint resolution of the House (H. Res. 20) to apply the amount appropriated by the act of Congress approved March 3, 1877, to pay certain Southern mail-contractors, reported the same with amendments.

Mr. Conger made the point of order that the said joint resolution was not in order on this call, not being a private bill.

The Speaker overruled the point of order, and held that the joint res olution, being "for the interest of individuals," was in order; When

Mr. Conger made the further point of order, that the said joint reso lution must receive its first consideration in a Committee of the Whole House.

The Speaker sustained the point of order, and held the said joint resolution to be excluded from present consideration by the restrictions of Rule 112.

The joint resolution was accordingly committed to a Committee of the Whole House, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Knott, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 977) to remove the political disabilities of John Green, senior, of Alabama, reported the same without amendment. The House having proceeded to its consideration,

Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time.

Being engrossed, the bill was accordingly read the third time and passed, (two-thirds voting in favor thereof.)

Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate therein. Mr. Knott also, from the same committee, reported bills of the following titles; which were severally read twice, engrossed, read the third time, and passed, (two-thirds voting in each case therefor,) as follows, viz:

H. R. 1516. A bill to remove the political disabilities of F. E. Shepperd, of Virginia;

H. R. 1517. A bill to remove the political disabilities of C. B. Oliver; H. R. 1518. A bill to remove the political disabilities of John T. Tucker, of the District of Columbia;

H. R. 1519. A bill to remove the political disabilities of W. E. Wysh. am, of Maryland;

H. R. 1520. A bill to remove the political disabilities of George P Turner, of Courtland, Alabama.

Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate therein. On motion of Mr. Knott, by unanimous consent, the bill of the Senate (S. 291) to remove the political disabilities of Charles W. Field, of King George County, Virginia, was taken from the Speaker's table, read three times, and passed, (two-thirds voting in favor thereof.)

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

When

The morning hour expired.

Mr. Mills, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be, and they are hereby, directed to inquire into and report to this House the strength of the cavalry and infantry regiments in the United States Army, how many cavalry and how many infantry regiments are employed on the Texas frontier, the number and character of the troops employed there, the condition and military management of the frontier, and what additional military forces are needed to protect the people of Texas from Mexican raiders.

Pending which,

Mr. Banning submitted the following as an amendment thereto, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be, and they are hereby, instructed to inquire into—

1. The total number of general, staff, field, and line officers, non-commis sioned officers, musicians, artificers, wagoners, and other enlisted men and

employés in all branches of the Army on the 1st day of July, the 1st day of September, and the 1st day of November, 1877, respectively, and where, how, and in what service such officers and men have been employed during the present fiscal year.

2. The number and rank of officers on the retired-list.

3. The number and rank of all officers on the active-list who are unassigned and the reason why they are so unassigned, the number and rank of officers on the active-list physically unfit for the proper discharge of their duties by reason of age, disease, or other disability, and the number and rank of all officers upon leave of absence during the present fiscal year, and the length of such leave in each case.

4. The condition of affairs on the frontier of the State of Texas, the number and character of the troops in the Department of Texas, the conduct of military operations in that department, and what, if any, additional military protection ought to be provided for the people on that frontier against Indian and Mexican marauders.

5. The number and location of all military headquarters, forts, and posts, the annual cost of maintaining each of them and the necessity therefor. 6. The practicability and expediency of reducing, consolidating, or otherwise changing the present organization of the Army with a view to promot ing its efficiency and reducing its cost.

And the committee is authorized to send for persons and papers, and may report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. Conger and Mr. Hale, respectively, made the points of order that the amendment proposed by Mr. Banning could only be submitted by unanimous consent, and that the unanimous consent given Mr. Mills to submit a resolution related to that exclusively.

The Speaker ruled that the resolution being before the House, by unanimous consent, was open to amendment under the rules of the House.

Mr. Mills made the further point of order that the proposed amendment was not in order, not being germane to the proposition before the House.

The Speaker sustained the point of order that the proposed amend.. ment was not in order, on the ground that the same was already pending before the House, and therefore was, under Rule 48, not in order.

The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House papers in the contested-election case of Wigginton vs. Pacheco; which were referred to the Committee of Elections.

Mr. Singleton, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported a bill (H. R. 1521) to provide for deficiencies in the appropriation for the service of the government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, and for prior years, and for other purposes; which was read twice, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Joseph G. Cannon reserved all points of order on the said bill.

The House then proceeded to the consideration of the special order, viz, 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." After debate,

A message in writing was received from the President, by Mr. Pruden, one of his secretaries; which was handed in at the Speaker's table. Subsequently,

The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid the said messige before the House; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and ordered to be printed, as follows, viz: