By Mr. Fort: A bill (H. R. 1701) for the relief of Lieutenant C. A. Cutler;

to the Committee on War Claims.

By Mr. Hatcher: A bill (H. R. 1702) for the relief of Ralph P. Ford, late private Companies K and B, Third Regiment Missouri State Militia; By Mr. Morgan: A bill (H. R. 1703) for the relief of Joseph W. Carmack;

to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

By Mr. Glover: A bill (H. R. 1704) for the relief of Daniel M. Frost and the heirs and executors of William M. McPherson, of the State of Missouri;

to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1705) to incorporate the District of Columbia GasLight Company;

to the Committee for the District of Columbia.

By Mr. Gause: A bill (H. R. 1706) for the relief of William Byers, of Batesville, Arkansas;

to the Committee of Claims.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1707) for the relief of A. C. Wellburn, adminis trator of the estate of Daniel I. Wellburn, of Phillips County, Arkansas; Also, a bill (H. R. 1708) for the relief of Mary E. Whithead, Fannie C. Metzgar, and Minnie E. Clements, of Helena, Arkansas, heirs of Alexander H. Clements, deceased;

to the Committee on War-Claims.

By Mr. Cravens: A bill (H. R. 1709) to organize the Territory of Oklahoma;

to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1710) for the relief of Sarah J. Raney;

to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1711) for the relief of Mark Davis;

Also, a bill (H. R. 1712) for the relief of David Dodd;

By Mr. Gunter: A bill (H. R. 1713) for the relief of Pryor N. Lea, of Washington County, Arkansas;

to the Committee on War-Claims.

By Mr. Alpheus S. Williams: A bill (H. R. 1714) to amend certain sections of the Revised Statutes, relative to manufactures of cigars and to the sale of leaf-tobacco;

to the Committee of Ways and Means.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1715) making appropriation for an extension of the United States Government building at Detroit, Michigan;

to the Committee on the Public Buildings and Grounds.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1716) authorizing the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to prosecute cases and take appeals without giving bonds; to the Committee for the District of Columbia.

By Mr. Ellsworth: A bill (H. R. 1717) to repeal certain provisions of the act of Congress approved July 12, 1876, entitled "An act making appropriations for the Post-Office Department;

to the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads.

By Mr. Conger: A bill (H. R. 1718) for the publication and distribu tion of a new edition of the Medical and Surgical History of the War; to the Committee on Printing.

By Mr. Culberson: A bill (H. R. 1719) for the improvement of navi gation between the cities of Jefferson, in Texas, and Shreveport, in the State of Louisiana;

to the Committee on Commerce.

By Mr. Giddings: A bill (H. R. 1720) in aid of the Galveston Military Institute;

to the Committee on Education and Labor.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1721) for the relief of Alexander C. Crawford; to the Committee of Claims.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1722) for the relief of certain citizens of Brenham, Texas, and to pay for property appropriated and destroyed by United States soldiers in September, 1866;

to the Committee on War-Claims.

By Mr. Schleicher: A bill (H. R. 1723) for the relief of Francis Guilbeau, of San Antonio, Texas;

to the Committee of Claims.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1724) to reduce the cost of the defense of the southwesterly boundary of the United States by the construction of a railroad and telegraph;

to the Committee on Railways and Canals.

By Mr. Burdick: A bill (H. R. 1725) for the relief of George W. Mahen;

to the Committee of Claims.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1726) for the relief of E. Tuisquos;

Also, a bill (H. R. 1727) for the relief of John Henderson;

to the Committee of Ways and Means.

By Mr. Oliver: A bill (H. R. 1728) granting a pension to Julia J. Wheeler;

to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

By Mr. Joseph C. Stone: A bill (H. R. 1729) for the relief of Rollin J. Reeves;

to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

By Mr. Pound: A joint resolution (H. Res. 56) relative to reservoirs to promote the navigation of the Mississippi River;

to the Committee on Commerce.

By Mr. Luttrell: A bill (H. R. 1730) for the relief of the settlers on Soscol tract of land in Solano County, California;

Also, a bill (H. R. 1731) for the relief of James E. Barnes and eleven others, of the State of California;

Also, a bill (H. R. 1732) for the relief of A. P. Jackson and others; Also, a bill (H. R. 1733) for the relief of Nicholas Marquez;

to the Committee on the Public Lands.

By Mr. Page: A bill (H. R. 1734) for the relief of William H. Davis, of Oakland, Alameda County, California;

to the Committee on War-Claims.

By Mr. Richard Williams: A bill (H. R. 1735) for the relief of Charles W. Denton;

By Mr. Martin: A bill (H. R. 1736) providing for the payment of the amounts due the employés in and the contractors who furnished castings to the United States armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in March and April, 1860;

to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1737) to authorize and direct the Secretary of War to convey by deed to the board of education of the district of Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, a lot of ground, No. 2 in Block B, with the buildings thereon, for the use of the common schools thereof;

to the Committee on the Public Lands.

By Mr. Welch: A bill (H. R. 1738) for the relief of William J. Parker; to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

By Mr. Romero: A bill (H. R. 1739) for distribution of seeds for sufferers by grasshoppers;

to the Committee on Agriculture.

By Mr. Kidder: A bill (H. R. 1740) for the relief of Henry Mehring; to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Also, a bill (H. R. 1741) for the relief of Bligh E. Wood;

to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

By Mr. Corlett: A joint resolution (H. Res. 57) to so amend the Constitution as to give to the several Territories and the District of Colum bia one member each in the House of Representatives;

to the Committee on the Territories.

By Mr. Banks: A bill (H. R. 1742) for the relief of Alfred D. Bullock; to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

Resolutions were submitted and severally referred as follows, viz: By Mr. Blair:

A resolution relating to African exploration;

to the Committee of Ways and Means.

By Mr. Cutler:

Resolved, That the Clerk of the House be, and is hereby, directed to pay Ingram Coryell, from the contingent fund of the House, for services rendered as messenger in the Doorkeeper's department of the House from March 4 to October 15, and for services rendered as clerk to present Doorkeeper from October 16 to November 31;

By Mr. Clymer:

Resolved, That there be paid to E. J. Horton, out of the contingent fund of the House, the sum of $155.90, for services in the employment of the Doorkeeper of this House;

to the Committee of Accounts.

By Mr. Shelley:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy be requested to appoint a board of five naval officers of the highest rank, with a rear-admiral as president of said board, (and in selecting the other members of said board he shall take the senior naval constructor and engineer,) to examine and report upon the condition of the naval vessels now being repaired at the different navy-yards; which report shall be transmitted to this House for its information;

to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

By Mr. Durham :

Resolved, That the Clerk of the House be directed to pay to William H. Pinn $704, for services as laborer under the Doorkeeper for the months of September, October, and November, 1876, and from the 4th day of March, 1876, to the 20th day of November, 1877, being at the rate of $720 per annum;

By Mr. Young:

Resolved, That the sum of $3,840 be paid out of the miscellaneous funds of the House for expenses incurred in the organization and service of the Doorkeeper's department for the present special session of Congress; to the Committee of Accounts.

Mr. Roberts, from the Committee of Accounts, reported the following as a proposed additional rule; which was referred to the Committee on Rules, viz:

RULE

Each officer of the House of Representatives shall make out on the first day of each month his roll of persons regularly appointed by him for that month, with the names of the persons so appointed. Such persons shall serve during the month and be entitled to pay for the same if they have served, unless for proper cause assigned in writ

ing and delivered to the employé the officer has removed such employé during said month, in which case, or in case of a vacancy by death or resignation, he shall place upon the roll for the unexpired term the name of the person appointed to fill such vacancy. No person shall be paid except from the day upon which he was actually appointed. And the rolls of the officers of the House shall be hung up publicly on and from the first day of each month, subject to public inspection.

Mr. Hunton, from the Select Committee on the Revision of the Laws Regulating the Counting of the Electoral Votes for President and VicePresident, reported the following resolation; which was referred to the Committee of Accounts, viz:

Resolved, That the Special Committee on the Revision of the Laws Regulating the Counting of the Electoral Votes for President and VicePresident be allowed and authorized to employ a clerk and messenger.

Mr. Muldrow, by unanimous consent, presented the petition of Eli Morrow and others, colored citizens of Mississippi, asking for an appropriation of $100,000 to enable them to move to Liberia; which was ordered to be printed in the Record and referred to the Committee on Education and Labor.

On motion of Mr. Crittenden, by unanimous consent, the Committee on Invalid Pensions was discharged from the further consideration of the bill of the House (H. R. 1551) for the relief of Mrs. Emma A. Porch, of Centretown, Missouri, and the same was referred to the Committee on War Claims.

On motion of Mr. Hunton, by unanimous consent, the Committee on War-Claims was discharged from the further consideration of the bill of the House (H. R. 943) for the relief of the trustees of the Protestant Episcopal seminary and high school in Virginia, and the same was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor.

On motion of Mr. Foster, the Committee on Appropriations was discharged from the further consideration of the letter of the Secretary of the Treasury of the 9th instant, in relation to the account of H. H. Wells, United States attorney for the District of Columbia, and the same was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

On motion of Mr. Warner, by unanimous consent, the Committee of Claims was discharged from the further consideration of the petitions of Walter D. Plowden and of Mary E. Darwin and heirs of Amanda Canian, and also of bills of the House of the following titles, and the same were referred to the Committee on War-Claims, viz:

H. R. 1286. A bill granting relief to John T. Neale, an employé of the Provost-Marshal-General's Department in 1861, for injuries sustained in the line of his duties.

H. R. 1354. A bill for the relief of John D. Leflore and James Harris, executors of the last will and testament of Greenwood Leflore, deceased, of the State of Mississippi.

H. R. 1415. A bill for the relief of Robert L. Lindsay, late a captain of the Fiftieth Regiment Missouri Volunteers.

H. R. 1579. A bill for the relief of Francis I. Wheeler.

On motion of Mr. Cravens, by unanimous consent,

Ordered, That the report made by the Committee on Indian Affairs of this House of the Forty-fourth Congress, in relation to the organization of the Indian Territory, be printed for the use of the House.

Mr. Roberts, by unanimous consent, from the Committee of Accounts, reported the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That there be paid, out of the contingent fund, to Henry A.

Olcott and William H. Smith, each, the sum of $3.60 per day for services as messenger in the office of the Clerk of the House, from and including the 15th day of October ultimo and until otherwise ordered by the House; and further, that there shall be paid, out of the contingent fund, to Watson Boyle the sum of $3.60 per day for services as messenger to the Speaker, from and including the 1st day of July ultimo, and until otherwise ordered by the House.

Mr. Roberts 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. Crittenden moved that the rules be suspended so as to enable him to submit and the House to agree to the following resolution, viz:

Whereas Congress did provide in the act of July 1, 1862, being an act entitled "An act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, and to secure to the government the use of the same for postal, military, and other purposes," and also by the subsequent acts of July 2, 1864, March 3, 1869, and June 20, 1874, amendatory thereof, that said railroad and branches should be operated and used for all purposes of communica tion, travel, and transportation, so far as the public and government are concerned, as one connected continuous line, without any discrimination of any kind in favor of the business of any or either of said companies, or adverse to the road or business of any or either of the others, and upon such basis and contract with the said railroad company and its branches did grant to the said Union Pacific Railroad Company and branch companies large subsidies in bonds and lands of the United States, all for the purpose of aiding in the construction of said roads to be operated as aforesaid;

And whereas it is alleged the said Union Pacific Railroad Company and its branch companies, being the Kansas Pacific Company, the Denver Pacific Company, the Central Pacific of California, the Burlington and Missouri River Company, and the Sioux City Branch, have heretofore neglected and still do neglect and refuse to operate their roads in accordance with said acts of Congress, but have heretofore operated and still do operate them in open violation of the same;

And whereas, by reason of said defaults, and on account of the same, the government of the United States and the public have been and are still being damaged and deprived of their just and lawful rights and privileges as stipulated, defined, and agreed upon in said acts aforesaid: Therefore,

Be it resolved, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, requested to inform the House of Representatives what legal impediments, if any, exist which prevent him from executing said laws. in accordance with the obligations accepted and agreements made by said Union Pacific Railroad Company and branches with the United States, as stipulated and agreed upon in the several acts aforesaid.

Mr. Conger made the point of order that a motion to suspend the rules was not in order until after the session of to-day, the present not being one of the six days within which, under Rule 145, it is competent tomove to suspend the rules.

The Speaker overruled the point of order and held the motion to be in order.

And the question being put,

Shall the rules be suspended?

It was decided in the affirmative, (two-thirds voting in favor thereof.) So the rules were suspended and the said resolution was passed.