256 



CONGRESS. (BILLS PASSED.) 



" In the First Congress the House of Repre- 

 sentatives consisted of only sixty-seven mem- 

 bers less than the present membership of the 

 Senate. Now there are three hundred and 

 twenty-five, besides the delegates from the Ter- 

 ritories. From the organization of the Govern- 

 ment to the close of the Twenty-fifth Congress, 

 a period of fifty years, there were introduced 

 into the House, as shown by its records, 8,777 

 bills and joint resolutions, while during the two 

 sessions of the present Congress 8,630 bills and 

 joint resolutions have been introduced almost 

 as many as during that half-century. At present 

 each one of our principal general appropria- 

 tion bills embraces as much money as the whole 

 amount of the net ordinary expenditures of the 

 Government during the first nine or ten years 

 of its existence, and the specific objects to be 

 investigated and provided for in ^those bills 

 have so increased that it has become a con- 

 siderable task even to enumerate them. 



" Although this House has passed a larger 

 number of bills than any of its predecessors, 

 except, perhaps, one or two which sat for a 

 longer time, it is not at all strange, gentlemen, 

 in view of the facts just mentioned, that it 

 should be compelled to leave unfinished a very 

 large percentage of the measures presented. It 

 is evident that, unless some constitutional or 

 legislative provision can be adopted which will 

 relieve Congress from the consideration of all, 

 or at least a large part, of the local and private 

 measures which now occupy the time of the 

 committees and fill the calendars of the two 

 houses, the percentage of business left undis- 

 posed of at each adjournment must continue 

 to increase from year to year. It is not rea- 

 sonable to suppose that an alteration of the 

 Constitution can be effected, but it is worthy 

 of serious consideration whether a general law 

 might not be enacted which would authorize 

 the several executive departments and the 

 courts of justice to hear and determine these 

 matters under such rules and regulations as 

 would amply protect the interests of the Gov- 

 ernment and at the same time secure to the 

 citizen a more expeditious and appropriate 

 remedy than is now afforded. If this shall be 

 done, time and opportunity will be afforded 

 here for the deliberate consideration of those 

 great public questions which the Constitution 

 has committed to the legislative department, 

 and something might be done to promote the 

 welfare of the whole people without neglect- 

 ing the special interests of any. 



"I congratulate you, gentlemen, npon the 

 spirit of harmony and good feeling which has 

 prevailed throughout your deliberations. It is 

 true tliat wide differences of opinion have been 

 developed and the largest liberty of debate has 

 been exercised, but each member has honestly 

 endeavored to respect and protect the rights 

 and privileges of his associates, and I am sure 

 that no personal animosities have been engen- 

 dered that will survive the close of your offi- 

 cial relations. We shall part to-day better 



friends than when we met, and hereafter, I 

 trust, we will all recall with pleasure the fact 

 that we were associated as members of the 

 House in the Forty-eighth Congress. 



" For ray part I shall always consider myself 

 indebted to you for the highest honor of my 

 life, the honor of presiding over the delibera- 

 tions of the American House of Representa- 

 tives a legislative body which, while it has 

 always respected the just authority of the Gov- 

 ernment, has never failed to assert the rights 

 of the people. When it ceases to do either, it 

 will no longer be an honor to preside over it. 



" Gentlemen, renewing my profound thanks 

 for your assistance, for your forbearance, and 

 for the expressions of esteem and confidence 

 which you have just placed upon your record, 

 and assuring each one of you of my best wish- 

 es for his success in every honorable aspira- 

 tion, I now declare this House adjourned sine 

 die" 



Bills passed. Besides the measures hereto- 

 fore specially noticed, the various appropria- 

 tion bills and private bills, the following acts 

 were passed : 



To provide for the sale of the Sac and Fox Indian 

 reservation in the States of Nebraska and Kansas, 

 and for other purposes. 



To adopt the "Revised International Regulations 

 for preventing Collisions at Sea." 



Authorizing and requiring the Secretary of War to 

 deliver to the ICighth New York Heavv Artillery Asso- 

 ciation the regimental colors which belonged to said 

 artillery, and which are now in the custody of the 

 Secretary of War. 



For the benefit of soldiers and Bailors who have lost 

 an arm at the shoulder-joint. 



Providing for allotment of lands in severalty to the 

 Indians residing upon the Umatilla reservation, in the 

 State of Oregon, and granting patents therefor, and 

 for other purposes. 



To amend section 4434 of title 52 of the Revised Stat- 

 utes of the United States, concerning commerce and 

 navigation and the regulation of steam-vessels. 



To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to as- 

 certain the amounts due to citizens of the United 

 States for supplies furnished to the Sioux or Dakota 

 Indians of Minnesota subsequent to August, 1860, and 

 prior to the massacre of August, 1862, and providing 

 lor the payment thereof. 



Providing for the printing and distribution of the 

 Descriptive Catalogue of Government Publications. 



To provide for the issue of duplicate checks. 



Authorizing the Secretary of War to adjust and set- 

 tle the account for arms between the State of South 

 Carolina and the Government of the United States. 



For the relief of the Metropolitan police force of the 

 District of Columbia. 



For the protection of children in the District of Co- 

 lumbia, and for other purposes. 



To authorize the Secretary of War to relinquish and 

 turn over to the Interior Department certain parts of 

 the Camp Douglas military reservation, in the Terri- 

 torv of Utah. 



To authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to con- 

 vey land in Providence, R. I., for highway purposes. 



Authorizing the Superintendent of the Census to 

 continue the work on the Tenth Census. 



Appropriating $50,000 for the support of certain 

 destitute Indians. 



To release the reversionary right of the Govern- 

 ment of the United States to certain lands in the city 

 of Detroit and State of Michigan. 



Regulating appeals from the Supreme Court of the 



