Select Committee on the Removal of Political Disabilities.

     On motion of Mr. LEWIS, it was
     Ordered, That the memorial and papers of L. C. P. Cowper, praying compensation for the destruction of his library by the troops of the United States, be withdrawn from the files of the Senate and referred to the Committee on Claims.

     On motion of Mr. DAVIS, of Kentucky, it was
     Ordered, That the petition and accompanying papers of Joseph Wilson, praying compensation for horses and mules capture by the rebels in consequence, as is alleged, of the referral of the pickets to allow him to pass within our lines, on the outposts of Washington, in July 1864, be withdrawn from the files of the Senate and referred to the Committee on Claims.

     On motion of Mr. PRATT, it was
     Ordered, That the petition and papers of Caleb White and Bertie A. Thomas, praying to be reimbursed for overcharges in the shipment and sale of certain cotton seized by order of the general commanding at Baton Roughe in 1865, and sold by an agent of the Government, be withdrawn from the files of the Senate and referred to the committee on Claims.

 On motion of Mr. SPENCER, it was
 Ordered, That the memorial and papers of W.H. Vesey, late United States consul at Havre, praying the payment of moneys lost by the failure of Green & Co., American bankers, be withdrawn from the files of the Senate and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

     On motion of Mr. CORBETT, it was
     Ordered, That the petition and papers of F.G. Schwatka be withdrawn from the files of the Senate and referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

    Mr. ANTHONY.  The Committee on Printing, to whom was referred the petition of Charles Lanman, praying for payment of damages sustained by him by the infringement of a copyright, have instructed me to ask to be discharged from its further consideration, and that it be referred to the Committee on Claims.  It is clearly a claim.
     The report was agreed to.

     Mr. ANTHONY.  The Committee on Printing, to whom was referred a resolution to print copies of the report of the Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, have instructed me to report it back without amendment, and recommend its passage.  I ask for its present consideration.
     There being no objection, the resolution was considered and agreed to, as follows:
     Resolved, That one thousand additional copies of the last annual report of the Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb be printed for the use of the president of the institution.

    Mr. ANTHONY.  I am also instructed by the same committee, to whom was referred a resolution to print one thousand copies of the Army Register for the use of the Senate, to report it back without amendment, and to ask for its present consideration.
     By unanimous consent, the resolution was considered and agreed to, as follows:
     Resolved, That there be printed for the use of the Senate one thousand copies of the Army Register to be published in January, 1872.

     On motion of Mr. WILSON, the following bills were recommitted to the Committee on Military Affairs:
     A bill (S. No. 67) for the relief of the purchasers of lots and houses and lots sold by virtue of an act of Congress entitled “An act providing for the sale of the lands, tenements, and water privileges belonging to the United States at and near Harper’s Ferry, in the county of Jefferson, West Virginia,” approved December 15, 1868; and
     A bill (S. No. 219) to carry into effect the decisions of the Supreme Court relating to bounty to soldiers enlisted between the 3d day of May and the 22d day of July, 1861.

     Mr. POMEROY.  I ask leave to introduce a bill to set apart a certain tract of land lying near the headwaters of the Yellowstone as a public park.  It has been ascertained within the last year or two that there are very valuable reservations at the headwaters of the Yellowstone, and it is thought they ought to be set apart for public purposes rather than to have private preëmption or homestead claims attached to them.  There are valuable hot springs, geysers.  Professor Hayden has made a very elaborate report on the subject.  This bill is to set apart that whole tract, about forty miles by fifty, as a public park, and put it under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, keep it from preëmptions and homestead entries and from sale, and reserve it from any grants that may be made, to be disposed of hereafter as Congress may direct.
     By unanimous consent, leave was granted to introduce a bill (S. No. 392) to set apart a certain tract of land lying near the headwaters of the Yellowstone river as a public park; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Public Lands, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. WILSON asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 393) to authorize the discontinuance of certain grades in the military service; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. STEWART asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 394) to amend an act entitled “An act supplementary to an act approved July 1, 1864, for the disposal of coal lands and town property in the public domain,” approved March 3, 1865; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Public Lands, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. POOL asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 395) for the relief of Enos J. Pennybacker; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. CORBETT asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 396) granting lands to aid the construction of the Portland, Dalles, and Salt Lake railroad, and to provide for the sale of such lands by the United States to actual settlers by preëmption as other lands; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Public Lands, and ordered to be printed.
     He also asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 397) to facilitate specie payment; which was read twice by its title, and ordered to lie on the table, and be printed.
     Mr. OSBORN asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 398) for the relief of James D. Greene; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Claims, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. LEWIS asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 399) to amend an act entitled “An act to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States;” which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. HILL asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 400) for dividing the State of Georgia into three judicial districts, and organizing and establishing an additional district court of the United States with circuit court powers and jurisdiction; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. SPENCER asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 401) granting public lands in the State of Alabama to the Decatur and Aberdeen Railroad Company to aid in the construction of a railroad to be build from Decatur, Alabama, to Aberdeen, Mississippi; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Public Lands, and ordered to be printed.
     He also asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 402) granting a right of way to the Mobile and Alabama Grand Trunk Railroad Company through and over lands owned by the United States; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Public Lands, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. HARLAN asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 403) for the relief of Rufus M. Pickel; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Claims, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. PRATT asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. no. 404) to establish a certain post route in Indiana; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. FENTON asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 405) to provide for the repayment of certain duties collected upon the importation of Russia hemp; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Finance, and ordered to be printed.
     Mr. HOWE asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 406) to encourage the laying of ocean telegraph cables and to secure the same for the use of the United States; which was read twice by its title, referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, and ordered to be printed.

     Mr. CONKLING.  I offer a resolution which I should like to have considered at the present time.
     Mr. ANTHONY.  I hope the Senator Will allow me to offer a resolution relative to the organization of the Senate.
     Mr. CONKLING. Let my resolution be read and then I will give way.
     The resolution of Mr. Conkling was read, as follows:
             Whereas it has been declared in the Senate that “at the port of New York there exists and is maintained by officers of the United States, under the     name of the ‘general-order business,’ a monstrous abuse, fraudulent in character;” and whereas the following statement has been made by a Senator:
             “It was intimated by some of the witnesses that Mr. Leet, who pockets the enormous profits arising from that business, had some connection with the White House; but General Porter was examined.  Mr. Leet himself was examined, and they both testified that it was not so, and counting the number of the witnesses we have no right to form a different conclusion.  But the fact remains that this scandalous system of robbery is sustained—is sustained against the voice of the merchants of New York—is sustained against the judgment and the voice of the Secretary of the Treasury himself.  I ask you, how is it sustained?  Where and what is the mysterious power that sustains it?  The conclusion is inevitable that it is a power stronger than decent respect for public opinion, nay, a power stronger than the Secretary of the Treasury himself:” Therefore,
            Resolved, That the Committee on Investigation and Retrenchment be instructed to inquire into the matter fully and at large, and particularly whether any collusion or improper connection with said business exists on the part of any officer of the United States: and that said committee further inquire whether any person holding office in the custom-house at New York has been detected, or is known of bribery, or of taking bribes, or of other crime or misdemeanor: and said committee is hereby empowered to send for persons and papers.
     Mr. CONKLING.  Before I ask for a vote on the resolution just read, I wish to know whether I correctly understood the Senator from Rhode Island as stating that he desired to offer a resolution relating to the organization of this committee?
     Mr. ANTHONY.  Yes, sir, the same committee.
     Mr. CONKLING.  Then my resolution would follow that more properly, and therefore I give way, and shall ask that this resolu- Go to the next page