1874. OONGRE.SSIONAL RECORD. 9 MajOf' 'Pwining to Mr. Oampbell. PRAYER. UNITED STATES NORTHERN BoUNDARY COIDUSSION, The Chaplain, Rev.J. G. BUTLER, D. D., offered the following prayer: Washington, D. 0., Decernb~r 1, 1874. We cqme to Thee, 0 God, ·with adoration and thanksgiving. Thou Sm: In answer to your request, I respectfully submit a brief statement of the work ~rformod by th13 commission during the past summer. art upon the throne; upon Thee the nations depend. In Thee we live. During the swnmer of 1873 the boundary was surveyed and marked from the We thank Thee for life preserved and for the kind providence that Red River of the North waHt to longitude 106° 12'. For a distance of ninety miles again brings us together in the enjoyment of health both of body allll the marks were of a temporary nature, and are to be replaced by permanent monu­ of mind. We confess our sins and dmw nigh with confiuence to God ments. This arrangement resulted from a difference of opinion which existed a.t that time in regard to the true definition of the forty ninth parallel of h\titude. because Thou art the God of pardons. 0 blot out all our transgi·es­ During the winter of 187~'74 thu surveyo east of the Reu River were completed sions and grant us Thy peace. to the Lake of the Woods, including the shore-line of that lake so fur east a.;~ thu We seek Thy blessing, 0 Lord, as we enter upon these new respon­ Rainy River. Dru-ing the present cason the work has been executed in the same manner as sibilities. Lift upon our land, upon our Government, and upon all heret-ofore, lmder tho a~reemcnt made last year between the chief astronomers of our people the light of Thy countenance. Guide, we pray Thee, the the United States aml British commis:iions. This agreement was to the effect that Executive of this great nation, enduing him with heavenly wisdom. the officers of the United States were to determine astronomical stations at inter­ Give unto the members of his Cabinet Thy divine spirit. Control, vals of forty miles, and to survey a. belt of territory five miles wicle south of the parallel, the English to determine a similar erie of astronomical st.1.tions and to we beseech Thee, our Senators, bestowing upon them heavenly wisdom. survey an equal belt of toprtgraphy north of the line. ; May our judges be clothed with righteousness. And remember in The distance remaining to be surveyed during the present year wa.'l three hun­ mercy these Thy-servants, 0 Lord, blessing them in their persons, in dred and fift:v-ei.!;ht miles, from longitud6106°.12' to longitude 114o 05'. I organ­ their families, in their social relations, and in these great responsi­ ized the parties in Saint Panl, Minnesota, on the 1st of June, anrl proceeded, b.v wa.y of the Northern Pa.cific Railroad and the Missouri River, to Fort Buford. bilities which meet them day by day. We pray that Thou wouldst Thence, traveling by lr.nd, the advanced wo1·king- parties reached the line at the give unto them power over their own hearts, that Thou wouldst con­ initial point of ~his year's operations on tho 1st of July. trol them by Thy divine spirit; that Thou wo}lldst preserve them in The shortn of the season, and the immense di~ta.nce to be traveled after the their integrity in the midst of temptation, and give them consciences work should be completed, required that it should be finished urly in Sept-ember. With this object in view, the working parties were pushed to the utmost limit of void of offense toward God and toward man. their endurance, and by the 1st of september the 6lght astronomical stations as­ Remember our great land, 0 God, in all its interests, that our signoo t-o the United States commission lmd been determined (by one party) and garners may be full, yielding all manner of fruit; that our sheep may tho lin~ had been connected with the L'tst st.:ltiou of the northwestern boundary, bring forth thousands and tens of thousands; that our oxen may be at the summit of the Rocky Mountains. Fnll details of the survey have been given in tho preliminary reports from this office. Without reca.pitnL'ltion, I will strong to labor; that our commerce and the industries of the nation only say that the res•llts have been in every reap ct satisfactory. may all be promoted; that education and religion may be advanced; The commission returned to Saint Panl by wa.y of the Missouri River and the that the press may be purified and made an engine of great power Northern Pacific Railroad, making the dist.<tnce from Fort Benton to Bismarck, for good in our land, and that all that pertains to the well-being of this (twelve hundred miles,) in open boats, in eighteen days. The men were discharged on the 5th of Octob~r. natiomnay be under Thy divine guidance; that there may be no com­ Thus in fo1rr months this expedition accomplished a. journey of thirty-seven hun­ plaining in our st.reets, and ours may be that righteousness which exalts dred mHcs, nine hundred of which was by land, a.ncl twelve 'hundred by water, in a nation and the blessedness of that people whose God is the Lord. open boat , besides surveying and marking three hundred and fifty-eight miles of the boundary-line. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy king­ The t.opogmphical parties hn.ve beon continuously in the field, both winter and dom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us summer, frOm the 1st of June, 1873, until the present time, with the exception of this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespaBSes, as we forgive two months in the spring of 1874. They have demonstrated by experience that those who trespass against us. And lead m; not into temptation, but instrument.'\! work can be done in that high latitude, even in tho most ri~orous part of the winter, where tbe country is wooded. On the open plains sucn exposure deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and would be, beyond question, uxceedingly dangerous. the glory,forever and ever. Amen. The limits of this report will allow only a very brief statement of the general char­ CALL OF THE ROLL. acter of the country passed over. That portion crossed by the part of the line surveyed during the present year The SPEAKER. This being the time fixed by the Constitution for was found to be an open plain, entirely destitute of timber, but easily practicable for the opening of the second session of the Forty-third Congress the ~:~Ron-trains, except in the vicinity of Frenchman's Creek, and the crossing of will ..1.\l.llK River, where wide detours h:td to be made to avoid the bad lands. Clerk of the Honse call tho roll of Members to ascertain whether From longitude 106° to the crossing of Milk River the country cannot be oalled a quorum is in attendance, and will also call the Delegates from tho attractive. The min-fall is small, ana water consequently scarce during the sum­ various Territorie . mer months. The soil is alkaline, and produces mostly sa~e-brn hand cactus. The roll was called, when the foll.owing-named Members and Dele- From the Sweet Grass Hills to the Rocky Mountains its character is entirely changerl. The r.lin-fall appears to be ample. The belt along the foot of the mount­ gates answered : · ains, m addition to scenery of rar·e bea.nty, presents to the eye of the practical man MAINE. the more t~olid advant.'lge of an unsurpassed fertility. Northwe tern Montana. is John H. Burleigh. James G. Blahte.,. still the range of immense herds of buffaloe , whose nnmbors, contrary to the com­ William P. Frye. Eugene Ha.le. mon ly-recmved opinion, are con tantly increasing. This re#on is t.he country of the NEW HAMPSHIRE. Blackfoot and Piegan tribes of Indians. It is also the aebatn.ble ground of the Austin F. Pike. Hosea. W. Parker. North A sinaboines, the Gros Ventres of the prairio, and the r..iver Crows, while VERMONT. an occa ional war-party of Sioux may be found as far nmthwest M the Sweet Grass Hills. With the exception of the Sioux, these tribes appear to be peaileably enough Charles W. Willard. Lnke P. Poland. disposed. George W. Hendee. W. J. TWINING, MASSACHUSETTS. Oaptain Engineers, Ohiej Astronomer. James Bnffinton. Benjamin F. Butler. ABOHTDALD CAMPBELL, Esq., Benjamin W. Harris. E. Rockwood Hoar. Oommissicn.>r, Northern Boundary. Henry L. Pierce. John M.S. Williams. Samuel Hoo_per. George F. Hoar. Mr. CARPENTER. I move that the message be laid upon the Daniel W. Gooch. Henry L. Dawes. table and printed, together with the accompanying documents. The motion was agreed to. · RHODE ISLAND. Benjamin T. Eames. ANNUAL REPORTS. CONNECTICUT. The VICE-PRESIDENT laid before the Senate the annual report .Toseph R. Hawley. Henry H. Starkweather• of the Secretary of the Treasury on the finances; which, on motion Stephen W. Kellogg. of Mr. EDMUNDS, was ordered, to lie on the table and be printed. NEW YORK. Henry .r. Scudder. .Tohn G. Schumaker. He also laid before the Senate the annual report of the Comptroller Samuel S.