1885. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1527 

United States and the holder of that certificate! am willing to confirm 

the title. But suppose that in the mean time some person has come in 

and acquired a. title to this same tract of land under the laws of the 

United States, as they are construed by the Supreme Court. I do not 

wish now by legislation to -go ba-ck and interfere with that title, to 

change tha law so that it will have some ~etrospective effect upon that 

title. That would not be a. proper thing for Congress to do. We had 

better take up the certificates by refunding the money; and in fact 

there is a general law which authorizes and requires the 1·efunding of 

money·in cases of this kind where entries have been improyidently 

. made; or if persons have gone on and made improvements on the land it 

is better for Congress to pay for the improvements and to do justice fully 

in this particular than it is to interpose its authority and the weight of 

its opinion in behalf of one claimant of the land against another, both 

claiming under the Government, one claiming 'under the law and the 

other contrary to law. · l\1r. PAL.UER. Will the Senator from Alabama permit me? 

Ur. MORGAN. Yes. 

Mr. PALMER. He will see by the phraseology of the amendment 

that this only applies to cases where the United States is one party and 

the purchaser the oth.er party, that where there· are any conflicting 

claims they are not included, nor is the title cured or affeeted in any 

way by· this measure. Mr. MORGAN. That is correct as the bill was originally reported 

where there is any conflicting claim, but we Iiave now the word "valid," or rather "any valid conflicting claims," and that requires some court 

to decide it; that requires some authority on the part of the Government or somebody else to decide on the validity of that conflicting 

claim. If the Senator should limit the question entirely between the 

purchaser from the Government and. the Government so that the con- ~oversy that might arise in respect of it between two private citizens 

would not get into the case possibly, then I should be satisfied 'Ylth it. 

I am willing, if a man has made an entry at a dollar and a quarter 

an acre, and that is now the price of the land; that .he should have his 

certificate or hould have his patent, provided some person else in the mean time has not come in and acquired a right to the land; and if the 

amendment should be limited entirely to cases between the Government 

of. the United States and a claimant, I am willing that this should be 

considered asavalid title as aga.insttheGovemment. Bt;ttwherethere 

is any person else who is interested at all, I should object to having the 

matter settled in that way. 

I do not wish now to legislate so as to give to a man a title that was invalid at the time he got it. I am willing to pay him for the land; I 

am willing to compensate hinl for all the damage he has sustained, 

but not to take the title from some person else and transfer it to him. 

That is my difficulty about the amendment, and I think it will be 

'much better for the Senator to allow this matter to be considered on a separate bill, and let us have the facts- of the particular case to which 

the bill is to be applied. I .should like to have the railroad company 

named, to have all the facts and circumstances of the particular case stated to Congress in order that we might know precisely what we were doing. Here is a proposition that covers the whole territory of the 

United States, and I think it will be found very inconvenient in re- spect to some of the legislation we have already enacted and some that 

it is proposed to enact. 

:M:r. VEST. I think if this matter is laid over until to-morrow I can make some valuable contributions in the wayofinformation upon 

the subject. I have some papers in regard to it which I received some tinle ago, and I laid them away, in reference to this question coming 

up in the Senate; but I have them not now in the Chamber. I will move for an executive session. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from 1\Iissouri moves that the Senate proceed to the consideration of executive bru;iness. · 1\Ir. ALLISON. I hope before that is done--

Mr. VEST. I withdrawthe motion. 

Mr. ALLISON. I ask the Senator to withdraw the motion uri til we have all order to print this bill as far as it has been agreed to, so that 

in some way we may know a. little more as to the scope of it than we can by a hasty reading at the desk. 

Mr: VEST. I think that is right. . The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Iowa. moves that 

the bill as it now stands with the amendments agreed to--

M:r. ALLISON. And proposed. . 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. And proposed, be printed. That 

order will be entered if there be rio objection. 

Mr. SHERMAN. Before the order is made, I desire to move a substitute for section 5, so that it n;my be printed also. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Ohio submits an a~endment intended to be offered by him as section 5, which will be 

prmted. 

Mr. PLU~IB. The old section 5 was stricken out of the bill. 

Mr. SHERMAN. I know. 

Mr. PLUMB. But there is another section 5. 

Mr. SHERMAN. I know it. 

Mr. PLUMB. I offer an additional section to the bill which I ask 

may be printed. . ' 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Kansas sends an 

Amendment to the Chair-intended to be proposed. as an additional seo- tion to the bill. That also will be. printed. 

MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE. 

A message from the House of Representatives, by Ur. CLARK, its 

Clerk, announced that the House had passed the following bills; in 

which it requested the concurrence of the Senate: 

A bill (H. R. 483) for the erection of a public _building at Keokuk, 

Iowa; and 

A bill (H. R. 851) for the relief of the heirs of :Mary Jane Veazie, 

deceased . The message also announced that the House had passed the bill (S. 

1705) to provide for the issue of duplicate checks. 

The message further announced that the House had passed the following concurrent resolution: 

Resolved by the HrJ'U.I/e o.f Rep1·esentatives (tltc Senate concuning), That a commit- tee of three members of the House of Representatives be appointed by the House, and two members of the Senate be appointed by that body, to wait on Grover Cleveland, of the State ofNew York, and to notify him that he has been duly elected President of the United States for four years, commencing with the 4th of March, 1885; and also to notify Thomas A. Hendricks, of the State of· Indiana, that he has been dul;y: elected Vice-President of the United States for four years, commencing with the 4Lh day of 1\Iarch, 1.8~. 

ARl\IY APPROPRIATION BILL. 

Mr. ALLISON. Now, I ask to have printed a statement to accom- pany the Army appropriation bill in the nature of a report from the 

Committee on Appropriations. 

The PRESIDENT pm tempore. The Senator from Iowa, from the 

Committee on Appropriations, submits a . statement to accompany the 

report of the Army appropriation bill, and asks that it be printed. 

That order will be entered, if there be no objection. 

EXECUTIVE SESSION. 

:Mr. VEST. I move that the Senate proceed to the consideration of 

executive business. 

The motion was agreed. to; and the Senate proceeded to the consider- . 

ation of executive business. After twenty-three minutes spent in ex- ecutive session the doors were reopened, and (at 5 o'clock and 23 minutes p. m.) the Senate adjourned. 

HOUSE OF REPRESE~TTATIVES. 

"\VEDNESD.AY, Feb·r'llary 11, 1885. 

The House met at 11 O:cloe!t a. m.. Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. 

JOHNS. LINDSAY, D. D. · The Journal of yesterday's proceedings was 1·ead and approved. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. I rise to offer a privileged motion. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will recognize the gentle- man from Illinois in a moment. ".rhe gentleman from VeTmont [Mr. 

POLAND] is recognized. 

· SUITS FOR DAMAGES IN THE DISTRICT. 

Mr. POLAND. I rise to present a privileged report;- I submit a report of the committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the 

two Houses on the bill H. R. 7131. 

The report was read, as follows: 

The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendment of the Senate to the bill of the House No. 7131, "to authorize suits for damages where death re uJts from the wrongful act or neglect of any person or corporation in the District of Columbia," having met, after full and free conference have agreed to recomQlend and.do recommend to their respective Houses as follows: -That the House recede from its disagreement t-o tlie amendment of the Senate, and agree to the same with the following amendments thereto: In the first sectio~of said Senate amendment, and next before the proviso to said section, insert the following words: "and such damages shall be assessed with reference to the injury resulting from such act, neglect, or·default, causing such death, to the widow and next of kin of such deceased person." And also by adding to said first. section, after the proviso, the following words: "Andpro- videdfu1·ther, That no action shall be maintained under this act in any case where the party injured by such wrongful act, neglect, or default has recovered dam- ages therefor during the life of such party." And also by amending the said Senate amendment by striking out of the second section thereof the word "two years " and inserting" one year." And the Senate agree to the said amendments to the Senate amendment to said bill. LUKE P. POI,Al-.'1>, 

J. R. TUCKER, 

Wl\1. DORSHElMER, 

Nanogers on the part of the Hot!se. 

ISHA11I G. HARRIS, • JOKN J. INGALLS, H. H. RU>DLEBERGER, Mana gel"s on the part of the Senate. . 

Mr. POLAND. I will not take any time to make any explanation' 

of this report unless some gentleman on the floor should desue it. 

The report of the committee of conference was agreed to. 

Mr. POLAND moved to reconsider the vote by which the report of 

the committee was .agreed to; and also moved that the mol"i.W::: to :reconsider be laid on the table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 
1528 CONGRESSIONAL·~ RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRU.ntY 1.1' . 

ACTION ON BILL VACATED. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair desires to submit a statement with reference to the action of the House on Saturd~ last on the 

bill named. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

The action of the House on Saturday last disagreeing to certain amendments 

of the Senate to the bill of the House-H. R. 5713 and asking a conference with 

the Senate thereon will be vacated, the said bill not having passed the Senate. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The action of the House was taken on the motion of the gentleman from California [Mr. RosECRANS]. The 

Chair, having submitted to the House the statement of facts, asks that 

this may be ordered. The Chair hears no objection. 

HOUR OF DAILY )IEETING. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. I rise to offer a privileged motion. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

Resolved, That the hoUl' of daily meeting of the House for the remainder of 

the present session be 11 o'clock a. m. 

The SPEAKER pro t~m.pore. Does the gentleman desire to have the 

resolution referred to the Committee on Rules? 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. I desire a vote on it. 

Mr. KEIFER. I make the point that the resolution should be referred to the Committee on Rules. 

The SPEAKER pr.o tempore. The Chair sustains the point of order, 

and the resolution is referred to the Committee on Rules. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. Tlmt is ·not as I understand the rule. Such a resolution has been offered every session and I have never known one 

to be sent to the Committee on Rnles. . The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has never known one that was not sent to the Committee on Rules. 

Mr. KEIFER. I will ·state to the House that it will be reported 

back between this aud Monday. 

CHAXGE OF REFEREXCE. 

Mr. CUTCHEO~. I ask unanimous consent tO change thereference 

of the bill (H. R. 8117) for the relief of the l1eirs of Charles B. Smith, 

deeeased, from the Com:mittee on Claims to the Committee on Military 

A.1ijl.irs, the reference to the Committee· on Claims having been errone- ously made. 

There was no objection, and it was so ord~red. 

ADMISSION TO THE FLOOR. 

J,Ir. McMILLIN. I desire to offer a. privileg~d resolution, which I 

send to the desk. 

The Clerk read as follaws: 

Ruolvecl, That the Doorkeeper be -directed to admit to the floor of the House 

ladies having tickets issued for the members' gallery during the joint session 

for the count of the electoral vote. 

Mr. HEWITT,. of Alabama. Is that a privileged question? 

Mr. McMILLIN. I will state that this is in the exact language of 

the resolution offered in the Forty-sixth Congress, which was at that time 

held to be privileged, and which was passed. I think there can be no objection to it. The state of facta is this: About eight hundred ti~kets 

have been issned; the seating capacity of the galleries seta part is barely 

four hundred. Hence this is necessary in order to accommodate those 

holding the tickets which have been issued. 

Mr. COSGROVE. I ask that the resolution be 3-oaa.in reported. 

1l1r. HEWITT, of Alabama.. Mr. Speaker, is that motion privileged? 

'l'he SPEAKER pro tempore, The Chair thinks it is. . 

Mr. WASHBURN. Do I understand the Chair to hold that this is a privileged motion? 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair thinks it is a privileged 

motion, in the light of the rulings that ;have been made by the Speakers 

of the House. . 1l1r. HEWITT, of Alabama.. Mr. Speaker--

The SPEAKER pro temp01·e. For what purpose ~es the gentleman 

rise? 

Mr. HEWITT, of .Ala.bama. I I'ise to make a point of order on this 

motion. 

The SPEAKER pro tempo1·e. The gentleman will state it. 

Mr. HEWITT, of Alabama. ])1r. Speaker, my understanding of the 

rules of the House is that under them certain persons are admitted upon 

this floor and all other persons are excluded. Now, the resolution of 

the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr.l\ICMILLIN] proposes to admit upon 

the floor of the House persons who, under the rules, are excluded from 

the floor; therefore it is a proposition to change the rules of the House, 

and is subject to the point of order that it must go to the Committee on Rnles, and .can not be considered without one day's notice. 

Mr. McMILLIN. 1\Ir. Speaker, I have at hand a reference to a. precedent if it is desired. . 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. It is not necessary to debate the point 

of order further. The Chair will state {ifthe gentleman from Tennes- see is content) that this is not the first time this point has been raised 

and l'Uled upon, and the Chair has no disposition to overrule the rnlings 

made by its predecessors, which is that the rule to which the gentJ.e- man from Alabama [.Mr. HEWITT] has adverted does not apply to a joint session of the two Houses of Congress, but applies simply to the 

sessions of the House. . Such has been the ruling from the Chair heretofore, and the present occupant feels no disposition to controvert that 

ruling. 

Mr. HEWITT, of Alabama.. Then, J,fr. Speaker, there is no rule ex- cluding any one from the floor of the House. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Not when· it is in joint session, except 

at the pleasure of the House. The Chair overrules the point of order. 

The question was taken on the adoption of the resolution offered by 

1\!r. McUILLIN; and there were-ayes 134, nays 72. 

So the resolution was agreed to. • Mr. McMILLIN moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolutiQp. was agreed to; and also moved to lay that motion on the table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIOY BILL. 

Mr. FOLLETT. 1\1r. Speaker, I submit a. privileged report from the 

Committee on Appropriations, which I ask the Clerk to read. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

The Committee on Appropriations1 to whom was referred the bill of the House 

8039, making appropriations to provtde for the expenses of the government of 

the District of Columbia. for the year ending June 30, 1886, and for other purposes, together with the amendments of the Senate thereto, having considered 

the sa. me, beg leave t-o report as follows: They recommend concurrence iu the 

runendmen ts Of the Senate numbered 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 12,13, 14,15116, 17, 18, 24, 27, 28, 29, 

30, 31, 32, 33, 34, ~. 46, 48, and 49. 

They recommend non-concurrence iu the amendments numbered 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 

11, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, and 50. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. If no separate. vote is demanded upon 

the amendments the question will be upon concurring in the recom- mendation of the Committee on Appropriations. 

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. Speaker, I ask that the Senate amendments 

be read. 

The Clerk proceeded to rea.Q the amendments. Before he had con- cluded the reading, 

Mr. BENNETT rose. 

The SPEAKER pro tem,po1·e. Does the gentleman from Nm-th CaroLina withdraw his demand for the reading of the Senate amendments? 

Mr. BE)TNETT. I do, sir, because I can not get any information 

from it. [Laughter.] 

The amendments numbered 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 24, 

27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35,46, 48, and 49 were concurred in. . . Mr. TALBOTT moved to reconsider the vote by which the amendments were concurred in; and also moved to lay the motion to reconsider on the table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

Mr. FOLLETT. I move that the House non-concur in the remainder of the Senate amendments and ask for a committee of conference. 

The motion was agreed to. 

1\Ir. FOLLETT moved to 1·econside.r the vote just taken; and also 

moved to lay the motion to re(!9nsider on the table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore appointed as conferees on the part of the 

Howe ])fr. FOLLETT, Mr. HUTCHINS, and Mr. CANNON. 

OFFICERS OF UNITED STATES COURTS. 

Mr. SPRINGER, by unanimous consent, reported back favorably 

from the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Justice 

the bill (H. R. 7675) relating to the compensation and duties of United 

States attorneys, marshals, and other court officials, and for other purposes; which was referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

state of the Union, and, with the accompanying report, ordered to be 

printed. · 

REFEREKCE OF SE..'\ATE PENSIO~ BILLS. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the order of the House made 

yesterday various pension bills from the Senate now on the Speaker's 

table. will be taken up and appropriately referred. 

Bills of the following titles were acc'9rdingly taken from the Speaker's 

table, read twice, and referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions : A bill ·{S. 1268) for the relief of Sydney L. Skaggs; • A bill {S.1365} grantinganincreaseofpension to Eugene O'Sullivan, 

late a ser~eant of Company K, Eighteenth Missouri Volunteer Infantry; 

A bill (S. 1416) granting a pension to Mrs. Charlotte Hackett; 

A bill (S. 1546) granting a pension to Orin R. McDaniel ; 

A bill (S. 1571) granting a pension to James M:cCallen; -:. A bill (S. 1655) granting a pension to Newton J. Burris; 

A bill (~. 1790) granting an increase of pension to Edgar L. Dutton; 

A bill (S. 1803) granting an increase of pension to George A. Washburn· · 

A bill (S. 1804) granting a. pension to Clarinda Hunt; 

A bill (S. 2009) granting a pension to Isabella Turner; 

A bill S. 2158) granting an increase of pension to-JesseS. Harrold; 

.A, bill S. 2160) granting a pension to Robert Walker; 

.;. .A:. bill S. 2204) granting arrears of pension to Nancy B. Leacb; 

" A bill S. 2231) granting a pension to Mrs. Kate A. Drummond; 

A bill S. 2272) granting a pension. to Andrew Franklin, alias .Andrew McKee; . • . A bill (S. 2327) for the relief of James Bedell, sr.; 

A bill (S. 2398) granting a pension to Cyrus Reeser; 

A bill (S. 2514) granting a pension to David T. Hoover; 
t 

1885. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1529 

A bill (S. 2547) granting an increase of pension to Mrs. Frances L. 

Thomas, widow of Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas; 

A bill (S. 2549) granting a pension to Isa.bella Higgins; 

A bill (S. 2587) granting a pension to William H. H. Gilley; and 

A bill (S. 2610) granting a pension to Patrick Furlong. 

Bills of the following titles were taken from the Speaker's table, read 

twice, and referred to the Committee on Pensions: 

A bill (S. 357) granting a pension to William Lockhart; 

A bill (S. 1183) granting a pension to Hugh O'Neil; and 

A bill (S. 1709) granting a pension to Leonora A. Boyden. 

S. W. MARSTON. 

On m~tion of.Mr. COSGROVE, by unanimous consent the bill (S.1035) 

to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to settle the claims ofS. W. 

Marston, late United Stntes Indian agent at Union agency, Indi4ln 

Territory, for services and expenses, was taken from the Speaker's table, 

read twice, and refe~red to the Committee on Claims. 

SILVER DOLLARS AXD SILVER CERTIFICATES. 

Mr. BLAND. I ask unanimous consent that an order be made to 

print in the RECORD the communication which came in last evening 

from the Secretary of the Treasury in response to · a resolution of the 

House asking information relative to the alleged refusal of certain banks 

and banking asSociations to receive silver dollars and silver certificates 

in settlement of their balances. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 

gentleman from Missouri (Mr. BLAND]? The Chair hears none, and 

the or~er is accordingly made. 

The· communication is as follow'S: 

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Fwruary 10,1885. 

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of resolution of the House of Representatives dated February 3, 1885, as follows: 

"Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and be is hereby, requested t-o inform this House whether the Clearing House Association at New York, or any national bank thereof, refuses to receive silver dollars or silver certificates 

in the settlement of their balances, or refuses to receive silver dollars or silver 

certificates from tbe Government in payment of' balances due from the Govern- ment to said association, and whether any official or officials of t,he Governtllent , accede to or recognize such rule or practice. - - "Also, what amount of gold came into the Treasury of the United States in 

exchange at.. par for silver dollars and silver certificates during the month or January, 1886. - "Also, whether any national bank, or association of national banks, refuses to receive or pay out sitver dollars or silver cert-ificates contrary to law, or have 

adopted any rule or practice in that. regard for the purpose of discrediting such money, or the effect of which is to depreciate the same. "Also, what amount of silver coin was in the Treasuryoftbe United States on the 1st day of January, 1879, and of each year thereafter, not held -for the re- dempfion o! silver certificat~s. and what proportion the said coin bore on each 

of those dates to the net cash in the Treasury nt those several d4tes. 

"Also, what amount of the customs and internal revenue and other receipts of the Government, stated separately, have been received in silver coin or silver 

certificates, stated by months, for each year since the 1st day of January, 1879. 

"Also, what other governments of the world did, during the year 1883, permit 

the coinaA"e of legal-tender silver coin; also, the amount of such coinage, and 

what part thereof was from recoinage and what part from bullion. _ "Also, the pdee paid per ounce by the Director of the l\lint for silver bullion on the 1st days of January and July in each year from 1878 to 1885, both years inclusive." - In reply, I inclose herewith coptes of reports from the Treasurer of the United 

States and the Director of the l\lint, to whom the resolution bad been referred, 

which contain the information desired. 

Very respectfully, 

The SPEAKER of the House of ~epresentativu. 

H. McCULLOCH, Secretary. 

TREASURY OF THE UNITED STATES, 

Washinglo·n, February 10, 1886. 

SIR: I have the honor to submit such information as this office is able t-o furnish in answer to the resolution adopted by the House of Representatives on the 3d instant and referred to the 'l'reasurer of the United States for report. 

l. "Whether the Clearing House Association at New York, or any national 

bank thereof, refuses to receive silver dollars or silver certificates in the settle- ment of their balances, or refuses to receive silver dollars or silver certificates 

from the Government in payment of balances due from the Government to said 

association, and whether any official or-officials of the Government accede to or recognize such rule m: practice.P' It is not known to this office thAt the ClearingHouse AssociationatNewYork or any national bank thereof bas, since the passage of the act of JUly 12, 1882, 

t·efused to receive silver dollars or silver certificates in the settlement of their 

balances, or bas at any time refused to receive silver dollars or silver certifi- cates from the Government in payment of balances due from the Government to said association. 

The following resolutions, among others, were adopted by the New York 

Clearing House Association November 12,1878, viz: - "Resolved, That in order to facilitate the payment of drafts and ~becks between 

the Treasurer of the United States and the associated banks, the manager of 

the New York Clearing House is p.utborized to make such an arrangement with 

the assistant treasurer as will accomplish that purpose through the medium of 

the clearing-house. · "Resolved, That the associated banks of this city, after the 1st of January, 1879, 

will (1} decline receiving gold coins as' special deposits,' but accept and treat them as lawful money; (2} abolish special exchanges of gold checks at the 

cleru·ingllhouse; (3) pay and re~ive balances between banks at the clearing-house 

eit.ber in gold or United States legal-tender notes; (4} receive silver dollars upon deposit only under special contract to withdraw the same in kind; (5) prohibit 

payments of balances at the clearing-house in silver certificates or in silver dol- Jars~ excepting as subsidiary coin, in small .sums (sayunder$10); (6) discontinue 

gola special accounts by notice to dealers on 1st of January next to terminate 

them." _ • - In a lette1· to the chairman of the clearing-house committee of Bostou, dated 

November 18,1878, Secretary Sherman said that- · "The armngement between this Department and the New York Clearing House Association was confined to the convenient adjustment and payment of 

drafts drawn upon the Treasury and the banks, respectively,and to the receipt, 

by the banks, of United States notes as coin, after the 1st day of .January, 1879. 

• 

The several resolutions adopted by t-he associated banks of New York "' "' • were for the guidance of the banks and not in any respect a stipulation with the 

Government." 

The Treasury, in January 1879, became a member of the New York Clearing House to the e:rtentand for the purposes set forth in the resolution above quoted. A provision having been inserted in the twelfth section of' the act of July 12. 

1882, that "no national banking association shall be a member of any clearingbouse in which such certificates (gold and silver certificates) shall not be receivable in settlement of clearing~ouse balances," the associated banks of New York adopted the following resolution: 

"Resolved That the resolutions adopted by the Clearing House.A.ssoc!ation on the 12th of November, 1878, be, and are hereby, modified so far as they conflict 

with section 12 or t.be act of Congress passed July 12, 1882." _ The members of the clearing-bouse have continued to settle their balances in 

gold coin or certificates, or United States notes, and as no silver dollars or silver 

certificates have been tendered, none have been refused. The Treasury, although not a party to any lmderstanding that silver dollars or certificates should not be tendered, and though it has never in any way waived the right t-o .pay demands upon it in any kind of money whi<-h may lawfully be tendered for the purpose, has coQformed to the practice of the associated banks in paying the 

balances against it at the clearing-house. The Department bas deemed it inexpedient as a mattet: of public policy to force the issue of silver dollars or certifi- cates at the chief financial center of the country until compelled to that step by 

the condition of the Treasury. Silver certificates have recently been used in 

part payment of a day's balance against the Treasury, and have been accepted 

by the clearing-bouse. They will be again so used whenever the state of funds 

in the Treasury may require it. _ 2. "'Vbat amount of gold came int-o the Treasury of the United States in ex- change at par for silver dollars and silver certificat~:"s during the month of Jan- uary, 1885?" ' There was- deposited with the assistant treasurer at New York during the 

month of January, 1885, $575,000 in gold, for which drafts payable in silver cer- tificates by the assistant treasurer at New Orleans, La., were issued by the Treas- urer. • There was also received during the same month $42,000 in drafts on New York, 

which were collected through the clearing-house, in exchange for which silver 

dollars were fopvarded by the Treasury from the mints. These drafts, while not payable in gold, became equivalent to gold r~ipts by reducing the balances 

against the Treasury at the New York Clearing-House. The exchanges were made at par. . It is not known that any other amounts of gold came into the Treasury in ex- change for silver dollars or silver certificates. 

3. "Wh~ther any national bank, or association of national banks, refuses to ·receive or pay out silver dollars or silver certificates contmry to law, or have 

adopted any rule or practice in t bat regard for the purpose of discrediting such money, or the effect of which is to depreciate the same." 

The Treasury, not being ~member of any other clearing-bouse than that at New York, bas no authentic information as to the ruleorpracticeofotherclear· 

ing-bouses in the receipt or paytnent of silver dollars or silver certificates. It is publicly reported that silver certificates are accepted in settlement of balances at the clearing-bouse in Boston. Silver certificates are used in the payments-to the public creditors, including 

the national banks, at all of the subtreasuries, except New York. 

This office bas no further information as to the rule or practice of individual 

national banks, other than that contained in the above-quoted resolutioDB of 

the New York Clearing House Association. ' 4. "What amount of silver coin was in the Treasury of the United· States on the 1st day of .January,l879, and of each year thereafter, not held for the redemption of silver certificates, and what proportion the said coin bore on each of 

those dates to the net cash in the Treasury at those several dates.'! - The following table shows, for the 1st of January in each year, from 1879 to ISM, the amount of the cash in the Treasury, less certificates actually outstanding, the silver dollars held and silver certificates actually outstanding, and the amount of silver dollars actually owned, with the percentage of the latter to the net cash in the Treasury. 

As the Treasury also holds other silver coiDB and silver bullion, the table also 

shows, for the dates named, the amounts of such eoin and bullion held, and the 

total silver assets, and the percentage of the same to the net cash in the Treasury: 

January1879 ............... $202,026,723 77 $16,704,829 

33,168,064 

48;190,518 

69,589,937 

94,016,842 

1880......... ..•... 222, 426,211 33 

1881... .. ....... .. . 215, oto, 20() 57 

1882............... 235, 686, 783 59 

1883. .. ...... ... ... 223, 700, 425 05 1884......... ...... 253, 205, 010 20 119,449,385 

1885.. ......• ...... 239, 423, 682 25 146, 502, 865 

January-:-

1879 ... ~ ......... . 1880 .............. . 1881. ............. . 1882 .............. . 1883 .............. . 1884 .............. . 1885 .............. . $16, 291, 469 $9, 121' 416 63 

29, 343, 812 4, 4!>2, 421 19 

12, 062, f!IJ7 6, 183, 224 05 7,274,617 3,607,829 86 

25,573,182 4,468,19310 

22,731,664 4, 5.'M., 372 93 

31, 636, 954 4, 716, 055 83 

$413,360 

3,824,252 

36,I27,ni 

62,315,320 

68,443,660 

96,717,721 

114,865,911 

_$6, 349, 84.9 14 18, 881, 629 15 

24, 769, 057 32 25, 963, 641 ~8 

26, 521, 692 20 

27,224,126 33 

29,194, 355 52 

.... 

4.1::1. ~~~ o_, -e~o 

;>""'"C = . c_al~ :e~t "011) ,S~CI '"''"'o 

~~>. c::o:::: 

~"CeO 

lll 

$16,291,469 

29,343,812 

12, 062, fl07 

7,274,617 

25,573,182 

22,731,664 

31,636,954 

ch 

CIS • 

:p'g 

;.C:: 

:;; 

-<tl al ... ... CI) OIID 

E-4 

$31, 762, 734 'i7 52,717,862 34 

43, 015, 088 37 j 36, 846, 088 34 

56, 563, 067 -30 

54,490,163 2t 65, 547, 364 85 

~:a.. .... 4)«1111 

o:::: c:: 

~.g3 

8.06 

13.19 

5.61- 3.09 

11.43' 

8.98 

]3.21 

..... 11) o"il . lf).d 

i~~ ~ ... ~ 

=~~~~~~ CI>;.S:: 

~=== 0 OIID+' 

p.. 

15.72 

23.70 

20.00 

15.63• 

25.281 21.52 

27.38 

5. "What amount of the customs and internal revenues and other receipts of 

the Government~ stated separately, have been received in silver coin or silver 

certificates,statea by months, for each year since the 1st day of January, 1879?" 

By direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, no distinction bas been made, 

since .January I, 1879, in t.be accounts of the Treasury, between coin and cur- rency, and no record bas been kept in this office of the kinds of lawful money received. The assistant treasurer at New York bas, however, kept a record 

of the kinds of fnnds received at his office, from customs, since .January 1,1881; 

and a statement showing the amounts of internal revenue and of customs, and 

• 
• 

1530 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- HOUSE. FEBRUARY 11, 

the amounts of silver dollal'S and silver certificates from the latter source, re· ceived at his oftke, by months, since that date, is appended: Silver certificates are also received at the New York office oa account of tra.ns- f'el'S of funds, the 5 per cent. fund of national banks, customs receipts at other ports, &c. The following statement shows the amount of such receipts or cer• tificates for each of the past thirteen months: 'daS ~ 1\Ionths. QICI) 

E~ .s ........ gj ~<I) 

......... 0 

. 1881. January.~ ...•.... " ..................... $200, 885 72 $10,864, 217 25 February .............................. 177,107 65 11, 511, 654 46 March ................................... 328,892 93 13, 518, 036 10 April ......... : .......................... 248,526 1a 12, 060, 056 46 1\-iay ................................. - ... 209, 251 82 ll, 600, 398 32 

June ...................................... 233,44.8 42 ll, 517,553 81 July ....................................... 264,853 31 12.417,758 22 August .................................. 273,508 55 15, 759, 021 87 September ............................ 259,252 94 14,612,119 94. October ................................. 286,963 28 13, 561, 133 52 November ............................ 290,626 70 10, 358, 272 49 December .............................. 253, 571 44 .11, 353, 843 28 

Total for 1881 .............. 3, 026, 888 89 149, 134, 065 72 

1882. January ..................... ............ 247,889 42 13, 698, 669 95 

February .............................. 220,360 97 13,9!ID, 305 19 lliiarch ................................... 231,665 25 14,490, 727 36 

April ..................................... 213,670 26 12, 475, 568 26 May ....................................... 2.35,443 64 12,539,023 25 June ...................................... 211,133 89 11, 8C5, 150 72 July ...................................... 203,387 86 14, 172,301 27 August, ................................. 351,976 70 16, 936, 020 44 

~cf~~~~-1:::·.::::::·.:::::·.::::::~::·:.:: 346,851 85 15,146,956 87 333,103 88 13, 751, 199 70 November ............................. 251,434 14 10, 738, 755 34 Deeember .............................. 213,687 09 10, 783, 378 so ------ Total for 1882 ............... 3, 060, OOi 95· 160,537,056 65 

1883. January ....................... : ........ 224,720 79 12, 919, 503 90 February .............................. 404,269 00 12. 506, 721 14 l!olarch ................................... 151,554 ll 12, 831, 869 51 April ................... ~ ................ 109, 98-t 52 9, 958, 572 33 1\Iay ...................................... 101,459 90 8,61(),480 50 June ...................................... 37,460 56 14,ll3, 2M 11 July ...................................... 12,865 01 14, 970,785 69 August ................................. 17,042 13 13,605,586 19 September ........................... 21,406 58 12, 410, 251 32 

October ................................. 47,487 08 12, 057, 049 78 November ......... , ................... 6, 273 03 9, 380, 060 08 l>ecember ........... : ................. 6,736 66 9,7 1,08! 19 

Total for 1883 ............... 1, 141, 259 37 143,145,218 74 

188-i. January ................................. 1!,571 08 11, 996, 509 53 

February .............................. 14,674 24 12, 410, 941 ()() 

March. .................... : ........ ...... 12,652 28 11, 798, 707 81 .April ..................................... 38,401 (17 10,195, 180 09 .May ....................................... 22,060 05 9,693,544 48 -June .............. ........................ 5,438 94 9, 752,969 74 'July ....................................... 5,575 09 13, 428, 848 27 'August .................................. 4,887 00 13, 162, 434 28 Sept~ber ............................. 7, 760 42 12, 413, 7 46 40 October ....... .......................... 11,076 70 10,879,031 S'J 

November ..... : .......... ............ 3, 064 79 8, 2<>1, S.'l9 06 December .............................. 4.837 69 8, 426, 924 46 

Total for 188-i ............... 144,999 35 132, 416, 696 94 

1885. January ................................. 6,346 19 10, 595, 288 24 1 

Total for forty-nine months.: 7,380,098 75 595, 8?...8, 326 29 I 

GlC..!t 111>=:,!. a· ... .g 8-<llai 

o'tl ... o'tl~$ 

~·;,; ~ ~·;.;~ 

bP'5i~ c).o;;j~ 

sn,ooo $4,768,000 

14,000 5,162,000 

17,000 6,222,000 

17,000 6,025,000 

15,000 5,626,000 

15,000 6,284,000 12,000 7,005, 000 15,000 8,033,000 

14,000 8,561,000 

16,000 8,091,000 

14,000 3,285,000 

15,000 2,062,000 

175,000 71,124,000 

14,000 2,715,000 

12,000 2,565,000 

14,000 2, 781,000 

24,000 2,666,000 

31,000 2,807,000 

ll,OOO 2,673,000 

9,000 3,400,000 

22,000 7,951,000 

13,000 8,161,000 

13,000 4,213,000 

ll,OOO 1,607,000 

10,000 1,W7,000 

184,000 43,486,000 

10,000 1. 976,000 

9,000 1. 944.000 13,000 1,624,000 

ll,OOO 1,633,000 

10,000 2,131,000 '19,000 2, 755,000 

18,000 1, 906,000 

ll,OOO 2,395,000 

10,000 1,682,000 

10,000 1,902,000 

9,000 2,011,000 

9,000 1,809,000 

139,000 23,768,000 

9,000 2, 794,000 

8,000 2,661,000 

10,000 3,031,000 

13,000 2,643,000 

13,000 3,282,000 

14,000 3,366,000 

13,000 4,247,000 

12,000 4,164,000 

13,000 3,764,000 

13,000 3,331,000 

10,000 3,255,000 

11,000 3,559,000 

139,000 40,097,000 

13,000 1 4.,179,000 

650, 000 1 182, 654, 000 

Months. 

1884. January ............................. .. February ........................... .. 1\larch ................................ . April ......... ......................... . 1\Iay ..................... .............. .. June ................................... . July .................................... . August ............................... .. September ......................... .. 

Amount. 

$2,430,000 

2,808,000 

2, 140,000 

2,043,000 

2, 9?..2,000 

2,545, 000 2,482,000 

2,014,000 

. 1, 749,000 

1\lonths. 

1884 . October ........................... .. November ....................... . December ................. , ....... . 

1885. January .......................... . 

Total for thirteen months ................ .. 

Amount. 

$1,971,000 

2,372,000 

2,264,000 

3,283,000 

31, 023,000 

The r esolution of the Hou e of Representatives is returned herewith, ae re- quested. 

Ve1-y respectfully, · · 

Hon. HUGH McCULLoCH, 

Secretary of the Treasury. 

E. 0. GRAVES, 

.Assi,stant Treasurer United States. 

TREASURY DEPARTJIIE:t."T, BUREAU OF THE 1\fu--r, 

Washington, D. C., February 7, 1885. 

SIR: I ba ve the honoT to acknowledge your reference to Iqe, for report thereon, of that portion of there olutiou of the House of Represen'l~tives requesting to be informed as t{) '' what other go-vernments of the world did, during the year 1883, perruit the coinage of legal-tender silver coin," &c., and, in reply thereto I inclose two tabular statements giving the information as far as received at thu; offi<'e. 

The statement in re~pect to the coinage gives the nominal value in United States money of the silver coinage in the year 1883 of the sixteen countries named, distinguishing, as far as possible, the amount of limited from {ulllega.l- tender coins, the amount, as far as ascertained, of silver coins withdrawn or used in coin~e during the year, and whether the coinage is on Government account or fortlle public. · In respect to the price of silver, it is not practicable to give· the price paid per ounce for silver bullion on the 1st days of January and July in each year, as the purchases a.re made on Thursdays of each week, and I have therefore given the average price upon the day upon which purchases were made nearest to those named in the resolution. No purchase of silver was made in January,l878, the first purchase under the act of February 28 having been made 1\larch 5, 1878. Very respectfully, 

Hon. HUGH :McCULLOCH, 

Secretary of the Trecuury. 

HORATIO C. BURCHARD, Director. 

Statement hou·inn the averaae price per ounce, fine, paid for saver bn-Uion purchased under the act of February 28, 1878, at dates named, from. July 1, 1878, to January 1,1885. 

Date. 

March 5, 1878 ....................... . July 5, 1878 ......................... .. Januru-y ~. 1879 ................... .. July 2, 1879 ......................... . December 31, 1879 ............... . July 1, 1880 .......................... . January 6, 1881. ................... . July 71 1 !. ......................... . 

Price paid. I 

•$1.2029 1.1M2 

1.0916 

1.1429 

1.1415 

1.157'9 

1.ll85 

1.1326 

Date. 

January 5, 1882 .......... ~ .... .. June 29, 1882 .................. .. January 4, 1883 ............... .. J ult 5, 1883 ..................... .. January 3, 1884 ............... .. July 3, ·t8l34 ..................... .. January2, 1885 ............... .. 

Price paid. 

$l.l~ 

1.1440 

1.0912 

1.1117 

1.1113 

1.1098 

L0865 

*The final purchase undet· act February 28, 1878. Noj:mrchases·were made in January, 1878. 

HORATIO C. BURCHARD. 

Director of the Mint. 

State-ment sltowing i~te value of silver coined by foreign countries during tlte yea1· 1883, and its compo ilion. 

Silver coined. 

Countries. 

Full legal ten- Limited legal I der. tender. 

lltlexico......... ...... .... .. .. ....... ...... .. .. ....... .... .... .. ...... ... ... ..... ......... $24, 083, 921 ....................... . Bolivia....... .............................................................................. 1, 600,000 ...................... .. 

~f~~~:~~~~~:·. ·::::.: ::::::::::.:·::.: .·:.·.:::·::. :::::.:·.·::: .. ::::::::::::::::~ ......... ~:.?.~~ ... ~~-- ....... $6,'2<>i','517' India......... ..................... .......................................................... 24,927,400 ...................... .. 

~~fa~ii~~~g~~:;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ......... 5.,'552,'i91' ............ ~~.:~.~- Netherlands................................................................................................... 8L,095 

Norway ....................................... ·................................................................... 37,520 Sweden ..... _............................................................................. ....................... 250,468 

~~~~·:.·:.:·:::.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ~:m:~ ......... ~ ... ~ ... ~. Brazil .... ~ ............................................................................................................................... . Turkey ................................................................................................................................... . Colombia ................................................................................................................................ . .Persia .................. _ ............................................................................................................... _. 

Total.............................................................................. 73, 232, 1951 9, 919, 435 1 

Composition. 

Forw~om. 

Total. .Recoinage. Other bullion. 

-----------1------------l-----------::----------------- · $2~ 083, 921 ........................ $24, 083, 921 Depositol'S. 1, 600, 000 .................. ...... *1, GOO, 000 Government account. 

. ~:lli:~ .... _.si'.'ooo:ooo· !:~~:~~ 24,927,400 750, 000 24,177,400 

594, 464 594, 464 ...................... .. 5

' ~i: t: ............. 8i','095' :::::·.:::::::::::::::::: 37,520 ............. ;.......... 37,520 250, 468 ...... ~................ 250,468 

~: ~: m .............. '1 .. 926 ........... 7·.·582;262. 

Government account. Depositors. 

Government. account. Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. Deposit.ol'S. 23, 589 .. .......... ...... .. .. .. 23, 589 

44,000 Government account. 699, 174 :::::::::::::::::::::::: ............ 699,'i74' 

605, 579 605,579 ...... ...... .... .. ...... Government account . 

84,523, 972 1 ........................ , ...................... .. 

• Presumed t{) be from domestic bullion. FEBROARY 7, 1885. HORATIO C. ·BURCHARD 

Director of the Mint. 
'1885. OONG RESSIONAL .. RECORp::::.noUSE. 1531 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

Several members called for the regular order. 

The SPEAKER pro tempot·e. The regular order is the hour provid¢ 

for by the new rule for the consideration of bills called up by members. 

llr. BUCKNER. I move that the Honse now take a recess until five 

minutes before 12 o'clock. 

Mr. SPRINGER. I hope that will not be done. We can proceed now with business under the hour rule, and there will be that much 

time saved. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from lllinois is aware that this motion is not debatable. 

Mr. BUCKNER. ~ I withdraw the proposition. 

.. NOTIFICATION TO THE SENATE. 

Mr. KEIFER. Mr. Speaker, I move that notice be sent to.the Senate 

that the House will be ready to receive the Senate at 12o'clockto-day, 

to proceed With the business of the electoral count in accordance with 

concurrent resolution already adopted. • The motion of 1\fr. KEIFER was agreed to. 

JOSEPH F. WILSON. 

The SPEAKER pro tern.pore. The hour under the new rnle now be- g~ at :fifteen minutes before 12 o'clock. The Clerk will report the bill 

called up in this hour yesterday by the gentleman from lllinois (Mr. ~ANNON], and coming over as unfinished business. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

Be it enacled, ~o., Tha.t the Commissioner of the General Land Office, under 

the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, be, and he is hereby, authorized 

and required to issue to Joseph F. Wilson, of Peoria, Ill., or his legal representa- tives or assigns, a number of warrants equal to eighty acres, in tracts not less 

than the subdivisions provided for in the United Stat-es land la.ws, to be located 

by the said Wilson, or his legal representatives or assigns, on any of the unoc- cupied and unappropriated Jmblic lands of t.he United States subject to pre- emption or homestead settlement, iu lieu of the west half of the ·northeast 

quarter of section 19, in township 35 north, of range 5 west, situate in Porter Counl;y, Indiana, which said tract of land was entered by and patented to Josiah 

Smith, of Macpn County, Missonri.iunder a.nd by virtue of the provisions of the ac~ of Congre§s approved .Jupe 8, 872, and March 3, 1873, relating to additional 

homesteads,and by the said Josiah Smith, a.ft~r his said entry, sold and con- veyed to the said Wilson, and of the title to and posses ion of which the said 

Wilson was divested and dispossessed by the judgment and decree of the cireuit court of the Unit-ed States for the district of Indiana, a.t the November term, A. D. 1880, thereof, by reason of a. prior disposal of or a prior equitable title in and to said tract of l~nd, as the said court held a.nd decided, to or in persons other 

than the said Josiah Smith; and the said Wilson, or his legal representatives or assigns, after the location of the said warrants on such lands as he or they may select, shall be allowed patents for the land so located; and the lands taken, 

selected, and located as authorized and provided for by this act shall be in full 

satisfaction of any claim, right, or benefit which .ibe said Josiah Smith, or any one cla.imillg under him, ma.y have, or may have had, under and by virtue of the 

provisions ef the said acts of Congress, as well as in full satisfaction of any claim 

which the said Wilson, as assignee or grantee of the said Josiah Smith, may bave, or may have had, against the United States touching said described tract of land. 

1\Ir. CANNON. I think it is unnecessary to have the report in this case read or to make any statement. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the consideration 

of this bill ? 

There being no objection, the House proceeded to the considemtioll 

of the bill, which was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time; 

and being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time, and passed. 

Mr. CANNON moved to reconsider the vote by which the ·bill was passed; and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the 

table. · 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

EIGHTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY ASSOCIATION. 

Ur. STEVENS. I call up for confideration the joint resolution (S. 

R. 92) authorizing and reqlliringthe Secretary of War to deliver to .the 

Eighth New Yor~ Heavy Artillery Association the regimental colors 

which belonged to said artillery, and which are now in the custody ot 

the Secretary ofWa.r. . 

The joint resolution was read, as follows: 

Resolved by tlu Senate and House of llepresentativu of the United States of America ill Congress asseinbled, That the Secretary of Wa.r be, and he is hereby, autjlorized and directed to deliver to the Eighth New York Heavy Artillery Association the regimental colors which belong to said artillery, a.nd which 

'Were captured by the confederate forces at Beam Station, on the Weldon Railroad, August 25, 1864, and are now in the custody of the office of the Adjutant- General of the United States Army; said colors to remain the property of said 

association. · 

Mr. STEVENS. I do not care to discuss this joint resolution. I 

think there Will be no objection to it. 

The SPEAKER pro temp(}re. Is there objection to the consideration 

of this joint resolution? . · 

There being no objection, the House proceeded to consider the joint resolution. · · 

Mr. STEVENS. I move to amend the joint resolution by striking 

out ''Beam.,'' and inserting ''Ream,'' which is the proper name of the 

station referred to in the resolution. 

The amendment was agreed to. 

The joint 1·esolution as amended was ordered to a third reading, read 

the third time, and passed. 

Mr. STEVENS moved to recOnsider the vote by which the joint resolntion was passed; and also moved that the motion to reconsider be 

laid on the table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

PUBLIC BUUDING, KEOKUK, IOWA. 

Mr. l\IcCOID. Mr. Speaker, I move to take up for consideration 

House bill No. 483, for the erection of a public building at Keokuk, 

Iowa. 

The bill was rea<l, as follows: 

Be it enacted, ~c., That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, 

authorized and directed to purchase a. site for, and cause to be erected thereon, a suitable building, with fire-proof vaults therein, for the accommodation of the 

United States courts, post-office, and other Government. offices, in the. city of 

Keokuk, Iowa. The plans, specifications, and full estimates for said building shall be previously made and. approvea according to law, and !!ball not exceed 

for the site and building ~mplete the sum of $150,000 ~ PrO'Vided, Tha.t the site 

shall leave the building unexposed to danger from fire in adjacent buildings by an open space of not less than forty feet, including streets and alleys ; and no money appropriated for this purpose shall be available until a valid title to the 

site for said building shall be vested in the United States, nor until the State of 

Iowa shall have ceded to the United States exclusive jurisdiction over the same, during the time the United Stat-es shall be or remain the-owuer thereof, for all purposes except the administration of the criminal laws of the State and the 

service of <:ivil process therein. 

Mr. HOLMAN. I see the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. McCom], who 

represents the district in which this building is situated, is on the 

floor, and before objection is called to the consideration of the bill I 

wish to inquire of the gentleman whether he is or is not willing to re- duce the amount of appropriation to $100,000, and also to agree to an amendment to provide for the purchase of the site before the plan of 

the building is approved by the Secretary of the Treasury. 

Mr. :M:cCOID. I agree to the amendment appropriating .$100,000. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. If there be no objection the bill will 

be considered as adopted: 

Mr. HOLMAN. I will send up to the Clerk's desk an amendment 

covering the point indicated by me to the purchase of the site. 

The SPEAKER p1·o tempore. · The bill is not yet before the House 

for consideration. 

Mr. HOLMAN. It ~n be done by unanimous consent. It is to come in after the appropriation of$100,000. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

And it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury, after the site for said 

building shall ha.ve been purchased, to cause pla.n and specification of said building to be prepared, which said pla.n and specification shall not involve an ex- penditure in the erection and completion of said building or the purchase thereof 

exceeding the portion of $1.00,000 remaining after the site of sa.Id building shall have been paid for. And no plan for said building shall be approved by the Secretary of the Treasury involving an expenditure exceeding the sum which re- mains after paying for the site of said building. 

Mr. HOLMAN. I lindersta.nd the gentleman from Iowa accepts both 

of my amendments. · . Mr. McCOID. I have no objection to the amendments. 

Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. Is there any report accompanying this bill? 

Mr. STORM. If there is, I ask that it be read. 

The report was read, as follows: 

Tbe Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds; to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R.483) to provide for the ereetion of a public building in the city of 

Keokuk, in the State of Iowa, respectfully report that they have had the bill 

under consideration, and recommend the passage of the same. The city of Keokuk is the place fixed bylaw for holding the circuit court and 

the district court of the United States for the eastern division of the southern district of Iowa., which division embraces the oldest, wealthiest, a.nd ·most popu- lous portion of the Stat-e. Keokuk is a prosperous and growing cil;y, of a present population of 1.5,000 inhabitants, and is rapidly extending and increasing 1ts com- mercial and manufacturing interests. It is located at the Des Moines Rapids Canal on the Mississippi River, and is t-he head of deep-water navigation for the 

largest steamers running above Saint Louist the average depth of the river being one foot higher from Keokuk to Saint Loms than from Keokuk to Saint Paul. 

The canal is eight miles in length; and was built at a cost to the United States 

of about $4,000,000. 

The United States, pursuant to a recent act Of the Forl;y-seventh Congress, are now building at the canal extension dry-docks, which will make the canal 

the finest harbor on the river. 

The relation of this city to the Mississippi River and its vast and rapidly grow- ing commerce make the court of admiralty here the most important north of 

Saint Louis. . Keokuk is equally fortunate in her railroad facilities, affording easy and ready communication with all parts of the district a.nd State and adjoining States. 

The great railways of the West, the Wabash, Saint Louis and Pacifi.c, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, and the Chicago, Burlington and Qnincy meet here and compete for business; -and the Saint Louis, Keokuk and Northwest- em Railway Company, running from Keokuk south to Saint Louis, and north 

with connecting lines to Saint Paul, and southwest with connecting lines to ~nsa.s City, have the headquarters of its operating department at Keokuk. 

Thus the commerce of this city by land and by water is important and exten- sive. 

The pos~ftice and internal-revenue receipts are very large, and the businesg 

of the courts is larger than at any other point in Iowa, unless at the capital of the 

State. 

At present there are inadequate accommodations for the business of the Gov- ernment. The courts; the pos~ffice, the office of the depul;y revenue collector: 

and the office of the judges are in separate buildings on annualleases~and the 

public records and public property are exposed to haz-ards and dan rs that 

should be promptly provided against by the erection of a. suitable buil ing. 

All of the Federal judges for Iowa, the justice of the Supreme Court assigned, to that circuit, the judge of the Circuit Court, and the district judge are united 

in tbe opinion that there is a pressing and urgent necessity for the erection of a. publi<: building at this point adequate to the accommodation of the public busi· ness. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

Mr. KEIFER. I ask by unanimous consent further-proceeding under 
.. 

1532 CONGRESSIONAL'. REOORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY li, 

the rule be discontinued, as the time has nearly arrived when the House 

will receive the Senate. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore . • Only five minutes remain. In obedience to the custom heretofore observed the Chair will ask that the two 

front or first tiers of seats in the House may be vacated for the occu- pancy of the Senate. 

COUNTING THE ELECTORAL VOTE. 

At 12 o'clock m. the Doorkeeper announced the Senate of the United 

States. . The Senate entered the Hall preceded by its Sergeant-at-Arms 3lld 

headed by the President arid the Secretary of the Senate, the members 

and officers of the House rising to receive them . The- President of the Senate [Mr. EDMUNDS] _took his seat as presiding officer of the joint convention of the two Houses, the Speaker pro 

ttmpore [Mr. BLACKBUR~] occupying the chair on the left of the VicePresident. _ · -

The. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. The tWo Houses have met 

pursuant to the Constitution and the laws and their c~mcurrent resolution for the purpose of executing the duty required by the Constitution 

and the laws in the matter of counting the electoral vote for Presi«;lent 

and Vice-President cast by the electors in the several States for the term 

commencing on .the 4th of March, 1895. The tellers appointed by the 

two Houses will please take their places. . Mr. HoAR and Mr. PENDLETON, the tellers appointed on the part of 

the Senate, and Mr. CLAY and 1\Ir . .KEIFER, the tellers appointed on the part of the House, took their seats at the Clerk's desk, at which 

the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House also occupied· seats. · The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. ThePresidentofthe Senate 

will open the votes of the several States in their alphabetical order, and now opens the certificates from the State of Alabama. and hands to lhe 

chairman of the tellers on the part of the Senate the certificate of AlU.:. 

bama-receivecbby mail, and to the chairman of the tellers on the part 

of the House of Representatives the certificate reeeived by messenger. 

The certificate will be read. • Senator HOAR read in full the certificate of the vote of the State of 

Alaba11!3, giving 10 votes for Grover Cleveland, of the State of New 

York, for President of the United States, and 10 votes for Thomas A. 

Hendricks, of the State of Indiana, for Vice-President of the United 

States. 

Mr. CLAY (one of the tellers) then read at length tl1e certificate of 

the vote of the State of Arkansas, and announced the ~lectoral vote of 

that State for President and Vice-President. 

l!Ir. LOWRY. Mr. President, I rise to a question of order. 

The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. Thegentlemanwillstateit. 

Mr. LOWRY. Owing to .slight confusion arising in the body of the 

House and throughout the galleries and from other causes we are en- tirely unable to h~r the reading of these documents. I suppose one of the objects of having them read .is that they may be heard by the 

members of the joint convention. 

'.fhe PRESIDENT OF THE SEN ATE. The Chair will endeavor to 

enforce order as far as possible. Gentlemen will please preserve silence on the floor and in the galleries in order that the certificates may be 

heard. 

Mr. SHERMAN. 1\fr. President, I suggest that by unanimous con- sent only the operative part of the certificates be read, containing simply the result of the vote, after having been examined by the Chair 

and found to be regular. ·· The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. In the absence of objection 

the tellers will read only the substance of the certificates. 

There was no objection. 

The tellers then proceeded to announce the electoral votes of the States 

of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, ll1inois, -and Indiana. · The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. The Chair now hands to the 

tellers the vote oftheStateof Iowa received in duplicate. The Chair will 

state that the vote received by mail n,othaving been received by the first 

Wednesd3-y in January, the Secretary of State w~ officially informed 

thereof, who sent to the district judge for the vote deposited there as re- quired by law, which was also returned. I open them all; two will be · handed to the tellers and the third placed on file, if there be no objection. 

The tellers then proceeded to announce the electoral votes of the States 

of Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, 1\Iississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, 

New Hampshire, and New Jersey. 

The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. I now open and hand to the 

tellers the voteofthe.State ofNew'York, received in duplicate, one by 

messenger and one by mail. 

Mr. CLAY (one of the tellers). It appears by the certificate of the 

eleetors ofthe State of New York that Grover Cleveland, of the State 

of New York, received 36 votes for the office of President of the United 

States-- [Applause in the galleries.] 

The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. Let there be order during 

the proceedings. 

Mr. CLAY (one of the tellers) continuing. It also appears from the 

certificate of the electors of the State of New York that ThomasA. Hendricks, of the State of Indiana, received 36 votes for the office of Vice--

President of the United States. The certificate is duly attested by the 

great seal of the State, ancl is signed by the governor-Grover Cleveland. [Loud applause on the fioor and in the galleries.] 

The P,REgiDENT OF THE SENATE. The Sergeant-at-Arms will 

take into custody any gentleman or other person who, by apphuse or other manifestation, disturbs the order of these proceedings. 

The tellers then prooeeded to announce the electoral votes of the States 

of North Carolina., Ohio, OregonJ Pennsylvania., Rhode Island, South 

Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia., West Virginia., and Wisconsin. 

The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. I have now opened the cer- tificates of the electors of all the States, and their votes have been re- ported. The tellers will now make their computations aml report the 

state of the vote. 

The following is the report read by Senator HoAR, one of the tellers~ 

L ist of votes for President and Vice-President of the United States for tlte 

cmu;titutional tenn to commence on tlte 4th day of Marclt, 1885. 

10 Alabama.......................... ..................... 10 10 ........... . 7 Arkansas.......... .. .................................. 7 7 .......... .. 

: ~~~a~:~i:::·:-::~::::::::-:::.::. .:::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::.:~: ......... ~. :::::::::~: ! g :l Dela.wnrc........................................ ...... 3 ............ •

4

3 1:.· .... · ·.·.: .. ·:_:.: .. ·:.:_ 4 Florida................. ................................. 4 ........... . 12 Georgia . .... ...... .. ............... ............. .. .... 12 .. .... ...... 12 .......... .. 22 Illinois.................... ............... ......... ...... ... .. ....... 22 ...... ...... 22 15 Indiana.......... ..... .. ....... ..... ......... ......... 15 . .. ...... ... 15 ........... . 13 Iowa...................................................... .. .. .. ... ... 13 ... ...... ... 13 9 Knnsas....... ....................... ....... ..... ....... ...... ...... 9 ............. 9 13 Kentucky............................. ............... 13 ............ 13 .......... .. 8 Louisiana ............... _............................. 8 ............ 8 .......... .. 6 1\Iaine................................................... ............ 6 ............ 6 :J Mazy land ......... ·-'············. ......• ... ........ 8 ....•....... 8 r····· ..... . 

j lt~;,J!~ll~lti;f:~\j~i;i!~\liii :::::::~: :;;;;::i; ;:::;::~: ;;~~~~;:;:! g ~hf~~ ~-~~~-~~~::::·::.:::::::·:.::::::::·.::::::·::.::: ....... ~~- 23 ....... ~ ........... 2:1 3 Oregon .............................................. :............. 3 ............ 3 30 Pennsylvania..................................................... 30 ............ 30 4 Rhode Island........................................ ......... ... 4 ............ 4 !l South Ca.rolina........ ........................... ... 9 . .. ...... ... 9 .......... .. 12 Tennessee............................................. 12 ............ · 12 ........... . 13 Texas .................... _................................ 13 ......... ... 13 .......... .. 4 Vermont................................................... ...... 4 ............ 4 

~~ ;r:r~~~~~::::::::.:.:::·:::_:_.-_ .. .-.. :·::.-·.-·.-:·::::.:::::::::: ....... ~ .. :::::::ii:: ...... .~_ :::::::::i:i 

401 219 219 ~ 

GEO. F. HOAR, 

GEO. H. PENDLETON, 

Tellers on the part of the Senate. 

J. WARREN KEIFim, 

J. F. CLA'Y, 

Tellers on Ute 'part of the HotUJe of Representati~s. 

Senator HOAR (one of the tellers) said: Mr. President, the tellers on the part of the S~nate, and on the part of the House of Represpntatives, 

have ascertained ·the state of the vote of the electors of the respective 

States for~the offices of President and Vice-President of the United 

States; and it appears that the whole number of electors appointed to 

vote for President and Vice-Pr~ident is 401, of which a majority is 201. 

The state of the vote for Pr~ident of the United States is for Grover 

Cleveland, of the State of New York, 219; for James G. Blaine, of 

the State of Maine, 182. For Thomas A. Hendricks, of the State of 

Indiana,-for the office of Vice-President ofthe United States, 219; and 

for John A. Logan, o~the State of illinois, for the office of Vice-President, 182. 

The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. Senators and members of 

the House of Representatives: The tellers have reported to the presiding officer the state of the vote 

which you have heard, from which it appears that Grover Cleveland, 

of the State of New York, has received 219 votes for the office of Presi-
1885. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1533. 

dent of t'he United States, and that James G. Blaine, of the State of 

Maine, has received 182 votes for the same office ; that Thomas A. Hendricks, of "the State of Indiana, has J;eceived 219 votes for the office of 

Vice-President of .the United States, and that John A. Logan, of the 

State of Illinois, has received 182 votes for the same office. 

Wherefore, I do declare that Grover Cleveland, of the State of New 

York, has received a m~iority of the votes of thew hole number of elect- ors appointed, as they appear in the certificates read by the tellers, and so·appears to have been elected President of the United States for four 

years, commencing on the 4th day of March, 1885; and that Thomas A. 

Hendricks, of the State of Indiana, has receivedamajorityofthe votes 

of the whole number of electors appointed, as they appear in the cer- tificates read by the tellers, and so appears to have been elected VicePresident of the United States for four years, commencing on the 4th 

day of March, 1885. And the President of the Senate makes this declaration only as a public statement in the presence or-the two Houses of Congress of the contents of the papers opened and read on this occasion, and 

not a8 possessing any authority in law to declare any legal conclusion 

whatever. 

The business for which the joint convention assembled having been 

completed, the Senate will retire to its own Chamber. 

[The announcement of the result of the vote was received with loud 

applause on the floor and in the galleries.] 

The Senate then retired from the Hall; and (at 1 o'clock and 17 minutes p.m.) the Speaker pro tempore resumed the chair, and called the 

House to order. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

Mr. THOMPSON. I move that the House take a recess for :fifteen 

minutes, in order that the Hall may be cleared. 

The Senate then retiredfrom the Hall; and (at lo'clockand 17minutes p. m.) the House took a recess for :fifteen minutes. 

AFTER THE RECESS. 

The recess having expired, the House reassembled at 1 o'clock and 

35 minutes p.m. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the bill which was under consideration during the special hour when the business of 

the House was suspended for the assemblingofthejoint convention of 

the two Houses. 

:Mr. KEIFER rose. :Mr. TOWNSHEND. I desire to make a parliamentary inquiry. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. I desire to know if the House did not, before 

suspending business for the purpose of proceeding to the electoral count, 

dispense with the remainder of the special hour? 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair thinks not. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. 1 think the Journal will show that it did. 

The SPEAKER pro te1npore. That could only have been done by 

unanimous consent, and no such request was submitted to the House. 

Ur. SPRINGER. According to the ruling of the Chair on a former 

occasion the hour under the special rule consists of sixty minut-es next 

after the beginning of the hour. The Chair made that ruling on a point 

of order raised by myself. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman from illinois raise 

the point of order now? 

Ur. SPRINGER. I do not. I merely state that was the ruling of 

the Chair on a former occasion. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will rule on any point of 

order if the gentleman desires to make it. 

:Mr. SPRINGER. Then I make the point of order that the hour under 

the special rule.has expired. · 

The SPEAKER pro tmnpo;·e. The Chair does not think the point of 

order is well taken. There should not, in the judgment of the Chair, 

be taken into account the time occupied by the joint session of the two 

Houses. The Chair does not think that should be counted against the 

hour under the rule which the House adopted for the transaction of its 

business. 

Mr. SPRINGER. I am very glad to hear the Chair make that ruling, because it is exadly in accordAnce with my previous idea. 

The SPF.A.KER pro tempore. And the Chair would · further remark tha~ the House has not been in session, but the two Houses were in 

SessiOn. 

COUNT OF THE ELECTORAL VOTE. 

Mr. KEIFER. According to custom, I furnish a report of the official 

count of the electoral vote as declared by the President of the Senate 

1or the purpose of having it spread upon the Journal. · The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio [Mr. KEIFER], one of the tellers on the part of the House, submits the report by 

the tellers of the official count of the electoral vote for President and 

Vice-President of the United States in order that the same may be spread 

upon the Journal ofthis Honse. 

Mr. KEIFER. And published in the RECORD. 

The report was ordered to be spread upon the Journal of the House 

~l!d publish~ in the RECORD. [It appears in the proceedings of the 

.JOmt conventiOn of the two House~.] 

. Mr. KEIFER. I now offer a res«;>lution, in the usual form, declarmg the sen'ie of the House in the matter of the electoral count. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Th_e Clerk will report the resolution 

submitted by the gentleman from Ohio. 

The Clerk read ·as follows: 

Whereas the House of Representatives having met the Senate in accordance 

with the fifth section of -the act .of 1st March, 1792, relative to the election of 

President and Vice-President of the United States, and the electoral votes having been opened by the President of the Senate pr.o tempore in the presence of 

the two Houses of Congress and counted by the tellers appointed on the part of the two Houses of Congress, and it appearing that the wholenum):>erof elect- ors appointed to vote for President and Vice-President of the United States is 

401, of which a majority is 201, and it further appearing that Grover Cleveland, 

of the State of New York, bad received 219 votes for President of the United 

States, and that Thomas A. Hendricks, of the State of Indiana, had received 219 votes for Vice-President of the United States, which number is a majority of the votes of the whole number of electors appointed, and the same having been 

duly declared by the President pro tempore of the Senate in the presence of the two Houses: Therefore, 

Ruol'tled by the Home of Representatives, That it is the sense of t.his House that 

the Constitution and laws have been duly executed and that no further declarat-ion of these facts is necessary. 

Mr. RANDALL. Is that resolution before the Honse for consideration? 

The SPEAKER pro te;mpore. The Chair thinks the resolution is of 

such a privileged character that it is before the Honse for consideration now. . Mr. RANnA LL. I have no objection to it. I only wish to modify 

it so that it shall be communicated to the Senate. It d{)es not appear 

to embrace that within its provisions. 

1tlr. KEIFER. I supposed the resolution would be communicated to 

the Senate without a special provision for so doing. This is exactly 

the resolution offered in the Honse ·four years ago, with t'he exception 

that that resolution was in th.e form of a concurrent resolution, although 

it was not sent to the Senate. The Senate adopted a resolution exactly 

in this form four years ago, with the exception that it was in form of a 

concurrent resolution, and it was not sent to the Honse. So we make 

them separate resolutions, one of :the Senate and one of the House. 

1\Ir. RANDALL. I wish merely to sugges_t that the fact of the House 

having adopted this resolution be communicated to the Senate. 

!Ir. KEIFER. I think that may be done without putting it in the 

resolution. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair hears no objection to the 

Clerk of the House being directed to communicate the resolution to the 

Senate if adopted. 

:Mr. POLAND. It appears to me· this resolution is faulty in form. 

It refers to the provisions of an act of 1792, which act was repealed. 

Its provisions are contained in chapter 1 of title 3 of the Revised Stat- · utes of the United States. The resolution ·should refer to the provisions of that chapter and not to the act of 1792, which was in. form re- pealed. I would suggest that.what is said in the resolution as to the 

act of 1792 be ·stricken out, and that there be inserted a reference to 

the provisions of chapter 1 of title 3 o'f the Revised Statutes of the 

United States. 

Mr. KEIFER. It is possible that the criticism upon the resolution 

made by the distinguished gentleman from Vermont is a fair one. I 

wish to say, however, that the resolution in that respect is precisely in 

the language of the resolution adopted four years ago and on prior oc- casions of like character. And yet; Mr. Speaker, I think that the fact 

of the repeal of this statute in the revision of the laws being well settled 

it might be better to modify the resolutio~ as the gentleman from V er- mont suggests, so that it shall refer to the c:tmpter of the Revised Statutes on the subject of the electoral count. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman from Ohio accept 

the amendment suggested by the gentleman from Vermont? 

Mr. KEIFER. I do; and will modify the resolution accordingly. 

The SPEAKER pro tmnpo1·e. The Chair hears no objection to the 

modification proposed. 

Mr. HOLMAN. We did :aot hear what the modificatiQn. was. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Vermont will com- municate to the Clerk's desk the amendment he proposes to offer. 

lli. HAIDIOND. · Mr. Speaker, there can be no trouble about this 

matter now; but, as it may become a precedent, I suggest that it had 

better be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

Mr. KEIFER. The change ought to be made now. There is no question about the fact of the repeal of the statute. The resolption can. be amended, and I accept the amendment which the gentleman 

from Vermont [Mr. PoLAND] has sent to the Clerk's desk to .be read. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

Strike out "the fifth section of the act of 1st 1\Ia.r.ch, 1792,'' and insert "chap- ter! of title 3 of the Revised Statutes of the TJnited States.'' 

Mr. HAMMO~D. Will the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. KEIFER] 

permit me to ask him a question? 

Mr. KEIFER. Certainly. 

Mr. HAMMOND. I ask it forinformation only. Wbyisitthat we change the form of the resolution now from what it was fouryearsago, 

making ita separate House resolution instead of a concurrent resolution? 

1\Ir. KEIFER. We changed the form simply because the resolution 

enacted four years ago in the form of a concurrent resolution was in 

fact only a Honse resolution, which was riot sent to the Senate for their 

action. The Senate did th same thing. They adopted a resolution 

which was also in the form of a concurrent resolution, but was in fact 
1534 OONGRESSIONAL REOORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 11, 

only a declaration of the sense of the Sen&te and did not come to the 

Honse for its action. 

:Mr. HAMMOND. Why? 

Mr. KEIFER. Simply because each House acted separately, and 

while the Senate resolution was in form a concurrent resolution it was in fact a mere resolution of that body. I will state further, for the information of the gentleman from Georgia [Mr.IIAMMoND ], that on yesterday, at a. conference held between the tellers on the part of the Sen1a.te and the tellers on the part of the House, in the presence of the Prestident of the Senate, this very matter was considered, and it was agreed 

1

that we should put the resolution in a form to correspond with the .fact, 

and strike out the concurrent feature of it. That was agreed to in the ·conference by Senator PENDLEl'ON and others. 

Jtir. HAMMOND. lli. Speaker, I would ask whether the tellers on the part of the House on our side are satisfied with the change ? 

Mr. CLAY. There is no objection to it at all. 

Mr. HAJ\IMOND. Then I have none. Mr. SPRINGER. Mr. Speaker, I desire to say a word before this 

matter has been passed upon by the Honse. From the announcement 

made here by the president of the joint convention it seems that there was no declaration as to the result of the vote. On the contrary, the 

President of the Senate simply announced that it appeared from the 

;count made by the tellers that Grover Cleveland had received the 

number of votes indicated, and that the other candidates had received 'the number of votes indicated as having been cast for them, and he 'then went on to disclaim any intention to niake any official declaration as to the result of the count. 

:Mr. KEIFER. I beg the gentleman's pardon. 

1\Ir. SPRINGER. Now, Jtir. Speaker, I find that at the time Mr. ·Lincoln was declared elected the Vice-President said: 

Abraham Lincoln, of illinois, having received a majority ot th~ whole num- ber of electoral votes cast, is elected President of the United States for four years, 'commencing on the 4th day of March, 1861. 

A. similar announcement was made as to the election of the Vice- · President. I see further, that the same form was followed when Gen- ,eral Grant was declared elected President of the United St.ates. At this 

time there has been a departure from that practice and no official decla- . ration has been made here that anybody is elected to the office of either 

President or Vice-President of the United States. 

Mr. KEIFER. The gentleman is mistaken about that. 

Several MEMBERS. The vote was announced. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Yes; the vote was announced. The president of 

the joint convention announced that one candidatehadreceivedsomany 

votes and· t]lat the other candidate had received so manyvotes, but he 

then went on to make the disclaimer to which I have referred. Now, 

that is a departure from all the precedents upon this subject, and for 

that reason I would prefer that this whole matter should be referred to 

the Committee on the .Judiciary, with instructions to report such additional resolution as may be necessary for the purpose of making known 

the official result of the election. 

The SPE .A.KER pro tempore. The Chair desires to say that the President pro tempo,re of the Senate, the presiding officer of the joint con- vention, in making the announcement of the ascei:tainment of the vote as had to-day, announced the result that had been found, and simply 

added a disclaimer of" any authority on his part, as the presiding officer 

of the Senate or the presiding officer of the joint convention, to make any 

declaration at all. Does the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. SPRINGER] 

make any motion? 

Mr. SPRINGER. I do. I move that this whole matter· be referred 

to the Committee on the .Judiciary. 

:Mr.l\IOULTON! I think the declaration is exactly right. 

The SPEAKER pro te'mpore. In the judgment of the Chair the 

declaration of the presiding officer of the joint convention wa8 exactly 

what it should have been. 

Mr. KEIFER. And it has ·no relation at all to this resolution. 

Mr. SPRINGER. I have not asked th,e Speak.er for his opinion. I 

desire to state mine. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair desires to state, as the officer 

representing the House in the joint convention, that there would have 

been a protest made if in the judgment of the Chair any improper declaration had been made on the part of the presiding officer of the joint 

convention. 

Mr. HAMMOND. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a paint of order. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it. 

Mr. HAMMOND. My point is that the joint session having made 

its declaration, this House has now nothing to do with whether it made 

it correctly or incorrectly. 

])1r. SPRINGER. Mr. Speaker, I have not made any motion in refer- ence to that. 

Several members addressed the Chair. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman make any mo- tion? 

Mr. SPRINGER. I desire to make a motion, if I can get permission 

to state it. . Jtir. COX, of New York. !{r. Speaker, I rise to a point of order. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlmnan will state it. 

Mr. COX, of New York. There is no motion before the House. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Thegentleman is mistaken; there are two motions before the House. [Laughter.] 

Mr. COX, of New York. Then I move to lay them on the table. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has not recognized the gentleman forthatpurpose. Thegentleman from Illinois [.Mr. SPRINGER] 

will submit his motion. 

Mr. SPRINGER. I move to commit this whole subject to the Committee on the .Judiciary, with instructions to report to the House what 

further declaration, if any, should be made for declaring the election of 

the persons who have been elected President and Vice-President of the 

United States. 

Mr. RANDALL. Mr. Speaker, I submit that the announced vote 

elects, and that any ministerial part of the proceeding is not essential 

to the establishment of the fact that Grover Cleveland and Thomas A. 

Hendricks have been elected by the el~toral college President and Vice_. 

President of the United States. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair concurs with the gentleman. 

Mr. CLAY. The declaimer to which reference has been made was only a position taken by the President of the Senate. ~. SPRINGER. It is discovered only at this late day that that is a proper way to make the announcement. 

Mr. HAMI\IOND and several other members addressed the Chair at 

the same time. . The SPE4,KER pro tempore. The Chair can not listen to a dozen 

gentlemen at once. The Chair will no~ recognize the gentleman from 

Georgia [Mr. HA.Ml\IOND] ·except in his order. · Mr. HAMMOND. I am in order, because I desire w make a point 

of order. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will recognize the g_entle- man to make his point of order, but will try to secure order first. LAfter 

a pause.] The gentleman fro~ Ohio [?tir. KEIFER] has submitted a resolution, to which an amendment has been offered by the gentleman 

from Vermont [Mt:. POLAND], which amendment has been accepted by 

the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. KEIFER]. 

Mr. COX, of New York. What is it? Let it be read. 

M'r. TUCKER. Mr. Speaker, may I ask to have that resolution re- port.ed? 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will ask to be allowed to 

state the question that is before the House, and then, unless there be 

objection, the resolution will be again reported to the House by the 

Clerk. The gentleman from Ohio LMr. KEIFER] submitted a resolution, to which the gentleman from Vermont [Mr. POLAND] off!;~red an amendment, which the gentleman from Ohio [.Mr. KEIFER] has indicated his willingness to accept. The gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 

SPRINGER] has moved to refer the whole matter, the resolution and 

the amendment, to the Committee on the .Judiciary. That motion is now pending, and the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia. 

[.Mr. H;AMMOND ], who :raises a question of order. 

Mr. SPRINGER. I withdraw my motion. · Mr. HAMMOND. Then I withdraw my po~t of order. 

M.r. KEIFER. I have no objection to "having the resolution reported 

again, as modified, for the benefit of the gentleman. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the absence of objection the Clerk 

will again report the resolution. 

lli. OOX, of New York. I imagine that the Constitution settles 

this matter. · Mr. KEIFER. I do not yield the floor for further discussion. I demand the previous question. · The SPEAKER pro tertnpore. If the gentleman from New York [Mr. 

Cox] rises to a point of order he will state it. · Mr. COX, of New York. Let the resolution first be read. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair had already directed the 

reading when interrupted by the gentleman from New York. 

Jtir. COX, of New York. The ''gentleman from New York" did 

not intend to interrupt the Chair for a moment. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the resolution. 

The resolution having been again read, 

Mr. KEIFER. Mr. Speaker--

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman~m Pennsylvania [1\Ir. 

R.Ab.TJ>ALL] asks that, in the event of the adoption of this r~lntion, it 

shall be made the duty of the Clerk of this House to communicate the 

fact of its adoption to the Senate. · Mr. KEIFER. I understood that had already been agreed to. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair hears no objection to the 

suggestion of the gentleman from Pennsylvania. 

Mr. KEIFER. I demand the previous question on the adoption of 

this resolution. I think it is simply a declaration of the sense of the 

House. It does not elect anybOdy, but is a proper thing to be done. 

Mr. COX, of New York. I would like to have an extract from the 

Constitution read, so as to show that all this is irrelevant and superfluous. 

Mr. KEIFER. I yield to allow the reading of the extract referred 

to by the gentleman, but for.no other purpose. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

The person having the greatest number of votes for President shall be P~ident, if such number be a majority-of the whole number of electot·s appointed. 

• • • • • • • 
18s-5.~ OONGRESSIONAI.i RECORD-ROUSE. 1535 

The peTSOn having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President shall be 

the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of elect- ors appointed. · · 

Mr. KEIFER. I mtLSt now insist on the previotLS que$ion. 

Mr. COX, of New York. I. think the Constitution in this matter 

executes itself. 

M.r. KEIFER. I ~gree to that; but .I insist on the previotLSquestion. . .Ur. COX, of New York. I .move to lay the resolution on the table. 

I do not propose to make a precedent for the future; and I do not want mv friend on the other side to elect our President. 

-Mr. KEIFER. The reason I have insisted on the previotLS question 

is because I hoped we would get to other btLSiness. It is not important to roe whether the resolution be adopted or not; but it is in ac- cordance with custom. It is in the same form as a resolution offered 

four years ago by Mr. Honse, then a member from Tennessee . . The SPEAKER pro f1ml,pore. The question is on the motion .of the 

gentleman from New York [M.r. Cox] to la.y on the table the resolutimi of the gentleman from Ohio as amended by the motion of the gentleman from V~ont. 

The question being taken, there were-ayes 78, noes 70. 

Mr. KEIFER. Let us have tellers. 

.Mr. MOULTON. I call for the yeas and nays. 

The yeas and nays were ordered, there being-ayes 34, noes 28. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will proceed to call the 

rolL 

Mr. ROGERS, of Arkansas. I hope the resolution will be read again. 

The SPEAKER pro te~.npore. If there be no objection the Clerk will 

again report the resolution. 

Mr. ROBERTSON. I object. 

Mr. BAYNE. I hope the resolution will be reported again. 

The SPEAKER pro tmnpore. The Chair has no authority to order 

the resolution reported a third time; when objection has been made. 

The question was taken on the motion of Mr. Cox, of New York, 

and it was decided in the affirmative-yeas 137, nays 11:3, not voting 

73; as follows: 

Adams,J.J. 

Aiken, 

Alex:ander, 

Bagley, 

Ballentine, 

Barbour, 

Barksdale, 

Bayne, 

Beach, 

Bennett, 

Blackburn, 

Boyle, 

Brainerd, 

Broadhead. 

Browne, T.l\I. 

Buchanan, 

Budd, 

Burleigh, 

Burnes, 

Cabell, 

Caldwell 

Campbell, Felix 

Campbell,J. E. 

Candler, 

Carleton, 

Cassidy, 

Clardy, 

Clements, 

Con,·erse, 

Covington, 

Cox,S.S. 

Cox, W.R. 

Cri p, 

Culberson, D. B. 

Dargan, 

Davis, L. H. 

Dibrell, 

Dockery, 

Dorsheimer, 

Dowd, 

Dunn, · Eaton, 

Eldredge, 

Elliott, 

English, 

Follett, 

Garrison, 

Geddes, 

Gibson, 

Graves, 

Green, 

Greenleaf, 

Hanback, 

Hacl'dy, 

Hatch, H. H. 

Hatch, W. H. 

Henley, 

Herbert, 

Hewitt, A. S. •Hilt 

Hopkins, 

Houseman, 

Hunt, 

Hurd. 

Hutchins, 

Jeffords, 

Johnson, 

Jones, B. W. 

Jones, J. H. 

Jones, J. K. 

Adams, G. E. Findlay, Anderson, Finerty, Bingham, Forney, Bisbee, Fyan 1 Bland. Guenther, 

Blount, Halsell, 

Boutelle, Hammond, 

Brewer, F. B. Hancock, 

Brewer, J. H. Hardeman, 

B1.'0-Wll, W. W. Harmer, 

Brumm, Hart, Campbell~ J. M. Haynes, 

YEAS-137. 

Lanham, 

Long, 

Lore, 

Lovering, 

Lowry, 

Lyman, 

McCoid, 

Maybury, 

Miller, J. F. Money, 

llolorgan, 

llo!orse, 

Moulton, 

Muldrow, 

Muller, 

Murphy, 

Mutchler, 

Neece, 

Oates, 

O'Ferrall, 

O'Neill, J. J. 

Payson, 

Peel, 

Pryor, 

Pusey, 

Ranney, 

Reagan, 

Reese, 

Robertson, 

Robinson, W.E. 

Rockwell, 

Rogers, J. H. 

Russell, 

Ryan, 

Seney, 

NAYS-113. 

McCormick, 

McMillin, 

1\lllla.rd, 

Morrill. 

Nicholls, 

Nutting, 

O'Neill, Charles 

Paige, 

Parker, 

Patton, 

Perkins, 

Peters, Cannon, Hemphill, Clay, Henderson, T. J. 

Connolly, Hepburn, 

Pierce 

Poland, 

Post, 

Potter, 

Randall, 

Oo grove, Hewitt,-G. W. 

Culbertson, W. W. Hiscock, 

Cullen, Hoblitzell, 

Cutcheon, Holman, 

D&vid.son, Holmes, 

D&vis,G. R. Horr, 

Davis, R. T. Houk, 

Dibble, Keifer, 

DingleyJ · Ketcham, 

Ellwooa, Lawrenee, 

Ennentrout, Le Fevre, 

Evans, Lewis, 

Everhart, Libbey, Fiedler, McComas, 

Ray, Ossian 

Reid, J. w. 

Rice, 

Rowell, 

Skinner, C. R. 

Skinner, T. G. 

Smith, A. Herr Smith, H. Y. 

Snyder, 

Spooner, 

Stephenson, 

Stockslager, 

Seymour, 

Shively, 

Singleton, 

Spriggs, 

Springer, 

Steele, 

.Stevens, 

Stewart, Charles 

Stewart, J. W. 

Swope, 

Talbott, 

Taylor1 J. M. 

Thompson, 

Tillman, 

Tucker, 

Van Alstyne, 

VanEaton, 

Wallace, 

'\Varner, A. J. 

Warner, Richard 

Weaver, 

Wellbor~, 

Wemple, 

Wilkins, 

Williams, 

Willis, 

Wilson, W. L. 

WinansJ John 

Wolfora, 

Wood, 

York, 

Young. 

Stone, 

Storm, 

Strait, 

Struble, 

Sumner ~_D. H. 

Taylor, ~.B. 

Taylor, J.D. 

Thomas, 

To~nd, 

Tu.uy, 

Turner, H. G. 

Turner, Oscar 

Valentine, 

Vance, 

Wadsworth, 

Wait, · Wakefi.eld, 

Ward 

Washburn., 

White, Milo Wilson, James Winans, E. B. 

Wise, G. D. 

Woodward, 

Worthington, 

Yaple. 

NOT VOTlNG-73. 

Arnot, Ellis, Kleiner, A.~kinson, Ferrell, Lacey, 

Barr, Foran, Laird, 

Belford. Funston, Lamb, 

Belmont, George, McAdoo, 

Blanchard, Glascock, Matson, 

Bowen, Goff, Miller, S. H. 

Bratton, Henderson, D. B. Milliken, 

Breckinridge, Hitt Mills, 

Breitung, Hol~m, 1\litchell, • Buckner, Hooper, 1\Iorrison, 

Chalmers, Howey, Murray, Cobb, James, Nelson, 

Collins, .Jones, J. T. Ochiltree. 

Cook, Jordan, O'Hara, 

Craig, Kean, Payne, Curtin, Kelley, Pettibo~, 

Deuster, K&llogg, Phelps, Dunham, King, Price, 

Rankin, 

Ray~ G. W. 

Reea,T. B. 

Riggs, 

Robin.son, J. S. 

Rogers, W. F. 

Rosecrans, . ·shaw, 

Slocum, 

Small8, 

Sumner, C. A. 

Throckmorton, 

Weller, 

White,J. D. 

WhUing, 

Wi.se,J.S. 

So the resolution as amended was laid on tlie table. 

Mr. LORE moved to dispense with th.e reading of the names. 

:Mr. KEIFER objected. 

The following additional pairs were announced from the Clerk's desk: 

On all political questions, until further notice- · 

1\Ir. MORRISON with .Mr. JOHNS. WISE . :hf.r. SHAW with Mr. LAIRD. 

Mr. RANKIN with Mr .. KELLOOG. 

Mr. CooK with Mr. LACEY, for this day. 

1\lr. MATSON with Mr. MILLER, of Pennsylvania. 

.Mr. JORDAN with .Mr. HOLTON. 

Mr. GLASCOCK with Mr. KELLEY. 

Mr. FORAN with Mr. BoWEN. ' Mr. FERRELL with Mr. KEAN. 

Mr. McADoo with .Mr. CRAIG. 

Mr. MURRAY, "'Yith Mr. HENDERSON, of Iowa.. 

1\fr. ROSECRANS with lfr. HOOPER, on this vote. 

Mr. LAMB with Mr. JAMES. 

Mr. KING with Mr. WHITING. 

lfr. CURTIN with Mr. BARR. 

Mr. ELLIS with Mr. DUNHAM. 

Mr. MILLs with Mr. NELSON. 

!-fr. SLocuM, with Mr. RAY, of New York. 

Mr. RIGGS with Mr. PAYNE. . The vote was then announced as above recorded. 

NOTIFICATION TO PRESIDENT AND VICE-PR~"'DENT .ELECT. 

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I desire to offer the resolution i send to 

the Ch1rk's desk. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky submit:B 

a privileged resolution, which will be read. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

Ruolvedbythe Hqmeof Repruenta.tives(tM&nateconcurring), That a committee 

of two members of the Honse be appointed by the Honse, and one member of 

the Senate be appointed by that body 1 to wait on Grover Cleveland, of the State 

of New York, and to notify him that ne has been duly eleoted President of ·the 

United States for !our years, commencing with the 4th dal' of March, 1885; aod 

also to notify Thomas .A. Hendricks-'-of the State of Indiana, that he has ~n 

duly elected Vice-President of the united States for four years, commencmg 

with the 4th day of March, 1885. .- Second. That the President of the Senate do make out and sign a certificate in 

the words following: CERTIFrCA.TE OF ELECTION. 

Be it known tha.ttheSenateand HouseofRepresenta.tivesofthe United States 

of America, havin1r been convened in the city oC Wa.shington,onlthe second 

Wednesday in February, in the year of onr Lord 1885, the underwritten President of the Senate ;pro tempore did, in the presence of the said Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and count all the votes of the electors 

for President and Vice-President of the United States; whereupon it appeared 

that Grover Cleveland, of the State of New York, had a majority of the votes of 

the electors as President, and Thomas A. Hendricks, of the State of Ind.lana, had a majority of the votes ofthe electors a.s Vice-President. 

By all of which it appears that Grover Cleveland. of the State ofN ew Yor~, has 

been duly elected President, and Thomas A. Hendricks, of·the State oflndtana., 

has been duly elected Vice-President, of the United Stat~, agreeably to the Constitution, for ~e term of fonr years, beginning on the 4th day ofMarch.1885. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this- day of February, 1885, and have sealed with the seal of the Senate. 

And that the committ-ee hereby appointed. when notifying the pemons el~ted 

of their election to the offices of President and Vice-President of the Urut-ed 

States, shall p?esent to each of them a duly authenticated copy of the foregoing 

certifi.cate. 

Ur. CLAY. I offur that resolution, Mr. Speaker, in aecordance-

.M:r. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, by consent of the gentleman from Kentucky I ask him to allow me to move an amendment to . that resolution, changing the resolution in the statement made that the President 

of the Senate opened and counted the votes, so it will read: "That he 

opened the certificates of the electoral votes of the several States, anti 

they were counted in the presence of the two Houses.'' 

lfr. CLAY. I accept that amendment as a modification of my resolution. 

-The SPEAKER pro tempm·e. As it is a matter of some importance, 

the Chair will ask the gentleman to reduce his amendment to writing. 

Mr. CLAY. I do not think it is necessaryto make any extended remarks on the resolution which I have presented. It is in accordance 

with all the precedents heretofore except as to the two most recent 

Presidential elections. I now demand the previotLS question on my 

• 
1536 CONGRESSIONAL REOORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY. 11, 

• 

resolution as modified at the suggestion of the gentleman from Arkan- sas [1tir. DuNN]. 

1\Ir. COX, of New York. With the consent of my friend from Kentucky I move to strike out "three" and insert "fi.ve" as the numbel' 

constituting the committee, two on the part of the Senate and three on 

the part of the House. 

Mr. CLAY. That is rather a large committee. 

Ur. COX, of New York. It is suggested in deference to the opinion 

of gentlemen on both siaes. 

1tir. JOSEPH D. TAYLOR. I rise to a parliamentary inquity. I 

wish to know from the Speaker what rule of the House or cla'{lSe of the 

Constitution justifies the presentation- of this resolution as t\ question 

of privilege? 

:Mr. CLAY. It has been so regarded from the very beginning. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. According to the custom .and all the 

precedents such resolution on this day has uniformly been regarded as 

one of the highest privilege. It is not so much a question of rule as it 

is in accordance with the malldate of the Constitution Gf the United 

States. 

Mr. JOSEPH D. TAYLOR. I move to lay the resolution upon the 

table. · The SPEAKER pro tempore. That motion will be in order when 

the gentleman is recognized as having the floor. The gentleman from 

Kentucky [Mr. CLAY]is entitled to the floor. 

Mr. CLAY. I have not yielded .the floor. 

Mr. KEIFER. I ask the gentleman from Kentucky to yield to me not to exceed five minutes. 

.Mr. JOSEPHD. TAYLOR. · Irisetoanotherparliamentaryinquiry. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it. • Mr. JOSEPH D. TAYLOR. When can I make the motion to lay 

the whole resolution upon the table? 

The SPEAKER :pro tempore. ';['he gentleman ·can submit that mo- tion as s0on as he gets the floor. 

The resolution was reported as modified. 

Mr. HOLMAN. Unless the precedents are uniform--

1\'Ir. CLAY. Permit me to state, .Mr. Sp~ker, right here that I ae- cept the suggestion of the gentleman from New York[Mr. Cox], and 

will therefore modify the resolution so as to make the committee consist of :five-two from the Senate and three from the House. I will now yield the floor to the gentleman from Indiana. 

Mr. HOL}.IAN. 1t{r. Speaker, unless the precedents have been uniformly in favor of such action as is proposed by the last clause of this 

resolution, providing for the execution of a certificate of election of the 

President and Vice-President by the presiding officer of the Senate-

! say unless the precedents are uniform in that direction, and I think 

they are not, I must, as a member of the House, object to that portion 

of the resolution. 

The declaration of the result of the countisunquestionablyproperthe counting of the votes. The appointment of a committee of the two 

Houses of Congress to wait upon the President and Vice-President elect 

andinform them pfthe re..c;riltofthecountisformanifestreasonsproper. 

Beyond that I do. not think the House should go. I think the action of 

the two Houses ought to terminate right there; and therefore I say 

again tha~, unless my friendfrom.Kentucky [Mr. CLAY] has found the 

precedents uniformly recognizing some other attestation than the simple 

declaration of the result of the counting of the vote, I hope he will con- sent that the last part of the resolution which·pr9vides for the official 

certificate of the President of the Senate be stricken out. 

It is clearly apparent, Mr. Speaker, from what has occurred in the 

history of this country to what perils the Government might be exposed· in the future if it was recognized that the title under-which the office 

of President and Vice-President shall be held required some other procedure than a compliance with the simple requirements of the Constitution of the result of the count. 

Mr. CLAY. 1\Ir. Speaker, I can not say in response to the gentleman 

from Indiana that the precedents are entirely uniform, but in the election of General Washington, the :first President, that form was pursued. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Oh, well; what was good enough for Washington 

ought to be good enough for us. · [Laughter.] 

Mr. CLAY. In the election of Mr. Harrison that same form was pursued. In the election of General Grant in his second term, and Mr. 

Lincoln, I think, it was .also pursued. 

~Ir. HOLMAN. But, as I understand the gentleman, it has not 

been the uniform p.ractice? 

lli. CLAY. It has not been uniformly pursued, as. I have stated. 

Mr. HOLMAN. There is not then a uniform line of precedents-occasionat instances only of such a verification ru:; is now proposed. I 

think we ought not to follow and give new force to a questionable precedent, and one which experience has demonstrated might1 in an unfortunate contingency not 4nlikely to arise in the future, greatly endanger the public safety. It is a precedent that we certainly should 

not now reaffirm.. The countmg of the vote and decla.rationofthe.result of the count, in the manner contemplated byth~Constitution, and 

the appointment of a committee to inform the citizens chosen for President and Vice-President of their election, is as far as we can, in my 

judgment, go with safety. I trust my friend from Kentucky [Mr. 

CLAY] will consent that all of the resolution shall be omitted except 

the part providing for the committee. 

1tlr. CLAY. I think, Mr. Speaker, that ifthis resolution be proper 

at all it is 'Very proper that the persons elected to the offices of President and V'ice-President should have that information given to them 

and the certificates of election at the same time. 

Ur. HOLMAN. But the gentleman will not hold that it is neces- sary or·that it is required by the Constitution. 

Mr. CLAY. It is not necessary, nor is it required by the Constitution. 

Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. I move to strike out all of that portion of 

the resolution which provides for the certificate-all after the :first clause. 

The SPEAKER pra tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky is en- titled to the floor. 

Mr. CLAY. I have said that I did not regard it as necessary, nor is it required by the Constitution; but it is well known that the President and Vice-Preilident elect do not know officially the fact of their 

election unless such action shall be taken by the Congress. This simply prescribes that an official notification shall be sent to them. At 

present there is nothing but the statement in the puolic press of the 

country. 

I have agreed to yield five minutes to the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 

KEIFER]. 

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE. 

A message from the Senate, by M:r.McCooK, its Secretary, announced 

that the Senate agreed to the amendment of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 235) to provide for the ere<::tion of a public building in the city of Augusta, Me.; and also that the Senate had passed a 

bill of the following title, in which the concurrence of the House of 

Representatives was requested, namely: 

A bill (S. 2609) to provide a permanent reservation for the Indians 

in Northern Montana, and for other purposes. 

NOTIFICATION TO PRESIDENT-ELECT. 

Mr. KEIFER. 1tlr. Speaker, I shall not perhaps occupy that much 

time. I rise to say, sir, simply that this re.Solution, in so far as it is 

necessary under the Constitution and the laws of the United States, in 

the matter of determining the election of the President and Vice-President, is wholly unnecessary. Like the resolution just laid upon the 

table it is not one of the essential things in the determination of the 

result of the count of the electoral votes. But, like that resolution, it ~ 

may be a matter of courtesy on the part of the Congress of the United 

States, that witnessed the count of the electoral vote and the ascertainment of the result, that the officers who are elected by that count should 

have a proper notification. That is all. 

Whether Grover Cleveland receives a notice throngS. the newspa.-

pers of the day, through the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, or by notification sent by the Vice-President, or through the action of a committee 

that may be sent by the two Houses of Congress, or not at all, it makes no difference so far as concerns t11e question ru:; tow ho will, be the President of the Unitell States for four years from the 4th of March next. 

But, sir, I maintain that there are sufficient precedents for the adoption of tb~ resolution. They are not uniform, it is true, from the beginning of Presidential elections down to the present time, but there are precedents, and of a character that it. seems to me are well worth 

following. In the important act of electing a Chief Magistrate of the 

United States, when we have done all that is essential and gone through 

all of the requisite forms, it is due the dignity of that high office, and 

to the person elected to it, that we should notify him in some form. 

There a.re many things which we do which do not belong to and can 

not be classified as absolutely essential, and yet they are importa,nt and 

in al!cordance with right and good policy. I( the notification· of the 

election of a person to the high office of President and another to the 

high office of Vice-President is only a courtesy, I would still give it. 

We have bad twenty-five elections for Presidential terms. In seven cases there have been re-elections of persons who were P1·esident. 

Washington was re-elected, J e:fferson was re-elected, Madison, Monroe, 

Jackson, Lincoln, and Grantwere each re-elected to the office of President of the United States. My recollection now is, from having ex- amined the question some time since, that in each of these cases of 

re-election at least there were committees sent to notify the President-elect of his election to the office of President of the United States. 

I do not say that this has been uniformly the case, but in some instances 

it has been the practice. 

In other ~ the policy has been to send a notification in writing over the signature of the President of the Senate to the person elected 

President of the United States and totheperson elected Vice-President 

ofthe United States. In some instances Congress has called on the 

President-elect after he was notified to send notice to the Vice-President-elect of his election. But there are numerous instances that form 

precedents for the action proposed to be taken under the pending reso- lution. Therefore I shall vote for this resolution. 

lli. COSGROVE. I wish to ask the gentleman from Ohio a question. 

· '.{'he SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman from Ohio 

has expired. 
1885. CONGRESSIONAL .. RECOR.D-HOUSE. 1537 

Mr. COSGROVE. Then I will address to the Chair a. parliamentary 

inquiry. 

'fhe SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it . . ?tlr. COSGROVE. Is it not customary for all joint resolutions to be 

signed by the presiding officers of one or other or both bodies? · 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. It is. But this is not a joint resolution. 

It is a concurrent resolution. · ?tlr. HOLMAN. Will the gentleman from Kentucky [.Mr. CLAY] 

yield to me for a moment? 

Mr. CLAY. Yes, sir. 

Mr. HOL1tL;h'T. I move to strike out all of the resolution but the 

first clause? 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. There is a motion now pending, made 

by the gentleman from Ohio [M.r. JOSEPH D. TAYLOR], as the Chair 

understands, to lay the resolution on the table. 

Mr. WASHBURN. 1 thought the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. JOSEPH 

D. TAYLOR] was not allowed to make that motion. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair understood the gentlema!l 

from Ohio to make that motion, and that this discussion was going on by. unanimous consent. 

1t!r. WASHBURN. I understood the Chair to say be would recognize the gentleman from Ohio to make that motion when it was in order to do so. The SPEAI\.ER pro temp(}re. Does the gentleman from Kentucky 

[Mr. CLAY] claim he was holdingthe.fioor to the exclusion of the gentleman from Ohio to make the motion to lay on the taQle? 

Ur. CLAY. I do. I now move the previous question on the reso- lution ~s amended, and the amendment of the gentleman from Indiana 

[Mr. HOL).[AN], which proposes to strike out that part of the resolution 

that relates to the certificate. ~Ir. WARNER, of Ohio. That is to sa.y, it proposes to strike out all 

aft.er the first cla.use of the resolution. ·Mr. JOSEPH D. TAYLOR. I move to lay the resolution Qn .the 

table. 

Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. I rise to make a parliamentary inquiry. 'Mr. COX, of New York. The motion to lay on the table is not de- · 

ba.table. 

The SP.EAKE.R JJro tempore. That motion is not debatable . . But the 

gentleman from Ohio [Mr. WARNER] rises to make a parlia.mentary inquiry. The gentleman will state it. 

Mr. WARNER, of.Ohio. I wish to know whether the gentleman 

from Kentucky [.Mr. CLAY] acce_pts the amendment offered by the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Ho!Sr~). 

The SPEAKER pro tentpore. The gentleman from Kentucky has no su~h power. It is for the House to determine whether the amend- men~ shall be adopted or not. . Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. That amendment is pending . . The SPEAKER pro tempore. It is pending. The question is on the motion of the gentleman from Ohio to Jay the resolution on the 

table. 

Mr. CLAY. I desire to make a parliamentary inquiry. Which 

motion has precedence? 

The SPEAKER p·ro temJJOre. The motion to lay on the table. The 

gentleman from Kentucky has asked the previous question on the 

adoption of the resolution he has submitted, subject to the amendment 

offered by the gentleman from Indiana; and, pending that demand, 

the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. JosEPH D. TAYLOR] moves to lay the 

motion on the table. 

The question being taken on the motion to lay on the table, there 

were-ayes 38, noes 108. 

So (further count not being called for) the motion was not agreed to. 

The SPEAKER pro ternpm·e. The question recu:rS on the detnand for 

the previous question. 

Mr. DUNN. I desire to make a parliamentary inquiry. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it. 

Mr. DUNN. •Is it not necessary for a vote to be taken on the amendment which I suggested and offered? 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair asked if there was objection, 

and the amendment of the gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. DuNN] was accepted without objection. . 1\lr. DUNN. Th,l\t is sl.lfficient. 

Mr. ROGERS, o~Arkansas. Before the vote is taken on the -amendment of the gentleman from Indiana we desire to hear how the resolution will read if amended. 

The SPEAKER pro teJnpore. Does the gentleman ask-for the rereading of the resolution? 

Mr. ROGERS, of Arkansas. I ask for the rereading of what is left, 

if the portion which the gentleman from Indiana. moves to strike out 

shall be stricken out. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Unless there be objection the resolution will be read as proposed to be amended by the gentleman from Indiana. 

Mr. HOBLITZELL and :Mr. KEIFER objected. 

1r'.lr. KEIFER. I shall not objeGt to the rereading after the previous question shall have been ordered. . ._,.,. 

XVI-97 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question js upon the demand of 

the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. CLAY] for the previous question on the resolution and the amendment offered by the gentleman from 

Indiana (Mr. HOLMAN]. 

The previous question was ordered.· Mr. CLAY moved tO reconsider the vote by which the previous question was-ordered; and also moved to lay the motion to reconsider on the 

table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. . Mr. KEIFER. Now, I do not object to the resolution being read 

again. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on agreeing to the 

amendment offered by the gentleman from Indiana. Unless there be 

objection the Clerk will report the resolution as it will read if amended as proposed. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

Ruolved by the House of Representative& (the &nate concurring), _That a commit- tee of three members of the House of Representatives be appointed by the 

House, and two members of the Senate be appointed by that body to wait on Grover Cleveland, of the State of New York, and to notify him that he has been 

duly elected President of the United States for four years, commencing with the 

4th of l\Iarch, 1885; and also to notify Thomo.s A. Hendricks, of the State of 

Indin.na, that he bas been duly elected Vice-President of the United States for 

four years, commencing with the 4th of :March, 1885. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on agreeing to the 

amendment offered by the gentleman from Indiana. 

Mr. WHITE, of Kentucky, addressed the Chair. 

The SPEAKER pro temp01·e. For what purpose does the gentleman 

from Kentucky rise ? 

Ur. WHITE, of Kentucky. I would like to have the resolution re- port-ed again. I think it states we believe that Grover Cleveland was elected. I do not. I belieYe that there were forty districts in which 

there was no election. 

The SPEAKER pro te-mpore. Debate is not in order. 

The am~ndment w.as agreed to. 

Mr. HOLMAN moved to reconsider the vote just taken; and also 

moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

The resolution as amended was adopted. . Ur, CLAY moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was adopted; and also moved _that the motion to reconsider be laid on the 

table. 

The latter motion was agreed to: 

l\lr. HUNT. Mr. Speaker, I suggest that the phra.'500logy of that 

resolution should be changed so as to make it read: "Commencing on the 4th da.y of March," instead of ''commencing with the 4th day of 

March." If the gentleman froin Kentucky [Mr. CLAY] will look at 

the resolution I am sure he will see the propriety of the change. 

Mr. CLAY. The Constitution :fixes the time. 

Mr. HUNT. But the proper language should be used. 

Mr. CLAY. I think that is rather a technical point. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the modification 

of the resolution as suggested? [Calls of" Regu1ar order!" "Regular 

order!"] PUBLIC BUILDL~G AT KEOKUK, IOWA. 

The SPEAKER pro ternpore. The regular ~rder is demanded. The .regular order is the consideration of the unfinished business under the 

hour provided by the special rule. The Clerk will :finish the reading 

of the report on the pending bill (H. R. 483) to provide for the erection 

of a public building at Keokuk, Iowa. 

The Clerk completed the reading of the report a'3 printed earlier in 

this RECORD. . ~Ir. WARNER, of Ohio. I wish the gentleman from Iowa [Mr. MeCom] would eonsent to make the amount named in that bill $75,000 

instead of$100,000. As-prices are now, $75,000 is money enough to 

build a. good, substantial building. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time allowed for debate in opposition to the bill boo expired. The gentleman from Iowa [?!Ir. McCorn] 

has five minutes of his time left. Does the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 

WARNER] desire more time? 

Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. I desire to offer an amendment. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. An amendment~ not in order, because 

the bill is not yet before the House. ."Mr. McCOID. 1r.lr. Speaker, I have already yielded to the proposition of thegentlemanfrom Indiana [Mr. HolMAN] to reduce the amount 

from $150,000 to $100,000. The Secretary of the TreasUry submitted an estimate' stating that $150,000 was necessary; but I ha.ve .accepted 

the amendment of the gentleman from Indiana. [?t!r. HoLMAN], and I 

do not think it would be wise to reduce the amount below that. I only 

want to say further, in addition to what is stated in the report, that at 

Keokuk they have an iron bridge across the river which cost a. million 

dollars, the finest bridge across the Mississippi north of Saint Louis; 

they have there a canal which has cost the Government $5,000, 000; they 

have as fine a national cemetery as there is in the country; they have 

there the engineers in charge of the Government works; they do a wholesale grocery business larger than is done in any other place in the State 
1538 OONGRESSIONAL REOORD-HOUSE. FEBI{U.ARY 11, 

of Iowa, and a. wholesale dry-goods business larger than any other in 

Iowa-

?tfr. WARNER, of Ohio. ?tfr. Speaker, I thought the time for debate was exhausted. · The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair stated that the time for debate in opposition to the bill was exhausted. The gentleman from 

Iowa had exhausted none of the ·time in favor of the bill. 

Mr. W .A.RNER, of Ohio. But the first five minutes was exhausted 

in reading the first part of the report. 

.Mr. McCOID. That was not in my time. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The reading of the report was caJ.led 

for without reference to the gentleman's time. 

Mr. McCOID. I will only add that I have been in thiOJ House a long time and have never asked a measure that was not a proper one, 

and I believe that those who know me know that I would not ask for 

the passage of a. bill of which I had any doubt as to its justice, propriety, or economy. I ask the House to pass this bill, and I hope .that 

no one will object. 

l\fr. WARNER, of Ohio. I shall not object myself, but when the 

proper time comes I shall offer an amendment to reduce the amount 

to $75,000. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the present consideration of this bill? 

1\fr. OATES. I object. 

The question was taken, and seven members objected. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. But seven members have objected, 

not a sufficient number, and the bill is before the House for consideration. 

Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. I move to strike out the words " one hundred " before the word "thousand" and substitute the words ·" sev- enty-five," so as to make the amount·$75,000 instead of$100,000. 

The House divided; and only 18 members voted in the affirmative. 

So the amendment was not agreed to. 

The bill as amended was ordered to be engrossed and read a third 

time; and being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time, and 

passed. 

l\Ir. l\IcCOID moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; and also moved to lay that motion on the table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

HEIRS OF 1\IARY JANE VEAZIE. 

· Mr. SINGLETON. I call up for consideration the bill (H. R. 851) 

for the relief of the heirs of Mary Jane Veazie, deceased. 

The bill was read, as follows: 

Be it enacted, tf:c., That the sum of $5,440 be, o.nd the sanie is hereby, appro- priated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to pay 

the heirs of Mary .Jane Veazie, deceased, late of Natchez, Miss., for property taken for the use of the United Slates troops stationed at Natchez, Miss. 

The amendment reported by the Committee on War Claims was read, 

as follows: 

Strike out "$5,440" and insert "32,500." 

Ur. SINGLETON. l\Ir. Speaker, a bill similar to this was introduced in the Senate during the Forty-~venth Congress, was referred to 

the Committee on War Claims of that body, wa..s unanimously indorsed 

by that committee, was passed by the Senate without opposition, came to this House, was referred to the War Claims Committee of this body, was reported favorably, and went upon the Calendar, but was never considered by the Honse for want of time. The present bill was introduced in this House at this session and referred to the Committee on War Claims, who have reported it with an amendment cutting down 

the amount allowed to $2,500. The bill having received the favorable 

consideration of my friend from Ohio (.1\Ir. GEDDES] as a subcommittee, 

and having been reported favorably by the Committee on War Claims, 

I think everybody will agree that there can be no objection to it. The 

loyalty of the parties, the taking of the property for the use of the 

Army, and the value of the properly have been fully established. It seems to me there can be no objection to the bill. There is a report 

from the Committee on War Claims. If any gentleman so desires, it can be read. 

l\Ir. WASHBURN. Is this a unanimous re.I?<>rt? 

l\Ir. SINGLETON. So I understand. 

M:r. W..ARNE~, of Ohio. I think the .report had lJetter be read. 

The report (by l\Ir. GEDDES) was read, as follows: 

The Committee on War Claims, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 851) for 

the relief of the heirs of Mary Jane Veazie, deceased, submit the following re- port: . . The facts out of which this claim. for relief arises will be found stated in Senate 

report of the Committee on Claims, No. 406, first session Forty-seventh Congress, hereto appended. Your committee adopt the said report as their own, and report back the bill 

with the recommendation that it do pass, with an amendment, as follows: Insert in the third line, in place of the words" five thousand four hundreda.nd 

forty," the words "two thousand five hundred." 

''The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred a bill for the relief of Mrs. 

Z.Iary Jane Veazie, having examined trhe same, make the following report: "It appears from. the evidence and papers on file in this case that from. July, l863,.to December, 1863, there was taken from the plantation and residence of 

Mrs. Mary Jane Veazie, near the city of Natchez, in the county of Adams, and 

State of Mississippi, by the m.ilitary authorities of the Government, for use of 

the United Sta.tes tt·oops then in the permaneut occupation of that district 

and stationed at said post, certain property belonging to the said Mary J ne Veazie, f'or which the present bill propose to make her compensation. She 

describes the property taken, and states her account against the Government as follows: 

Two horses, at 8150 each; one carriage, $200............ ........... ......................... 11500 

!!£~~: ~!gi:Ft~?.~~-~~::~~~~:·:·:·.:_::·:·:·:·:·:::~:_::·:·:·:·::::·:-.::::::·:·:·:·::·:::::::_:_:,:_:_:.:_:_:::.::_:_:_::.:_:_:.:_:.: 1

' ~ Twenty-five brood mares, at $.'50 .. : ...................................................... - ....... 1, 250 One hundred and fifty cords of wood, at $3... ... ...... ...... .... .. ...... ... ....... .. ..• ..... 450 

Three frame houses, at $200,$185, and $135................................................ ... o20 

Two·bales of cotton,420 pounds each= 840 pounds, at$!............................. 840 

Total. ....................... ........................................................................ ... o,440 

" ~ich amount she claims under the act of Congress of .July 4, 1864. She states that no receipt or voucher was given her for her property i that she had no one to attend to the matter, her husband being absent at the time, employed in the 

custom-house a't New Orleans, La., while ehe was prevented from looking after 

the business in person by the long protracted and fatal sickne s of her little 

child. It is clearly establi hed by a number of credible witnesses, who were in a position to know~ and who testify to the fact as of their own knowledge, that 

the above-descri.bea property was actually taken in 1863 from the said 1\lary .Jane 

Veazie for the use of the United States Army stationed in and around the city of Natchez, and that the charges which she has made were the fair market 

prices therefor at the time and place the same was taken. · "It is also shown that Judge .James H. Veazie, the husband of the said 1\lary Jane Veazie, wa8 a loyal and consist-entUnionmo.n,devoted to the Government 

and Union of the States; that he opposed seces ion, and gave no aid to the rebellion; and thatin1863, when his wife's property was taken as aforesaid, he was em- ployed in the custom-house at New Orleans. In 18&!, 1865, and 1866 he was em- ployed as cashier of the assistant treasury in that city. Among others who 

testify to .Judge Veazie's. loyalty is General Stewart Van Vliet, as istant quarter- master United States Army, who says, 'I know that he was a loyal citizen during 

the war and is so now.' It is also clearly established by the affidavits of several 

credible parties, well acquainted with .Mrs. Veazie, tho.t she shared fully her 

husband's sentiments and devotion to the Union; that sbe and her family were loyal to the Government, and gaye no aid to the rebellion. Her property having been appropriated to the use of the Government, her right to compensa.tion, in the opinion of your com.mittee, comes within the spirit, if not the letter, of the act of .July 4,1864. But the items of$200forcarriage and$840for two bales of cotton, 

taken from claimant, can not be properly regarded as a necessary army supply, and should be rejected. Your committee accordingly recommend that the bill 

for relief of claimant be amended by striking .out the words' five thousand four 

hundred and forty dollars,' in the third line of the bill, and inserting in lieu 

thereof the words 'twenty-five hundred dollars,' and, ns thus amended, the 

committee reCOir\mend the passage of the bill by the Senate." 

The SPEAKER p1·o tempore (before the reading of the report was concluded). The first five minutes allowed for debate on this bill have 

expired. 

1\Ir. BROWNE, of Indiana, obtained the floor, and said: I ask that 

the residue of the report be read in my time. 

The reading of the report was then concluded. 

l\Ir. HORR. I would like to ask the gentleman in charge of this 

bill why this claim was not presented before the proper tribunal at the 

proper time, in the proper way, and adjusted through the regular channel? 

Mr. SINGLETON. The answer to that question appears in t.he re- port. In the first place, the husband of 1\Irs. Veazie was absent from 

home; being at New Orleans, in the employment of the Federal Government. In the second place, he was in the later years-Of his life 

very much afflicted. 

1\Ir. VAN EATON. 1\Ir. Speaker, this claim arose in my district; 

and the difficulties which prevented its ear~er presenta,tion and adjustment have been correctly stated by my colle3oooue [Mr. SINGLETON]. 

I happen to l"llow-not personally, it is true, but from report about 

which there can be no doubt-that the husband of this lady was absent 

in New Orleans in Federal employ. 

1\Ir. HORR. When? 

1\Ir. VAN EATON. During the war, and at the time of the occur- rences out of which this claim arises. · 

Mr. HORR. Very well; what prevented him from making the claim 

in the usual way and getting it allowed as other claims were? 

Mr. VAN EATON. Because he was at the time exceedinglyaffiicted, 

being in impaired health both mentally and physically. 

Mr. SINGLETON. So that he afterward died. 

l!Ir. VAN EATON. Yes; and in the later years of his existence he 

became so poor, I understand, that his library was sold in order to furnish the means of his support. 

I know further that in our section of the country this is regarded as a j nst claim, if any claim can be just, a j nst claim for the whole amount 

originally named in the bill. Inasmuch as the sum has beencutdown 

by the committee to $2,500, I believe the least this House can ·do is to 

allow this amount. 

One word with regard to the loyalty of these parties. I happen to 

know that they were not popular at all in that portion of the country 

because they were loyal. While the fact that they remained loyal is 

no recommendation to me, it does bring the case within the usages under 

the law. I repeat that in my portion of the country the claim is regarded as in every sense just, if eYer a claim was just; and I happen to 

know the feeling of that community in this matter, as the claim originated in my district, and not far from my home. 

Mr. BROWNE, of Indiana. If I understand this report, the com- mittee find that $4,400 is due the claimants in this case. I would like 

to know why the amount has been cut down to $2,500. Is it because 

of the loyalty of the claimants? · 1\fr. SINGLETON. The claim has been cut down from $5,440 to 

$2,500. 
1885. CONGRESSIONAL R~CORD HOUSE. 1539 

Mr. BROWNE, of Indiana. So. I understand. The committee deduct $840 for two bale.." of cotton and $200 for a carriage. That would 

leave $4,400. 

.Mr. SINGLETON. The committee has·reduced the amount still 

further. 

Mr. BROWNE, of Indiana. But why? Because the claimants were loyal or because the Government of the United States has for years delayed payment? :Mr. SINGLETON. I can not say. 

The SPEAKER pro tem,pore. The time allowed· for debate on this 

bill has expired. Is there objection to its present consideration? The 

Chair hears none, and the bill is before the House. 

The amendment reported by the Committee on War Claims was agreed to. - The bill as amended was ordered to be engrossed and read a third 

time; an<;l being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time, and 

passed. 

l\1r. SINGLETON moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table. 

The latter mot?-on was agreed to. 

ISSUE OF DUPLICATE CHECKS. 

1\lr. PETTIBONE. I move to take up for present consideration the 

bill (S. 1705) to provide for the issue of duplicate checks. 

The bill was read, as follows: 

Be it rnacted, de., That section 3646 of the Revised Statutes of the United 

States be amended to read as follows: 

"Whenevet· any original check is lost, stolen, or destroyed, disbursing officers 

and agents of the United States are authorized, after the expiration of six 

months and within. three yeltts from the date of such check, to issue a duplicate check; and the Treasurer, assistant treasurers, and designated depositaries of 

the United States are directed to pay such duplicate checks, upon notice and 

proof of the loss of the original checks, under such regulations in regard to their issue and payment, and upon the execution of such bonds, with sureties, to indemnify the United States, as the Secretary of the Treasury shall pre- scribe. This section sltall not apply to any check exceeding in amount the sum of $2,500." 

Air. PETTIBONE. This bill simply strikes out in section 3446 of 

the Re>ised Statutes of the United States the limitation of$1,000 and 

inserts $2,500. There are now about thirty bills pending in this House 

restoring lost checks, and this bill will let them all in and allow the 

Secretary of the Treasury and other disbursing officers of the United 

States, on the filing of proper refunding bonds, to issue duplicate checks 

in place of those which have been lost to the amount of$2,500instead 

of 1,000. It applies·to pension ckecks as well as to quartermaster's 

checks. . The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the present con- sideration of the bill? 

Mr. HILL. I object. I am not satisfied this important change in 

the statutes should be made without consideration. It seems to me it 

throws wide open the doors of the Treasury to all sorts of petty frauds~ 

Mr. VALENTINE. The bill has received the consideration of the 

Committee on Claims and been unanimously reported by them. It 

simply authorizes the very parties who issued checks to issue duplicates 

when it is positively proved they have been lost or destroyed, and on the filing on the part of the claimants of a sufficient refunding bond, 

and after a proper time has elapsed. 

1\fr. HILL. Is it accompanied by a report of any committee? 

1t1r. PETTIBONE. Yes. There are now over thirty-five cases pending in this House which this legislation will cover. Mr. HILL. I withdraw my objection. · 

Mr. HOLMAN. A word on the bill. It has always seemed to me the law is too narrow in providing for the issue of duplicate checks. ~ir. PETTIBONE. You can not get the f?enate to go higher. 

Mr. HOLMAN. It should embrace not simply duplicate checks, 

but it should also authorize the issuing of duplicate certificates of deposit in subtreasuries. There is no general law on that subject now. I had occasion a short time ago to inquire at the Treasury Department 

whether a duplicate ce~cate of money deposited in a subtreasury 

could be issued, and was informed it could not be done. This legislation should be broad enough to cover all these cases, checks on the one hand and certificates of deposit on the other. But I will not embarrass 

this measure, which, of course, is right. It changes the law only in increasing the amount. 

Mr. MORRILL. The present law authorized the issue of duplicate 

checks to the amount of$1,000, and this simplyincreases that amount 

to $2,500. 

There was no objection; and the bill was ordered to a third readinCT· 

and it was accordingly read the third time, and passed. "'' 

1\fr. PETTIBONE moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the 

table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

PCBLIC BUILDING1 DETROIT, 1\fiCH. 

Ur. ~IAYBURY. !call up for present consideration the bill (8.1609) 

to proVIde for the purchase of a site and the erection· of a public building thereon at Detroit, Mich. 

The bill was read, as follows: 

Be. it enacledt .cf:c •• That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he ·is hereby, au- thorized and airected to purchase a suitable lot of land in the city of Detroit, 

county of Wayne, and State ofl\IicWgan, and cause to be erected on thegrounda so \>urchased a. building suitable for the accommodation of tbe courts of the 

Umted States, of the custom-house, post-office, pension office and other Govern- ment offices in that city. Tlte plans, specifications, and full· estimates for said 

building shall be previously made and approved according to law, and shall not exceed for the site and building complete the sum of$900,000: Prolfided, That the 

site shall leave the building unexposed to danger from fire in adjacent buildings 

by an open space of not less than forty feet, including streets and alleys; and no money appropriated for this purpose shall be available until a valid title to the 

site for said building shall be vested in the Unit-ed States, nor until the State of 

Michigan shall have ceded to the United Stat-es exclusive jurisdiction over the .same, during the time the United States shall be or remain the owner thereof, 

for all purposes except the administration of the Cl"iminallaw of said State and 

the service of civil process therein : Prwided, That if the Secretary of the Treas- ury shall deem it advisable to use for said purpose the sit-e now owned by the 

United States, upon part of wWch the post-office and cust-om-house building now stands, he may do so ; and should he further deem said site insufficient, he 

may enlarge the same by. the purchase of additional adjoining grounds. 1 SEC. 2. That the Secretary of Treasury, in the e\·eut of the selection and pur- chase under this act of a site other than that now owned and occupied by the 

United St·ates within said city of Detroit, be, and he is hereby, authorized and 

directed t-o sell at public auction, for cash, after thirty days' advertisement of 

the time, place, and terms of" sale, the property in the city of Detroit purchased 

by him for the erection of a public building under and by virtue of an act of Congress approved May 25, 1B82, entitled "An act to provide for the erection of a. public building at· Detroit, Mich.;" and the moneys received from such sale 

shall be covered int-o the Treasury of the United States. , SEC . .a. That in the event of the purchase and use of an entire new site, then, after the erection of the building provided for in the first section of tWs act, or at such a time as the exigencies and needs of the rublic business ma.y render 

such a<~tion prudent and desirable, the Secretary o the Treasury is authorized a a d directed to selli at public auctiQD, for cash~ Md after thirty days' advertise~ 

ment of the time, p ace, and terms of sale, the property or site now owned a.nd 

occupied by the United States as a post-office, custom-house, and for other offices 

of the United States; and the money received from such sale shall be covered 

into the Treasury of the United States: Provided, That the Secretary of the 

Treasury may, in Ws discretion, delay the sale of the propercy referred to in the 

second section of tWs act, and offer the same for sale jointly with the property referred to in this section of this act, and in like manner and terms : Provided 

further, That the Secretary of the Treasury, in any and every case of an attempted sale, shall be authorized and empowered to reject any bid wWch in hii! opinion shall be less than the value of the property or part thereof offered for sale under 

the provisions of tWs act, and reotfer the same for sale in the matter above pro- vided until the said property shall bring a fair price. 

SEo. 4. That an act entitled " An act to provide for the erection of a public building at Detroit, Mich.," approved May 25,1882, being chapter 187 of volume 

22 of the Statutes of the United States, is hereby repealed: Provided, That 

nothing herein contained shall be construed as in any manner affecting the appropriation so far made for the purpose contemplated in that act, but that the same shall be available to be app1ied in effecting the objects sought under the 

provisions of this act. 

Mr. MAYBURY. 1\Ir. Speaker, I will state to the House that this 

bill is precisely similar in its text to the bill reported unanimously by 

the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds of this House. I have 

not the time to state all the facts which perhaps should be stated to this 

House, but I assume the House will take cognizance of the fad this 

building ~ asked for a city of 175,000 people, with two dependencies 

numbering some 25,000 more, making a community of 200,000 people. 

I will devote the few minutes-left to me in giving to the House a com- parison of the appropriation made in this bill with those made for erec- ti.on of public buildings in thirty-one cities of this Union. I have 

selected for the purpose of thls comparisOn no mean cities. I have 

omitted the cities of New York, Brooklyn, Boston, Chicago, Saint Louis, and San Francisco, and have taken cities of like character with the city 

of Detroit, many of them, indeed most of them, not of the same com- mercial importance of that city. I have selected such cities as Albany, N.Y.; Charleston, S. C.; Hartford, Conn.; Louisville, Ky.; Memphis, Tenn. ; New Orleans, La. ; Portland, Oreg. ; Portland, · 1\.fe.; Toledo, Ohio, &c. I have made a comparison of the appropriations made for 

the public buildings in those thirty-one cities with that proposed in 

this bill. - l\Iy comparison has been made first upon the ratio of population, and 

upon that the cityofDetroitwouldreceivea little less than three mill~ 

ions of money. I have made a comparison upon the basis of there~ 

ceipts ofpublic·moneys-fust, if you please, the postal receipts. The 

postal revenue for Detroit last year was $303,126.02. The postal rev~ 

. enue from the thirty-one cities to which I have referred was $3,361,· 

220. Striking an average on this basis would give to the city of Detroit 

$1,865,272. ( 

Now I have made a comparison also upon the basis of the number of 

public buildings and the number of employes in the service of the Government, and it shows these figures: In the thirty-one cities I have 

mentioned the cost of public buildings is $19,000,000; the total num- ber of Government employes is 1,730. In Detroit there are three hundred and six public employes, one hundred and ninety-six of whom 

require office-room. On this plan of comparison the appropriation for 

Detroit would be $2,480,000. · I have made also an estimate upon the basis of the customs revenue derived from these thirty-one cities, which aggregates $5,150,600. At 

Detroit last year $406,000 was collected. Taking this as the. gauge 

of compa.rison, the appropriation for the city of Detroit would be 

$1,580,528. The total internal revenue derived from these cities wa.s $24,537,236. The internal revenuecollectedat Detroitwas $1,251,000. 

Upon this basis the appropriation would be $1,016,207. t 

I have made a further estimate, sir, based upon the total revenues 
1540 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY . 11, 

derived from these cities from all sources, which will be found to ag- · 

gregute $33,000,000. For ·Detroit it amounts to $1,970,280, on which 

basis the appropriation for that. city would be $1,180,406. 

The SPEAKER pro 'tempore. The time allowed for debate in support of this measure has .expired. ~Ir. HOLMAN. Mr. Speaker, I was not able to understand clearly 

the _efrect. of this bill from the hasty reading, and I beg to make some inquiries of the gentleman from Michigan with reference to it. In the 

1irst place it proposes to limit the cost, as I understand it, to $900,000, 

proposing either to build upon the present site or to select a new site. 

If a new site is purchased is it proposed that the proceeds of the sale of 

the old site shalt be added to the $900,000 for the new building? 

1\lr. MAYBURY. No, sir. The bill especially states that the money 

realized from the sale of the present site shall be covered into the Treasury of the United States. 

Mr. HOLMAN. I understand, then, sir, that part of the bill. 

Now I think, perhaps, the amount stiggested-$900,000-while in 

point of fhct it is not larger th.·lon undoubtedly, as the gentleman says, we 

have appropriated for other large cities, is still, I think, a greater sum than is required. . . We have been so extreme in our ~"\.i:mva.gance in regard to the erec- tion of public. buildings throughOh v the country for many ye;J.rs past 

that the country has protested against it. I think my friend ought to 

consent to the naming of a more reasonable sum for the erection of this 

building than the amount :fixed in the bill. Nine hundred thousand 

dollars, as I understand it, is mentioned in the bill for that purposethat is to -say, for the purchase of·the site and the erection of the builaing. 

Mr. MAYBURY. Yes, sir. 

Mr. HOLMAN. For the purchase of the site and the construction 

of the building. No.w I suggest 'that $i00,000, or at the extreme 

$750,0001 would be ample for all the purposes named. 

Tbe revenues mentioned by the gentlem:tn do not indicate to any 

material extent the importa.nce of this locality for a p_uhlic building. ·unimportant t<>wns comparatively have the same claim. One in sight 

of where I live pays $3,000,000 into the public "Treasury, and yet that 

furnishes no reason for the erection of a public building there. I ask 

the gentleman; therefore-.... before the tim~ expires for calling for objections to the consideration of this bill, that in the event of a new site 

being purcha-Sed the same proposition shall -he incorporated in this bill 

which was adopted a short time ago with reference t<> another bill, the 

bill immedjateJy preceding this, and that it shall apply to this; that if 'a new site is purchased the plan of this building shall not be addpted 

until after the purchase of such site, and that then the balance of the 

appropriation remaining only shall be applied 'to this purpose. Will 

the gentleman consent to that? 

Mr. MAYBURY. Mr. Speaker, I will state, if permitted to do so, 

in answer to the gentleman from Indiana, that when this matter wa.s considered before the Sena.te committee the approprin.tion to be reported 

wa.s fixed at one and a half million of dollars; and at my own suggestion the committee of this House-acting on my recommendation-reported the amount now fixed in the bill 

Mr!HOLMA.~. But I am not a.Sking as to the amount of appropriation, but to the limitation as to the remainder after p~rcha.sing the 

site; that the remainder only shall be expended in the construcLion of 

the building. The site is first to be purchased and the balance of this 

appropriation only applied to the building. 

Mr. 1.\B.YBURY. As I understand the gentleman from Indiana, I 

see no objection to his suggestion. That is to say, that if the site shall 

be purchased with the $900,000 the building shall be erected out of the 

remainder. · 

Mr. HOLMAN . . I ask tha.t there be considered also as pending the 

proposed amendment to reduce the amount to $750,000. 

l\Ir. 1\IA YBURY. I think that there has been SQme controversy in 

the minds of gentle~en with reference to this question,. as suggested by 

the gentleman from Indiana, of this extension of the appropriation for 

similar purposes. The statute in force would.prevent that. 

The question is on the amendments of the gentleman from Indiana 

[Mr. HolMAN], which the Clerk will read. 

Mr. HOLMAN. The first proposition is to strike out $900,000 and 

insert $750,000; and then I propose to add the following la.nguage--

Mr. SPRINGER. I ask fo!-" a division of the two propositions. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will order a division of the 

question. 

The Clerk read the amendments proposed by Mr. HOLMAN, as follows: 

Strike out "$900,000" ana insert "$750,000." And add as a proviso to the bill the following: . "Provided, however, That if a new site shall be purcha~ed for said bnildiog1 as 

heretofore authorized, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the 'J_'reasury alter 

the site for said buildingshallh:l.ve been purchased to cnuse a plan and specifica- tions of said building to be prepared, which said pl::l.n and speciti<'ations shall not 

involve an expenditure in the erection nnd completion of said building and the 

approaches thereto exceeding the portion of said $i50,000 remaining after the site 

of said building shallluwe been paid for. A.nd no plan for said building shall be approved by the Secretary of the Treasury inyolving an expenditure exceeding the sum so remaining after paying for the site ofsnid building." 

Mr. SPRINGER. Adivisionoftheqncstion being permitted, in the 

event of the first proposition being voted down it would be necessary 

to modify the second so as to make the amount correspond with the 

amount na.med on the bill. · 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair thinks the question is sus- ceptible of division. The questjon will first be on the first amendment 

of the gentleman from Indiana to reduce the amount. 

l\fr. HOL:\IAN. I will state to the gentleman .from illinois that if 

the motion to dccre.'lSe the amount is voted down, the ·amount in the 

second amendment can then be increased. 

l\Ir. :MAYBURY. I call for the previous question on the bill and 

amendments. · l\lr. SPRI~GER. It is understood the motion may be made to in- crease the amount in the second amendment if the :first shouJd be voted 

down. 

Tlu SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair understands it will be in 

order to make the secoml ameJ?.dment correspond with the effect of the 

vote of the lion eon "the first amendment. 

The previous question was ordered. 

1\Ir. U..:\..YBU.RY moved to reconsider the vote by which the previous 

question was ordered; and also moved that the motion to recon ider be 

laid on the table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

The SPEAXER p ro tempore. The question is first on the amendment of the gentleman from Indiana [?tlr. HOL:IIAN] to reduce the 

amount provideu in this Lill from $900,000 to $750,000. 

The question heing ta1,en, there were--ayes 43, noes 107. 

l\Ir. HOLMAN. A flUorum not hn.ving voted, I ask tha~ we may 

have the yeas and nays. 

l\lr . .ANDERSO~. I rise to a question of order. The hour under 

the special rule has exphed. 

TQ.e SPEAKER pro te-mpore. The hour has expired. 

ORDER OF Dl-"SI~ESS. 

:Mr. TOW~SHEND. I move to dispense with the morning l1our. 

The motion was agreed to-two-thirds· voting in favor thereof. 

:Ur. Tow~SHEND rose. Mn. ROB[NSON, of New York. I ask UQanimous consent--

1\[r. ROGERS, of Arkansas. I desire to make a privileged report. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will l'eeoguize ·the gentle- man from Arkansas [Mr. ROGERS] after he Las heard the gentleman 

from Illinois (Mr. TOWN HIJ:~D]. 

l\Ir. TOWNSHEND. I move tha.t the House resolve itself into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, for the purp<;~se 

of considering general appropriation bills. · ·· The SPEAKER pro por . The gentleman from Illinois moves that the House resolve itself into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, for the purpose of considering general appropriatiqn bills; pending which the gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. ROGERS] rises to make a privileged report. Mr. HOLl\IAN. But that is inoperative. l\lr. UAYBURY. But the statute exists and makes it a penal of- CLADI AGEYTS AND ATTORNEYS IN PENSIO~ OASES. 

fense for any officer of the Government to extend the appropriation by Mr. ROGERS, of Arkansas. I am directed by the Select Committee 

plans ·or specifications involving a larger expenditure. on the PaymeJ?.t of Pensions, Bounty, and Back Pay to report ba.ck the 

Mr. HOLMAN. Now I ofter the amendment which I send to the Senate bill No. 2511, and to ask for its immediate consideration· under 

desk. the previous order of the House. · 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill is not yet before the House. The Clerk read the tnle of the bill, as follows: 

1\.Ir . . HOLMAN. Before objections are called for I presume it is un- A bill (S. 2511) relating to claim agents and attorneys in pension cases. 

derstood tha.t both those amendments may be offered. :Mr. McMILLIN. I inquire of the Chair is this bill privileged for 

Mr. MAYBURY. Yes,sir. consideration? 

Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. But .there is the further question, Does The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will say it is. This bill thegentlemanfromMichig~[Mr.MAYBURY] acceptthatamendment? was referred to the Select Committee on the Payment of Pensions, 

'The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Michigan has no Bounty, and Baek Pay, 'vith power to report it back at any time, which, 

power to accept any amendment. The Chair understands it is agreed in the view of the Chair, carries with it the right to consideration. 

the amendments shall be offered. Is there objection to the present con- The question of consideration, however, may be raised against the bill. 

eidern.tion of the bill? . The Chair holds the committee under the order of the House hn.d the 

Objection was made by two members-not a sufficient number. power to report t},le bill back at any time for immedia~ consideration 

The SPEAKER pro tempo1·e. The bill is before the House for action .. in the absence of any question of consideration being raised. 
1885. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. l541 

1\-Ir. HORR. How does the bill come before the House at the present time? 

The SPEAKER pro tempol'e. The Chair has just stated, as plainly 

and distinctly as he can, that the House ordered this bill ro be referred 

ro the Select Committee ~m the Payment of Pensions, Bonnty, and Back 

Pay, with power ro report it back at any time; and the committee has now reported it back. 

Mr. HORR. And it goes to the Calendar. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. '.l'be Chair thinks not, and has just 

stated that the power to report back at any time carries with it the 

right to consideration, subject to the right of every member to raise the 

question of consideration to be determined by the House. 

.Mr. TOWNSHEND. I rise to a question of order. At the time this 

bill was reported the House was ~bout to divide on my motion that 

the House should resolve itself into Committee of the Whole Honse on the state of the Union. I ask if a privileged report can intervene to 

prevent the question being taken on my motion? . The SPEAKER pro tempore. The House was not '' dividing'' on the gentleman's motion, which is the language of the rnle. 

:Mr. TOWNSHEND. :My motion was pending. 

The SPEAKER p-ro tempore. The Chair recognized the gentleman 

from Illinois [Mr. ToWNSHEND], st.'lting to the House at the same time that he won.ld recognize the gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. 

RoGERS] to make a privileged report. The Chair does not think the 

point of order well taken. The motion of the gentlemai:l from Illinoi<:~ 

had not been voted upon. 

Mr. HORR. I do not see how the gentleman from Illinois, who had 

taken the floor and announced his purpose to proceed with the appropriation bill, con.ld be taken off the floor by another bill thrust in here 

without the knowledge of any one. It does seem to .me a queer proceeding. It is different from anything I have ever seen in this House 

before. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Has the gentleman any point of o.:rder 

to raise? 

Mr. HORR. I do raise a point of order. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it. 

Mr. HORR. I make the point that this bill can not co~e pack to 

the House in this way except simply to be placed upon the ·calendar, 

as it would be, in the first instance, when it came over from the Senate. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair overrules the point of order,. and states again, for the third time, this bill was referred to the com- mittee with an order from theHousetoreportitbackatanytime, which 

. order, in thejudgment oftheChair, in conformity to the uniform rulings 

of the Chair, carries with. it the right ·of consideration, subject to the 

point of consideration being raisea by any gentleman. The Chair goes 

further, and states that the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. TOWNSHEND] 

had moved that the Houseresolveit.self into the Committee of the Whole 

House on the state of the Union for a certain purpose; the gentleman 

from Arkansas [M:J:. ROGERS] then rose with a motion of highe.r privilege, just as any gentleman in the House might have risen and moved 

that the House adjourn, which won.ld have taken precedence over the 

motion of the gentleman from Illinois [1\Ir. TOWNSHEND], as <lld the 

motion of the gentleman from Arkansas. The Chair so ruled and still so holds. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. Does the Chair hold that the motion I niade 

does not ta.ke precedence of the report of the gentleman from Arlilmsas 

(Mr. ROGERS]? 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair holds that the report of the 

gentleman from Arkansas.[Mr. RoGERS] takes precedence of the motion 

ofthe gentleman from Illinois (M:r. TOWNSHE...~D]. 

Mr. ROGERS, of Arkansas. Now, 1\Ir. Speaker, I demand the regular order. 

Mr. CANNON. 1\Ir. Speaker, is it not in the i>ower of the majority 

of the House to proceed to the consideration of the Post-Office appropriation bill? 

The SPEAKER p-ro tempQre. The Chair has stated more than once that the question of consideration may be raised by any member. 

Mr. ROGERS, of Arkansas. I demand the regular order, and I call 

for the previous question. . 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. I rise to the question of consideration, Mr. 

Spea.ker. _ 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will state that the demand 

for the previous question is not in order until the bill has been read. 

1\Ir. HORR. Mr. Speaker, I raise the question of consideration upon 

this bill at this time, in order that the House inay go on with the appropriation bills. 

Tbe SPEAKER pro tempore. The question of consideration was first 

mised by the gentleman from Illinois (l\Ir. TOWNSHEND]. As many as are in favorofproceeding with theconsideration of the bill reported 

by the gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. RoGERS] will say "ay "--

l\'Ir. HOGERS, of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I withdrnw the bill for 

the presf.nt. . 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Arkansas withdraws the bill, and the question recurs upon the motion of the gentle- man from Illinois [Mr. '.row~SHEND] ~hat the. House do now resolve 

itself into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union 

fvr the purpose of considering general appropriation bills. 

Mr. HANCOCK . . Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take 

from the Speaker's table the bill (H. ~. 7785), with the Senate amendments, and have it referred to the Committee on Appropriations and 

printed. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. There being no objection, it will be so ordered. ·The question is on the motion of the gentleman from Illinois 

[Mr. ToWNSHEND]. ~efore putting that motion the Chair will lay 

before the House a report from the Committee on Enrolled Bills. 

E...'TROLLED BILLS SIGNED. 

1\Ir. PERKINS, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported that 

they had exa.mineQ. and found truly enrolled bills of the following titles; 

when the Speaker pro tempo1·e signed the same: A bill (S. 235) providing for the erection of a public building in the 

city of Augusta, 1\!e.; and 

A bi~ (S. 591) for the relief of the estate of Chester Ashley. 

C{VIL SERVICE. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following mes- sage; which was referred to the Select Committee on Reform in the 

Civil Service, and ordered to be printed: 

To the Senate a1td H01J,Se of Representatives : 

In compliance with the act of Congresg approved January 16,1883, entitled "An aet to r~gulate and improve the civil service of the ·United States"," the 

Civil Service Commission has made to the President its second annual report. 

That report is herewith transmitted. The commission is in the second year of 

its existence. The President congratulates the country upon the success of its 

labors, commends the subject to the favorable consideration of Congress, and 

asks for an appropriation to continue the work. 

CHESTER A. ARTHUR. EXECUTIWE MA..XSION, 

Washington, February ll, ISSQ. 

R.EMOV AL OF CHEROKEE L~DIANS. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore also laid before the House a. letter from 

the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting an estimate frQm the Secre- ·tary of the Interior for subsistence and removal of certain Eastern 

Cherokee India,ps; which was referred to the Committeeon.Appropriations, and ordered to be printed. . . 

GAS-PIPES IN PENSION BUILDING. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore also laid before the House n. letter from 

the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting an estimate from the Secretary of the Interior of au appropriation for_gas-pipes in the United 

States pension building; which was relerred to the Committee on Appropriations, and ordered to be printed . 

PUBLIC BUILDING, BROOKLYN, N.Y. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore alSo laid before the House a letter from 

the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting a communication from the 

Supervising Architect recommending an increase in the limit of cost 

of the public building at Brooklyn, ~. Y.; which was referred to the 

Committee on Appropriations, and ordered to be printed. 

PUBLIC. BUILDINGS AT DALLAS, TEX.J AND OXFORD, MISS. 

The SPEAKER pro temp(}re also laid before the House a letter from 

the Secretary of the Treasury, inclosing a recommendation from the 

Supervising Architect for the extension of the limit of cost of public 

buildings at Dallas, Tex., and Oxford, 1\Iiss.; which was referred to he 

Committee on Appropriations, and ordered to be printed. 

• Mr. DuNnA11, by unanimous consent, was granted leave of absence 

for five (lays, on account of important business. 

BILLS REFERRED. 

Mr. ROBINSON, of New York, by unanimous consent, reported from 

the Committee on Pensions bills of the followjng titles; which were ordered to be placed on the Private Calendar: . A bill (R R. 7513), with an amendment, granting a pension to Mar· 

garet B. Harwood; and 

A bill (H. R. 4393) for the relief of Lieut. Nathaniel Johnson Coffin. 

W. H. !.IURDAUGH. 

Mr. TUCKER. I desire unanimous consent to report from the Committee on the Judiciary two bills removing political disabilities. 

There being no objection, M:r. TUCKER reported from the Committee on the Judiciary a bill (H. R. 8183) to remove the politieal disabi1itie.<J 

of W. H. Murdaugh, of Virginia; which was read a first ami second 

time. · 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill will be referred to the House 

Calendar. 

}lr. RANDALL. I suggest that we pass these bills at once; it will 

take but a moment. 

Mr. COX, of New York. Bills of this character are usually passed 

as soon as reported. 

There being no objection, the House proceeded_to the consideration 

of the bill H. R. 8183; which was read, as follows: 

B6 it enacted by ill£ &nate and Home of .Represen.tatitJes of ill£ United Statu in 

CongTess assembled (two-thirds of each House concun·ing therein), That all political disabilities imposed by the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the 
1542 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 11, 

United Ste.t~s be, and the same are hereby, removed from W. H. 1\Iurdaugh, of 

Virgini . 

Mr. KEIFER. I desire to know whether there is a petition in this ca.se ft:om the person whose disabilities are to be removed. 

Mr. TUCKER. Ob, yes. 

The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time; and 

being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time and passed 

{two-thirds voting in fuvor thereof). . Mr. TUCKER moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the 

table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. ~[r. TOWNSHEND and others called for the regular order. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Virginia [:M:r. 

TUCKER] has sent to the desk two bills, only one of which has been 

acted on. Mr. TOWNSHEND. I must call for the regular order. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The remaining bill will be retntned to 

the gentleman from Virginia. 

Mr. WHITE, of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, would it be in order now to a ·k unanimous consent to take up the Mexican war pension bill? 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair does not think it would. 

The regular order has been: called for, and the question is on the mo- tion of the gentleman :from lllinois [Mr. ToWNSHE~--n] that the House now resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state 

of the Union. 

The motion was agreed to. 

POST-OFFICE APPROPRIATION BILL. 

The Honse accordingly resolved itself into Committee of the Whole on the stat-e of the Union (Mr. SPRINGER in the chair), and 'resumed 

the consideration of the bill (H. R. 8138) making appropriations for the 

service of the Post-Office Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 

1886, and for other purposes. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

For payment to letter-carriers and the incidental expenses of the free-delivery 

sy.stmn, $4,100,000; $45,000 of which may be nsed1 in the disc~tion of the Postmaster-General, for the establishment, under e:nsting law, or the free-delivery 

system in cities where it is not now established: 

.Mr. HORR. I move to amend the paragraph just read by striking 

out "100" and inserting "535;" so as to make the appropriation for 

payment to letter-carriers and incidental expenses of free-deli very system 

$4,535,000. I yield my time to t.he gentleman :from New York [Ur. 

POTTER]. 

Mr. POTTER. Mr. Chairman, in rising to urge the adoption of this 

amendment I wish to call attention to the vast importance of expediting as much as possible the deliveryofletters in all the citiesofthe Union 

and all the large towns to which this :free-delivery system is now and 

maybe extended underthe law. This is an era when weare savingas 

much as possible the time of the country. -Time is business, it is com- merce, it is progress, it is the advance of civilization. 

The 1oss of half a day in all the great citi~ of the Union is so much 

lost from the executive capacity oftheagein which we live. Nowhere can the amount of money now asked for be applied so as to affect so directly and potently the welfare of the whole country as in the administration of the Post-office Department. In this matter there is no question of constitutional law,. there are no local jealousies, no sectional 

interests to embarrass us. Every dollar that we give goes directly to 

the people, goes directly toward the promotion of the business, the welfare, the progress of the country. One hundred thousand dollfts spent 

in our cities and large towns in securing the delivery of the mails at an earlier hour than they are nop delivered will be an actual saving of more than ten times that amount to the country. 

I hpld in my hand a letter received a day or two since from a gentle- man in Chicago, stating that unless the mails arrive there so as to be 

given to the carriers before 11 o'clock in the morning they are not delivered until the ne~t day. Those letters comprise, perhaps, business 

orders from all regions of the country whose trade centers there, so that 

delay in the delivery of a single day's mail is often the cause of the 

loss of vastlv more than the amount which would be distributed to that 

city under this amendment. · I know that in the city which I have the honor to represent in part on this floor there were last year many thousand applicants in favor of 

increasing this appropriation. It was then somewhat increased, and 

the great advantages of the increase have been so apparent that there 

is to-day a unanimous sentiment in favor of continuing this increase 

until letters shall be delivered in these great centers of the country 

without the least loss of time. 

But this question does not affect the great cities alone; it affects as 

well all the towns having commercial connections with these cities. If 

a letter sent to New York or Chicago can not be delivered on the same day it is received there, at least one day is lost to the business and en- terprise of the country centering in those. cities. 

Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. If it will not disturb the gentleman, I 

would like to ask him whether this proposed enlargement of the appropriation is for the purpose of incr-easing delivery facilities or for increasing the salaries of carriers? 

Mr. POTTER. Simply for increasing delivery facilities; nothing 

else. ~Ir. HORR. The salaries are all fixed by law. . Mr. POTTER. The salaries are fixed by law. The object is that 

letters arriving at all the cities and t-owns of the country to which thl.s 

system extends may be delivered at once, so that our constantly :wcelerating means of communication by steam, by telegraph, &c., may 

have due etl"ect in the great centers of activity and commerce. The 

object is simply that mails arriving at these different places shall not 

be delayed unnecessarily, but delivered at once. ~1r. TOWNSHEND. Mr. Chairman, we have in this item granted an increase of 50,000 over and above the ~ppropriation for the current 

year. The amount we have appropriated is over a half a million more, or about a half a million more than the amount which was expended 

for the last year ending on the 30th of June. 

Mr. MONEY. Compare it with this year. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. We have given an appropriation of half a million of dollars to the free-delivery offices over and above the amount ex- pended last year. 

l\Ir. M:Ol\TEY. But how as to this year? 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. It will be more. We have about reached the 

limit of the establishment of free-delivery offices. There are only nine, 

I understand, now in the United States not supplied with free-delivery 

service where it is possible to apply it. 

Mr. BINGHAM. Let me ask the gentleman one question. 

1\Ir. TOWNSHEND. Do not interrupt me right here. The gentle- man will get an opportunity in his own time. ~1r. BINGHAM. What, under the law as it now exists, will be re- quired to pay the letter-carrier service without the extension to an additional city and without the addition of another man? ~1r. TOWNSHEND. The gentleman's question is too long and he can explain it in his own time. Now, I wish to say about this item 

that the subcommittee on appropriations have considered it, and the ·majority of that subcommittee have reached the conclusion, in view of 

the fact the time bas come when a limit will be put to the free-delivery 

service in other cities, and in view of the fact we have given half a million dol)ars over what was expended last year, that the point has been 

reached, in the opinion of that subcommittee, when we should call a halt in extra.vagant appropriations for :free-delivery offices. 

Mr. HORR. Did you take into account the fact of the increase un- der the L'lw of 150,000 in order to carry out the law itself? 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. What $150,000? 

Mr. HORR. The increase of.salaries under the law is 152,150. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. This is one of those items. ~1r. COX, of New York. Answer that question. 

?tlr. TOWNSHEND. Well, sir, as I said yesterday, so far ns this 

service is concerned, the more you give the more will be demanded. 

Mr. HORR. I beg pardon. 

Mr. BINGHAM. Just the reverse. Mr. HORR. The law fixes the salary at o much. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. And the number of free-delivery letter-carriers 

will be multiplied no matter how much we appropriate. ~1r. HORR. You do not answer my question. Did you take into 

account that fact? · Ur. TOWNSHEND. We took into account the whole situation and 

reached the conclusion that the sum we have appropriated is ample for 

that purpose. . Now, Mr. Chairman, if I can go on without being interrupted I will 

proceed with my remarks. 

Mr. COX, of New York. Did you--

":'!:JMr. TOWNSHEND. I haYe only five minutes-you will have your 

own time. 

Mr. MONEY. Oh, let him go on. ~1r. COX, of New York. Allow me-- 1\fr. TOWNSHEND. Not now. These gentlemen are obtaining large 

appropriations every year. 

Mr. COX, of New York. Allow me a question-- ~1r. TOWNSHEND. Not now; wait until I get through. 

Mr. COX, of New York. I never discarded y9u. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. Well, then, put your question. 

Mr. COX, of New York. It is whether this appropriation is in pur- suance of existing law? 

Mr. HORR. There is not money enough to pay them. 

1\Ir. TOWNSHEND. When you get through with your questions I 

will proceed. 

Mr. COX, of New York. That is alL I take but little of the time 

of this House. 

~1r. TOWNSHEND. It is in pursuance of the present law, and in 

my judgment if economically administered, as I hope it will be, under the next administrntion, it will furnish ample means to supply the 

:free-delivery service. 

Mr. HORR. Do you propose the incoming administration ·hall-p..1.y 

these men less than the law says they shall receive? 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. I do not. 

Mr. HORR. Then your appropriation lacks $200,000. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. I can not yield. I say there are millions and 
1885. OONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1543 

millions of people in this country who do not get. free-delivery service, 

who are taxed in order to furnish it to towns and cities of 20,000 inhabitant<:; in other sections. 

Mr. COX, of New York. Thn.t is not correct, because we make a surplus. Mr. TOWNSHEND. Thn.t is not correct. New York city makes a surplus--

1\lr. COX, of New York. And so does Philadelphia make a surplus, 

and so does Baltimore. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. There are but ten cities where the free-delivery service is self-sustaining. 

A MEMBER. There is not a city .that does not. 

:Mr. TOWNSHEND. I have the statistics here to show. I say only 

ten-I may be mistaken about the exact number-are self-sustaining. 

The vast majority of free-delivery offices are a burden upon the Treas· 

ury. They do not pa.y, a vast majority of them. 

Mr. HORR. The gentleman can not mean that, unless he confines 

them to local postage. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. Of course I do. 

Mr. HORR. Why of course? 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. The last Postmaster-General declared that it 

should be so confined, and made that the measure of the self-sustaining 

quality of the fi.'ee-deliveryoffices. ·He declared in his report tha't that 

should be and was the proper measure. Mr. HORR. Does not the gentlefnan from illinois know that, as a whole, they pay a considerable amount of surplus revenue?. Mr. TOWNSHEND. I know that New York city furnishes nearly 

the entire bulk that comes from the free-delivery system. 

TheSPEAKER pro te1npore. Thetimeofthegentlemanhas expired. 

Mr. UONEY. I move to strike out the last two words. 

l\1r. Chairman, the statement of the honorable gentleman in charge 

of this bill is certainly misleading with reference to this portion of it. 

He takes occasion to say that the appropriation is half a million of dollars in excess of the appropriation of last year. Why did not the gen· 

tleman say of ten years ago, or make his basis of comparison any other 

ancient date? 

l\fr_ TOWNSHEND. Because that is too far off. 

Mr. MONEY. If the gentleman undertakes to show the actual con· dition of the expenditures, why does he not compare it with the appropriations for the current fiscal year? Now, I say that it is only$100,000 

in excess of the appropriation for the current fiscal year. 

1\Ir. BINGHAM. Fifty thousand dollars. 

l\1r. MONEY. The increased business, according to the report of 

the Postmaster-General, for the current year is 16.30 per cent., and if 

the gentleman in the preparation of his bill proposed to make an appropriation for this service commensurate with the increased business 

of the Department it will be necessary to appropriate $600,000. ~ow, in the consideration of the provisions of this bill in its application to the postal service it should be remembered that it is neither a sectional nor a partisan service. It is a service that is performed for the 

benefit of the whole C<?nntry, and I -do not think that it is the intention 

of the people of the United States or their wish to cripple the Government in any manner in sustaining or in extending these facilities. It 

ron not be so. In this particular item, therHore, not only would the 

appropriation, if made upon the basis of the increase of business, be over $600,000, but how can the gentleman state so positi ¥ely that there 

could be only nine offices that would be benefited by the extension of 

this system? How can the gentleman tell what will be the growth of 

(>ur cities and towns daring the year? How many towns throughout 

the country may reach the limit of 20,000 population or $20,000 in 

gross revenue, which would entitle them to the benefits of the free-delivery system? That is a question that the gentleman has no means of determining. 

And not only that, sir, but I wish to state also that the gentleman ~as mistaken when he said that he had considered the whole system 

of the postal service of this conn try, and had appropriated adequately 

to meet its necessities. 

Why, taking into consideration the present force of carriers, if not a single one should be-appointed during the fiscal year, and the system 

should not be extended to embrace a single town in addition to those 

where it is now in operation, the law regulating promotions would re- quire more thanthesum appropriated here to meetthe demands of the 

service. 

Mr. HORR. That is a fact. 

l\1r. MONEY. Of course it is. E¥en a blind man could see that. 

There can be no question but that the whole country is interested in 

the development of the free-delivery system. Every correspondent 

throughout this entire country is interested in the free-delivery system 

in order that his letter may get to his merchant or correspondent as speedily as possible. It is a service to the whole country and for the 

country and all the people and should not be hampered; and in additiop to that if you cripple the service in one branch, so multiplied are 

the ramifications of the service and so sensitive is it, that you cripple 

it in every department. . 

And in point of fact, of the $52,000,000 that is covered by this bill, 

notwithstanding thestump.speeches which have been made here upon 

the subject of extravagance and economy, $50,000,000 of the sum can not be affected in the matter of expenditures by the :figures put into this 

bill. That expenditure is regulated by the law as it stands. I care not 

if you appropriate $100,000 or $1,000,000,000; $50,000,000 in the application is governed by the law, and not affected by the provisions you incorporate here. 

But, sir, this particular provision is limited by existing law. The 

Postmaster-General.dare not go beyond that limit except in so far as the pay of the carriers at their present status and their promotion as regulated is concerned to meet the requirements of the service. Beyond that, however, the expenditure is limited by statutes already in 

existence, and it is for this Honse to say if it will cripple this branch 

of the service or develop it. 

In my judgment, sir, it would be wise not only not to arre,st the 

development of this service, but to extend it to cities of 10,000 inhabitants. .After a while, as we progress in this country, I have no doubt 

whatever that it will be extended, and that we will eventually carry our letters into every town, village, and hamlet in the entire land. Today we are at least twenty-five years behind mostofthe.othercivilized 

nations in this particular of free delivery. Most of the countries of 

Europe that pretend to a properly arranged postal system deliver letters 

by a carrier to tbe minor towns and hamlets. In Great Britain the delivery is daily in the towns and villages, and even in the rural districts 

they have carrier-delivery three times a week, and the lowly tenant of 

the cottage receives this welcome visitor. In Hungary and Austria, 

Italy and Spain, Switzerland, France, and Germany the same system 

is in operation for the benefit of the public. 

[Here the hammer felL] · 

1\Ir. HARDEMAN was recognized, and yielded his time to Mr. 

MONEY. 

l\1r. 1\IONEY. I am obliged to the gentleman from Georgia for his 

courtesy. 

lli. Chairman, it is not worth while to speak here of a few thousand or a few hundred thousand dollars in CQnnection with a great service 

like this. Does any gentleman imagine· any of his constituents will 

call him to account for a provision that extends more liberally and more efficiently a great public function like this, which diffuses its benefits all over the land? In my section of the country thousands of people would not care though you should abolish the Supreme Court, 

though you should do away with the Army and Navy; but lay your 

hand on the slightest member of this great service and you will arouse a general indignation. • We .are all interested in the Post.Office, a Department by means of 

which the Government lays its hand of benediction on the people, and 

nothing but blessing can flow from it. We want this service so perfected, so extended, so developed tho.t every community in the country, 

however remote, shall be brought into more intimate, closer, and more rapid communication with every other part of the country. . And after a while we shall take in the postal telegraph, and shall make 

communication so rapid and so frequent that sectional lines will be 

blotted out, and States will exist, except 'as to their autonomies, as simple geographical divisions. Nothing will tend to unite the people so much as to perfect your postal system. Let us not linger in the rear in 

the glorious race of progres.<;. Except in machinery and appliances of 

distribution, we are be.hind the world in that liberal and enlightened 

spirit which carries out measures for the genera] good. 

Our neighbor the Dominion of Canada transports all its newspapers • and periodicals free of any charge, because it recognizes in the press of 

the country-its religious, agricultural, and other periodicals ~evoted to 

science, arts, and industry, and the great news press-a great educator of 

the people. I would have the diffusion of these means of education as free as the wind of heaven, without cost and without price, without 

limit or restriction. 

If we rise to a proper sense of our duty we will enlarge this system 

it is true by prudent and proper advances, but we will enlarge it until 

it embraces within it<:; operation every facility that human ingenuity can devise to make it as widespread and far-reaching and as general in 

its application as it is to-day in the free-delivery cities. 

Let me state another thing. If you restrict the number of lettercarriers in the great cities you will put the country to the expense of 

building store-room for its mails. In New York there are handled one hundred and forty tons of mail matter each day. 

If we restrict the facilities of mail delivery in any particular you 

must enlarge your accommodation for storing and handling your mails 

until they ca.n be called for by the citizens themselves. And besides, as suggested by the gentleman from New York [:rt1r. PorrER], look at 

the time consumed by people visiting the office for their mails. 

.Another word, 111r. Chairman. In my opinion this amendment 

offered by the gentleman from Michigan (.M:r. HoRR] is necessary to 

preserve even the service as it is now. But we want its extension. We 

want these privileges carried further and further. And I assure you 

you never yet made an imprOV"ement in this service to which there has 

not been a response in the increase ofits revenue. Talk of the cost of 

this service! The report of the Postmaster-General shows that there-
1544 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 11, 

eeipts of the free-delivery system amount to $1,27_3,000 above its ex- body in my remarks. . This system of delivery is more acceptable than 

penses. It matters not if New York furnishes the whole of the excess the old mode of office delivery. It is more accurate, more thorough in 

of receipts, or if it is distributed through a number of cities. , the delivery of letters. It reduces the number of dead letters. It di1\:lr. TOWNSHEND. A vast majority of the free-delivery· cities do verts to the post-office many letters formerly delivered by expresses 

not pay expenses. · and private messengers. It stimulates mail and local correspondence, 

Mr. MONEY. What difference does that make? increases postage on local matte:r:, saves time and money to the people 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. It makes a great difference if New York and a and fruitless calls at the post-office. It yields a large surplus of postage 

few cities bear the expense of the service for the others. on local matter above its cost, notwithstanding that the class of matter 

1\Ir. ltiONEY. The people ask for this service,.and the people cheer- for which it gets credit is only about 25per cent. of the matter handled 

fully pay the money for it, and they should receive the benefit which by the carriers. There is no answer to these facts. There is no way 

it brings. [Loud applause.] of getting over them, or under them, or around them; and theCommit-

[Hel·e the hammer fell.] . tee on Appropriations in appropriating money in pursuance of existing 

Mr. 1\Icl\IILLIN. I have listened to the speech of the gentleman law should have brought in an amount adequate to meet every idea 

from Mississippi [Mr. MoNEY] wit;h ~terest. If the expression of and requirement embodied in the legislation on this subject. I hope 

beautiful theories without reducing them to practice were either desir- that this House will stand by the letter-carriers, stand by this increase 

able or possible, we might all afford to follow his suggestion. He be- ofrevenue,_sta.nd by the men who stand by the letter-carriers, :who are gan on a proposition to increa...o:ethe appropriation for this special service. our best friends in all our local and domestic relations. 

Branching off from that in beautiful and eloquent and metaphorical [Here the hammer fell.] 

tams, he launched into an extension of the service fro~citiesof20 000 Mr. HORR. I yield a minute to the gentleman from Mississippi 

inhabitantS down to those of 10,000 inhabitants. [Mr. MoNEY]. 

Mr. COX, of North Carolina. Villages. Mr. MONEY. Mr. Chairman, I am not accustomed to speak in this 

Mr. McMILLIN. Villages, as the gentleman from North Carolina House upon subjects that I am not informed "Q.pon. When I undertake 

suggests. And what would it take to carry out the service in the man- to express views npon any subject here, I do it only after careful· study ner suggested by the ge!}tleman from Mississippi? Why, sir, in place and preparation. I have had the honor tQ-day to draw the fire of my 

of having a deficiency of from three _to five millions of dollars a year distinguished friend from Tenn~ee [Mr. McMILLIN], who, not hav- we would have a deficiency of. $15,000,000 a year, and, as now suggested ing given himself the trouble to examine into this matter of the postal 

to me by the gent~eman from New York [Mr. HUTCHINS], an increase service, is able to speak out of the ~bundance of what be does not 

of office-holders that would be almost, like the sands of the seashore, know, and consequently can say a great deal. [Laught-er.] . innumerable. The gentleman defies me or any other man to say what would be the 

I am in favor of the free-delivery system. It is not my pnrpo~ to nuru.ber of additional Government employes required to perform the 

attack it. It has performed a good work, and may be made useful in service under a proper postal telegraph system, and, as the matter is 

future. But, like all other branches of the service, it should be kept before the House, I think it a proper thing to reply to him now. I 

within judicious limits. asked the gentleman whether he knew what the 'humber would .be, . The gentleman from :Mississippi, passing from that, suggests a still ·and he said he did not. That was the answer that I expected of him. 

further departure, in which I think we should not follow him. Not Sir, I do know, because the committee to 'which I have the honor to 

content with swelling this appropriation, not satisfied with suggesting · belong has now upon your Calendar a bill reported by the distinguished a scheme that woulcl increase the appropriation for deficiencies to $10,- gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. RoGERs], which, if enacl.ed into law, 

000,000 or $15,000,000 a year, he ·goes into another project. What is would give a fine postal telegraph system to this CO\mtry wit'P. not one that? That the Government ought to take possession of and control the single added Federal official, not a single additional appoiritment, and 

telegraphsofthecountry.· Thatisanotherbeautifulscheme. But how would make a reduction in rates to a schedule under which every solipractical! What would be·the·consequence of it? Alr~dy this free tary telegraph company in the United States has signified its intention , Republic is ruled over by 120,000 officers-selected how? It purports to bid if the bill should become a law. And yet, as I have said, that 

to be democratic; it is reputed to be a. representative Republic; yet out syst-em provides for n~ additional Federal officials, no enlargement 

of those 120,000 officers less than 500 are elected by the people. And whatever of the Federal patronage. Somnch for that question. · the gentleman proposes a system which would vastly increase and prob- Now, when gentlemen speak here about robbing the Treasury to give 

ably double the numbet of these appointive officers, if the Government the people proper mail service, and talk about the people being taxed 

should ever assn me to purchase or build· a postal telegraph to be oper- to support this great post-office system, I ask them ii they are able to 

ated by Government officinls. How many would it take to rnn that point to any system of taxation so universal in its application, so easy 

system? When would be . the end of it? I entel' my protest at this of collection, or borne with such general acquiescence in the levying 

time against a systeJD so problematical in its workings. · of it as the tax that is paid in the form of postage for the conveyance 

Mr. MONEY. Will the gentleman allow me to ask him a question? of mail matter. 

Mr. McMILLIN. With pleasure. · [Here the hammer fell.] 

Mr. MONEY. HQw many offi~als or employes, in addition to the Mr·. HORR. I withdmw my formal amendment. 

present number, does the gentleman think it would require to do the Mr. BINGHAM. I renew the amendment. 

business under a proper postal-telegraph system? Mr. Chairman, while I recognize the intelligence and the information 

Mr. l\Ic11-llLLIN. "In addition to the pre~ent number"-! know that this general debate has given us, I fail to see its direct bearing upon 

not, according to any plan that I have ever seen. the paragraph now at issue. If I can have the attention of the House 

11-Ir. MONEY. I thought not. for five minutes I think I can clearly demonstrate that the amount alMr. McMILLIN. Nor does the gentleman. lowed in this bill will not conduct this service during the next fiscal 

Mr. MONEY. I can tell you. year· under the law as it now exists. 

Mr. Mc~ULLIN. You can not tell, nord~ the man live possess- The letter-carrier·service, like the "civil service," has come to stay 

ing powers of mind this side of Omniscience that can tell. in the future administration of this Government. It is the offspring 

Mr. MONEY. If my friend will allow me-- of Republican administration, and came into being under legislation 

Mr. McMILLIN. The gentleman has bad his turn. adopted in 1863. To-day, recognizing the gentleman from Illinois 

Mr. Chairman, it appears that on every bill that is brought in here for [Ur. TOWNSHEND] as the spokesman of the next administration, t4e an increase of these appropriations the beauty of the postal system and Republican party hands oYer this service to the incoming administraitsnecessities are to be clamored about. I rememberthatinyearsgone tion with a net profit of$1,250,000 per annum. by, in the star-route period, an appropriation of $2,500,000 was de- This bill, as submitted by the committee, appropriates $4,100,000 for 

manded by the Postal Department to continue peculation, fraud, thiev- this service. The law pa-ssed at the first .session of this Congress gives ing_. It was done under the guise of extending the maH service. for this service for the present :fiscal year $4,050,000. Before this same LHere the hammer fell.] · Committee on Appropriations is an application for a deficiency of $50,-

1Ir. HORR. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from New York 000 .in this service created under the ln,w. When that deticiency is 

[Mr. Cox]. . met, the appropriation in this bill wiJl be exactly what it 'is for the 

Mr. COX, of New York. I do not propose, Mr. Speaker, to argue the present fiscal year. But that is not enough. 

value of tbe postal-telegraph system. Whatever it may have of value Mr. TOWNSHEND. The gentleman will allow me to say that the 

belongs to the future. But I do think my honored friend from Illinois appropriation last year was·$3,500,000--

[Mr. TOWNSHEND] in charge of this bill should have been more thor- Mr. BINGHAM. The year before last. 

oughly candid and full in his statement when I asked him about the Mr. TOWNSHEND. I mean the appropriation for the year ending 

cost and tbenetproceedsofthefree-deliverysystem. Why, sir, for the the 30th of June last. The Postmaster-General reports that of that 

year which ended June 30, 1884, the excess of postage on local matter appropriation over $10,000 remains in the Treasury unexpended. over the total cost of the service was $1,273,278.35. The increase over Mr. BINGHAM. Why does the gentleman discuss the appropriatbe preceding year was $251,384.34. tions of last-year? The issue is, what is the service costing this year 

Every time we have increased the appropriations for this service we and what will it cost next year? The gentleman undertakes to predha.ve added to the revenue, and any business man will readily under- icate the appropriations for the coming year upon those for the last 

stand what that means and how it comes abont. The Postmaster-Gen- year; but they should be predicated on the expenditures of the present 

eral has told you on this subject what I will not read, but I will em- fiscal year nnd the necessary increase of business. I hold in my hand 
1885. OONGRESSIONllifRECORD:!!.HOUSE. 1545 -.. ; .... -:. _.. . .. . :t.:..."(,..· ? 

a letter from the chief of the letter-carrier division of the PostrOftice 

Department, stating that, without extending this service to a ·Sfugle 

additional city, without the employment of one additional man, it will 

cost, under the law for the next fiscal year, $4,297,950; for it is to be re- membered that letter-carriers entering the service at $600 receive after one year's service $800, and after two years' service $1,000. This is 

the amount they must be paid under existing law. So that $197,950 

will be required for the next fiscal year beyond the amount allowed in 

this bill; yet the billprovidesthat$45,000 shall begiven forthe establishment of new offices. 

[Here the hammer fell. J 

Mr. BINGHAM. I would.like to have about two minutes more. Mr. BAYNE obtained the :floor and said: I yield my time to my colleague ~Mr. BINGHA::\1]. 

1\Ir. BINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, this is a paying service. It does 

not come to this House with hat in hand asking for alms. Here is a common-sense business proposition. Four million and fifty thousand 

dollars has been given to this branch of the Post-Office Department to 

be expenued during the present fiscal year. What is the result? I 

hold in my hand a dispatch from the chief of this service, stating that 

the net income to the Government from this service will be 1,250, 000. 

What business man of this House, if he could realize $1,250,000 upon an investment of $4,050,000, would not extend such a system? Since 

874, without the break of a single year, this service has returned a large net revenue to the Government. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. Will the gentleman allow me a moment? 

The Postmaster-General says that there are one hundred and fifty-six 

letter-carrier offices--

.Mr. BINGHAM. I am speaking of these offices as a group. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. And of these one hundred and fifty-six o:ffi,....es 

only twelve are self-sustaining. 

1\Ir, BINGHAM. I do not care if only one is self-sustaining. You 

have established this system; it is now in successful operation; and the 

gentleman himself by his own bill is debarred from arguing against it, 

because the bill appropriates $45,000 for the establishment of new offices. 

1\lr . .McMILLIN. I understand the gentleman from Pennsylv~ 

to E?tate that according to official report the net revenue derivedJrom 

this system during the present fiscal year will be a million and a quarter of dollars. 

Mr. BINGHA.~L Yes, sir. 

1\Ir. 1\Icl\IILLIN. In arriving at that result does not the gentle- man take the net revenue from all sonrces in the cities that have this ~~m? . - Mr. BINGHAM. Let me exl>"lain. I am glad the gentleman bas 

asked tb...1.t question. 

Mr. McMILLIN. I know that the city of New York and a few 

other cities pay a revenue, but I know also there are many others that 

do not. 

1\Ir. BINGHAM. I am glad to have the opportunity to make an ex- planation. The letter-carrier service in the cities where it is established depends wholly for the payment of its expenses and forits revenue upon the postage on drop or local letters. It not only does its work 

and returns a million and a quarter of dollars profit to the Government, 

but every letter and eYery newspaper coming from every section of the 

country to be delivered at these local delivery offices is delivered by the 

carriers without the charge of a fractional part of a cent to the general Post-Office service. 

It makes a million and a quarter of dollars per annum upon its own business, and does in addition the deliYery of all other mail matter that 

goes into that office. 

[Here the'hammer fell.] 

Mr. HOLMAN. l\Ir. Chairman, I do not rise so much to oppose the 

amendment as to call the attention of the committee to the fact that if 

this bill is to pass, as well as the other appropriation bills behind it, it 

will be impossible to allow so much time to be consumed as has been on this Post-Office appropriation bill up to the present moment. Gentlemen can not pass the appropriation bills if they are to drag as this 

bill has dragged. If, then, the intention be to pursue that policy in 

:regard to all of the appropriation bills, this House may as well make up 

its mind to a called session and be done with it. 

Mr. BLOUNT. Is it not perfectly competent for the gentleman at 

any time to move the committee rise and close debate? 

Mr. BINGHAM. It is in the hands of the chairman of the subcommittee. 

Mr. HORR. Will the gentleman permit me ·to ask him one question? 

Mr. HOLl\'IAN. Yes, sir. 

Ur. HORR. Could not an · this trouble be avoided if they would 

bring them in right in the first place? . 

l\lr. TOWNSHEND. They are brought in right. 

Mr. HOLMAN. Undoubtedly, if we should throw wide open the 

doors of the Treasury and invite gentlemen to come in and help themeelves we would be all right from my friend's standpoint. 

Mr. W .ARNER, of Ohio. Yes; that is their position. 

J\lr. HOLMAN. I have not taken up any time in this five-minute 

discussion, and therefore will be indulged for a few remarks on the pending subject. Gentlemen assume this Committee of the Whole know 

nothing about it, that gentlemen have not examined the report of the 

Postmaster-General, thatthisisafreshsubjectofdiscussion. Now, every 

gentleman knows last year three and a half millions of dollars were appropriated for this service, ®d that $14,500 were .afterward added, 

making in all $3,514,.500, of which ten thousand and more dollars went 

back into the Treasury. 

Jrir. MONEY. Certainly. 

Mr. HOLl'IAN. In this the second year after that state of things it 

is proposed -to add on the basis of that expendi~e nearly $600,000 

to this branch of the service. Gentlemen know further it is these - branches of the public service nearest to the people, in which they t:lke 

the deepeSt and most earnest interest, on measures of public policy of 

the highest moment, that these branches of the Government are seized 

upon to inaugurate schemes of extravagance which sooner or later 

bring the blush of shame to honest men all over the land. But when 

gentlemen make appeal for extravagant and unwarranted appropriations in any given branch of the public service on account of its being 

nearest to the hearts of the people, they forget that in thus encouraging unnecessary and wasteful extravagance of public expenditure they are sowing seeds which always result in a harvest of humiliation and 

misery to the country. 

Now, an increase of $600,000in this serviceis.!n my judgment ample 

and sufficient for all proper purposes. I am making no argument 

against the free-delivery system. I think it is good enough. There are about ten of these offices which pay their own way. The industry 

of the whole balance of the people supports the others. I am not in:-

clined to Complain of it. The system is fairly fastened upon the coun- try, aml there is a disposition to acquiesce in it. I do, for one. But, 

sir, I do protest against opening up here, because of the nearness of 

this service to the hearts of the people, a system of extravagant and 

discreditable expenditure of the public money. 

The Committee on Appropri.1.tions believe this increase to be sufficient. · 

.A lUEMBER. There is no increa.Se. 

l\lr: HOLl.J.AJ..~. The salary of letter-carriers is fixed, }?ut the num- -ber to be employed is within· the· diScretion of the Postmaster-General. 

If we make extravagant appropriations, of course the number will be 

increased beyond the wants of the public service, and you can not prevent it. If y<'u Jurnish the money tO the Post-Office Department the 

pressure will be irresistible to e:ipend every dollar of it. It is because 

it is necessary to impose not only just restraints upon ourselves, but 

upon thos~ charged 'vith the administration of the Government, we appeal to you to make only a fair and reasonable increase of appropriation for the public service, and not to permit bills in which great public 

interest is felt to be made the agency of extravagance and corruption 

in govern.inental administration. 

Mr. BINGHAM. Why does not the gentleman give us for the incoming administration sufficient to execute the law? 

Mr. COX, of New York. · That is what I wish answered. 

Mr. HOLMAN. As I have already stated, and as every gentleman 

knows, while the salary is fued by law, the number of persons to be 

employed is within the discretion of the P~stmaster-Geileral. 

Mr. BINGHAM. They are there now. 

1\Ir. HOLMAN. If you furnish the money irresistible pressurewill 

be brought to bear upon the Postmaster-General to employ men beyond 

the needs of the service. Now, I hope the gentleman from Illinois 

will move the committee rise. · Mr. TOWNSHEND. I move the committee rise for the purpose of 

closing debate. · 

The committee divided; and there were-ayes 77, noes 90: 

Ur. TOWNSHEND demanded tellers. 

Tellers were ordered; and Mr. TOWNSHEXD and 1\Ir. BINGH.A:\1 were appointed . The committee ~gain divided; and the tellers reported-ayes 76, noes 77. 

So the committee refused to rise. 

Mr. HORR. I now call fo.r a vote on my amendment. 

The CH.AIRl\-IA.N. The pro forma amendment is withdrawn by 

unanimous consent, and the question recurs on the amendment of the 

gentleman from Michigan [Mr. HORR]. 

Mr: RANDALL. I demand a division. 

The committee divided; and there were-,a.yes 100, noes 64. 

1\Ir. TOWNSHEND. Let us have tellers. 

1\Ir. HOLMAN. ~ I suggest to my colleague on the committee that 

he take a yea-and-nay vote in the House. 

1\Ir. TOWNSHEND. I will withdraw the demand for tellers, and 

give notice that I shall dem:.md a yea-and-nay vote in the House. 

So (no further count being demanded) the amendment was agreed to-. The Clerk read as follows: 

For wrapping paperMr. SKINNER, of New York. Mr. Chairman, I offer the artumdment I send to the de$k. 

1\Ir. HAMMOND. I move that the committee do now rise. 

• 
1546 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD--HOUSE. FEBRUARY 11, 

1tlr. SKINNER, of New York. I give ay for that motion, but let 

the amendment be stated. 

Mr. TOWNSHEl\TD. I want w oppose the amendment; let it be 

read. 

The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Georgia moves that the 

committee do now rise. 

:Mr. TOWNSHEND. The committee has just voted down a motion 

w rise. [Cries of" Regular order!"] I make the point of order that 

it is not competent w renew that motion; the last vote disclosed a large 

majorityinopposition to it. 

The CHAIRMAN. The lastvotewason theamendmentofthe gentleman from Michigan, and there bas been intervening business since 

the former vote on the motion to rise. 

1\lr. SKINNER, of New York. I desire w ~ffer the amendment now, 

to have it printed in the RECORD, and will then yield to the motion to 

rise. . 

Mr. HAMMOND. For the purpose of having the amendment read 

I will yield to the gentleman from New York. 

The CHAIRMAN. The amendment can then be printed for information. 

The Clerk read as follows : 

.After line 35 insert: 

"Letter-carriers may be employed for the free delivery of mail matter as frequently as the public convenience may require at every place containing a popu- lation or not less than 10,000 within its"corpo,rate limits." 

Mr. HOLl\IAN and 1\lr. RANDALL. A point of orderon thatamendment. 

The CHAffil\!AN. Let the Clerk conclude the reading of the amendment. The point of order will be reserved. 

The Clerk concluded the reading of the amendment, as follows: 

Provided, The gross revenue for the preceding fiscal year from the post-office or po t-offices in such place shall have aggregated at least 810,000. · Letter-carriers may also be emp)oyed itt the principal and most central postoffice of towns or places within short distances of one another, provided such 

low us or places contain in the aggregate a population of not less than 10,000, and 

the gross reveu ue for the preceding fiscal year from the several offices aggregate not less than $10,000. · AU Laws or parts ofJaws inconsistent with this provision are hereby repealed. 

1\Ir. TOWNSHEND. The point of order is made upon that amendment. 

The CHAIRMAN. The points of order are reserved. 

1!1r. TOWNSHEND. I do not reserve thepointoforder, but !make 

the point of order directly upon it. I am willing, however, that the 

gen Ueman from New York shall be heard if he desires it. 

1\Ir. HAMMOND. I submit as a point of order that that was read 

simply for the purpose of allowing it to be printed in the RECORD. 

1\lr. TOWNSHEND. Then I want my point of order to be considered as pending. 

l\1r. ANDERSON. I rise to a question of order. 

The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman will state it. 

1\lr. ANDERSON. My point of order is that the gentleman from 

New York rose to move this amendment and had the floor, but between 

the time that he sent it up to the desk and the time it was read by the 

Clerk the gentleman from Georgia interposed the motion that the com- mittee rise. I make the point of order that the gentleman had not the 

floor for that purpose until the amendment had been read. 

The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman subsequently yielded the floor 

for that purpose, and the ~endment was read by the Clerk for the information of the House, at the suggestion of the gentleman from New 

York himself, in order that it might be printed in the RECORD. · The question is, Will the committee now rise? 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. I rise to a point of order. 

The CHAffiMAN. The gentleman will state it. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. The gentleman from Georgia yielded the floor 

w have an amendment of the gentleman from New York read. When 

it was read I immediately raised the point of order upon it. Now I 

insist that I have the right to have that point of order disposed of. 

The CHAffiMAN. The Chair will again state that the gentleman 

from Georgia yielded to have the amendment read for information in 

order that it might b"e printed in the RECORD. It has been read, then, 

simply for information, and is not now a pending amendment. The 

Chair distinctly stated that the points of order were reserved. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND. I make the point of order upon it now. 

The CHAIRMAN. That will be in order when the amendment is 

proposed for con..c;ideratioll: The question is, Shall the committee now rise? 

The motion was agreed to. 

The committee accordingly rose; and the Speaker pro tmnpore having 

resumed the chair~ Mr. SPRINGER reported that the Committee of- the 

Whole House on the state of the Union, having had under consideration 

the Post-Office appropriation bill, had come to no resolution thereon. 

1\Ir. TOWNSHEND. I move that the House do now adjourn, but 

yield to the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. WOLFORD] to make ::1.-mo- tion. [Cries of "Regular order!"] 

Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. If the motion to adjourn is withdrawn I renew it. 

Mr. RANDALL. I move that the House do now adjourn. 

The motion was agreed to; and accordingly (at 5 o'clock a.nd 20 minutes p.m.) the House adjourned. 

PETITIONS, ETC. 

The following petitions and papers were laid on the Clerk' desk, under the role, and referred as follows: 

By Mr. BEACH: Petition of citizens of Middletown, N.Y., in ref- .erence to the MoFWon question-to the Committee on the Judiciary. Also, petition of citizens of Haverstraw, N. Y., in reference to the 

Mormon question-to the same committee.. 

By 1\Ir. BINGHAM: Resolutions of the Commercial Exchange of 

Philadelphia, Pa., regarding the purchase by the United States of the 

Portage Lake and Lake Superior Ship Canal-to the Committee on 

Rivers and Harbors. 

By Mr. W. W. BROWN: The memorial of the directors of the Commercial Exchange.of Philadelphia, in behalf of the Portage Lake and 

Lake Supe~or Ship Canal-to the same committee. 

By :rrir. BRUMM: Petition of W. P. Sheafer and 63 others, citizen.s 

of Pottsville, Pa., urging action on the 1\Iormon question-to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

By Mr. CLEMENTS: Papers relating to the claim of E. A. Harper, ofChattooga County, Georgia-to the Committee.on War Claims. 

Also, petition of E. A. Harper, of Chattooga County, Georgia, askin0 

compensation for property taken and used by the United States Army 

during the late war-to the same committee. 

By Mr. G. R. DAVIS: Petition of Rencker, Linkhorn & Co. and 200 

others, leading dealers and shippers of live-stock, of ·Pittsburgh and 

East Liberty, Pa., against the Hopkins resolution relating to shipping 

oflive-stock-to the Committee on Commerce. 

By. Mr. DUNN: Petition of citizens of Ark~ for the improvement 

of the Cache River-to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors. 

By Mr. ELLL'3: Memorial of the committee of the commissioners of 

the States to the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition, 

praying for aid for said exposition-to the Committee on Appropriations. 

By Mr. EVERHART: Resolution of the Young Men's Democratic 

Club of Brooklyn, N.Y., urging the discontinuance of the coinage· of 

the silver dollar-to the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Meas- ures. Also, resolution of the Commercial Board of Exchange, in reg:ud to 

purchasing by the United States of Portage Lake and Lake Superior 

Ship Canal-to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors. 

By Mr. FIEDLER: Petition of A. Van Vleet, Charles Williams, John 

Meeker, and others, citizens of New Jersey, in favor of legislation on the Uormon question-to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

By Mr. FORNEY: Petitions of Robert A. Clark; of Susan E. Scroggins, daughter of Mrs. Lucy Kirk, deceased, and of James Davis, all of 

Cherokee County, Alabama, for compensation for property taken and 

used by the United States Army during the late war-to the Committee 

on War Claims. · By Mr. GEORGE: Petition of citizensof Oregonfortl;leimprovement 

of Coquille River-to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors. 

By Mr. HARMER: Resolution ofth,eCommercial ~change of Philadelphia, in favor of the acquisition by the United States of the Portage 

Lake and Lake Superi{)r Ship Canal-to the same committee. 

By Mr. HAYNES: Papers relating to the claim of A. P. Burditt and 

James Fisk-to the Committee on War Claims. 

By 1\Ir. HOLTON: Preamble and resolution approved by the mayor, councillors, and aldermen of the city of Annapolis, Md., in favor of the 

Senate bill providing· for the erection of a public building in that cityto the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds. 

By :Mr. HOPKINS: Resolution of the Young Men's Democratic Cluh 

of Brooklyn, in favor of stopping th~ coinage of the silver dollar-to 

the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. 

Also, resolution of citizens of Karns City, Pa., upon the su~ject of 

river and harbor improvement-~ the Committee on. Rivers and Harbors. 

Also, memorial of the Commercial Exchange of Philade1phia, in favor 

of the acquisition by the United States of the Portage Lake and Luke 

Superior Ship Canals-to the same committee. • Byl\Ir. HUTCHINS: Petition of citizens of Westchester County, New 

York, on the Mormon question-to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

By 1\lr. B. :w. JONES: Resolution of the Young l\Ien's Democratic Club of Brooklyn, N.Y., relating to the coinage of silver dollars-to 

the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Ueasures. 

By Mr. MORSE: Petition of Augustus P. Clarke, late surgeon of the 

Sixth Regiment New York Cavalry Volunteers, war of 1861, for arrears 

of pension-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. 

By Mr. MOULTON: Petition of 200 citizens of Effingham County, 

praying for action against polygamy-to the Committee on the Judicia~. Mr. SKINNER: Petition of William M:. Thomson, of Alexandria. 

Bay, N.Y., and 28 others, askingthatthe UnitedStatesacquiretitleto 

Portage Lake' and. Lake Superior Ship Canals, and make the same free of 

tolls-to the Committee on Rivers and H~rbors. 
1885. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE. 1547 

Also, petition of Anna. Shelmidine, of Lorraine, N.Y., and others, ~king for an increase of widows' pensions-to the Committee on Pensions. 

By l'tlr. STORM:: Petition of Rev. J. B. Woodward and 57 others, 

citizens of East Stroudsburg, Pa., praying for the passage of certain bills 

for the suppression of polygamy in the ~nited States-to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

Also, petition ofthe Commercial Exchange of Philadelphia, praying 

for the enactment of a law for the acquisition by the United States of 

the Portage Lake and Lake Superior Ship Canal-to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors. 

By Mr. WEMPLE: Petition of citizens of GloversYille, N. Y., urging 

action by Congre son the bills now before them. for the suppression of 

Mormonism-to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

By Mr. JAMES WILSON: PetitionofWilliam Mauler, for compensation-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. 

The following petitions for the passage of the Mexican war pension 

bill with Sell!ltte amendments were presented and severally referred to 

the Committee on Pensions: 

By l'tlr. BURNES: Of numerous citizens of Mound City, of Ebony, 

and of Maryville, Mo. 

By Mr. COBB: Of numerous citizens of Green and Knox Counties, 

Indiana. 

SEX ATE. 

THURSDAY, February 12, 1885. 

The Senate met at 11 o'clock a. m. 

Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. E. D. HUNTLEY, D ... D. 

The Journal of yesterday's proceedings was read and approved. 

EXECUTIVE COl'tiMUl\TJ:CATIONS. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Chair lays before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of the Interior, transmitting, in 

answer to a resolution of the 5th instant, a report of the Commissioner of 

Railroads and letters from the A··ttmney -General and the president of the 

Union Pacific Railroad Company on the subject of the settlement of the 

indebtedness of that company as provided in the Thurman act, so called. 

;lf there be no objection, the letter of the Secretary, with the accom- panying letters and papers, will be prit)ted, and they, with the accom- panying printed documents, will be r~erred to the Committee on the 

Judiciary. 

The PRESIDE~T pro tempore laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting, in compliance 

with section 194 of the Revised Statutes, a list of all persons employed 

• in his Department during the year ended December 31, 1884; which wa ordered to be printed., and, with the accompanying papers, referred 

to the Committee on Printing. 

He also laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary 

of the Navy, transmitting, in answer to a resolution of the 4th ins·tant, a report of the s~ps taken by him to establish an advanced cou~e of 

instruction of naval officers at Coasters' Harbor Island, Rhode Island; · which, on motion of Mr. SHERMAN, was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs, and ordered to be printed. 

HOUSE BILLS REFERRED. 

The bill (H. R. 7522) for the relief of Joseph F. Wilson was read 

twice by its title. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Chair understands that the Senator from Kansas not now in his seat [Mr. PLUMB] desired that this 

bill should be laid upon the table for the time being if he were not in 

the Senate at the time it was presented. If there be no objection the 

bill will be laid on the table. · 

The bill (H. R. 851) for the relief of the heirs of Mary Jane Veazie was read twice by its title, and referred to the Committee on Claims. 

The bill (H. R. 483) for the erection of a public building at Keokuk, 

Iowa, was read. twice by its title, and referred to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds. 

TOTIFICATION TO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Chair lays before the Senate a concurrent resolution from the House of Representatives, which will be 

read. · 

The Chief Clerk read as follows: 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 11, 1885. 

.Resolved by the House of .Representatives (the Senate concurring), That a commit- tee of three members of the House ofRepresentatives be appointed by the House, 

and two members of the Senate be appointed by that body, t-o wait on Grover 

Cle...-eland, of ~eState of New York; and to notify him that he ha.s been duly elected President of,~he United States for four years, commencing with the 4th 

of Mnrchr 1885; and also to notify Thomas A. Hendricks, of the State of Indi- ana, that he has been duly elected Vice-President of the United States for four 

years, commencing with the 4th day-of March,1885.· . 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection to the present •consideration of the resolution? 

~.1r. GARLAND. I move to refer that resolution to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. If such a resolution be d~med proper or necessary, the language of this one needs some correction, and it is 

better for it to go to that committee for investigation. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempo-re. The Senator from Arkansas moves that the resolution be referred to the Committee on Privileges and 

Elections. 

The motion was agreed to. 

PETITIONS A..."'\D 1\IEMORIALS. 

Mr. SHERMAN. I present a resolution adopted at a meeting of 

steamboat owners and managers held in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, 

in which they remonstrate against the repeal of section 4419 of theRevised Statutes, and state that if that section should be repealed a use- less and unnecessary burden would be added to the alrea-dy oppressed 

navigation interest. I move that the memorial be referred to the Committee on Commerce. 

The motion was agreed to. 

Mr. PENDLETON presented petitions of the Daily and Weekly Local, 

of Sandusky, Ohio; the Daily and Semi-Weekly Torchlight, of Xenia, 

Ohio; the Standard of the Cross, of Cleveland, Ohio; the Christian Witness, of Newark, Ohio; the Standard Publishing Company, of Cincinnati, Ohio; the Yellow Springs Review, of Yellow Sprin~, Ohio; the 

Weekly Echo, of South Solon, Ohio; the Western Traet Society, ofCincinnati, Ohio; the- Independent Press, of Wakeman, Ohio; the East 

Liverpool (Ohio) Tribune; the Hocking Valley Printing and Publishing Company, of Athens, Ohio; the Ohio Educational Monthly, of Akron, Ohio; the Buckeye Vidette, of Salem, Ohio; the Republican Gazette, of Logan, Ohio; the Beverly Dispatch, of Beverly, Ohio; the 

Independent, of Richmond, Ohio; the Toronto Tribune, of Toronto, 

Ohio; the Free Press, of Fredericktown, Ohio;. the Deunice Novovelrn, 

of Cleveland, Ohio, and the Portsmouth Blade, of Portsmouth, Ohio, praying for a reduction of postage on second-class matter; which were 

referred to the Committee on Post-Office.3 aud Post-Roads. 

He also presented a petition of citizens of Cleveland, Ohio, praying 

for the repeal of the law which fixes the term of certain administrative officers at four years; which was referred to the Committee on 

Civil Service ami Retrenchment. 

REPORTS OF CO.:.'IfMITTEES. 

Mr. JACKSON. The Committee on Claims, to whom was Ieferred 

the bJ.ill (S. 1400) for the relief of Edward C. Garlick, have directed me to report the same back adversely. At the request of the Senator 

from Ohio [ltfr. SHERMAN] I ask that the bill be placed on the Calendar. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The bill will be placed on the Calendar with the adverse report of the committee. 

Mr. SAWYER, from the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads, 

to whom was referred the bill (S. 1999) for the relief of John K. Le 

Baron, reported it without amendment, and submitted a report thereon. 

Mr. SEWELL, from. the Committee on 1\ffiitary Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1668) for the relief of George T. Dudley, reported it with an amendment, and submitted a report thereon. 

He also, from the same committee, to whom was referred the bill 

(S. ·2503) for the relief of Charles E. Maris, submitted an adverse re- port thereon, which was agreed to; ::~:nd the bill was postponed indefinitely. 

Mr. CAMERON, of Wisconsin, from the Committee on Claims, to 

whom were referred the following bills, submitted adverse reports 

thereon, which were agreed to; and the bills were postponed indefinitely: 

A bill (S. 632) for the relief of the heirs of l'tlanning R. Ariail and 

Samh Fish, deceased; and 

A bill (S. 1370) for the relief of Washington Ford. 

Mr. HALE. By direction of the Committee on Naval Aftairs Ireport back a communication from the Secretary of War, with sundry 

papers accompanying it, ·on the subject of establishing signal stations 

upon the Island of Nantucket, Massaehusetts, and ask that the cozn:. mittee be discharged from its further consideration, and that it be re- ferred to the Committee on Appropriations. 

The report was agreed to. 

Mr. MAXEY, from the Committee on Military Afthlrs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1327) for the relief of J. H. Hammond, reported 

it without amendment, and submitted a report thereon. 

CHA.NGE OF N .AME OF BANK. 

Mr. ~IORRJLL. I am directed by the Committee on Finance, to 

whom was referred the bill (S. 2571) to authorize the Merchants' National Bank of Little Rock, Ark., to change its name to the First 

National Bank of Little Rock, to report it favorably with an amendment. This ·is a. very short bill, and it is rather necessary that it 

should reach the other House in season to be aeted upon the~ I 

therefore ask for its present consideration. 

By unahlm.ous consent, the Senate, as in Committee of the Whole, 

proceeded to consider the bill.