1446 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 25, 

inventions and improvements made by him in bell-boats, buoy-boats, 

and spar-buoys, used by the United States-to the Committee on Commerce. 

By lli. DEUSTER: The petition of 320 citizens of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent . stamp on bank checks and di·afts-to the Committee on Ways and 

Means. 

By Mr. DUNN: Papers relating to the claim of Philip R. Jones 

and of James R. Lafferry-severally to the Committee on War Claims. 

By Mr. ELLIS : Papers relating to the claim of John Mahoney-to 

the same committee. 

By Mr. GEDD"ES: The petition of 0. H. Booth, E. W. Smith, and 

790 others, citizens of Richland County, Ohio, for legislation for the 

suppression of}'olygamy-to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

By :Mr. GUENTHER: T4e petition of citizens of Green Bay and 

Fort Howard, Wisconsin, for legislation to abolish polygamy-to the same committee. 

By Mr. B. W. HARRIS: The petition of 40citizensofTaunton, and 

of 80 citizens of Brockton, Massachusetts, for repeal of the tax on bank 

deposits, and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the 

Committee on Ways and Means. 

By Mr. HASKELL: Memorial of the Indian Treaty-Keeping and 

Protective Association, relative to the treatment of Indians-to the 

Committee on Indian Affairs. 

By .M:r. G. \V. HEWITT: Papers relating to the claiin of George c. -Arrington-to the Committee on War Claims. 

By Mr. HOUR: Papers relating to the claim of Theodore T. Coffin-to the same committee. 

By Mr. HUBBELL: Papers relating to the claim of the heirs of 

William A . .Burt-to the Committee on Claims. 

By 1\!r. JADWIN: The-petition of A. A. Clearwater and 22 others, 

honorably dischar!?ed soldiers ; of 44 members of Spalding Post of 

the Grand Army of the Republic, and of A.M. Snow and 14 others, 

honorably discharged soldiers, of Pennsylvania, forthepassageofthe 

bill (H. R. No. 1440) for the establishment ofasoldiers' home at Erie, 

Pennsylvania-severally to the Committee on Military Affairs. 

By 1\Ir. KLOTZ: The petition of soldiers of Carbon County who 

served in Pennsylvania regiments in the war of the rebellion, in 

favor of the establishment of a soldiers' home at Erie, Pennsylvaniato the same committee. 

By Mr. MANNING: Papers relating to the claims of Emmet J. 

Parham, of George W. Wiffieton, of Andrew Cathey, of Robert S. 

McDonald, aud of' 1\Irs. Lucy A. Jameson-severally to the Committee on War Claims. · By Mr. McCLURE: The petition of John A. Clark and otherR, 

citizens of Wadsworth, Medina County, Ohio, for le~islationfor t!le 

suppression of polygamy-to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

By Mr. McCOOK: The petition of citizens of New York City, praying for the passage of a bill.creating a permanently wide and deep 

channel through Sandy Hook Bar-to the Committee on Commerce. 

By Mr. McKgNziE : Papers relating to the claim of Charles Haleto the Committee on War Claims. 

By Mr. MOORE: The petition of citizens of Tennessee, praying 

that a pension be granted !\Irs. James K. Polk, widow of the late 

President Polk-to the Committee on Pensions. 

Also, papers .relating to the claim of the c~ty of Memphis, Tennessee; of Wiley T. Cargill, executor of estate of Wiley Cargill, de- ceased; of Clara E. Bryan; of Mary Geary; of Charles C. Burke, 

administrator of Mrs. Emer Abbott; of Julia C. Bailey, administratrix; and of Indiana E. Hughes-severally to the Committee on War 

Claims. 

By Mr. MULDROW: Papers relating to the claim of J. W. Causey, of Corinth, Mississippi-to the same committee. · .By Mr. NORCROSS: The petition of 120 citizens of Holyoke, Massachusetts, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two- cent stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the Committee on Ways 

and Means. By 1\lr. O'NEILL: Memorial of the Philadelphia Board of Trade, 

giving reasoUB why the Senate bill No. 630, kno·wn as the Sherman 

bill, to facilitate the decisions in controvertedquestionsin customs- r evenue cases, should not become a law-to the same committee. 

Also, the petition of 600 citizens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 

for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the same committee. 

Also, memorial of the Philadelphia Board of Trade, m·ging the pas- sage of an act giving jurisdiction to United States courts over claims 

upon theundividedportio.n of the Geneva award, before which court every claimant can be heard-to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

Also, memorial of the Philadelphia Board of Trade, urging the appointment of a commission to report to Congress upon the subject 

of interstate comme-rce-to the Committee on Commerce. 

By Mr. PETTIB( '1\TE: Papers relating to the pension claim of 

Mary Catharine Trt:..t!aler-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By :Mr. PHELPS: The petition of Alexander C. Twining, of New Haven, Connecticut, for the exteUBion of a patent for manufacturing -to the Committee on Patents. 

By 1\fr. RilTNEY: The petition of Thomas E. Ballard and others, 

letter-carriers of Boston, Massachusetts, relative to their compen a- tion-tO the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads. 

By 1\lr. G. D. ROBINSON: The petition of 80 citizens of Great Barrington, and of 280 citizens of Springfield, Massachusetts, for the 

repeal of the tax on bank deposits ana the two-cent stamp on banlt 

checks and drafts-to the Committee on Ways and Means. 

By Mr. RUSSELL: The petition of 200 citizens of Lawrence, and 

of 360 citizens of Lowell, Massachusetts, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and draftsto the same committee. 

By Mr. SHALLENBERGER: The resolutions of the Philadelphi~ 

Conference of Baptist Ministe~, against the passage of Honse bill No. 

2677, providing for the distribution of unclaimed bounty due colored 

soldiers-to the Committee on Military Affairs. 

Also, the petition of L. E. Christman and others, honorably dischar§ed soldiers of Washington, Pennsylvania, in behalf of a soldiers home at Erie, Pennsylvania-to the same committee. 

By Mr. 0. R. SINGLETON: Pape1·s relating to the claim of William L. Clearman-to the Committee on War Claims. 

By Mr. SPAULDING: The petitions of80 citizens of Lansing, of 

22 citizens of Flint, and of 40 citizens of Corunna, ·Michigan, for the 

repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank 

checks and drafts-to the Committee on Ways and Means. 

By 1\Ir. STONE : The petition of 300 citizens of Salem, Massachusetts, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent 

stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the same committee. 

Also, the petition of Harwich, Scituate, Camden, and other towns 

of Massachusetts, for the abrogation ofthe thirty-third article of the 

treaty of Washington-to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 

Byl\Ir. J. T. UPDEGRAFF: The petition of JosephPetersonand89 

others, citizens of Carroll, Jefferson, and Columbiana Counties, Ohio, 

for legislation regulating railway transportation-to the Committee on Commerce. 

By Mr. VANCE: The report of Colonel T. S. Abertt...Department of 

Engineers, in relation to work on the French Broad .tdver, in North 

Carolina.-to the same committee. 

Also, papers relating to the claim of Austin G. Day-to the Committee on Patents. 

By 1rlr. WEST: The petition of citizens of Schuylerville, Amsterdam, Saratoga Springs, Johnstown, Ballston Fonda, and ·schenectady, ill the State of New York, for the repe;J of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the 

Committee on Ways and Means. 

By 1\Ir. YOUNG : Memorial of the Chamber of Commerce and Merchants' Exchange of the city of Cincinnati, praying for legislatiou. 

to deepen the channel and improve the harbor of the city of llalti- more in the interest of cheap transportation of freights from Cincinnati to the nearest point on the seaboard-to the Committee on Com- merce. 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 

SATURDAY, February 25, 1882. 

The House met at twelve o'clock m. Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. 

1:<'. D. POWER. 

The Journal of yesterday was read and approved. 

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE . . 

A message from the Senate, by Mr. SYMPSON, one of their clerks, 

announced that the Senate ha-d passed a bill ( S. No. 138) for the relief 

of James Burke; and also that the Senate had passed with amendments the bill (H. R. No. 4221) to provide for certain ofthemosturgent 

deficiencies in the appropriations for the service of the Government 

for the fiscal year ending June 30, 18821 and for other purposes; in 

which bill and amendments the concurrence of the House of Representatives was requested. 

PROTECTION OF Al\IERICAN CITIZE~S ABROAD. 

l\lr. FLOWER. 1\Ir. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent at this time 

for leave to introduc-e the resolutions which I send to the dei<k, and 

request that the same be printed in the RECORD and referred to the 

Committee on Forei~ Afl'airs. 

These resolutions embody the sentiments of 8,000 of the working- men of the city of New York-men who at their country's call are always the first in the ranks of battle, and who ask that this Congress 

shall extend relief toward their friends confined in foreign prisons. 

The SPEAKER. Without objection the resolutions will be printed 

in the RECORD and referred to ·the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 

There was no objection. The resolutions are as follows: 

.A.t a. meeting of the delegates of the vario115 divisions of the Laborers' Union Protective Society, representing 8, 000 men, held at Central Hall, 229 East Forty-seventh 

street, on February 22, 1882, the following resolutions were unanimonsly adopted : Resolved, That. in view of the despotic incarceration of such native or auvpltJJ. 

citizens of the United States as are known to be or may hereafter be im~risonetl by the British Govprnment or any other despotic government, we believo the time has 

fully come for Congress and the Executive to deirumd the immeiliate release of lrisllA.merican citizens now pining in British dungeons. · Resolved, That these resolutions or a. copy thereof be forwarded withollt delay to our Representatives in Co~OTe s, to Hon. S. S. Cox, Hon . .A..Nso.:f G. McCooK, Hon. BENJAMIN WOOD, Hon . ..tOOSWELL P. FLOWER, with request to give their oar- nest support to these resolutions, and that the~ demand of the President tho enforco- ment of the Constitution by protecting its citizens from imprisonment by lwy d&lpotic government, no matter what clime pr country our citizens may come from. 

Resolved, That we demand this in the name ~f Washington, the Father of hia 
1882. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1447 

Country, whose birth is to-day celebrated the world over wherever an American 

citizen can be found; nnd we demand thnt the honor and glory of the American 

fiat: must be protected the world over wherever it floats, and its citizens protected nnaer its folds in every clime and every country. JAMES GOUGH, 

Gemra1. President. 

P. T. GALLAGHER, 

Recording Secretary. LADORERS' UNIOX PROTECTIVE SocmTY, FmST DIVISION, 

New York, February 22, 1882. 

ULYSSES S. GRANT. 

Mr. HE}IT)ERSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask un::~.nimous consent that 

the bill (S. No. 59) to place IDysses S. Grant, late General and ex- President of t.he United States, upon the retired list of the Army be 

taken from the Speaker's table and referred to the Committee on 

Military Affairs. 

Mr. SPRINGER and Mr. McMILLIN objt=~cted. 

Mr. HENDERSON. It is the privilege of gentlemen to object if 

they think proper. CONTESTED ELECTIONS. 

Mr. JACOBS, by unanimous consent,. introduced a bill (H. R. No. 

4666) relating to contested elections; which was re:l.d a first and 

seoond time, referred to the Committee on Elections, and ordered to 

be printed. 

PRINTING OF DOCUl\IENTS, ETC., COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 

Mr. WILLI.Al\1S, of Wisconsin. I ask unanimous consent for the 

present consideration of a resolution in reference to the printing of 

certain papers and evidence before the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 

The SPEAKER. The resolution will be read. 

The Clerk read as follows : 

Resolved, That the evidence, papers, and documents before the Cc'!lllllittee on Foreign Affairs pertaining to the Hawaiian treaty, the Interoceanic Canal, and 

the investi!mtion ordered as to certain Chilian-Peruvian correspondence, &c., be 

printed for .. the nse of said committ-ee, as they shall deem the same essential, from 

time to time. 

The resolution was agreed to. 

Mr. WILLIA.l\1S, of Wisconsin, moved to reconsider the vote by 

which the resolution was adopted; and also moved th11t the motion 

to reconsider be laid on the table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

INFRINGEMENT OF PATENTS. 

Mr. VANCE, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. No. 

46(;)7) relating to recoveries for infringements of patents; which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on Patents, 

and ordered to be printed. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

1\ir. BURROWS, of :Michigan. I call for the regular order. _ Mr. HISCOCK. I desire to take from the House Calendar for present consideration House bill No. 4439. 

TERMS OF COURT IN NORTHERN ~""EW YORK. 

The SPEAKER. The demand for the regular order is withdrawn, 

and the gentleman from New York moves to take from the HoUHe 

Calendar for present consideration a bill, the title of which will be 

rea-d. 

The Clerk read as follows : A bill (H. R. No. 4439) to amend the Revised Statutes of the United States establishing the times, places, and provisions for holding terms of thedistrictand circ]lit courts in the northern district of New York. 

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the present consideration 

of the billY 

Mr. TOWNSHEND, of Illinois. Let the bill be read, the right to 

object being reserved. 

Mr. HISCOCK. The bill only provides for the holding of the terms 

of court in the northern district of New York. 

1\ir. TOWNSHEND, of Illinois. If that is aJl I do not object. 

The bill was read, as follows : Be it enacted, d:c., That that paragraph of section 572 of th~ Revised Statutes de. 

claring the times, places, and provisions for holding terms of the district court in 

the northern district of New York be amended so as to read as follows: 

"In the northern district of NewYork,atAlbanv, on the third Tuesdayin Jan- uary; at Utica, on the third Tuesday in March; at ROchester, on the second Tues- day iB May ; at Buffalo, on the third Tuesday in September; at Auburn, on the 

third 'tuesday in November; and1 in the discretion of the judge of the court, one term annually at such time and plaCe within the counties of Oriondaga, Saint Law- I'en ce, Clinbm, Jefferson, Oswego, and Franklin as he m.ay from time to time ap- poin t. Such appointment, and notice thereof, shall be given in such manner as said judge shall determine. " 

SEC. 2. That that paragraph of section 658 of the Revised Statutes declaring the 

times, places, and provisiOns for holding term.s of the circuit court in the northern 

district of New York be amended so as to read as follows: ''In the northern district of New York, at Canandaigua. on the third Tuesday in J tme; at Syracuse, on the third Tuesday in November; at Albany, on the third Tuesllay in January. And when the said t erm appointed to be held at Albany be 

adjourned , it shall be a<ljourned to meet in Utica on the third Tuesday in March; 

but said a<\journed term shall be for the transaction of civil business only." SEC. 3. That section 806 of the Revised Statutes be amended so as to read as follows : " S:n:c. 806. No jury shall be drawn for service exclusi>ely in the circnit court for 

the northern llistrict of New York at the terms thereof required by law to be held a.~ Albany and Syracuse, or at the adjourned term thereof required by law to be 

h elll at Utica, if a jury is drawn to serve in the district court held at the same times 

anll places with said terms and adjourned term, but it shall be used for the trial of 

i!>sues ~tf fact arising in civil and criminal causes in said circuit court ; and the 

verdict!l of said jury and all proceedings upon the trial of said issues shall be of the same effect as if the said jury had been drawn to serve in the said circuit court." 

The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time; and 

'being engrossed, it was accw:dingly read the third time, and passed. 

Mr. ffiSCOCK moved to ~econsider the vote by which the bill waa passed; aml also moved that thb motion to reconsider be laid on the 

table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. 

URGENT DEFICmNCY APPROPRIATION BILL. 

Mr. HISCOCK. I ask unanimous consent that the bill (H. R. No. 

4221) to provide for certain of the most urgent deficiencies in the 

appropriations for the service of the Government for the fiscal year 

ending June 30, 188'2, and for other purposes, with amendments by 

the Senate, be taken from the Speaker's table and referred to the 

Committee on Appropriations. . There was no objection, and it was so ordered. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

Mr. BURROWS, of Michigan. I understood the Chair to state that 

the call for the regular order was withdrawn. I ask the Chair who 

withdrew the ca-ll for the regular orderY 

The SPEAKER. The gentleman from Jtfichigan [1\ir. BUR~ows] 

wa-s understood to withdraw it. 

Mr. BURROWS, of Michigan. I did not. 

EASTElli"'f BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS. 

Mr. HASKELL. I ri e to present a privileged report from the 

Committee on Indian .A.ffairs. I am instructed by that committee, 

to which wa-s referred a resolution introduoed on the 13th instant 

by the gentleman from North Carolina, [Mr. VANCE,] to report the same back with the recommendation that it be adopted. 

The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: 

R-t>.solved, That the Secretary of the Interior be requested to inform the House of Representatives of the present condition of the Eastern band of the Cherokee 

Indians residing in North Carolina, what lands they own as a band or tribe or in 

severalty, and what amount of money, if any, said Indians have in the 'l'reas-ury of 

the United States, or what amount of bonds, if any, are held by the United States 

in trust for them. 

That he inform this House fully as to what proceedings were taken in the year 

1874 and since that time, either by the United States or liysaid band with the con- sent and advice of the United Sta~, for the recovery of lands in the State of 

North Carolina, claimed by said Indians, or for the recovery of moneys from their 

late agents, or for the adjnstmen t of their accounts with any of said agents. Also 

whether any awards were made in favor of said Indians by any board of arbitrators or any court in respect to said lands, moneys, or a~counts, and, if so, what said 

award was, and specifically the action taken by his Department in respect to the same up to the present time. 

That he also furnish copies of any contract or contracts made by said Indians 

with any attornex or attorneys relating to the prosecution of saill claims for land, 

moneys, or the Mjnstment of said accounts, and what action has been taken by his 

Department with respect to said contracts, what payments have been made to said 

attorney or attorneys, if any, by reason of services performed by them under said contracts, and what, if any, is still claimed by said attorney or attorneys to be due on account of said services. 

That he also inform this House what diSJ?OSition has been made by his Depart- ment of the moneys belonging to said Indians referred to in an act of Congress 

approved Marek 3, 1875. That in giving the information relative to these moneys 

he shall state in detail each item of expenditure, the purpose for which the same was expended, and the authority of law for the .Payment of each item, and shall state what amount of money was placed at the disposal of his Department by said 

act, and how much, if an:y, remains unexpended. It is further requested that the 

honorable Secretary furnish this Honse with any informatio~ he may be able to give concerning the settling of whites npon the lauds of the Indians, an.d what 

steps, if any, are necessary to be taken in order to protect the Indians in their 

rights. 

The resolution was adopted. 

Mr. HASKELL 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. 

COMMITTEE ON WOl\IAN SUFFRAGE. 

Mr. REED. I rise to make a privileged report. The Committee on Rules to whom were referred sundry resolutions relating to the 

subject, have instructed me to report the resolution which I send to 

the desk. 

The Clerk read as follows : 

Resolved That a. select committee of nine members be appointed1 to whom shall 

be referred all petitions, billa, and resolves asking for the extensiOn of 81lffra.ge to women or the removal of their legal disabilities. 

The SPEAKER. The question is on the adoption of the report of 

the Committee on Rules. 

1t1r. HOLMAN. I a-sk that the latter portion of the resolution be 

again read. It was not heard in this part of the House. 

The resolution was again read. 

Mr. TOWNSHEND, of Illinois. I rise to make a parliamentary 

inquiry. 

The SPEAKER. The gentleman will state it. 

1t1r. TOWNSHEND, of Illinois. My inquiry is whether that reso- lution should not go to the House Calendar. 

The SPEAKER. It is a privileaed report under the rules of the 

House from the Committee on R~es. The question is on the adoption of the resolution. 

:Mr. Mcl\ITLLIN. I make the point of order that it must lie over 

for one dn.y. 

The SPEAKER. It is the report of a committee privileged under 

the rules. 

Mr. McMILLIN. The committee are privileged to report, but 

under the rules the report has to lie over a day. 

The SPEAKER. The gentleman from Tennessee will oblige the 

Chair by directing his attention to any rule which requires such a 
1448 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY ~5~ 

l'eport to lie over one day. It changes no standing rule or order of 

the House. 

Mr. McMILLIN. It does, by making a change in the number and 

nature of the committees. All measures of a particular class, the reso- lution states, must be referred to the proposed committee, whereas 

heretofore they have been referred to a different committee. Therefore :the resol11tion changes the rules of the Honse. 

The SPEAKER. The Chair is of opinion the resolution does not 

rescind or change any standing rule of the House. The question is on the adoption of the resolution. 

Mr. SPRINGER. :Mr. Speaker, I desire to call the attention of the 

Chair to the fact that this does distinctly chan~e one of the standing 

rules of the House. One ef the standing rules IS--

The SPEAKER. The Chair has passed on that question, and no appeal has been taken from his decision. 

M.r. SPRINGER. I desire to call the attention of the Chair to Ru1e 

X, which specifically provides for the appointment of the full num- ber of committees this House is to have, and this is not one of these 

committees. The SPRAKER. Not one of the standing committees, but a select 

Gommittee. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Thatru1e provides there shall be aoertain num- ber of committees, the names of which are therein given. 

Mr. REED. I sincerely hope this will not be made a matter of 

technical discussion or debate. It is a matter upon which members 

of t.his House must have opinions which they can express by voting, 

in a very short time, without taking up the attention of the House 

beyoncl: what is really necessary for a bare discussion of the merits of 

the question. 

Mr. McMILLIN. Will the gentleman permit me to ask him a quesiion T . Mr. REED. Certainly. 

Mr. Mc~IILLIN. Would you not, as a parliamentarian, concede 

that this does change the existing ru1es of the HollBe t 

llr. REED. By no manner of means, especially when the a~complished Speaker has decided the other way, and no gentleman has 

taken an appeal from his decision. [Lau~hter. J 

Mr. McMILLIN. Then you have no opmion beyond his decision f 

The SPEAKER. The Chair will state to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. SPRINGER] that this resolution does not change any of the 

standing committees of the House which are providedfor in Rule X. 

Mr. SPRINGER. It provides for a new committee. 

The SPEAKER. It provides for a select committee. The subject was referred to the Committee on Ru1es by order of the House, 

and thls is a report on the resolution so referred. :Mr. SPRINGER. The ru1e provides that no standing rule or order 

of the House shall be rescinded or changed without one day's notice. 

The SPEAKER. The Chair would decide that this does no1 propose any change or rescinding of any standing rule of the House. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Does the Chair hold that the making of a new rule is not a change of the existing ru1es Y 

The SPEAKER. The Chair does not decide anything of the kind. 

lfr. SPRINGER. What does the Chair decide t 

The SPEAKER. The Chair does not undertake to decide any such 

question, for it is not now presented. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Is this not a new rule 7 

The SPEAKER. It is not. 

Mr. SPRINGER. It is notf 

The SPEAKER. It is a provision for a select committee. 

llr. SPRINGER. Can. you have a committee without a rule of the 

House providinO' for it f 

The SPEAKER. The question is on the adoption of the resolution 

r-eported from the Committee on Rules. 

Mr. ATKINS. On that question I call for the yeas and nays. 

The yeas and nays were ordered. 

The question was taken; and there were-yeas 115, nays 84, not 

voting 93; as follows : 

Aldrioh 

.Allde~n, 

Bayne, Beach, Belford, 

Bingham, 

Black, 

Bliss, Brewer, Briggs, Browne, Brmnm, Buck, Burrows, .Julius C. 

Butterworth, Calkins, Camp, Campbell, 

Candler, Cannon, Cax1Jenter, Caswell, 

ConVeTse, Crape, Davis, George R. 

Dawes, Deming, 

De -Motte, Dezendorf, 

YE.A.S-115. 

Dingley, 

Dwight, Farwell, Sewell S. 

Finley, :E1ower, 

Geddes, 

Grout, 

Hardenbergh, 

Harrist Henry S. 

Haseltine, 

Haskell, 

Hawk, 

Hazelton, 

Heilman, 

Henderson, 

~.burn, 

Hiscock, Horr, 

Honk, Hubbell, 

Humphrey, 

Hutchins, 

Jacobs, .Jadwin, 

Jones, Phin~ 

Kasson, 

Kelley, 

Lad d. 

if~ MasoU: 

McClure, 

McCoid, 

McCook, McKinley, 

Miles, 

Miller, 

Monlron, 

Murch, 

NQ}an, 

Norcross, 

O'Neill, 

Orth, 

Page, Parker, 

Paul, 

Payson, 

Peelle. 

Pierce, 

Pettibone, 

Ponnll, 

Prescott, 

Ranney, 

Jtice,

~ ' Theron M. 

Richardson, D.P. 

Jtitehie, 

Robeson, . Robinson, Geo. D. 

Robinson, James S. 

Ryan, 

Scranton, 

Shallenberger, 

Sherwin, 

3kinner, 

Smith, A. Herr 

Smith, Dietrich C. 

Spaulding, 

Spooner, 

Steele, 

Stephens, 

Stone, 

Strait 

Tay:Io~, 

Updegraff, J. T. 

Ul>degra.:ff. Thoma-s 

Valentine, 

Van .Aernam, 

Walker, Watson, 

West, White 

Willi~, Chas. G. 

Willits. 

NAYS-8!. 

.Aiken, 

Atkins, 

Berry 

Blac.kburn, 

Bland, 

·Blount, 

Bragg, 

Buchanan, 

Buckner, 

Cabell, 

Caldwell, 

Ca sidy, Chapman, 

Olark, 

Clements, 

Cobb, 

Colerick, Co~ William R. 

Covmgton, 

Cravens, 

Culberson, 

Curtin, 

Deu.ster, 

Dibrell, 

Dowd, 

Evins, 

Forney, 

Frost, 

Fulkerson, 

Garrison, 

Guenther, 

Gunter, 

Hammond, N. J. 

Hatch, 

. 11erbert, 

Hewitt, G. W. Ho~e, 

Hounan, 

Honse, 

Jones, George W. 

.Tones, .Tames X.. 

.Joyce, 

Kenna, 

Klotz, 

Knott, 

Latham, 

Leedom, 

Manning, 

Martin, 

Matson, 

~ijt,!min, 

Mon~y, 

Morrison, 

Mntchler, 

Oates, 

Phister, 

Reagan, 

Rosecrans, 

Ross 

Shaclrelford, 

Shelley, 

Simonton, 

Singleton, .Tas. W. 

Singleton, Otho R. 

Sparks, 

Speer, 

Springer, 

Stockslager, 

Thompson, P. B. 

Thompson, Wm. G. 

Tillman, 

Tucker, 

Turner, Henry G. 

Turner, Oscar 

Upson, 

Vance, 

Warner, 

Whitthorne 

WJlliams, Thomas 

Willis, 

Wilson 

Wise, George D. 

Young. 

NOT VOTING-93. 

.Allen, Dugro, .Armfl.eld, Dunn, 

Atherton, Dunnell, 

Barbour, Ellis, 

Barr, Ermentrout, 

Belmont, , Errett, 

Beltzhoover, Farwell, Chas. B. 

Blanchard, Fisher, 

Bowman, Ford, 

Burrows, J os. H. George, Carlisle, Gibson, 

Chace, Godshalk, 

Chalmers, Hall, 

Clardy, Hammond, .John 

Cook, Hardy, Cornell, Ha.nrier 

Cox, SamuelS. Harris, BenJ. W. 

Crowley, Herndon, 

Cullen, Hewitt, AbramS. 

Cutts, Hoblitzell, 

DaiTell, Hooker, 

Davidson, Hubbs, 

Davis, Lowndes H . .Jorgensen, Dibble, Ketcham, 

So the resolution was adopted. 

King, Scoville, 

Lacey, Shultz, 

Le Fen'6, Smith, .T. Hyatt Lewis, Talbott, 

Lindsey, Thomas, 

McKenzie, Townsend, .Amos 

McLane, Townshend. ~- W. 

Moore, Tyle:t, 

Morey, Urner 

Morse, Van Horn, 

Mosgrove, Van Voorhis, 

Muldrow, Wadsworth, 

Neal, Wait, P~eco, Wa-rd 

Phelps, Washburn, 

Randall, Webber, 

Rice, John B. Wellborn, 

Rice, William W. Wheeler, 

Rich, Wise Mor~an R. 

Richardson, .Tno. S. WOOd, BeDJamin 

Robertson, Wood, Walter A. 

Robinson, Wm. E. 

Russell, 

Scales, 

Mr. BRUMM. I did not hear my name called. 

The SPEAKER. The Chair can only state that it has hitherto held 

that when a gentleman states that he wa-s giving attention to the 

call of the roll, and from any cause wa.s unable to hear his name when it was called, and therefore did not respond, the Chair would 

hold it to be in order to again call his name. M.r. BRUMM. I state th.at I wa-s giving attention and did not 

hear my name called. 

The SPEAKER. The Clerk will again call the name of the gentleman from Pennsylvania. 

The name of Mr. BRUMM was called, and he voted in the affirmative. 

Mr. HILL. I did not hear my name called. 

The SPEAKER. That is not sufficient; the gentleman must state 

something more. Mr. HILL. I was paying attention, and did not hear it called. 

The SPEAKER. The name of the gentleman will be again called. 

The name of Mr. HILL wa-s called, and he voted in the affirmative. 

The following pairs were announced: 

Mr. LEFEVRE with Mr. BARR. 

Mr. DARRELL with Mr;, ROBERTSO:N. 

Mr. HOBLITZELL with Mr. URNER. 

Mr. ATHERTON with Mr. MOREY. 

Mr. DUGRO with Mr. CHACE. 

Mr. HEWITT, of New York, with :Mr. WEBBER. 

Mr. LORD with Mr. WISE of Pennsylvania. 

Mr. DAVIDSON with Mr. THOMAS. 

Mr. GODSHALK with Mr. DUNN. 

1tir. ERRE'IT with Mr. SCALES. 

1tir. McLANE with Mr. HARMER. 

llr. RICE, of Massachusetts, with Mr. TALBOTT. 

Mr. WAIT with Mr. CHALMERS. 

11Ir. VAN VOORHIS with Mr. TOWNSHEND of Illinois. 

Mr. DUNNELL with Mr. DmBLE. 

Mr. MCKENZIE with Mr. FISHER. 

Mr. LORD. I am announced as paired with the ~entleman from 

Pennsylvania, [Mr. WISE.] The pair relates to political questions, 

and not reO'arding this as such I have voted. 

Mr. REED 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. 

BREAKWATER, ETC., AT WOOD'S ROLL, 1\IASSACHUSE'ITS. 

The SPEAKER. If there be no objection, the Chair will submit 

at this time several executive communicn.tions. 

There was 110 objection. 

The SPEAKER laid before the Houf!e a co,mmunication from the 

Secretary of the '.freasury, reln.tive to the ,acquiaition of a safe harbor and depot and the construction of a breakwater and piers at 

Wood's Roll, Massachusetts; which was referred to the Cammitt.ee on Commerce, and ordered to be printed. 
1882. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1449 

ALASKA. 

The SPEAKER also laid befo:~;e the House a communication from 

the Secretary of the Navy, transmitting reports from United States 

naval officers in the waters of Alaaka, as called for by House resolution of l!..,ebt:uary l, 1882; which was referred to the Committee on Naval AffairsJ and ordered to be printed. 

APPOINTl\lEN:rB, R.EJ.\IOVALS, ETC., IN POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 

The SPEAKER. A lstter from the Postmaster-General, tra~mitting lists of appointments, removals, &c., under the grade of Assistant Postmaster-General of persons employed in the postal service in 

the city of Washington, excluding mail carriers and including inspectors, was presented on a former day and referred to the Comnnttee on Reform in the Civil Service, but was not ordered to be printed. 

In the opinion of the Chair the printing should be ordered, and in 

the absence of objection the order will be made. 

There was no objection, and it was ordered accordingly. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

Mr. STEPHENS. I ask unanimous consent to make a report. 

Several MEMBERS. Regular order I 

Mr. STEPHENS. If the regular order is the call of committees 

for reports, I do not press my request. 

The SPEAKER. The regular order would be the morning hour 

for the call of committees. 

Mr. CASWELL. Mr. Speaker, with the hope and expectation that we may complete the Post-Office appropriation bill to-day, if we com- mence at an early hour, I move to dispense with the call of committees. 

Mr. STEPHENS. Then I ask the gentleman to yield to me a mo- ment. 

lit. CASWELL. I wi.R do so. 

SIL VEl~ COINAGE UPON THE IETRIC SYSTEl\J:. 

Mr. STEPHENS, by unanimous consent, reported back from the 

€ommittee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures the bill (H. R. No. 

114) to authorize the coinage of silver dollars and fractions thereof 

of full standard value upon the metric system· which was referred 

to the Committee of the Whole House on the state.of iihe Union, and 

the accompanying report ordered to be printed. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

Mr. HUMPHREY. ThegentlemanfromWisconsin [Mr. CASWELL] 

gives way to me that I may present an adverse repo:nt from the Judi- ,ciary Committee. 

Mr. PAGE. I call for the regular order. 

The SPEAKER. The regular order being called for, the Chair has no power to entertain requests for unanimous consent. The gentle- man fi·om Wisconsin moves that the call of committees for to-day be 

dispensed with. 

Mr. CASWELL. There are several gentlemen who desire to submit reports; and if I can yield to them for a few moments--

[ Cries of " ReO'ular order I"] 

The SPE.A.KEit The regular order is called for on both sides. 

The question being taken on the motion of Mr. CASWELL, that the 

eall of committees be dispensed with, there were ayes 97. 

Mr. IDSCOCK, (beforethenegativevotehad been counted.) I un- derstand there are only two or three gentlemen who wish to submit 

reports. I trust that by unanimous consent they may make their 

reports, and that then we shall dispense with the morning hour. 

The SPEAKER. The House is dividing; and the vote can only be 

waived by unanimous consent. . !t!r. HAZELTON. We will not oppose the motion, if we can have 

unanimous consent to present our reports. 

Several members objected. 

'l'he SPEAKER. Objection is made. 

The negative vote wa-s then taken, and the result was announcedayes 97, noes 42 

So (two-thirds voting in favor thereof) the motion of Mr .. CASWELL was agreed to. OCE.A.I.~ 1\!AIL SERVICE. 

Mr. CASWELL. I yield to allow the gentleman from Mississippi 

[Mr. MONEY] to submit a report. 

Mr. MONEY, by unanimous consent, reported from the Committee 

gn the Post-Office and Post-Roads a bill (H. R. No. 4668) to provide 

fo:r ocean mail service between the United States and foreign ports; 

which was read a first and second time, and, with the accompanying 

:report, ordered to be p1inted and recommitted. 

PUBLIC BUILDDiG, PENSACOLA, FLORIDA. 

Mr. SCRANTON, by unanimous consent, reported from the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, as a substitute for House 

bill No. 104, a bill (H. R. No. 4669) for the erection of a public build- ~ at Pelli!acola, Florida; which was read a first and second time, 

:ret erred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the 

Union, and, with the accompanying report, ordered to be printed. 

DISTRICT COURT AT WICIDTA. 

to the Ho11se Calendar, and, with the accomyanyihg report, ordered 

to be printed. 

1-''IOBRARA 1\llLITARY RESERVATIOY. 

Mr. DAVIS, of Illinois, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on Military Affairs, re£orted back the bill (H. R. No. 2997) granting a right of way to the Fl;emont, Elkhorn Valley and Missouri River 

Railroad Coru,pany ~cross the Niobrara military reservation, in the 

State of Nebraska, and authorizing the sale of a portion of said re&ervation; which was referred to the Committee of the Whole Hoose on the state of the Union, and, with the accompanying report, or- dered to be printed. 

ARKANSAS SWAMP LU.'DS. 

. Mr. CRAVENS, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on tbe 

Public Lands, reported back the bill (H. R. No. 3816) to indemnify 

the State of Arkansas for swamp and overflowed lands within· said 

State held by the United States since March 3, 1857, 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, or- dered to be printed. l'tl. P. JO:NES. 

Mr. THOMPSON, of Iowa, by unanimous consent, from the Co_m- mittee on Claims, reported back the bill (H. R. No. 1366) for the relief 

of M.P. Jones; whioh was referred to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the Private Calendar, and, with the accompanying report, 

ordered to be printed. 

PUBLIC BUILDIXG, READING. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of Illinois, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, reported, as a substitute for 

House bill No. 2622, a bill (H. R. No. 4670) for the erection of a public 

building at Reading, Pennsylvania; which was referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state Qf the Union, and, with the 

acco:ql_pftnying report, ordered to be printed. 

RETffiEMENT OF TRADE-DOLLARS. 

Mr. SMITH, of Illinois, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on Banking and Currency, reported, as a substitute for House 

bills Nos. 96 and 1650, a bill (H. R. No. 4671) for the retirement of 

trade-dollars from circulation; which was read a :first and second 

time, referred to the House Calendar, and, with the accompanying 

report, ordered to be printed. 

RATING OF INVALID PENSIO:NERS. 

:Mr. MATSON, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, reported back the bill (H. R. No. 4269) relating to the 

rating of certain classes of invalid pensioners; which was referred 

to the Rouse Calendar, and, with the accompanying report, ordered 

to be printed. • NORTH DAKOTA. 

Mr. GROUT, by unanimO"!J.S consent from the Committee on the 

Territories, reported1 as a substitute for House bill No. 1884, a uill 

(H. R. No. 4672) estanlishing the Territory of North Dakota, and providing a temporary government therefor; which was read a first and 

second time, referred to the House Calendar, and, with the accom- panying report, ordered to be printed. 

NAVAL MONUMENT AT ANNAPOLIS. 

Mr. DEZENDORF, by unanimous consent, fromtheCommittee on Naval Affairs, reported, as a substitute for House bill No. 631, a bill (H. R. No. 4b'73) to provide for the erection of a monument at 

the naval cemetery at Annapolis, Maryland, in commemoration of the 

officers and others who perished by the wreck of the United States 

steamship Huron; which was read a first and second time, referred 

to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and, 

with the accompanying report, ordered to be printed. 

COMl\lERCIAL TRAVELERS. 

:Mr. BREWER, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. No. 

4674) to regulate the commerce between the States pertaining to 

commercial travelers; which was read afirstandsecond time, referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary, and ordered to be printed. 

ASSISTA:YT ATTOR.z.."'EY-GENERAL FOR POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 

:Mr. liUMPHREY, by urumimous consent, from the Committee on the Judiciary, reported back adversely the bill (H. R. No. 1594) to 

further regulate and define the duties and compensation of the 

Assistant Attorney-General for the Post-Office Department, and for 

other purposes; which was laid on the table, and the accompanying 

report ordered to be printed. 

GEORGE C. ELLISON. 

Mr. MASON, by unanimous consent, from the Commit.tee on Claims, 

reported a bill (H. R. No. 4675) to provide for the reimbursement of 

cost and expenses in certain judicial proceedings, and for the relief 

of George C. Ellison; which was read a first and second time, referred 

to the Committee of the Whole House on the Private Calendar, and, 

with the accompanying report, ord~red to be printed. 

:Mr. :MANNING, by unanimous consent, from the Committee ou the SERVICES ACTUALLY PERFOIL.'fED. 

Judiciary, reported back the bill (H. R. No. 429) to provide for hold- Mr. HOUK, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on Waring a tenn of the district court of the United States at Wichita, ancl Claims, reported a bill(H. R. No. 4676) for the relief of certain office:rs 

for other purposes; wh:ch was read a :first and second time; referred of the Army for services actually performed during the rebelliQn ~ 
1450 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- HOUSE. FEBRUARY 25, 

which was Jead a :firSt and second time, referred to the Committee of 

t.he Whole House on the Private Calendar, and, with the accompanyiing report, ordered to be printed. · 

DELAWARE INDIANS. 

Mr. SPAULDING, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, re\>Orted back the bill (H. R. No. 414) for the relief of 

the Delaware Indians in accordance with treaty stipulations; 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. 

CHARLES C. SYKES AND JOHN CURREY. 

Mr. HAZELTON, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on Private Land Claims, reported, as a substitute for House bill No. 

2308, a bill (H. R. No. 4677) to confirm the title to certain lands in 

the Territory of .A.rizonatoCharlesP. SykesandJohn Currey; which was read a :first and second time, referred to the Committee of the 

Whole House on the Private Calendar, and, with the accompanying 

:report, ordered to be printed. 

POST-OFFICE APPROPRIATIO~ BILL. 

Mr. CASWELL. I move the House resolve itself into Committee 

-of the Whole House on the state ofthe Union for the purpose of re- suming the consideration of the Post-Office appropriation bill. 

The motion was agreed to; and the House accordingly resolved 

itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the 

Union, Mr. CALKINS in the chair. ·The CHAIRMAN. The pending question is on an amendment 

moved by the gentleman from illinois, [Mr. SPRINGER,] on which 

points of order were reserved by the ~entleman from Wisconsin, [Mr. 

'CASWELL.] The Clerk will report tne amendment. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

Amend line 79 by strildng out the words " ·of official stamps," and in line 80 by strikin~ out the 'll"o:rtla '' 400," and inserting at the end of line 80 the following: ".Ann httrea.fter DO offici,.}. ~ttampa shall be manufactured or supplied to any of 

the Department-s, or to any offioe.r of the United States, but aJl correspondence on .official bnsint'ss shall be trn.nsmitted in pen1\lty envelopes." 

Mr. SPRINGER. Is the point of order insisted upon Y 

Mr. CASWELL. I am not certain but there is wisdom in tho 

.amendment, and I will withdraw the point of order so the House may 

take a vote on it. 

Mr. SPRINGER. This simply provides that there shall be no more printing of what is known as official posta~e-stamps, and that all 

official correspondence that is now transnutted with such stamps 

.shall hereafter be transmitted in the penalty envelopes, which has 

become the policy of the Government, and it is therefore unnecessary 

to keep up ·this third plan of sending official matter under these .officin,l stamps. A~l of it can be transmitted in the penalty envelopes, audit saves the cost of printing the sanie. 

Mr. BLOUNT. I would like to ask the gentleman from lllinois, 

whether this matter has been considered by a committee of the House. 

Mr. SPRINGER. I will answt-r the gentleman from Georgia by 

saying that there is no committee before whom the specific subject ·Of printing official stamps ha-a been referred, so far as I am aware. Mr. BLOUNT . . Has there been any recommendation from the Department! 

Mr. SPRINGER. I have not examined sufficiently to answer the 

gentleman's question, bnt as a member of the Committee on the Post- ·Office and Post Roads I have been examining the postal laws and 

rules with regard to the transmission of official matters, and I find 

that there is no necessity whatever for printing these stamps. There are few of them in use, in fact simply enough to keep up the little 

printinO' bureauforthepurposeof giving out some printing contracts 

when there is no necessity under the sun for it. The proper manner . is to send all such official correspondence in the penalty envelopes, 

and in general there are only enough stamps priuted now to keep up 

the contracts with these parties who have the printing of the stamps. 

The committee divided; and there were--ayes 29, noes 9. 

So, no further count being demanded, the amendment was agreed to. 

The Clerk resumed and concluded the reading of the bill. 

The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will now revert to lines 60 and 61, 

which were passed over by unanimous consent, and report the amendments sn~gested by the gentleman from California [:Mr. PAGE] as modified uy the amendment of the gentleman from Illinois, [Mr. 

SINGLETON,] which the Chair understands was accepted by the gentleman from California. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

In line 60 strike ont the words" on trunk lines." 

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair understands that to be tho amendment proposecl by the gentleman from California, [Mr. PAGE.] 

The Clerk will now report the amendment proposed by the gentleman from illinois. 

The Clerk read as follows : 

After the word 11 special" insert 11 mail;" so that if adopted the line will read .. _.for necessary and special mail facilities, $500,000. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, the original amendment offered by myself was withdrawn, and the amendment of the 

gentleman froni California substituted. 

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair is ready to decide the point of order 

which was made upon this proposed amendment, unless some gentle- man making the point of o,rder deskes to be heard, the Chair having 

reached a decision adverse to the point of order-. If the ~entleman 

making the point of order desires to be heard, the Chair will be gla.d 

to hear him at this time. The rule under which the committ·:.e is 

operating was evidently made for the purpose of preventing any 

legislation on appropriation bills, unless in reduction of expenditures in the manner provided by the rule, and in that view the Chair 

holds that it should be strictly construed. But this clause of the 

bill, if the point of order had been made upon it would have had to 

go out unless it could have been sustained under the general law 

allowing the House to make appropriations generally for the PostOffice Department. The Chair merely suggests that it might have 

been maintained under that. 

But, be that as it may, the Chair must hold that the amendment 

proposed by the gentleman from California~ as modified by the amendment of the gentleman from Illinois, shoUld be ruled to be in order, 

for the reason that it does not change existing law, in that it does not 

necessarily make new legisla.tion or change existing law 1. <?r increase 

expenditures, but simply gives direction to the clause wnich is now contained in the bill. 

The Chair holds that, while perhaps strictly under this rule there 

may be some doubt as to the accuracy of the ruling, it prefers to 

submit the question to the committee for its decision rather than to 

rule it out, and so overrules the point of order. The Chair understands the gentleman from California to accept the amendment of 

the gentleman from illinois. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of Illinois. I withdrew the amendment offered 

by myself under the impression that the Chair had already decided 

the point of order made upon it, and I should be very gla.d to have a vote in the committee upon the amendment if it would be now in 

order to replace it. 

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair understood the gentleman from California as having accepted the amendment. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of Illinois. I did withdraw it upon the impression that the Chair had ruled against me. The CHAIRMAN. 'The Chair was of the impression when it wa-s first submitted that it was in the nature of new legislation, but upon 

further thought believes the amendment of the gentleman from California as modified by the gentleman from Illinois to be in order, though 

it might not have been in order by itself as the gentleman tirst proposed it. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of Illinois. I request permission to replace the 

amendment in the position it occupied when I withdrew it. 

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair understands the gentleman from 

Illinois now to have withdrawn the first amendment. The :first 

proposition before the committee will be the amendment of the gentleman from California, [Mr. PAGE,] then the gentleman from lllinois can renew his amendment, which will preserve all his rights. 

The Clerk will report the amendment of the gentleman from California as modified by the gentleman from Illinois and accepted by 

the gentleman from California. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

In line 60 strike out, after the word " fa.cilities," the words "on trnn k lines ; " 

and after the word "special" insert the word" mail';' so that it will reP.d "for 

necessary and special mail facilities, $500,000.'' · 

Mr. ffiSCOCK. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose the amendment. 

I am in favor of a liberal appropriation of money for all purposes 

of which the House and the country have notice; but I am a~a.inst 

the appropriation of any sum of money to any Department, m the 

expenditure of which that Department is to exercise its discretion, 

there being no notice ~ven to the House or to the country of the 

direction in which it w1ll exercise that discretion. It has been the 

settled policy of Congress for some four or five years to appropriate a certain sum of money for special mail facilities upon the great railroad trunk lines. To illustrate: with that sum it may be provided 

that a special train, at an unseasonable hour, so unseasonable that 

it will not take passengers, may leave the city of New York for the 

North, for the South, for the East, and for the West to overtake 

trains and place on those trains later mails. Money has been appropriated for the last four or fivo years to enable operations of that 

kind on the part of the Department. · Now, without its being asked or sought for by the Department, a. proposition comes in here to strike down all of the restrictions upon 

the expenditure of an appropriation and vest the Department with ' 

the power of expending that money upon a broader and a different or a narrower plan perhaps. I say that the amendment does not 

commend itself to my judgment, and I urge upon the committee that 

whenever we appropriate a sum of money which is to be expended 

in the discretion of the Department, instead of striking down b ar- riers, we should create barriers and limitations upon that discretion. 

By the adoption of this amendment we would be establishing a 

dangerous precedent. Perhaps there will be no abuse of this discretion by the present administration, but it is notorious that there has 

been maladministration in the Post-Office Department, and we may have maladministration there again; and it is with reference to the 

future that we should legiMlate. I ask the committee, therefore, to 

vote down this amendment and leave the clause as reported. 

1\lr. BLAND. I hope this amendment will be adopted or else that 

the whole clause will be stricken out. Perhaps the better way would 

be to strike it out. It seems to me that this appropriation is con- tended for very zealously by our New York friends, and especially 
1882. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1451 

by the New York press, and whether or not the object oftbis$500,000 

is to furnish Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Boston, and all 

surrounding cities with New York daily papers, that seems to be the 

argument of the New York press in favor of this amendment. Now, 

sir, I think the daily morning papers of these other cities are of some importance, and probably can furnish the news to their people as well as the New York dailies. I have noticed a-s to this appropriation and the disposition made of it by the Department, that never has a dollar of it been expended west and southwest of the Mississippi River. 

We have heard a great deal of complaint with reference to the mal- administr~tion and misappropriation and squandedng of the funds 

voted to the star-route service. When the late Postmaster-General came into authority-! am not speaking of the present PostmasterGeneml, but of his immediate predecessor-it was understood he was going to make a vigorous prosecution against the star-route thieves, 

and a large saving of public money was going to be made tmder his 

administration. And on the other hand the star-routers charged that 

he was in the interest of the railroad companies, and that all the 

savings which he made on the star routes by abolishing services 

that had been maintained, and especially on steamboat routes, were squandered by him on these lines of railroad. But I have heard it 

suggested--! do not know whether it is true or not--that he is now the president of a bank largely owned, if not entirely controlled, by 

the manager of more than one-half of the trunk lines of this country. 

This $5007000, in my opinion, is nothing more nor less than a corruption fund voted year by year on the part of Congress for the railroad 

kings to steal and thieve from the peo.ple of this country. If this can be devoted to the star-route service instead of being given to Jay 

Gould or Vanderl>ilt, let it go to the people of this country and not to 

the monopolists. There is no one who demands this service, so far as I know, so much as the press in the interest of these railroad monopolies, and those who, it seems to me, make it their special mission to 

represent them here upon this floor. 

Mr. CASWELL. I am opposed to this amendment because I thlnk 

it opens a wide door for abuse. It amounts almost, if the amendment 

should be adopted, to appropriating $500,000 to be used as a miscellaneous fund by the Postmaster-General. As the bill now stands he 

is limited to the use of this money upon trunk lines. 

I do not understand that this service is in the interest of railroads; 

it is in the interest of the people. When this service is confined to 

the trunk lines, the whole country receives a corresponding benefit, 

because the mails ru·e transported over the trunk lines for the benefit 

of all parts of the country. For instance, the gentleman from Missouri says no part of this money is expended west of the Mississippi 

River. But it is true that this service places NewYorktwelvehours nearer that country than it would be without this fa-st service. There 

is a saving of time of twelve hours between New York and Chicago. 

They lay down mails at Atlanta, and consequently the whole South, 

tweive hours sooner than they would without this fast service. And so it is all over the country. The .entire eastern mail is transported over these lines for the benefit of people in the West. 

I am told that the connections are so made at Chicago by this fast 

service that the Pacific coa-st receives an advantage of twenty-four 

hours from this fast line. The people all over the country have New 

York placed within twelve to twenty-four hours nearer to their doors 

than it would be without this service. 

But, sir, if we should adopt this amendment the Postmaster-General might distribute this fund all over the country, on the star lines as well as the railroad lines ; and there would be no limit perhaps 

to the squandering of the money under maladministration. While 

I myself have the greatest confidence in the present Postmaster-General and those around him, still the time may come when this money 

would not be faithfully expended, and we ought not to open a door so wide. 

In my opinion, Mr. Chairman, more money than even that in this 

bill can be used in this way to great advantage for the interest or the country. It is said by the Post-Office Department in their estimate that this fast service increases the revenues. We can well 

understand that if our letters can be transported in twenty-four 

hours to Chicago, we write oftener and more letters are written. 

Now while we expend a half million of dollars annually in this fast 

railway mail service we add to the revenues and receipts of the Department a half million of dollars, perhaps a million of dollars. This 

expeuditure is in the interest of the service. Wherever the service 

is rapid the revenues are increased all over the country. 

Mr. SPRINGER. A few weeks ago I submitted a resolution, which was adopted l>y the House, directing the Postmaster-General to transmit to the House all correspondence in his Department in reference 

to the reweighing of' mails on the trunk lines. The response from 

the Department transmitting that correspondence is very instructive as l>earing upon the subject now before this committee, anu showing in what manner the Government uses the fund provided l>y 

this appropriation for special facilities on trunk lines. I ask the 

Clerk to read what I have marked in that correspondence. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

WASHII\GTON, D. C., Nove:~nber 1, 1881. 

Respectfully forwarded to Hon. llichard .A.. Elmer, Second Assistant Postmaster- General, with information that on the 15th ultimo the honorable Postmaster-General called on Vice-President Cassa.tt, of the Pennsyl'""ania Raihoa.d, and requested 

him to run a train from Philadelphia at 4.30 a. m. to Harris burgh, Pennsylvania, 

which Mr. Cassatt agreed to do, and in retnrn the honorable Postmaster-General 

promised to reweigh the mails next winter between New York, New York, and 

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and readjust the compensation to date from the day the 

train commenced to rnn. I now have to inform you that the service on that train 

began Oct.ober 31, 1881. I inclose herewith time-card of Pennsylvania. Railroad. 

The train is designated No. 7"1. W. n. THOMPSON, 

General Superindent. 

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLV..U.""IA, October 31, 1881. 

DEAR SIR: On the 15th instant Postmaster-deneral.James called on Mr. A . .J. Cassatt~ our first vice-president, and requested that we should run a train from 

Philadelphia, at 4.30 a. m., to Harrisburgh, which Mr. Cassatt agreed to do, and 

in retnrn Mr . .James agreed to reweigh the mail next winter between New York 

and Pittsburgh, and readjust the compensation to date from the day the train 

should commence to run. I beg leave to inform :you that we have arranged a schedule for this train, which was put in eftect to-day, leaving Philadelphia at 4.30 a. m. and aniving in Harrisburgh at 7.30 a.m. Very respectfally, 

General W. B. THOMPSON, 

FRA.l\'X THOMSON, General Manager. 

General Superintendent Railway Mail Service, 

Washington, D. a. 

DECEMBER 12, 1881. 

DEAR SIR: In connection with our conversation to-day respectina the mail serv- ice on your system of roads, I wish to say that, in my judgment, the equipment 

has no superior in the world. The annual compensation on your mAin line from New York to Chicago is now $1,116,329.11. 

The arrangement which I so much desire will not require the moving of any more cars, but onlv the running of one oar from Buffalo to Chicago on the fast 

train, instead of the express whlch follows it. This arrangement will inol'OO.S6 your annual compensation~ to seventy thousand dollars. Because of the supe- riorequipmentofyourroad, I am anxious to increase the amount of mail forwarded 

thereon. 

One point I failed to develop t.o-day. On mature reflection, I think I should say that an arrangement can be made whereby the New York morning mail will be 

delivered in Chicago in twenty-six hours, or less; but I desire to continue the 

present one by your great through line, although I am urged to accept the arrange- ment above referred to. Trusting you will pardon this further intrusion, 

I am, very respectfully, 

THOMAS L . .JAMES, 

Postmaster-General. WM. H. VANDERBILT, Esq., 

Pre8ide'llt New York Oentral and Hudson River Railroad, ~-

The CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentleman has expired. 

Mr. SPRINGER. There are other letters which I desire to hava 

read. 

Mr. ATKINS. I will take the floor and yield to the gentleman from 

Illinois [Mr. SPRINGER] so much of .my time as may be needed to 

complete the reading. 

Mr. SPRINGER. I thank the gentleman. 

The Clerk read as follows : 

NEW YORK CENTRAL ~"1> HUDSON RIVEB RAILROAD COMPANY, 

New York, December 28, 1881. 

DEAR SIR: Your letter of 12th instant, to the president of this company and of 

the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern ll.ailroiid, has been referred to the first 

vice-president and myself, and I have to inform you that the cars will commenoe to run on the 8th proximo, as you 1'69nested. Trnstin~ you will order the weighing, and hoping that your assurances that it will inure ro the benefit of the companies will be mride good, I remain, very respectfully, yours, 

Hon. THOllAS L . .TAMES, Postmaster-General. 

.T. H. RUTTER, 

Tltird Vice-President. 

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 31, 1881. 

Respectfully forwarded t() Hon. Richard A. Elmer, Second Assistant Postmas- ter-General, Washington, District of Columbia, and attention invited to papers herewith. 

On the 12th instant, the honorable PostmasteF-General called on Mr. W . H. Van- derbilt, president of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, and of the 

Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, and reque8ted him (Vanderbilt) to 

withdraw one postal car from the 8.50 p.m. train out of New York, and one from 

the 10.30 a.m. train, and send them out on the train that leaves New York at 4.35 a.m., and have the two post.al cars arrive at Buffalo, New York, in advance of the 

fastChicaao limited expres8that leaves New York at 8 a.m., and one of the postal cars to go ~ugh on the limited express, and arrive at Chicago 9.40 a. m. the morn- ing after leM-ing New York. In consideration of this extra faat service, the honorable Postmaster-General offered to reweigh the mail dm·ing the present winter 

between New York, New York, and Chicago,lllinois, and readjust the compensa- tion, to date from the date the extra service oegan. .A.t that interview Mr. Van- derbilt declined to accept the ofi"er. Later the same day the honorable Postmaster- General wrote him a letter, the original copy of which is herewith . I also hand you herewith a letter from Mr . .J. H. Rutter, third vice-president, fu.forming the honorable Postmaster-General that the cars would commence to run, as he requested, on the 8th proximo, .January 8, A. D. 1882. 

On Wednesday the 28th mstant, I had a conversation with the honorable Post- master-General, after he received the letter from Mr. Rutter, and he nr~ed that 

the weighing commence without delay. I would su~~est, as the day U> begin wei~hing, Wednesday the 25th of .T anuary, 1882 ; also mat you consider the advisability of wei~hing at the same time the New York and Dunkirk, New York and 

Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh and Chicago, and BaJ.timore, Parkers burgh and Wheeling routes, to avoid a possibility that mail can be unduly weighed. 

In this connection I desire to invite your attention to my report of October 31, 

1881, under file No. 9418, respecting the New York, New York, and Pitt.'lbnrgh, 

Pennsylvania, route. 

This extra fast service described a.bove will be a very advantageous one to the 

Post-Office Department and its patrons. Mail that now 'ieaves New York one· morn- ing and arrives at Chicago the following; day at7.40p. m., in timetomakethe night connections, by this new service willlea>e New York one mornit.g and arrive at Chicago the following morning in time to make the important connections, as follows, viz: Chicago and Burlington Railroad post-office, Chicago and Cedar Rapids 

Railroad post-office, Chicago and Iowa City Railroad post-office, and Chicago and 

. 
' 

1452 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 25, 

La Crosse Railroad post-office, which are the " overland 11 connections, and the 

La Cro!>se line is the important one from Chicago to the Northwest. Tll~e are several other linea out of Chica~<? that leave a few ininutes too early to get thi8 con- nection. I think theywillrealliJ.y ohange their schedul~ so as to get the connection 

when thi8 service is in good working ofder. 

W. B. THOMPSON, 

Gtneral Supe1'intendent. 

The CHAiruiAN. The time of the gentleman from Tennessee 

[Mr. ATKIXS] has expired, and the time for debate upon the pending 

amendment has been exhausted. 

:Mr. BINGHAM. I moveto strikeoutthelast word. Permitmeto 

say Mr. Chairman, to the Committee of the Whole House on the state 

of t'be Union that it would be well for us first to clearly and fully 

understand the history ofthe origin of the legislation that has been 

enacted for the past five years by this House u:non the subject of 

"necessary and special facilities on trunk lines," and to which this 

item of this appropriation bill proposes to give to the extent of 

$500,000. 

I cannot understand why any gentleman upon this floor should 

seek to destroy or impair the efficiency of this wonderful service, more expeditious and greater in its operations than any mail service 

in the civilized world. If gentlemen desire a response from the 

American people, let their purpose prevail, and the clamor that came up from the great business centers in 1876 (when the special mail trains 

of the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads were taken off 

by these corporations and the mails carried on the fast lines) will be 

but as a murmur to the whirlwind ofindigna~ion that should justly 

be visited upon us. The mail service of this country and our civilization will mark no backward step. Every facility once gained will 

be tenaciously held to. The man who stands in the way of its use- fulness and healthy growth will be set aside and condemned by 

educated communities. 

Every mail carried by railroad ser~ce in thi_s country ul!on throughmail routes goes upon tha fastest tram, and, if a way mail, upon such 

train as can be t fulfill the conditions and requirements of the service. 

The act of March 3, 1879, reads : 

The Postma~ter-General shall in all case~:~ decide upon what trains and in what manner the mails shall be conveyed. 

Revised Statute, paragraph 4000, reads: 

Every railway company carrying the mail shall carry on any trains which may run over its road, and without extra charge therefor, all mailable matter directed to be carried thereon, with the person in charge of the same. 

I make the clear and unqualified declaration that every railroad in 

the United States receives for the carrying of the mails a compensation under the general law of March 3, 1873, a.s amended by the act 

of July 12, 1876, and again a!Jlended by the act of Juno 17, 1878. They are paid for the weight carried-no more, no less. 

In this connection permit me to read a telegramreceivedfrom the 

superintendent of the railway mail service in reference to inqwry 

made a few days since : 

Railroad companies do carry mails on fastest trains when requested to do so, and 

they are so requested whenever the mails will be advanced thereby. All through mails are carried on the fastest passen~er train8 and the special mail trains on sched:itle arranged lnJ the Department. There IS no trouble about the mails being carried, 

except on limited-express trains, as I telegraphed you. They will take closed 

mails on those trains but not postal oars. W. B. THOMPSON, 

(}e:n. Supt. R. M. S. 

Permit me nqw to briefly trace the history of the origin of the 

special-facility ervice on trunk lines. First I will read the statutes 

governing payment for railway mail service. Act March 3, 1873, is as follow~;: 

The Postmaster-General is authorized and directed to readjust the compensation hereafter to be paid for the transportation of mails on railroad routes upon the 

conditions and at the rates herei.n.after mentioned. 

First. That the mails shall be carried with due frequency and speed, and that 

sufficient and suitable room, fixtures, and furniture in a car or apartment, llro.P.erly lighted and warmed, shall be provided for route agents to accompany and diStribute 

the mails. · Second. That the pay ller mile per annum shall not exceed the following rates, 

namely: On routes carry:mg theirwholelength an averageweightofmails perday of two hundred pounds, $50; five hundred pounds, $75; one thousand pounds, $100; one thousand five hundred pounds, $125; two thousand pounds, $150 ; three thousand five hundred pounds, $175; five thousand pounds, $200, and $25 additional 

fm· every additional two thousand pounds, the average weight to be ascertained1 in 

every case, by the actual weighing of the mails for such a number of successive 

working dn.ys. not less than thirty, at such times, after June 30, 1873, and not less 

frequently than once in every four years, and the result to be stated and verified 

in such form and manner as the Postmaster-General may direct.-.Revised Statutes, 

section 4-002. 

The act of 1873 was amended by the act of July 12, 1876, as follows: 

The Postmaster-General is hereby authorized and directed to readjust the com- pensation to be paid from and aft-er the 1st day of July, 1876, fur transportation of 

mails on railroad routes by reducing the compensat;ion for the transportation of 

mails 10 per cent. per annum from the rates fixed and allowed by the first section 

of an act entitled ' An act making appropriations for the service of the Post-Office 

Department for the fiscal year ending J"une 30, 1874, and for other purposes, 11 approved March 3, 1873. 

This act of July 12,1876, was amended by the act of June 17, 1878, 

in the following words : · The Postmaster-General is hereby authorized and directed to readjust the com- pensation to be paid from and after the 1st day of July, 1878, for transport-ation of 

mails on railroad routes by reducing the cempensation of all railroad companies for the transportation of mails 5 per cent. per annum from the rates for the trans- portation of mails on the basis of the average weight fixed and allowed by the pre- Ceding section, first section of an act entitled "AD act making appropriations for 

tbe service of the Post-Office Department for the fiscal year ellding June 30,1877, 

and.(ol.' other purposes," approved July 12, 1876. 

These are the only statutes now upon your book under which tnt) ra.ilroads are.paid for the carrying of the mails of the United States, 

and every railroad is paid in accordance with these acts, except as Congress has provided by a special paragraph in each annual appropriation since March 3, 1877, for "nece sary and special facilities on trunk lines," and excepting such roads as have been furnished aid 

by land-grant privileges, (Revised Statutes 4001 ;) also act of July 

12, 1876. I presume the reduction of 10 per cent. per annum, as specified in the act of 1876, was in accordance with the policy of the other 

side of the House, that proclaimed to the country that the bud~ets 

a-s made up should have a reduction of expenditure in companson 

with the Republican administration. The further reduction of 5 per· cent. per annum in the act of 1878 was doubtless in accordance with 

the same policy. But the inconvenience resulting from the reductions soon found in the business communities of the country a demand 

for greater and better railroad mail facilities. Petition upon petition came into Congress, and upon the files of the Post-Office Department 

could be found the appeals and letters of thousands and tens of thousands of our leading merchants demanding some relief. 

The act of July 12, 1876, went into effect immediately, and on the 

22d day of the same month the great Pennsylvania Railroad and the 

New York Central discontinueu their fa t mail service, and thew hole 

country immediately felt the business loss anu inconvenience, and 

commenced petition and appeal to Congress and the Post-Office Department. 'I'hese two roads at that time, under the mail compensation of the act of 1873, were running special fast mail trains ; not 

pa-ssenger trains, as many may suppose; not express-car trains, but 

mail trains pure and simple, scheduled in accordance with the wishes 

of the Department both as as to departure and arrival and speed. Is 

it any wonder that complaints poured in from the Northwest and 

South, and a Democratic Congress could not resist the demands of 

the people who claimed their old mail facilities as enjoyed prior to 

the legislation of 1876 f 

Mr. ATKINS. Will the gentleman allow me a question justtheref 

1\fr. BINGHML Certainly. 

Mr. ATKINS. The gentleman speaks of it as having been passed 

by a Democratic House. Was it not an estimate sent in by the Department! 

Mr. BINGHAli. I am going to give full credit to the Democratic 

House for that. / 

Mr. ATKINS. I do not ask any credit. 

Mr. BINGHAM. They deserve credit, andiproposeto give it where 

it belongs. 

Mr. ATKINS. All I want to know is the fact. 

1\fr. BINGHAM. Recognizing the demands of the people, Congress on the 3d day of March, 1877, appropriated " 150,000 to be 

used by the Postmaster-General to obtain proper facilities on the 

trunk lines;" no restrictions, no limitation; wholly under his con- trol to make the best arrangement for the service. 

In 1878 the law of 1876 was again amended, reducing the compensation 5 per cent. per annum under the act of 1876, but at the same time Congress prudently and wisely retained the paragraph 

for special mail facilities, so that the clamor of the country might be 

appeased and the business of the people protected and guarded. 

The fast mail service was again inaugurated, and the great trunk 

routes that in 1876 had withdrawn their mail trains again placed 

them upon their roads, scheduled and speeded in accordance with the 

demands of the Department. I insert for the purpose of a full un- derstanding of this question extracts from the reports of the Postmaster-General for several years past. In hi report to Congress in 

1878 he used this language, after referring to the reduction directed 

in the act of June 19, 1878, and the dissatisfaction of the railway 

companies because of the reduction of the 5 per cent. per annum (page 9 of the report,) stating that the companies had entered formai 

protests and that they only continued to perform the service temporarily, lest the refusal to do so might occasion serious inconvenience 

to the public. The Postmaster-General goes on to say, (page 3'2:) 

Hence I have delay-ed making such radical changes in the service as would be 

required by reason of the sum appropriated to thiS branch of the postal service 

until Congress could be consulted upon the subject. Should no additional compen- sation be made for the service, I shall feel it my duty under the laws t.o so curtail 

the service as to fall within the appt·opriation, however much I might consider the 

publio interests inJured thereby. I am satisfied it would lead justly to complaints. * * * In my opinion, it wonld cause a shock to our postal system from which 

it would not soon recover. 

The Postmaster-General in his re:port for 1879 uses this language, 

(page 11:) 

The appropriation of $150,000 to enable the Postmaster-General to obtain proper facilities for the prompt transmission of the mails by railroad companies has enabled 

tbe Department to yrevent injury to the service upon the most UDportant lines by allaying the dissatisfaction of the railroad companies at the general rednction of 

10 per cent. and 5 per cent. additional upon their compensation, and has in several 

instancesenabled the Department to secure the running of special trains of great 

value to the business interests of the country. I would therefore recommend 

that this appropriation be renewed for the next fiscal year and that the amount be increased according to the estimate submitted by the Second Aasistant Postmaster-General. 

Congress appropriated for the next fiscal year $350,000. 

I find in the report for 1880 these words : 

An appropriation is recommended for the continuance of special mail facilities on railroads, such as e.xtra trains with mail only, and the Moeleration of regnlar trains ca.rryina the mails, &o., whioh the people have enjoyed for several years 

pa t. It woul~ be impossible to maintain the service at its present state of effi-
I 

1882. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1453 

ciency without this appropriation unless the general law governing the compensa- tion for the transportation of mails by railroa:i:l be changed so as to afford compen- sation for this service, and it may be added that it is the desire of the Department to extend this service to business communities where it would be needed and would 

be much valued. 

We come now to the present :fiscal year, aud at the last session of 

the Forty-sixth Congress there was appropriated $425,000 for the 

special mail facilities on trunk lines. Let me examine and exhibit 

to you the detailed statement of this expenditure, together with the 

m-ail service tha~ the $425,000 specially pays for, and I am sure gentlemen from all sections of the country will change their views, and 

that this Republican House dare not go before the people having 

curtailed this now absolute necessity and the most valuable and important mail convenience that during the past six years has been 

enactecl through l~gislation. 

Four hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars for the present 

fiscal year. What dees it produce and whom does it benefit 'I Not the 

New York Central Railroad, neither the great Pennsylvania Railroad, nor the great trunk lines of the South, for without a single exception one and all of these five lines would cancel their contracts to-day. 

This special service doesnot pay them except by indirection. They 

multiply by rapidity of communication the business daysofthe year 

many times over. Let me give yon in detail this service. 

Jt<lr. ATKINS. I do not wish tointerruptthe gentleman, but will 

he allow me to ask him a question here T 

Mr. BINGHAM. Certainly. 

.Mr. ATKINS. Did I hear the gentleman correctly a momoot ago as stating that the whole $425,000 . was expended upon five trunk 

lines f 

!-Ir. BINGHAM. Upon five trunk lines, with the possible exception 

of a few hundred dollars. TheNewYorkand Springfield line, which 

is the line north, gets 17,647.06. The New York Central and its 

great combinations receive $84,0'25.80. The Pennsylvania Railroad 

to Chicago and to Saint Louis receives $671792.19. The great south 

line receives . 90,000, and the second south line from Richmoud to 

Charlotte and from Charlotte to Atlanta receives about 101,000. 

There is also a special-facility train from Alexandria to Lynch burgh, 

which receives $19,000, as well as a special train from New York and 

Quantico, Virginia, which receives $41,900. More than one-half of 

the amount for special facilities goes fvr southern mail service, and · the remaining 200,000 for northern, western, northwestern, and 

southwestern service. 

Allow me to specify in detail : each train in its departure, speed, 

and arrival has been placed upon the several roads I shall indicate 

upon the specific request of the Post-Office Department and not by 

demands of the travelinO' public : 

First. A train-special, no cars but mail cars, no passenger accom- modations-leaves New York City at five a. m.1 seven days in the 

week, carrying a large and heavy mail, all of the New York morning daily papers, runnin~ to Springfield, Massachusetts1 and reaching that point at an early hour in order that connectiOns may be 

made for Boston, giving that section of the country through which 

the road runs large mails which have accumulated after the evening 

departures. This train ha-s connections at New Haven, Connecticut.z 

for New London, Connecticut, and Providence, Rhode Island, ana. at New Haven, Connecticut, with trains for Boston, via the New 

York and New England road, throwing into that city large mails 

from the several States indicated. For this special mail train the 

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad receives 17,647.06. 

Let the gentlemen from the East and theN orth remember this value 

of this service. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Do I understand the gentleman to say that on certain of these trunk lines trams are run that do not carry passengers, that carry nothing but mails f 

Mr. BINGHAM. If I can be allowed further time, I will give the 

gentleman the details. . :Mr. CANNON obtained the :floor, and said: I yield my time to the 

gentleman from Pennsylvania, [Mr. BINGHAM.] 

Mr. BINGHAM. I thank my friend from Illinois. 

I will state for the gentleman's information that my every statement as to that service is official. 

Second, from New York to Chicago, by New York Central and Lake 

Shore and Michigan Southern. These two roads receive $84,025.80. 

One train leaves New York at 4.35 a.m. seven days in the week; runs special, no passengers, only the mail, from New York to Albany, 

142! miles; carries from ten to fifteen tons of mail matter and all of 

the New York daily papers. AtAlbany this train connects with the 

fast express, and arrives a~ Chicago the following morning about 

ten o'clock. The mail that goes on this train is more advantageous 

to the State ofNewYork1 through which this great trunk roa-d runs, 

than any other mail, ana. for the great West it gains in delivery and 

connection from twelve to twenty-four hours over what otherwise 

would be the service if the mail had been dispatched from New York 

on the regular passenger train that leaves at 8 a. m. 

Let the gentleman from New York, as well a.s the gentlemen from 

Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Dakota, re- mem her the va.lne of this service, the most important for their States. 

In addition to this morning train, the same two great trunk roads 

dispatch a _special evening train--;-no :passe~gers, no express, only 

matls-leavmg New York between eight and rune o'clock, seven times 

a w~ek, running to Clevela.nd, Ohio, six hundred and twenty three 

miles; remember, a special mail train. At Cleveland, Ohio, this train 

connects for Columbus, Cincinnati, and Saint Louis. At Cleveland 

it merges into the regular fast train for Chicago, reaching that city 

the next morning at six o'clock. This train carries, handles, and distributes from ten to fifteen tons of mail matter daily. They run postal cars only. All the trains out of ChicaO'o are enabled to 

receive their mails for the great States of Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Dakota, and points intermediate to the Pacific coast are supplied. From twelve to twenty-four hours are saved by this ex- pedition. These two roads would not make this contract again for 

the same compensation. 

Third. The Pennsylvania Railroad runs a daily train. For expedition and special service the companyreceives $67,772.09. This com- pany dispatch their trains at hours almost identical with the New 

York Central. When the New York and New England trains reach 

New York City behind schedule time, the Pennsylvania company 

places immediately a special mail train and runs it over to Philadelphia, making connection with the train going south. From Philadelphia and to the West special fast time is made, reaching Chica~o 

the next morning about ten o'clock, makiuo- connection with tue 

trains for the Pacific coast and intermediate %tates and Territories, 

supplying the larger portion of Ohio, Indiana, parts ~f Illinois, all 

of Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Arkansas, Indian Territory, Kentucky, Middle and West Tenne see, and 

Mississippi. 

The mail upon these trains is literally immense. It o-ains in time 

for the great States from fifteen to twenty-four hours. If dispatched 

in the passenger train which leaves New York but three hours later, 

it could not reach any of the States indicated by any schedule earlier 

than fifteen hours after the special mail. Again, a mail leaves New 

York City at 8 p.m., running special; no passengers, no express to 

Pittsburgh and Columbus, about six hundred and thirty-three miles, seven times a week, carrying tons upon tons of matter, making con- nection with all the lateral roads, and delivering to a vast scope of 

territory, connecting at Columbus with the fast trains, and reaching 

Saint Louis on the second morning at eight o'clock. This train 

handles mails for the same territory specified in my preceding paragraph, and gains for the delivery from fifteen to twenty-four hours. 

Without the allowance for special facilities these trunk lines would 

immediately take off the mail trains, because the trains consist 9nly 

of mail cars. · 

Mr. FLOWER ,obtained the :floor, and said: I yield my time to the 

gentleman from Pennsylvania, [Mr. BINGHAM.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Debate is exhausted. Does the gentleman from 

Pennsylvania [Mr. BINGHAM] withdraw his pro fm·ma amendment f 

Mr. BINGHAM. I do. 

Mr. FLOWER. I renew it, and yield to the gentleman. 

Mr. BINGHAM. I thank the gentleman. 

Let the gentlemen representing the States of the Northwest, Southwest, and Pacific coast remember the value of this service to the 

great industries and enterprises of their growing and miO'hty commu- nities and States. Can you, representing your people, d'eprive them 

of this important service f 

Fourth. Let us see how the South is benefited by these facilities. 

.A. spemal mail train is run from New York to Quantico, Virginia, seven times a week, for which service $41,900 per annum is paid. 

At Quantico the train connects with a special mail train for Richmond-passengers are carried on this train, as they are on all the 

trains in this special service in the South-but this train has been 

placed especially on the road by the management and can only be 

maintained by the special allowance for its fast service, reaching 

Riehmond at 3 p.m., in time for a day delivery. For the section 

of country through which this service runs a large mail is carried. 

Connecting at Richmond fast trains and special service extend to 

Savannah, Georgi..1>, reaching that point the next day at 10.45 a.m., 

and saving by the expedition an entire business day, for by any other 

train the mail could not reach Savannah until 10 p.m. Between 

Quantico, Virginia, and Savannn.h, Geor~ia, there are seve:n railroads, 

receiving an allowance of the appropriation, in all 97,000. At Savannah, Georgia, the fast train connects with the regular express for 

Jacksonville, Florida, arriving at that point at 5.30 p.m. same day and 

in time for the delivery of all the mails, which in effect is best stated 

by submitting that a mail train leaves New York at 4.25 a.m. and 

arrives at Jacksonville, Florida, at 5.30 p. m. next day. It is the 

great mail for that belt of country. 

Fifth. From Washington to Atlanta, Georgia, there is a fast mail 

that departs immediateli upon the a.rrival of the mail from the North, 

and arrives at Atlanta, Georgia, the next day at eleven o'clock a. m. The railroads over which this mail is carried do not desire to perform 

this service. It was an additional train placed upon the road at 

the request of the Department. The two roads from Richmond ta 

Charlotte and from Charlotte to Savannah receive for their service 

101,449.87. 

Sixth. Again, a specialnio-ht train is run from Washington to Alexandria, Virginia, and Lyn~burgh, Virginia. The management of 

the road placed this train on at the request of the Department. It 

receives 19~067 for the service. Tile passenger bnsiness of the road 

did not justify this train. It makes the Washin!!ton connection with 

the train that leaves New York at 3.40 p.m., Philadelphia 6 p.m., 
1454 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUARY 25, 

and Baltimore 9 p. m.-a valuable and important line of connections 

for the State of Virginia. 

Every train that is run by the several roads I have specified, doing 

the most rapid mail work for all sections of the country, saving in 

every forty-eight hours of service a business day, scheduled as~ ar- rival and departure and speed by the Post-Office Department, lB not a service contemplated by the general law of 1873, but wholly and 

' entirely the creation of the special appropriation for mail facilities, 

and to my mind the most brilliant and splendid achievement in the 

postal service that marks ~he six years of Demc;>cratic administrati?n 

in this House. It will not become the Republican party, the spemal • champion of education and enterprise, t-o abridge, curtail, or in any manner render less efficient this service. Certamly the gentlemen 

representin(J' the great central communities would be faithless to 

their trust ft they did not in every way possible protect this one of 

the grandest achievements of our postal service. 

I desire to give the House the further information that within a few 

weeks the Pennsylvania Railroad Company has asked to be allowed 

to take off its special mail facilities for the Post-Office Department, althou~h it has received for this service upward of $80,000. 

Mr . .1(0BESON. May I ask the gentleman a question right there f 

Mr. BINGHAM. Certainly. 

Mr. ROBESON. I wish to know w;hether thatactionofthePennsylvania Railroad Company has not been taken since this question was agitated on this bill, and whether the gentleman does not know 

it to be a threat to this House. 

Mr. BINGHAM. I know it is not, Mr. Chairman, and I will say 

to the gentleman from New Jersey that if he will examine the cor- respondence of the Post-Office Department he will find that before 

this bill ever came up for consideration Mr. Frank Thompson a-sked 

to be relieved of the special mail facilities. 

Mr. CANNON. Will the gentleman allow me to ask him a. question f 

Mr. BINGHAM. Certainly. 

Mr. CANNON. What amount of this fund is expended for fast 

mails from New York t6 Washington and from Washington south Y 

Mr. BINGHAM. I will tell the gentleman: $41,000 of this service 

is expended from New York to Quantico, afoint below 'Vashington 

about forty miles; and from that point o Quantico to Richmond, 

from Richmond to Petersburgh, from Petersburgh to Weldon, from 

Weldon to Wilmington, from Wilmington to Florence, from Florence 

to Ashley River junction, and from Ashley River junction to Savannah, a little over $90,000. Again, from Florence to Columbia, $300; 

from Richmond to Charlotte, $52,000; from Charlotte to Atlanta, 

$49,000, and from Alexandria to Lynchburgh, $19,000. 

.Mr. BLOlr.NT. I would like the gentleman to answer whether--

Mr. BINGHAM. Let me finish the sentence. Of the $425,000 in 

the appropriation for the current year about two hundred and fifty 

thousand dollars goes to the southern railroads. 

Mr. BLOUNT. I would like the gentleman to answer whether the 

line to Atlanta has not been withdrawn. 

Mr. BINGHAM. I stated a moment ago that that line had been 

withdrawn within a few days by the management of the road, and 

that the Post-Office Department was at this time endeavoring to have 

it again placed upon the road. . Four hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars will be expended 

during the current year, as I have indicated. The Department, 

through your Committee on Appropriations, asks for $500,000 for the 

next fiscal year. Let me quote in full the report of the PostmasterGeneral and the superintendent of the railway service upon the proposed disposition of this money, and I think no Representative will 

vote against the measure. Page 33, Report Postmaster-Gener~l, 1881: 

The enormous growth of railroads in 1880 and 1881, and their anticipated increase 

of mileao-e in the near future, will acconnt for a great proportion of the augmented cost of the service. But there are other causes which must also be taken into 

consideration. The increase in the weight of the mail transported by the trunk 

lines bas been nnparalleled and the maximum doea not appear to have been reached. 

The legitimate function of the postal service is undoubtedly to transmit intelligence and diffuse knowledge. If this were the sole requirement oftheservicenow, 

the preaent cost of the railway mail service could not be justified. But it is not; 

Congress saw fit a few years since to make 

THE POST·OFFICE DEPARTit!ENT A COMMON CARRIER OF MERCH...U.1HSE. 

And, moreover, it fixed the rates of transportation so low that t.be mere cost of 

handling this class of mail matter, to say nothing of its transportation, is unre- munerative. The compensation the Government receives for the recep Iii on, trans- portation, and delivery of second, third, and fourth cl..'l.SS matter is far below the eost. The revenue derived from letter po!>.tage and other sources is more than con- sumed by the losses sustained on second, third, and fourth class matter. The 

transportation on trunk lines of the mail thus increased in bulk and weight is not the only problem the Department has to solve. ThereceJ?tiOn and preparation for 

dispatchmg these classes of mail matter, their transportation to the railroad depots, 

the loading into postal cars, and their distribution in the cars, all seriously interfere with the dispatch, <listribution, and delivery of the letter mail en route. The 

transportation of second-class matter, which is composed of newspapers and periodioal.s, is, of course, le_gitimate postal business. They disseminate intelligence 

among the people, and t;ongress has accordingly provided by law for their distri· 

bution by mail at a low rate, without regard to the cost of transportation. Third 

and fourth class matter, being transient printed matter and merchandise, come nnder a different category. If it were probable that in the course of time their 

transportation would become remnnerative, or at least self-t~ustaining, then it might nerhaps be well to nurture it, but this is not possible. The more this matter grows in bnlk, the greater will be the loss to the Government. The rates for third and 

fourth class matter are not only unremunerative but the wisdom of requiring the 

Government to become a carrier of merchandise is very questionable. 

Pages 37 and 38, Report (1881) Postmaster-General : 

SPECIAL FACILITIES. 

.Appropriations have been made each year since 1878 to enable the Department to secure from railroad companies facilities for the transportation of maiL'! for 

which compensation could not be made under the general law. The advantagea 

secured to the public by this e~enditure are very great, and are specially valuable to the chief centers of population. The appropriation for this object for the cur- rent year is $42.3,000, and I recommend that $500,000 be appropriated for the fiscal 

year ending .J nne 30, 1883. 

ADDITIONAL POSTAL FACILITIES BETWEEX THE EAST AND WEST. 

I desire to call attention to the fact that numerous petitions have been received 

from the Pacific coast from the city of New York, and from the Eastern States, 

asking for more speedy and frequent service between the two sections. In my 

opinion, the service should be extended so a.'! to accord better with the volume of 

busineas transacted. The time between New York and San Francisco has recently been reduced twenty-four hours by the ac tion of the Pennsylvania Railway Company in establishing the Chicao-o Limited Expreas, which leavea New York at 8 a. m., and arrives at Chicago the following day at 10 a. m., in time to make the 

overland connection. An effort will be made to have the mail arrive in San Fraa- cisco at 6 a. m. instead of at 1.30 p.m., as at preaent, and to depart at 6 p.m. 

instead of 4 p. m. Additional facilitiea will also be a.aked from Mr. Vanderbilt, 

president of the northern line to Chicago, so as to give the same facilities to the Eastern States in general as are now possessed by the city of New York and the 

State of Pennsylvania for commnnication with Chicago and points west.. The 

promptness always shown by Mr. Vanderbilt in meeting the wishes of the Depart- ment induces the belief that these negotiations will be successful, especially as it 

is not his habit to permit the country supplied by his lines to possess mail facilities inferior to those enjoyed by other sections. 

Pages 320, 321, and 322, report of 1881 of the superintendent of the 

railway mail service: 

FAST MAILS ANlJ SPECIAL FACILITIES. 

The appropriation for special faciliti~ for fa t mails for the fiscal year ended 

.Jnne 30,1881, was $350,000. Tbewisdomof Congress in making this appropriation 

has been fully vindicated by the results of its judicious disbursement by the Post- master-General. During tiie past fiscal year the fast mail service bas been ex- tended from West Philad.elphi.a, Pennsylvania, to Washington, District of Columbia; Richmond, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia: New Orleans,Loui iana, and Charleaton, South Carolina. with connections to Savannah, Georgia, and .Jacksonville, Florida. In former years the service between the States northward and Florida. 

has been slow, tedious, :l.nd very unsatisfactory, but with the improvements already made and those contemplated 1 am confident there can be no cau e for complaint in the future. 

The time h.as been materially shortened from New York, New York, to Atlanta, 

Georgia, and New Orlean.s, Louisiana, and the southern fast mail bas, upon the 

whole, proved a succeas. Yet the immense traffic on the railrgads, due to the ' ' busi- neRs boom," has required so many trains to be placed on the roads that the fast 

mail has frequently been delayed. I do not wish to be understood as intimating that the time of the fa t mail is too short. On the contrary, I believe the speed can and will be increased with safety as the roads are improved and the employes be- come accustomed to fa.at schedules; for I hold that with a. good track, motive 

power, and rolling-stock there is no more danger at forty miles an hour than at twenty. In fact, more accidents are reported to accommodation trains than to fast mail a.nd expreas trains. 

On the first day of the last fiscal year there was a fast mail established on the 

Pennsylvania Railroad between New York, New York, and Columbus, Ohio, leaving New York at 8.30 p.m., after the close of business, receivin.e;all the important 

business mail of the day, and ~ fast running overtaking at Columbus, Ohio, the 

regula:- fast express that left New York two hours and a-half earlier. At Columbus the postal cars attached to this train are separated, one going to Cincinnati, 

Ohio, on the regular fast express, and the other two going to Baint Louis, Missouri, 

via Indianapolis, Indiana, on the re~ar express and ~assenger train, arriving at Saint Louis in time to make connections with all mormng outward trains. There is a similar train on the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad 

and Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. This train leavea New York at 8.50 p.m., receives at .Albany the eastern mail that left Boston at 6 p.m., and 

overtakes at Cleveland, Ohio, the fast passenger train that left New York at 6 p. m. At Cleveland this train makes connections for the Southwest, and at Toledo, 

Ohio, both northwestern and southweatern connections are made. The postal cars are transferred at Cleveland to the regular train for Chic~~o, where they arrive at 6 a. m. in time for early city delivery, and connect with au outward trains. This 

service has been very satisfactory and beneficial to business men and other patrons of the postal service. 

There bas also been established a fast-mail service on the New York Central 

and Hudson River Railroad, leaving the grand central depot, New York, at 4.35&. m., making very fast time to Poughkeepsie, arriving at Albany at 9 a.m. At 

Albany the postal car is transferred to the regular express for Rocheater. This 

givea an early service that was much deaired and accomplished all that was expected of it. 

The 5 a.m. fast-mail service from New York to Springfield, Massachusetts, has 

been continued. 

Without the appropriation for special facilitiea It would have been impossible for the Postmaster-General to have established an.d maintained this service, or any 

part of it. .ESTIMATES FOR SPECIAL FACILITIES FOR 1883. 

The estimate for special facilities for 1883 is $500,00~~ being$75,000more than for 

1882. In my opinion, certainly during five months of we year the fast-mail service 

should be extended to .Jacksonville, Florida, and during the whole of the year to New Orlean..!> Louisiana. There is also need of a fast-mail service between New 

York, New York, and Boston, Massachusetts leaving each city late at nigh~, after 

the close of business, and arriving at the other city early in the morning, m time to have the city mail delivered by the first carriers. There should also be a later 

departure than 6 p.m. from Boston to connect at .Albany New York, with t~efast 

mail. This (6 p. m.) is the latest departure that it has hltherto been possible to 

secure. If a train could leave at 7 p. m. a large amonnt of important mail could . be forwarded several honrs earlier. 

If the postal car which leaves the Grand Central depot, New York, at 4.35 a.m., and runs to Rochester, could be run through to Chicago, arriving there the follo~­

ing day about 10 a. m., in time to make connections with all outward-bound railway post-office and route-agent linea, it would advance all mail for offices west of 

Chicago from twelve to twenty-four hours. 

There are other places that are desirous of fast-mail service, and it should be pro- vided as soon as possible. It can be demonstrated from the annual reports of the 

Postmaster-General, for the past twenty years, that fast mails and frequent service on railroads between important cities and through populous sections of conn try are a source of revenue far greater than the outlay for such service. The .estimate 

for special facilities is below rather than above the amount actually reqwred., and I therefore earnestly request that the full amonnt be appropriated. 

This illustrates what your service now is and what the Depart-
1882. I CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- HOUSE. 1455 

ment, with the generous aid of Congress, will make it. And right at 

this point let me inform the committee that the best answer that can be ma-de to gentlemen who upon this tloor clamor against the great 

railroad corporations in their rates or compensation for mail serv- ice rendered, taking the weight of mails carried o_ut of New York 

City as a basis of calculation-and the :figures for New York City are in proportion to the weight for the whole country-that, while the 

weight of mail carried out of New York has increased from ten to 

eighty-'five tons, or more than .eightfold! the average cost :per mile 

of service is actua.lly one cent and a third. less in 1881 than it was in 

1867, and only forty-eight one-hundredths of a cent more than in 

18.)4. I will insert in my remarks that portion of the report of the 

superintendent of the railway mail service that gives in detail the 

figures covering that stat-ement: 

COST OF RAILROAD SERVICE. 

Tbe cost per mile of railroad service, including postal cars and fast mails, has not increased with the weight of mails, aa will be seen by the following statement. In 1854 there were 14,440 miles of railroad routes, and 15,433,389 miles of annual 

service, at an average cost per mile of annual service of 9.6 cents. The weight of 

the mails at that time was unknown, and the rate of payment was fixed by the 

Postmaater-General, under the acts of 1839 and 1845. In 1867 there were 34,015 miles 

of railroad routes, and 32,437,900 miles of annual service, at an avera~e cost per mile of 11.75 cents. In that year the mails were wei~hed for the firs~ time, and 

the average daily weight of mail sent from Now York C1ty by rail was 20,031 pounds, or 10 tons. In 18/3 there were 63,457 miles of railroad routes, and 50,340,420 miles 

of annual service, at an average cost per mile of 11.05 cents. In that year the aver- age daily mail from Now York City by rail waa 109,3ll pounds, or 54 tons. In 1877 

there were 74,540 miles of railroad routes, and 85,358,710 miles of annual service, at an average cost of 10.5 cents per mile. In that year the a\erage daily weight of 

mail from New York City by rail waa 123,107 pounds, or 61 tons. In 1881 there were 91,569 miles of railroad routes and 103,521,229 miles of annual service, at an avera#re cost of 10.44cents per mile. In this yearthedailyweightofmailsent from 

Now York City by rail was 17~336 pounds, or 85 bms. It will thus be seen that 

:while the weight of mail carriea out of New York has increased from 10to 85 tons, or more than eightfold, the average cost per mile of service is actually one cent and a third less in 1881 than it waa m 1807, and only forty-eight one-hundredths of a cent more than in 1854. The increase in the weight of mail all over the country has been in proportion to that sent from New York, and these figures have been 

taken only uecause they were more readily accessible. 

I thank the gentlemen for the courtesy in yielding to me so much 

of their time. · Mr. ROBESON. With the :permission of the gentleman, I will send a copy of a telegram to the Clerk's desk to be read. 

:Mr. HATCH. I believe I have the floor, Mr. Chairman. 

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair has recognized the gentleman from 

Missouri. 

Mr. HATCH. The :proposition pending before the committee, :Mr. 

Chairman, is an amendment offered by the gentleman from Illinois, 

[Mr. SINGLETON,] to add to line 60 the words "including the :Mississippi River," and the amendment to the amendment, offered by 

the gentleman from California, to strike out the words "on trunk 

lines." 

The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman will allow the Chair to correct 

him. The pending amendment is to strike out the words ''on trunk 

lines" and insert the word "mail" after the word "special." 

Mr. HATCH. Now, Mr. Chairman, I am in favor of the amendment of the gentleman from Illinois, or the substitute offered by the 

gentleman from California, and opposed to the appropriation of 

$500,000, if it is to be confined exclusively to half a dozen railroad 

companies in the United States, to be selected at the pleasure and 

discretion of the Postmaster-General. I a-ssert here to-day that not one single trunk line west of the Mississippi River ha-s ever received 

the benefit of one sin~le cent of this appropriation since it was first 

put upou the Post-Office appropriation bills. 

The gentleman from Pennsylvania states that one of the railroad 

combinations starting out from New York runs a special and exclusive mail train to Cleveland. That may be true; but where has a dollar been expended to t~end mails from Chicago or Saint Louis 

west or southwest from those emporiums of the western country Y 

Gentlemen from the East forget the fact that it matters but little to 

about one-half of the :people of the United States whether they get 

the New York or eastern mails within eight or ten hours of schedule 

time or not; but it does matter very much to more than one-half of 

the people of the United States inhabiting the great Mississippi Valley and the States and Territories west whether they get their Chicago and Saint Louis mails within a reasonable time. 

And yet the Postmaster-General, in the distribution of this large sum of money, appropriated by the Government of the United States 

for the benefit of the whole people, has utterly and shamefully ignored 

the whole country west of the Mississippi River; not a dollar ex- pended by him for special mail facilities on the great trunk lines 

starting west and southwest from Saint Louis, Hannibal, Keokuk, or the other great railroad centers between the latter-named city and 

Saint Paul. 

I state to-day that never in the history of the Government has a similar amount of money ever been expended where so much sec- tional favoritism has been exhibited as has been shown bythePostmaster-General in distributing this $500,000 to a half dozen pet raill'Oads of his east of the Alleghany Mountains. 

Mr. CASWELL. Will the gentleman allow me to ask him a question f 

Mr. HATCH. The gentleman will excuse me, I have only five 

minutes under the rule. 

Gentlemen upon the other side of the Honse admit there has been 

maladministration and corrupt practices in this Department of the 

Government• in the :past. Frequent allusions to this unsavory record 

of Republican officials have been made during this discussion. LikeBanquo's ghost this specter is often visible and "will not down at 

their bidding." It rises before them to-day and seems to hannt them 

with the fear that such :practices may again put in an appearanceunder some future administration of this Department under Republi- can control. 

I would exorcise this ghost as far as :possible by removing thetemptation to such unwarranted favoritism by striking from the 

appropriation bill this entire sum of $500,000. 

I never did believe it was right, and when the proper time comes, 

if the :pending amendments be voted d.own, I now give notice I will move to strike ont lines 60 and 61, so as to take from the PostmasterGeneral all authority to take this $500,000 and deal it out to such 

favorites as he may please, as it has been done in the past, without 

regard to the spirit of the law or a just or equitable ilistribution of 

the amount in t.he interest of the mail service of the whole country. 

[Here the hammer fell.] 

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Chairman, if you will turn to section 4002 of 

the Revised Statutes you will notice the law :provides for the com- pensation of railroads to carry the mails; that it shall be so much a mile :per annum, according to weight. Now there is no distinction 

between fast trains and slow trains; the roads running the slow 

trains get as much as those nrnning fast trains. As the gentleman 

from Pennsylvania [Mr. B:rnGHAM] has well said, when the pay oi 

those railroads was decreased 15 :per cent. throughout the United 

States in 1876-'78, amounting every year to $1,600,000, the PostmasterGeneral found difficulty in getting trains run sufficiently fast to 

carry the mails. Chicago complained, Saint Louis complained, the-

\Vest complained, the South complained, and then it was our Democratic friends, as they had made a saving of $1,600,000 per annum, 

said: "vVe will give the Postmaster-General $150,000 a year to ex- pend for expedition of the service," which item has grown from yearto year to $500,000 for fast mail trains upon the trunk lines between 

the great tra-de centers. 

Now that is the history of this appropriation. The West, the East, 

and the South demanded faster mail trains, which tliey did not get be- cause you had decreasecd the :pay of all the railroads at the rate oi $1!~00,000 per annum, and that decrease still continues. 

.Now, Mr. Chairman, I want to say to the committee that if you 

strike this item out of the appropriation bill, without any otheramendment of the law, you :practically, in my opinion, strike the fastmail service out of existence. It is true they will carry the mail,. 

but they will not carry it over the trunk lines on fast trains running on schedule time satisfactory to the Department. They will carry 

it on such trains as are most convenient to them, and my friend from 

Missouri, who claims that the fast-mail service does not reach Saint 

Louis, will find, if he examines, that there is a fast train from New 

York to Chicago, and from New York to Terre Haute and Saint Louis 

by the Pennsylvania route, by which the maiL'l can be delivered. 

:Mr. HATCH. I said that there was not a dollar expended west oi 

the Mississippi River. 

[Here the hammer fell.] 

Mr. CAMP took the floor, and yielded his time to Mr. CANNON. 

Mr. BLAND. I would like to ask the gentleman from Illinois a question. 

Mr. CANNON. I have not time to yield. I have but a moment. 

Mr. BLAND. .I simply want to ask the gentleman whether he 

calls it a fast line to Saint Louis, to run from New York by way of 

Chicago? 

Mr. CANNON. Oh, certainly, yon can get fast mail that way; and 

there is another fast mail train by way of the Pennsylvania system 

to Saint Louis. 

Mr. BLAND. Again, let me ask the gentleman if he considers that a fast line from New York to Saint LouisY You might as well go 

round by way of the moon, and call that a fast line. [Laughter.] 

Mr. CANNON. Now, the gentleman from Missouri has stated that 

there is not a dollar spent west of the Mississippi River for this serv- ice ; but the gentleman does not take into consideration the fact 

that the O"reat trunk lines carry the mail from the East to the West, 

and it is distributed west of the llfississippi by the smaller roads radiating in all directions. 

This is not, Mr. Chairman, a question concerning the welfare of 

the New York Central, or the Pennsylvania Central, or any otherrailroad. It is a question of the accommodation and good service 

for fifty millions of people, scattered throughout the length and 

breadth of ~he country; and my constituents and those of other gen- tlem~n will not be satisfied if for the want of this sum of money for 

special facilities for twelve months to come, during the next fiscal 

year, their mails are delayed north, south, east, or west from twelve 

to.twonty-fonrhours. They want the service, they recognize its importance and convenience, and are willing to :pay for it. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Will the gentleman allow me to ask him a question t 

Mr. CANNON. Oh, certainly. 

l\Ir. SPRINGER. Does not mycolleague know that there is a.fast 

mail pa1:18enger train running from New York, which reaches ChiGagoin twenty-six hours Y And I wish to ask the_ gentleman if that is not 

sufficiently fast for special .mail facilities f Now we have passed ML 
1456 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-· HOUSE. FEBRUARY 25, 

.amendment to this bill, requiring the mails to be carried on the fast-

.est trains, or they are liable to a reduction of 50 per cent. on their 

palfr. CANNO:N. I hope this interruption will not be taken out of 

my time. The gentleman says that there is a fast passen~er train 

running from New York which reaches Chica~o in twenty-siX hours. 

Why, does not the gentleman know that on tnese great trunk lines 

there are special fast trains made up entirely of postal cars Y And you 

cannot take those great trains of postal cars that make up a train of 

themselves and hitch them on to a fast passenger train and make 

-that distance in twenty-six hours. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Will the gentlem~npermitmeto askhim which 

is the faster, the mail or the passenger train T 

l1r. CANNON. Oh, well, I have explained that already; but I 

will try to drive it through the head of the gentleman if I can. Mr. HORR. You cannot do it. [Laughter.] 

lir. CANNON. I have answered the question of the ~entleman 

.and will answer it again. The truth is, that special trams, on the 

schedule of the Post-Office Department, with postal cars, without ·express and without passengers, do run over these lines da.ily seven ·days in the week. And, in reply to the gentleman, I say, if you put 

.all those postal cars on this fast limited express passenger train it 

would be more than they could haul. In other words, until further 

.amendment of the law, if we get this fast-mail service upon trains 

under control of the Department we must appropriate for the payment in this way. Mr. ROBESON. Mr. Chairman, it is true that the service contemplated by this clause is a valuable one. I am not ready to-day to move to strike it down; not because I think it would be absolutely 

necessary, provided our laws were properly shaped to control and ·direct, as we have a riO'ht to do, the carrying of the mails of the 

.country, but because I fear if we should strike it down to-day the ,great masters of this country would follow the example of those who 

.control the lines from Richmond to Atlanta and stop the service of 

the people; and thus· putting on the pressure would "crack the 

whip" over their representatives here. The remedy at our command 

cis not to strike jndiscriminately at an appropriation like this in an .appropriation bill reported to fulfill the requirements of existing 

la.w, but to pass well-considered laws which shall assert the rights ·ef this great people and declare the duties of those to whom they 

intrust a part of their great sovereign prerogatives. 

But the case here is not exactly thus. The real point shown by 

the letters to which the gent.lomait from Illinois .called attention was not this. Those letters-when read will reveal just this fact, that in 

October and December last the then Postmaster-General made an ;&!rreement with -certain great railroad companies, by which ·agree- ~ent he bought certain special facilities, not with the appropriation 

made by the appropriation bill of last year for special facilities, but 

with the other and different appropriation given for the ordinary ·carrying of the mails, and gave them increased compensation out of 

'this last appropriation for the purpose of buying therefor certain 

special facilities. 

We have two appropriations in this bill. The one is to be found 

tOn page 3. It is a large appropriation of $10,655,000 for the trans-

-portation of the mails on railway routes. The payment for that 

transp01'tation is made by wei~ht, and the law requires-and I hold 

it in my hand here-that thougn those mails shall be weighed as often .as the Postmaster-General directs, yet that they need not be weighed ·oftener than once every four years. Now it is obvious to every man that with an increasing service it is to the advantageofthe Gove-:rnment that the mails should not be weighed oftener than required by 

law, uamely, every four years, or certainly not oftener than every two 

years: in order to get a ,lust ascertainment of the average-w:eightand 

to hold fast by the officers of the Government to the r1ghts and 

advantages which are guaranteed to the Government by its laws. 

[Here the lumrmer fell.] 

Mr. IDSCOCK obtained the floor and yielded his five minutes to 

Mr. ROBESON. 

MJ.". ROBESON. And the contracting railroads, when they inake 

their contracts to carry the mails, do it with the knowledge and, of 

course, under the understanding that the Postmaster-General will not 

weigh oftener than once in two years at least. Three years, I believe, 

is the o(l)rdinary time for wei~hin 0'. 

Now these mails were weighed last March, less than a year ago. 

Eight months afterward, in October, for the purposeofobtaining cer- tain special facilities, the Postmaster-General a~eed to wei~h them 

again; not agreeing to pay for these special facilities out of the apjpropriation applicable to it, for that was exhausted, but to pay for 

them out of the great fund for carrying the mails, which was appropriated for another purpose ; and by these means, because he did not 

nave money enough in the special facilities fund, he reweighed the 

mails OE. the great trunk lines of this country, thus creating a new •eontraet with the companies and a new charge on the Treasury; and 

I am wii.thln. the limit when I say that that order cost this country more than $200,000. 

ML SPRINGER. Annually f 

11r.. ROBESON. That reweighing in eight months instead of at 

the end of three years cost this country more than$200,000 annually ex~lusive of the $30,000 that it takes to-weigh. the mails. Now that 

is -the position of this question. I. 'W'()uld rnot, I say again, strike 

down these special facilities.· I would not lay the weight of my 

finger on any interest that is fostered by them. I would not intorfere with the transmission of intelligence by that means throughout 

the country. I would not interfere with those railroads which have 

not received any benefit from this weak-for it was only weak, not 

criminal-action of the Department. And no one can hold the..qe 

great railroads r esponsible for accepting the benefit of it. Bu' I 

propose as a r emedy an amendment to this clause, while voting f )r 

the $500,000 for these special facilities, to put such a proviso in it 

that the Government will get back the extm money which these 

railroads get for this wrong and extraordinary reweighing of the 

mails under the other appropriation. No body will be really injured. 

The special mail facilities will go on. The whole appropriation will 

be given. The railroad companies cannot complain, for they will 

receive on the whole exactly what they would have received if they 

ha-d stood by their understanding under the old ascertainment of 

weight of last March, instead of having it reweighed at the end of ei~ht months. Therefore I propose as• an amendment to the clause 

wnat I now send to the Clerk's desk. 

Mr. VALENTINE. I would like to ask the gentleman from New 

Jersey a question . Mr. ROBESON. I will hear the gentleman. 

Mr. VALENTINE. Does the gentleman from New Jersey desire tg 

be understood as saying he will vote as an appropriation for the five 

lines mentioned a sum of 250,000, while he now offers an amendment 

which will provent the Post-Office D~partment from allowing any 

ra.ilroad to ask a reweighing less frequently than every three years T 

Mr. ROBESON. I have not offered any such amendment, as the 

gentleman will ~ee if he will listen to the reading of it. I ask the 

Clerk to read my amendment. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

Provided, That the Postmaster·GeneraJ shall deduet from the pay accruing to any railroad company under this appropriation the amount of increased pay accru· ing to such company from the appropriation " for transportation on railroad routes " by reason of the reweighing of the ma.ils agreed upon in October and De· 

cember last, between the then ~ostmaster·General and' the officers of such rail· 

road company. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Is that amendment now in order f 

The CHAIRMAN. It is, by way of prGviso to the clause. The 

vote will first be taken on the amendment of the gentleman ft·om 

California, [Mr. PAGE.] 

Mr. WHITE. I desire to offer an amendment. 

Mr. HISCOCK. I do not understand th;J.t debate is exhausted, or that any debate has been had on the amendment of the gentleman 

from New Jersey, [Mr. -ROBESON.] 

The CHAIRMAN. No debate has been had on that amendment. 

Mr. HISCOCK. I do not understand· that amendment to be offered now. 

The CHAIRMAN. Does tbe gentleman from New Jersey propose 

his amendment for action now f 

Mr. ROBESON. I propose it now, but not for debate. I send it 

up as a notice that I will offer it at the proper time. 

The CHAIRMAN. Then the amendment is not now before the 

co:mnllitee, but will be rega;rded as ha-ving been read for information. 

Mr. BREWER. I desire to take the floor and yield my time to m~ 

colleague. 

The CHAIRMAN. Is the pro forma amendment withdrawn f 

Mr. CANNON. I withdraw it. 

Mr. BREWER. I xenew it, and yield my time to my colleague. 

Mr. ROBESON. My amendment provides that every railroad com- ing in under this special-facility clause shall be paid just what the 

Post-Office Department thinks it right to pay them and will agree 

to pay them. But it also provides that those particular roads that 

obtained special and particular money out of the ~eneralappropria.­

tion fund, by reason of the extraordinary reweighing last fall, shall 

have deducted from their compensation under this clause exactly the 

amount which they were paid out of that appropriation in conse- quence of the extraordinary reweighing. That is all. 

It is only putting these railroads back where they were last October, and where they would be to-day if the then Postmaster-General 

had adhered to the custom of his Department and given to the coun- try the benefit for three years of the great increase of the service 

instead of cutting off that benefit at the end of eight months. 

I desire to say further that I do not wish to be understood as saying that there was n.nything intentionally wrong about this ; I do 

not wish to say thart the great railroad managers should have done 

anything else. If I had been at the head of one of those great cor- porations perhaps I would have accepted it at once. But I think the Postmaster-General himself got into the difficulty 

without knowing the effect of it; that he agreed for a special purpose to reweigh the mails on one line, and, that having been done, 

he was obliged, in the exeention of his duty and for the purpose of a due ascertainment of the amount of mail on allthe lines, to reweigh them all. But I say, further, that that mistake of his cost this Government not less than $230,000 or $240,000 a year, and that now is the 

time to remedy it, and put these roads back where they were last 

October, and to do so in a manner which nobody can complain of, 

and which will not interfere with the facilities at all. 

Mr. BUTTERWORTH. I desire to ask the gentleman a question. 

Mr. ROBESON. Certainly. 
1882. CONGRESSIONAL REOORD=-HOUSE~ 1457 

Mr. BUTTERWORT,H. I understand that the Postmaster-General 

desired to get certain maril facilities of these companies to which he was not entitled without extra compensation. Am I not right about 

thatY 

Mr. ROBESON. Ye. 

M:r. SPRINGER. That was the claim. 

Mr. BUTTERWORTH. .And instead of pa.ying so much extra 

money for the service he agreed that the mails should be reweighed, 

and i-n that way they could get the extra compensation¥ 

Ur. ROBESON. Yes, sir. 

:Mr. BUTTERWORTH. Now is it apparent that the extra com- pensation which they received in this way is more than commensu- rat-e wit.h the increased mail facilities secured Y 

Mr. ROBESON. I will answer the gentleman in 6ne word. 

1\Ir. BUTTERWORTH. Answer my question categorically. 

)lr. ROBESON. It is just this: desiring to have one of the special 

f:tdlities for whick we are now asked to appropriate $500,000 under 

the special-facility clause, the Postmaste:r-General, not then having 

the money to pay for it, agreed to reweigh the mails, and in conse- quence of that reweighing the railroads became entitled to receive 

additional compensation from the other appropriation, thereby not 

taking it out of the special appropriation fund but out of the general 

appropriation fund. 

l\Ir. BUTTERWORTH. That does not answer my question. 

Mr. ROBESON. I will say this: if you will read carefully these 

letters from the Department you will see that Mr. James wrote Mr. 

Vanderbi.lt that the reweighing of the mails would increase the com- pensation he received, which was then over 1,100,000, to the amount 

nf $60.000 or 70,000 more. The other facility was simply a train 

from Philauelphia to Harrisburgh, in the State of Pennsylvania. 

Mr. BINGHAl'\1:. That is not correct. 

Mr. ROBESON. Yes, 'from Philadelphia to Harrisburgh. 

Mr. BINGHAM. Oh, no. :Mr. ROBE ON. The lettershowsitto be so. The CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentleman has expired. ~11-. BUTTERWORTH. I desire--

Mr. SPRINGER. Will the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. BUTTERWORTH] allow me to answer the question which he put to the gentleman ii·om New Jersey, [.Mr. RoBESONY] 

)lr. llUTTEHWORTH. It can be answered in two words. With a view to satisfy the House and the country of all the facts of the 

cn.se, I desire to say that I understand that the Post-Office Department demanded certain mail facilities which they were not authorizeu to demand as a matter of right under the law. The Department came to an arrangement and understanding with the railroads, 

and aclopted this means to provide for increased facilities. Now 

wlJ<Lti desire to know of the gentleman from New Jersey-and I have 

not had an answer yet--was the pay more than adequate--

1\fr. ROBESON. I will say to you-- ~fr. BUTTERWORTH. One moment. 

Mr. ROBESON. You want an answer. )Ir. BUTTERWORTH. When I ~et through my question. 'Vas 

the pay more than adequate, and, if the compensation was more than comm.ensurate with the service, what provision does the gentleman now make for adjusting that matterY Or does he simply take the um of ,. 200,000 arbitrarily from these railroads, whether it was in ~xces or not Y The House ought to know that in order that we may 

vote intelligently. 

Mr. ROBESO~. My answer to the gentleman is this: the re- weighing was not a matter of right to be demanded by the contractors, 

but lt was a matter of option gwen to the Postmaster-General for the 

good of the country, which he used to its cost. 

Mr. BUTTERWORTH. I understand that perfectly. 

Mr. ROBESON. Very well; that is the :first answer. The second answer is, that I say that cost will be at least $'230,000. .And the extra 

facilities obtained, according to the statement of the PostmasterGeneral, could be given for less than one-third that sum. Mr. BUTTERWORTH Then what provision have you madef 

Mr. ROBESON. I have provided just this: that payment for 

special facilities shall be made to all railroads which had nothing to 

do with this reweighing, and that when you come to pay the railroads where the mails were reweighed, which received this extra 

money, you shall take out of their compensation that so received; 

that is all. 

.Mr. SPRINGER. I understaH.d the gentleman from Ohio will yield me the remainder of his time. 

The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman has one minute left. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Thn.t is all I desire. In order to give an answer to his question as to whether wehavevaluereceivedforthisincreased 

compensation, I call attention to this paragraph in the letter of Postmaster-General James to Mr. Vanderbilt: 

Tlle a n;angemen t which I so much desire will not require the moving of any more Glr!!, but only the running of one car from Bu.lfalo to Chicago on the t'ast train, instead of the express which follows it. This arrangement will increase your annual 

compensation from sixty to seventy thousand dollars. 

Mr. ATKINS. A mere transfer of cars. Mr. SPRINGER. Yea, a mere transfer of cars from one train to an- other bas coat the Government 70,000 a year-not out of this appropriation, but, as the gentleman from New Jersey has saitl, out of the 

&eneral apprortiation for transporting the mails. 

'-- XIII-92 

The CHAIRMAN. Debate is exhausted. Does the gentleman from 

New Jersey [:?t!r. BREWER] withdraw the pro jm·m.a amendment 1 

Mr. BREWER. I do. 

Mr. IDSCOCK. I move that the committee now rise, my object 

being to a k the Honse to limit debate. 

The motion was agreed to; there being-ayes 79, noes 11. 

The committee accordingly rose; and the Speaker havin~ resumed 

the chair, :Mr. CALKINS reported that the Committee of tne Whole 

House on the state of the Union having had under consideration the 

bill (H. R. No. 3G48) making appropriation for the service of the 

Post-Office Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, and 

for other purposes, had come to no resolution thereon. 

Mr. CASWELL. I move that the House resolve itself into Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union for the further consideration of the Post-Office appropriation bill ; and pending that motion 

I move that all debate upon the -pending paragraph and amendments 

the1·eto Le limited to twentv minutes. 

Mr. ROBESON. I ask the gentleman from Wisconsin to make it 

thirty minutes. .Many gentlemen may want to ask me questions; 

and I am ready to answer them all. 

Mr. CASWELL. I think that twenty minutes would be sufficient; 

but I accept the gentleman's suggestion, and modify my motion by 

striking out ''twenty" and insertmg "thirty." 

The motion of Mr. GASWELL s modified was agreed to. 

The question recurring on the motion of :?t!r. CASWELL that the 

House again resolve itself into Committee of the Whole on the PostOffice appropriation bill, it was aO'reed to. 

The House accordingly resolved itself into the Committee of the 

Whole (~!r. CALKINS in the chair) and resumed the consideration of 

the bill (H. R. No. 354R) making appropriations forthesenrice of the 

Post-Office Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, an(l 

for other purposes. 

The CHAIRMAN. By order of the Honse debate on the pending 

clause and amendmEC~nts thereto is limited to thirty minutes. 

Mr. HISCOCK. I have only a word to say in reference to tbe 

amendment proposed by the gentleman from New Jersey, and in ~p_p• •- sition to that amendment. It will be conceded that cliscretiomu·y 

power is vested in the Postmaster-General to authorize the weighing 

which is complained of; and I suppose it can hardly be argued that 

he has done a wrong until it is established that these railroad com- panies under the order for reweighing will receive more compensation than they are entitled to. I understand how difficult it is here or elsewhere te stand up against the eloquence of gentlemen directed 

to exciting prejudice against railroad companies; but I beg this Committee of the Whole to scrutinize carefully the amendment which 

bas been offered, and say whether if adopted its effect will not be 

to take away just so much money from the appropriation for special 

mail facilities as will be deducted fi·om the sum which is to be paid 

to the railroad companies under the reweighing. 

Mr. Chairman, it is a fact of which we are all advised that the 

Postmaster-General reduced the cost of the service for carrying the 

mails $1,691,264; that he increased the service npon certam rontes 

to the amount of 8543,507, leaving a balanceofreductionof 1,147,i57, 

and it has seemed to me in the progress of this debate a-s if some gen- . tlemen on this floor w~re seeking if possible to find some grotmd of 

complaint against the Postmaster-Genera.}. He has been criticised 

because he abandoned the steamboat routes; and, last of all, he is 

arraigned here because he has been guilty, as is said, of favoritism 

toward raili·oad companies. I shall not attempt to enter into any 

discussion of the question whether this order for reweighing was right or wrong; but I desiJ:e to eall the attention of the committee to the one fact, that whenever he sought to make a contract with a railroad 

company for epecial facilities the amount of compensation whi{'h that 

company was to receive under the statute was to be ta~en into con- sideration in determining the gross sum which was to be paid to the 

company in addition for special service. Take us an illustration one of the trains which leaves the city of New York carrying no passengers whatever. It depends for compensation entirely upon the sum of money which it is to receive for special facilities, and the sum which it is to receive under the statute for space and for weight. 

[Here the hammer fell.] 

Mr. ROBESON obtained the floor, and said: I yield my time to the 

gentleman from New York, [Mr. HiscocK.] 

:?t!r. HISCOCK. As all the mail matter, or substantially all1 (as 

I am informed by the superintendent of the railway mail serviCe,) 

is taken from the other trains of the New York Central Railroad and 

deposited for transportation on this special train, I ask how the 

Postmaster-General could determine the amount he should pa,y to 

that company for special facilities until he and the company knew 

the amount which it was to receive under the statute. Reweighing was an absolut-e necessity. 

It has been complained bore that the Postmaster-General proffered 

this reweighing te the raih·oad companieR. The railroad companie <lid not seek to put the e fast trains on. The Postma ter-General was directed substantially by the terms of the appropriation to 

do all in his power to facilitate the carrying of the mails. He was compelled to make his bargain with the companies; and at the outset 

they had a right to say "the volume of mail will be increased; and we mm;t know how much we are to be paid for this train before ·we can determine whether it will be put on or not." What w.as true 
1458 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRUAHY 25, 

with reference to the New York Central Railroad Company was true 

wit h reference to all of them. In order to determine the sum to be 

p aid to them nnder the clause appropriating for special facilities, it was necessary they should know the amount they were to r eceive as a statutory compensation. 

I say this much, Mr. Chairman, in defense of the Postmaster-General, if he needs any defense. I say it as bearing on the amendment 

offered by the gentleman from New Jersey; that the moment he 

deducts from the sum which is to be paid to the railroad companies 

the amount they are to receive nnder this new weighing, he is taking from them part of the compensation which they are to be paid 

for special facilities; and, if it is true they are not receiving enough to 

make it remnnerati ve, these trains will be taken off the roads and we will be deprived of this service. 

Mr. ROBESON. You can go to other railroads. 

1\fr. HISCOCK. The gentleman from New Jersey says we can go 

to other railroads for service. There are no other tl·unk lines to go to ; 

and I say to the committee, if you adopt that amendment yon may as well strike out t.be clause entirely, as is proposed by the gentleman 

from Missouri, [Mr. HATCH.] Or at least reduce the amount from 

$500,000 to $300,000, for the amendment the gentleman from New 

Jer ey [Mr. ROBESO~] offers is practically a proposition to reduce the 

fund to be devoted to this purpose. 

The CHAIRMAN. Debate on the j}ro form,a amendment of the gentleman from New Jersey is exhausted. 

.Mr. ROBESON. I withdraw it. 

Mr. DAVIS, of Illinois. I renew it. Now, 1\fr. Chairman, the $.500,000 proposed to be appropriated in this bill for pecial mail facilities, as I tm<lerst.and it, simply provides for the cities of New York, 

Phila<lelphia, and Boston--

Several MEMBERS. Oh, no ! 

Mr. DAVIS, of Illinois. Yes, sir; for those three cities, and not 

for the ·west at all. A train leaves New York at four o'clock a. m. an(l :l'uns to Albany; but that does not help the Chicago mail. 

1\f)•, HISCOCK. It ~ives yon a mail twelve hours earlier. 

The CHAIRMAN. lJoes the gentleman yield f 

:Mr. DAVIS, of Illinois. I do not. The mail running from New 

York to Sprin~eld, Massachusetts, does not affect the western mail. 

The early mail from Philadelphia that rona to Harris burgh does not assist the \Vest. This $500,000 is appropriated singly and solely for 

those three great cities and to send forward to the \Vest the mails 

from those cities, but the service is not extended through to Chicago. 

The question I I'aise here is this: why has not the Postmaster-Gen- eral, why has not the Appropriation Committee thought of some other center in this conn try T 

The city of Chicago is the second postal station in this country. 

Second o11ly to New York in revenue, in profits, and in the weight of 

its ma ils. Second only to New York in net revenue, amounting to 

932,259 in Chicago as against 00,000 in Boston, and less in Phih~r 

delphia. Second only to New York in its money-order business, the 

value of orders issued in Chicago exceeding those of Philadelphia or Boston by upwards of. 700,000, and value of orders paid in excess of either city by npwar<ls of '4,500,000. Second only to New -York 

in weight of second-cia ·smatter ~mel postage collected thereon; New 

York collecjing 27 per cent., Chicago 10 per cent., and Phila-delphia 

and lloston 5 per cent. each of all mail of this cla~s. Second only 

to New York in registered letters an<l parcels upon which fees are collected, and yet the1·e has never been a dollar expended for special 

mail facilities from that city. The eaTliest mail train leaving Chicago is at seven o'clock in the morning, and that O'Oes ea-st, while the 

business interests of the city lie to the north and west more than to 

the east. The earliest train going west leaves at eight or nine o'clock 

in the morning. The Chica~o mail reaches Burlington, just across the State, at about six o'clocK p. m. Mr. HUBBELL. Does the gentleman from illinois deny that the trainleavin~ at four o'clock in the morning from thecityofNewYork 

does not assiSt Chicago in taking the mail to that city twelve hours 

earlierf 

Mr. DAVIS, of illinois. The tl·ain leaving at four o'clock in the 

morning from the city of New York is for the purpose of distributing 

the New York papers. 

Mr. HUBBELL. Doesnotthelimite<lexpresswhichleavesAlbany 

take up the mail bron~ht from New York by the four o'clock train in 

'"he morning and take it to Chicago, so as to get it there some twelve w twenty-four hom·s earlier than it otherwise would be received f 

Mr. DAVIS, of illinois. The early trains from New York and Philadelphia are for the purpose of distributing the New York and Phibd elphia papers to the cOlmtry immecliately around, and to deliver such 

mail as has accumulated in the office afternighttrains have been disJlatched to lines connecting west, and to that extent we are benefited. 

This appropriation, so far as it extends to send a fast mail across the continent, is all right. I am in favor of special mail facilities, but 

I wish these same facilities to be applied to the city of Chicago, and 

not to be confined to Bost.on, New York, and Philadelphia. I ·will 

offer an amendment that $100,000 of this sum shall be used in afford- _. ng special mail facilities on trains leaving Chicago, Saint Louis, and 

Cincinnati. 

Mr. HISCOCK. It is intended with this sum of money to exten<l 

t.he operation of the sc~eme as fast as possible. 

Mr. DAVIS, of Illinois. I called upon the Postmaster-General and 

the superintendent of rail way mail service, and they said this money was to be confined to the East and the short lines south, and that uot one dollar was to be appropriate<l for special mail facilities for Chicago, Saint Louis, or Cincinnati. I submit that the money received 

at these three great offices, which are not only self-sustaining but 

contributealargerevenuetothePost-OfficeDepartmeutbeside,ought 

to have some of the money appropriated for special mail facilities expended in forwarding an early mail from tho ·e points. 

I have a list showing the increase of busine s in the sa.le of starups 

("the profits depa.rtment") in the eleven largest post-offices in the 

United States, which I request may be printed with my remark . 

W ABHINGTON, D. C., February 25, 1882. 

SIR: In reply to your verbal request of this date, I have the honor to submit 

the followin~ statement of stamp sales for the fourth quarter, 1880; first quarter, 

1881; seconu quarter. 1881; thb:d quarter, 1881; and fourth quarter, 1g81, at the eleven largest post-offices in the United States. 

Respectfully, 

Hon. GEORGE R. DAVIS, House of Representatives. J. H. EL.A., AttditoT. 

Fourth First Second Third 

Post-offices. quarter, quarter, quarter, quarter, 1880. 188L 1881. 1881. 

.Fourth 

quarter, 

188L 

Ne~ Ym'k. ... $965,559 48 $~54, 543 68 $945,186 49 $927,403 11 $1,111,107 06 Chicago . . .... 358,552 98 359,362 90 386,589 17 398,837 15 443, 090 04 Philadelphia._ 335, 204 70 325,142 46 335,633 07 329,205 53 382,294 96 Bost.on .. __ ___ . 312,079 40 301, 617 60 307, 6 6 42 315, 434 49 360,035 94 

Saint Louis _ _ _ 167, 227 89 173, 961 96 17 4, 317 88 182, 367 10 193, 4 7 4 72 

Cincinnati... . 135, 6"25 21 139, 185 78 135, 740 72 135, 632 12 148, 488 81 SanFrancisco . 117,898 26 10!),485 46 116,732 89 119,456 91 115,17179 

Baltimore.... . 108, 549 68 104, 577 62 117, 581 24 113, 375 20 132, 686 31 Brooklyn .. -.. 64, 603 60 65, 645 31 62, 337 41 62, 902 35 75, 663 13 r ew Orleans__ 64, 235 43 63, 692 98 55, 673 14 57, 376 16 72, 536 24 Washington.. 52,316 40 59,931 68 57,319 58 49,204 04 63, 024 24 

*Per cent. increase of fourth quarter, 1881, over fourth quarter, 1880. 

15.07 

23.57 

14.02 15.36 

15.69 

9.49 

6.16 

22.23 17.12 

12.92 

20.46 

Mr. ATKINS. Mr. Chairman, I only desire to say a word or two. 

I am not opposed to the fast mail. I have heretofore sustained an appropriation for special mail facilities, and I did so because I believed it was in the interest of the people they should get their mails 

twelve or twenty-four hours earlier than they were formerly in the 

habit of doing, by reason of these special fnail facilities. But, sir, 

since the announcement of the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. 

ROBESON] to-day, since the developments which have been made in 

regard to this matter, I shall from this time forward, until there is 

reform, until there are works mete for repentance, vote against any 

further special mail fa-cilities. 

Now, the gentleman from New Jersey [l\ir. ROBESON] has stated some facts to-day which have not been denied. First, that the la te 

Postmaster-General, instigated by what he supposed was a la.udable 

object-the object, however1 he did not mention-gave certain special 

mail facilities by reason ot reweighing, extraordinary reweighing, 

between New York and Harrisburgh, and there being parallel lines 

it was necessary for him to reweigh on all lines, and hence he fell 

into this trap of reweighing. 

Now, I want to ask if any gentleman can tell what was that laudable object f What would have been the laudable object for Postmaster-General James to select one pa,rticular road, and give it 

special facilities T What could have been his motivef Does any 

gentleman know f 

Now, it seems that the Postmaster-General has done this too: that 

instead of giving to the conntry and to the Government the benefit 

of his large experience a-s Postmaster-General he gave it to the railroad company. It has been alleged that he enabled the company to 

realize an extra profit from this som·ce of $70,000. And, :Mr. Chairman, a singular fact comes to light in this connection, which has 

been hinted upon this floor, that the man who owned this railroad 

company, or a majority of its stock, that that same individual has 

started a large national bank; and it is also stated that ex-Postmaster-General James is to-day the president of that bank with a large salary. 

Mr. BLACK. Will the gentleman allow me to ask him a question t 

Mr. ATKINS. No, sir; not now. I cannot yield in the short time 

allowed me. I want to ask, Ur. Chairman, if there is any connec- tion between these facts T It is a sin~~lar circumstance indeed that 

the Po tmaster-General should himseu have sug~ested to this com- pany that by the transfer of one car from one tl·am to another, that 

it, won.ldincrea etheir profit 70,000. Soon, sir, he resigns his office and is appointed president of the bank of which this man is tha 

largest owner. Now, these are very singular, yery remarkable circumstances. .A. 

great reformer this gentleman seems to have been. He reformed the postal service throughout the country. He cut down the ervi ce largely, the star service, extending from village to villa~e and ham- let to hamlet throughout the country. He cut that erVIce down on a claim of economy, and yet he puts n sng.gestion into such shape 

that a railroad company is enabled to avail itself of it to increase their earnings 70,000. He ma.kes the sugge tion himself and they 

operate nnder tha~ suggestion, simply transferring one car from one train to another to a-ccomplish that result. 
1882. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1459 

Sir, I only rose for the purpose of emphasizing the conclusions and 

deductions which logically flow from the speech of the gentleman 

from New Jersey. 

And now a word in regard to the complaints of the gentleman who 

last addressed the House. He has complained of the Committee on Appropriations. Allow me to say to him that that committee has 

nothing whatever to do with the administration of this fund. It is the Post-Office Department of which you should complain, and not 

the Committee on Appropriations. That committee does not Ray 

what roatl shall have the money or what road shall not have it. The 

Department has it to say, and that Department alone controls the 

disposition of the money. 

Mr. DAVIS, of illinois. The Department ought not to have the 

control of it; it should be with Congress. 

[Here the hammer fell.] 

lr. BLOUNT. Mr. Chairman, the difficulty in my mind iu refer- ence to the amendment su~gested by the gentleman from New Jersey 

li es llcre: the Postmaster-venera! may direct the reweighing of the 

mails on any line whenever in his discretion he shall determine that 

it is a proper thing to be done. The Postmaster-Geneml, in the ex- ercise of that discretion, and in reference to the road which we are now discussing, did direct the reweighing of the mail, and having 

authority under the law to make this contract with this company, I 

doubt whether or not it is competent for this House by this amend- ment to undertake to say that this solemn engagement, entered into 

nnder the sanction of the law, with the railroad company by the 

Po•tmaster General, can lie set aside by a single amendment like this. 

I am fnrt;her troubled, Mr. Chairman, because I am not so sure that 

the gen tlet u:m is conect in his arraignment of the former PostmasterGeneral. J am as loyal to my party, I trust, as any gentleman is; 

lmt I hop,• I am still more loyal in the matter of attempting to do 

ju t ice to nll men at all times. 

It is allcgecl that the Postmaster-General said to this railroad com- paH_r, "if yon will put on an extratrainlwill agree to reweigh the e mails." 1\·ow, it may be, sil:, and it is a matter worthy of consideration, that the very fact of an exti:_a train having been put upon that 

li no may have drawn to it, as a more expeditious mode for their transmission, large nnmbers of newspapers and mail-matter of various 

sort from other lines of road. And the railroad company may have 

stated to the Department: we are willing to put on that extra train 

aiHl do all th~Lt we can for the public service; but the difficulty li es here, th:•t, if we do put on this fast mail of necessity you will double 

the amount of mail matter we are required to transport. It may also 

ha Ye been that the Postmaster-General, exercising the discretion 

which the law gi \'OS him, responded-and I have no doubt that it 

will be shown that this increased mail was carried over the road: you arc pni<l by weight, and I am willing to reweigh the mail in order to 

establish the fact of the increase of service yon do for the Govern- ment aml give you the full benefit of it. 

I simply make these suggestions. I do not intend to say that these are the fa.cts; but I am not willing, in hot haste, to allege that there 

has been a corrupt transaction here, or any thing unusual so far as the weighing of the mail is concerned. Why, on all these trunk lines 

it is a constant habit to weigh along iu February of each year. There 

is no obhgat.ion on the part of the Department, under the law, to reweigh the mail more than once in four years, but it is a discretion which we have given the Department. 

I think, sir, if what gentlemen seem to believe about this matter 

be true, we ought to investigate it. There ought to be a resolution 

of investigation. But, 1\fr. Chairman, if I had my own way, if I 

could have my own will, I would strike down the appropriation for 

special facilities, not only on trunk lines but in every direction, for 

the reason that it gives to the Post-Office Department absolute control 

of a vast sum of money. Now on a few lines half a million is neces- s:try. Gentlemen propose to strike that out and give it to other lines. 

And it will be but a. few years before the great bulk of the money 

paid to railroads for carrying your mails, instead of being re()"ulated 

l)y law, will he ab ol utely at the disposal of the Postmaster-G'eneral. 

Antl if, .Mr. Chairman, what is alleged on this :floor be true, as I believe, that there was a fraudulent use of the fund for the star-route 

service, who shall tmdertake to say that the same thing shall not occur with reference to this, and that this sum and every other sum used by that Department should not be as much regulated by law as possiu1e. 

[Here the hammer fell.] . Mr. 'V ARD. I desire to see the mail facilities of this country in- crea ed in every particular. The people desire wise arrangements nnd honest and prudent management, and with these essentials they :ue ready to make liberal appropriations. The fast railway mails, 

the steamboat routes, the star routes, an<l the free delivery are interwoven, and one part of the system cannot be stricken down 

wHhont serious detriment to the other. 

I am in favor of increasing the compensation of the letter-caniers as a mea uTe of justice and also of wise economy. When a former 

post-office appropriation was before the House I took occa ion to say 

iu tbe d.ebate thereon what I shall now read: • 

I believe as a. class the letter-carriers are not paid an amount equivalent to the 

ch l-acter of the men employed, the qualifications they require, and the services 

t.b•ly perform. I belie>e there is no class of men as intelligent, as well ilisciJ>lined, ,as courteous, wl10 are required t.o perform such responsible duties, and suifer the 

expos"o/e in a~ weathers durin~ the Ion~; holl!S, providing at their own expense a presct·a bed tmiform, that are paul any thing like the low wages they receive. Fair 

wages to the men who do the work is both simple justice and wise legislation. 

I desire also upon this point to repeat those expressions and to say 

that I believe the policy therein indicated would be sanctioned by the 

voice of the people at large in this cotmtry. 

I hould tlesire also, l\fr. Chairman, to offer an amendment to the 

clan e of this bill which relates to free deli very, so as to effect a modification of the rnle by which free delivery is now established. As I nnde1·stand it, tbe ystem as extended te cities is based upon 

and regulated. olely by the arbitrary rule of population, without 

regard to any other incident or surrounding of the locality. I take 

issue with tllat system. 1 say that there are other elements that 

should enter into the question of the extension of the free-delivery 

syste.m besides the item of population alone. I take the ground 

that It ought. to be regulated by the geographical and topographical 

con<litions of the count1:y, by the proximity of the people to the postoffice, and the convenience of access. I say, also, that it ought to be 

regulated to some extent by the profits to the postal revenues of the 

country of the particular post-office. 

To illustrate what! mean I will allude to the cityofChe ter, which 

I have the huor to repre ent and in which I reside. The city of 

Chester produces a net profit to the postal revenues of this country of $5,.24~.15. That city has ~o free-deli~ery system now, and under 

ex1stmg laws cannot get 1t. In lookmg over the list I find that 

there are six other pla-ces which contribute less to the postal l'eve- nues of the country and which yet enjoy these accommodations. 

Now, I say that system is inequitable and unjust. If the city of 

Chester would be accommodated, as she would be, and if her people 

would be greatly convenienced by the extension of this system to 

them, she ought to have it. 

The city of Oswego, in New York State, has a free delivery ancl 

pays 5,134.23 of net revenue ; the city of Elizabeth, in New Jersey 

pays 4,809.49; the city of Hoboken pays 3,319.60; thecityofEaston' $2,275.26; the city of Lafayette, $4,589.32. ' 

Now, to bring about what! think a very equitable sy tern, I desi,.,.u 

to propose an amendment which will give the Postmaster-Gene:'al 

power to extend this system to cities where he believes the public 

accommodation would be increased thereby, and where a small proportion, let it be one-third ·or one-fourth, if you please of the net 

revenue, of the net profits of the particular post-office t~ the postal reven~es shall be devoted to that purpose. I think a re~ulation of 

that kmd, based upon the fact of whether the post-office 1s a paying one. or not, would. be one of the best ways of regulating this freedeli very system. · 

Mr. CANNON. Sometimes, .Mr. Chairman, a debate is founded on a mistake of fact; sometimes it is founded on a mistake of law. Verv 

largely, I undertake to say, this debate is so founded. Section 4002 

of the Revised Statutes is as follows: 

. The Postmaster-General is authorized and directed to readjust the compensation hereafter to be paid for the transportation of mails on railroad routes upon the 

conditions and at the rates hereinafter mentioned: 

First. That the mails shall be conveyed with due frequency and speed· aml that 

s_ufiicient and suitable room, fixtur~s, and furniture, in a car or apartment jroperly 

~Feh!~~ ~n~h:.armed, shall be provuled for route agents to accompany an distribSecond. That the paY. per mi:J.e per annum shall not exceed the following rates, n~mely, on routes carrymg therr whole length an average weight of mails per <lay of two hundred pounds, $50; five hundred pounds, $75; one thousand pounds, $100; one thousand fi'l"e hundred pounds, $125; two thousand pounds, $150; three thousand fi>e ~~mlred pounds, $175; five thousand pounds, $200, and $25 additional for 

every additional two thousand pounds, the a>erage weight to be ascertained, in 

every case, by the a{)tual weiglung of the mails for such a number of successive 

working-days, not less than thirty, at such times, after JRne 30, 1873, and not less 

frequently than once in every four years, and the result to be stated and verified in 

such form and mauner as the Postmaster-General may direct. 

The statnte thus provides that the railroads shall be paid by wei<tht 

and ac~or.c.ling to the exact amount of weight they cany of malls. 

Now, str, if we could get every day the amount carried, then we would get the exact amount they are entitled to under the la.w; but 

the law says, as that cannot be done, the weicrhing shall be as often ~s .once in fom years for thirty days. It may be oftener; practically 

1t 18 more frequently made. In some parts of the country it is once in two years, and sometimes more frequently. They weigh for thirty 

days, and say that for the year, or for the time to come until you 

weio-h again, we can settle upon the ba.sis of that weight. 

This discretion was given to the Postmaster-General so that in the 

event there was a great increase in the mails he could wei~h oftener 

than once in four years. It was also given him that if in his opinion 

there was a decrease in the mails he could weigh oftene.r than once in four years and decrease the pay. Now, what is the fact f Over a year ago the Postmaster-"General did weigh on those roads in the 

northea tern section of the country. What is the further fact Y That 

in about a year he concluded to weigh again on four trunk lines leading from New York west and leading from Boston west. What is the 

ftrrther fact f 

.Mr. ROBESON. Will the gentleman allow me to interrupt him f 

Mr. CANNON. In my five minutes I cannot yield. If the com- mittee will extend my time I willyieldin a minute after I have com- pleted this point. 

\Vhat is the further fact-r That in the weighing from New York 

to New Haven this year within a year from the tune the mail was weighed, the pay iB decreased in round numbers, say, $20,000 
1460 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. FEBRU.ARY 26, 

to $25,000. 'Vhat is the further fact f This weighing talked about on these four roads will not be completed for thirty or forty days 

y et to come. It is presumed it will increa-se the pay, and I suspect 

it will. I am frank to say that, from the li<Thts I have now, if I had 

b een Postma ter-General I am inclined to believe I would not have 

rewei<Thed; but after the weighing is done I ask gentlemen wm those ~oad be paid for carrying one pound of mail that they do not 

carry ? The answer is no; not a pound. But the point made by the 

gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. ATKL~S] is that if the Postma terGeneml had waited four years he would have got service from the e r ailroad companies at the rate, as they fix it, of 240,000 for nothing. 

Now, I am not defending or accusing anybody, but I want to say to 

the committee before you strike down this clause of the appropriation for "special facilities," because, as you say, the discretion has 

been misused in weighing, investigate and censure, if censure is 

deserved, but do not deprive the whole people of the fast-mail service. 

[Here the hammer fell.] 

Mr. ROBESON. The gentleman from illinois promised to yield 

to me one moment. 

The CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentleman from Illinois ha.s expired, a.nd the time for debate by order of the House is also exhausted. 

Mr. PAGE. I would like unanimous consent to speak a minute or two. I desire to be heard for a few moments. 

Tho CHAIRMAN. The Chair cannot ask that unanimous consent, 

debate being closed under the order of the House. 

:M:r. PAGE. I was unfortunately absent during the debate, and 

being the introducer of the amendment I hope I may be allowed a 

moment. 

Mr. ATKINS. I hope that privilege may be granted to the gentleman. 

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair cannot ask unanimous consent for 

that purpose, because it would extend debate beyond the order of the 

House. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of Illinois. ·when the committee rose for the 

purpose of obtaining an order of the House limiting debate, there was pending but one amendment, as I understand. 

The CHAIRMAN. Substantially but one amendment. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of illinois. That offered by the gentleman from 

California. 

The CHAIRMAN. As modified by the gentleman from illinois, 

[Mr. SINGLETON.] 

Mr. SINGLETON, of Illinois. As modified by myself. Now I do 

not understand that the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. ROBESON] 

h art at the time offered Ri8 proviso. It certainly was not offered as an amendment to the amendment of the gentleman from California or my o\\·n. 

The CHAIRMAN. So the Chair understands. 

1\Ir. SINGLETON, of Illinois. It was not pending then, and it is 

not pending now. The CHAIRMAN!' That is the understanding of the Chair. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of Illinois. And the debate which has been had 

under the order of the House has not been upon the pending amendment. . The CHAIRMAN. The order of the House was that there should 

be debate for a certain time, not upon the pending amendment, but 

upon the pending clause and all amendments thereto. 

l\Ir. SINGLETON, of Illinois. And it has been confined to the proviso which the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. ROBESON] gave no- tice he would propose. The gentleman fi:om California [Mr. PAGE] 

l1as not been heard at all upon his amendment, nor have I been permitted to say a word upon the amendment which I offered to the 

pendinu clause. 

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair is not responsible for that. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of illinois. I hope unanimous consent will be 

given the gentleman from California to be heard. 

l\1r. PAGE. Do I understand the Chair t-o hold that the Committee of the Whole cannot give unanimous consent. 

The CHAIRl\IAN. Where the House has made an order limiting 

debate, the Committee of the Whole cannot extend the time by unani- mous con ent; otherwise it might nullify the order entirely. 

Mr. PAGE. Is it in order to move that the committee now rise for 

the purpose of extending the time for debate five or ten minutes Y 

The CHAIRMAN. It is always in order for the committee to rise. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of Illinois. I move that the committee now rise. 

The motion was not agreed to. 

The CHAIRMAN. By order of the House the time for debate upon 

the pending clause of the bill and all amendments thereto has been 

exhausted. The question is first upon the amendment offered by the 

gentleman from California [Mr. PAGE] as modifi.edatthesuggestion 

of the gentleman from illinois, [1\Ir. SIXGLETOX.] The Clerk will 

read the amendment as modified. 

The Clerk read the amendment, as follows: 

.Aft-er the word •• spooial ' ' insert the word ' ' mail," and strikeout the words ''on 

trunk lines;" so that the clause will read "for necessary and special mail facili· 

ties, $500,000." 

Mr. ROBESON. I now offer my amendment, and aak that it be 

pendin<T. 

The CHAIRl\IAN. The amendment will be read. 

The amendment was read, as follow : 

Add to the pending paragraph the followin g: " Provided, That the Postmast er-General shall deduct from the pay accruin g to any railroad company under this appropriation the ammmt of incr eased p ay acc ru- ing to such company from the appropriation for tran sportation on railroaCi r on t s by reason of the reweighing of tbe mails agreed upon in Oc~ber and December lal'lt 

between the then Postmaster-General an<fthe officers of such railroad company." 

:Mr. ROBESON. I will withdraw the amendment for the present . The CHAIRMAN. The question is then upon the amendment 0f 

the gentleman from California a mouitied. 

1t1r. ROBINSON, of Mas a chusett . I a k for a flivision of that amendment. One part is to insert the word " mail" and the ot her 

part is to strike out certain words. 

The CHAIRl\IA.N. The Chair holds that the question is divh;ibl . The question will first be taken upon that branch of the amendment 

proposing to strike out ce1tain words. 

Mr. PAGE. l\Iy motion wa-s to strike out and in ert. 

The CHAIRMAN. Then the Chair would hold that the amendment is not divisible. 

Mr. ROBINSON, of Massa chusett . I think that was not the mo- tion. 

Mr. PAGE. Allow me to explain. l\fy m9tion first was to strike 

out certain words. Then the gentlemanfrom illinois [l\Ir. SINGLETON] asked me to modify my motion by including in it the inserting 

of the word "mail" after the word'' pecial," which I agreed to do. 

My motion, therefore, is to strike out and insert. 

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair thinks that the motion is clearly 

divisible, because it is not a simple motion to strike out and insert~ 

it is a motion to strike out of one part of the clause certain words 

and to insert a word in another portion of the clause. Therefore it 

is clearly divisible. If it was a motion to strike out certain worcls 

and to insert certain other words in lieu of those stricken out, then 

jt would not be divisible. The first question is upon striking out 

the words" on trunk lines." 

Mr. TOWNSEND, of Ohio. How will it read if the amendment is 

adopted f 

The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will read the paragraph as it will 

stand if amended. 

The Clerk read as follows : 

For necessary and spooial facilities, $500,000. 

The question was taken upon the motion to-strike out the words 

"on trunk lines," and it was not agreed to upon a division-ayes 56, noes 88. 

The CHAIRMAN. The next question is upon the portion of the 

amendment proposing to insert the word "mail" after the wonl "spe- cial," so that the clause will read "for necessary and special mail 

facilities on trunk lines, $500,000." 

The motion was agreed to. 

l\Ir. ROBESON. I now move my amendment. 

1t1r. PAGE. Is it in order at this time to move to strike out the 

paragraph f 

The CHAIRMAN. That motion is in order but cannot be voted upon 

until all amendments proposed to the paragraph have been disposed 

of. The ameudment of the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. RoBE- so~] will now be read. 

The Clerk read as follows : 

Add to the p,amgraph the following: "Provided, That the Postmaster-General shall deduct from the pay a{lm·uing to any railroad company under this appropriation the amount of increased pay aooru- ing to such compaDff from the appropriation "for transportation on railroad routes, " 

by reason of the reweighing of the mails agreed upon in October and December 

last, between the then Postmaster-General and tho officers of such railroad com· pany. " 

Mr. BUTI'ERWORTII. I move to amend that amendment by 

adding a clause which was originally a part of the amendment. The 

desire is to do full justice, I suppose. 

The amendment of Mr. BUTTERWORTH was read, as follows: 

Add to the proposed amendment the following: " Less the true amount to which such company is jnstJy entitled at the average rate of pay then existin~ for the increased facilities actually afforded by them in con· sideration of such reweighing." 

Mr. ROBESON. I accept that amendment. 

The CHAIRltiAN. The question then is upon the amendment rut 

modified. 

The question was taken ; a.nd upon a division there were-ayes 75, noes 92. 

Before the result of the vote was announced, 

Mr. SPRINGER called for tellers. 

Tellers were ordered, there being thirty in the affirmative, (one-fifth 

of a quorum;) and Mr. CASWELL and l\fr. SPRINGER were appointed. 

The committee again divided; and the tellers reported that there 

were-ayes 60, noes 90. 

So the amendment was not agreed to. 

JHr. HOLMAN. I ·now move to strike out the entire paragraph. The question was taken; and upon a division there were-ayes 6D1 

noes 91. 

Before the result of the vote was announced, 

1t1r. HOLMAN called for tellers. 

Tellers were ordered; and Mr. HOLMAN and l\fr. CASWELL were appointed. 
i882. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. 1461 

The committee again divided; and the tellers reported that there 

were-ayes 57, noes 87. 

Mr. HOLMAN. No quorum. 

The CHAIRMAN. The point is made that no quorum has voted. 

The tellers will resume their places and continue the count. 

The tellers resumed the count, ann reported-ayes 59, noes 90. 

So the amendment. was not agreed to. 

Mr. DAVIS, of Illinois. I move to amend by striking out lines 60 

and 61 and inserting the following: 

For necessary and special facilities on trunk lines, $500,000, $100,000 of which 

shill be expended for special facilities on trunk lines leading from Chicago, Saint 

Louis, and Cincinnati. 

Mr. CASWELL. I make the point of order that this amendment 

changes existing law and does not retrench expenditures. 

Tile CHAIRMAN. In the opinion of the Chair the amendment is 

cl13arly obnoxions to the prohibition of the rule. Does the gentlelllan from Illinois wish to be heard on the point of order 'I 

Mr. DAVIS,-of Illinois. Is there any rule that prevents Congress 

from directing where the money which it appropriates .shall be ex- l)ended 1 

The CHAIRMAN. On a measure of legislation coming from the 

appropriate committee such a provision would be in order, but on appropriation bills legislation of this kind is obnoxious to the inhilJition of the rule. 

Mr. DAVIS, of Illinois. Then I change the amendment so as to 

sa.y ''$499,000, $99,000 of which shall be expended," &c. 

The CHAIRMAN. That would not avoid the point of order. 

Mr. CASWELL. I make the point of order on the provision. 

The CHAIRMAN. The amendment is not in order. 

Mr. SPRINGER. One word on ·the point of order. As I understand, the amenument of my colleague [Mr. DAVIS, of illinois] provides simply that a portion of this fund shall be devoted to special 

mail facilities on lines leading from Chicago. 

Mr. DAVIS, of lllinois. Chicago, Saint Louis, and Cincinnati. 

Mr. SPRINGER. Now the point of order is made that the amendment changes existing law. But, as I understand, this branch of the 

service is maintained entirely under the provisions of appropriation 

bills; is not provided for by any general statute; is kept in exist- ence only by whatever appropriations may be made from year to year 

for this service. Under this view of the law, which I understand to 

be correct, it is competent for each Congress to determine what shall 

be done with the money appropriated for special mail facilities, without coming within the prohibition of the rule in regard to new legislation on appropriation bills. We have no general law providing 

that a certain amount shall be appropriated annually for special 

mail facilities on railroads; this service is kept in existence entirely 

by annual appropriations; it has no place in the general statutes of 

the United States. Therefore, I submit that the amendment of my 

colleague is entirely in order. It is competent for this House to determine whether it will authorize special mail facilities and where 

those special facilities shall be placed. Not only is the amendment 

perfectly germane and in order but (if I may go beyond the merits 

of the poiut of order) it is just to the country. 

The CHAIRMAN. With the last statement of the gentleman the 

Chair entirely agrees; but he thinks the point of order well taken. 

The Chair feels bound to adhere very strictly to the terms of the 

rule, to exclude which excludes upon an appropriation bill anything 

iu the nature of new legislation that does not retrench expenditures. 

With great deference to the opinion of the gentleman from lllinois, 

the Chair must sustain the point of order. 

1\.fr. BLAND. I move to amend this clause by striking out $500,000 

and inserting 425,000, the amount we appropriated last year. We 

began with au appropriation of $150,000, which has now run up to . $500,000. I think it is time to stop. 

The amendment of Mr. BLAND was not agreed to. 

l\lr. CASWELL. I now move that the committee rise and report 

the bill with the amendments to the House. 

Mr. ATKINS. Before the gentleman makes that motion, I wish to 

ask him whether he will not allow a yea-and-nay vote on this last 

clause. 

:Mr. CASWELL. We do not want any yea-and-nay vote. 

il'he motion of l\Ir. CASWELL waa agreed to. 

The committee accordinglty rose ; and the Speaker having re,mmed 

the chair, Mr. CALKINS reported that the Committee of the Whole 

House on the state of the Union having had under consideration the 

bill (H. R. No. 3548) making appropriations for the service of the 

Post-Office Department for the fiscal year ending J nne 30, 1883, and 

for other purposes, .had directed him to report back the same with 

sundry amendments. 

Mr. CASWELL. I demand the previous question on the bill and 

amendments. 

The previous question was ordered. 

The SPEAKER. The Clerk will read the first amendment reported 

from the Committee of the Whole House. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

In lines 33 and 34- strike out "$2,900,000" and insert "$3,000,000," and strike out "50" and insert "100; " so that the clause will read : "For payment to letter-carriers and the incidental expenses of the free-delivery 

system $3,000,000; $100,000 of whlch may be used, in the discretion of the Postmas- ter-General, for the establishment of the fre~elivery system in cities where it is 

,..Jlot now established." 

The amendment was agreed to. 

The next amendment reported from the Committee of the Whole 

House on the state of the Union was read, as follows: 

Strike out lines 4-5 to 53, inclusive, and insert in lieu thereof the following : "For inland mail transportation. namely, for transportation on railroad routes, 

$10,655,000. And hereafter when any railroad company fails or refuses to trans- port t!:te mails when x:equired by the Post-Office Depar!Jnent upon the fastest train or trams run upon satd road sa1d company shall have 1ts pay reduced 50 per cent. of the amount now provided by law. And the Postmaster-General is authorized to pay out of the appropriation for transportation on railroad routes for special rall- road service between the union depot m East Saint Lonis, lllinois, and the union 

depot in Saint Lonis, Missouri, a sum not exceeding the lowest rate which private 

individuals, express companies, or others may pay for transport.'ttion between said 

points, but not to exceed for the fiscal year $25,000, including allowance for depot room and transfer service at each termmal. And the act passed June 9, 1RSO. en- titled ' An act providinjr for the transportation of the mails between Ea..'lt Sa.int 

Louis, in the State ot lllinois, and Bamt Louis, in the State of Missouri,' be, and 

the same is hereby, repealed." 

The amendment was agreed to. 

The question recurred on the next amendment, as follows: 

In line 57 add the following : "Provided, how~mer, That whenever any contractor or sub-contractor shall Rub· 

let his contract for the transportation of the mail on any route for a less sum than t·hat at which he contracted to perform the service, the Postmaster-General may declare the original contract at an end and enter into a contract with the last sub- contractor, without advertising, to perform the service on the terms at which the 

last sub-contractor agreed with the original contractor or former sub-contractor to perform the same, provided that such last sub-contractor shall enter into a good 

and sufficient bond, and the original contractor shall not be released from his con- tract until a good and sufficient bond has been made by such last su.b-contractor 

and accepted by the Post-Office Department: Provided furth.Pr, That when a con- tract hereafter made is declared void on account of its having been sublet, the contractor shall not be entitled to one month's extra pay as provided for by law." 

The House divided; and tlu~re were-ayes 71, noes 67. 

:Mr. CASWELL called for the yeas and nays. 

The yeas and nays were ordered. The question wa-s taken; and there were-yea-s 112, nays 79, not 

voting 101; as follows: 

.Aiken, 

Anderson, 

Armfield, 

Atkins, 

Bayne, 

Bea{lh, 

Belmont, 

Black 

Bla{lkimrn, 

Blanchard, 

Bland, 

Bliss, 

Bragg, 

Bu.rrows, Juliu.s C. 

Cabell, 

Caldwell, 

Camp, 

Campbell, 

Carlisle, 

Cassidy, 

Chalmers, 

Chapman, 

Clardy, 

Clark, 

Clements, 

Cobb, 

Colerick, 

Cox, William R. 

Aldrich, 

Barbour, 

Bingham, 

Blount, 

Brewer, 

Briggs, 

Browne, 

Brumm, 

Buck, 

Buckner, 

Calkins, 

Candler, • Cannon, 

Carpenter, 

Caswell, 

Converse, 

Cook, 

Crapo, 

Cullen, 

Davis, George R. 

Allen, 

Atherton, 

Barr, 

Belford, 

Beltzhoover, 

Berry, 

Bowman, 

Buchanan, 

Burrows, J os. H. Butterworth, 

Chace, 

Cornell, 

Cox, Samuel S. 

Covington, 

Crowley, 

Culberson, 

Cutts, 

DaiTell, 

YEAS-112. 

Cravens, 

Curtin, 

Dawes, 

Deuster, Dibrell, 

Dingley, 

Dowd, 

Dunnell, 

Dwight, 

Ellis, 

Evins, 

Finley, 

Flower, 

Ford, 

Forney, 

Fulkerson, 

Garrison, 

Geddes, 

Guenther, 

Hardenbergh, 

Harris1 Henry S. 

HaselLme, 

Hatch, 

Hepburn, 

Herbert, 

Hewitt, G. W. Holman, 

Home, 

Hutchins, Singleton, Jas. W . Jones, George W. Singleton, Otho R. Jones, James K. Sparks, 

Jorgensen, Speer, Kelley, Springer, 

King, Stockslager, 

Klotz, Stone, 

Ladd, Strait, 

Latham, Thompson, P. B. Leedom, Tillman, 

Martin Tucker, 

:Matson', Turner, Henry G. 

McMillin, Tm'Der, Oscar 

Miller, Updegraff, J. T. Morrison, Upson, 

Muldrow, Vance, 

Mlttcbler, Van Horn, 

Oates, Walker, 

Page Warner, 

Pettibone, Washburn, 

Reagan, Watson, 

Rice, Theron M. Wellborn, 

Richardson, Jno. S. Wheeler, 

Robinson, Wm. E. Whitthorne, 

Ross, Willis, Scoville, Wilson, 

Shackelford, Wise, George D. Simonton, Young. 

NAYS-79. 

Deering, 

DeMotte, :Farwell, Chas. B. Farwell, Sewell S. 

Grout, 

Gunter, 

Hammond, N. J. Hawk, 

Heilman, 

Henderson, 

Hill 

His~ck, 

Horr, 

Houk, 

Hubbell, 

Jacobs, 

Jadwin, 

Jones, Phineas 

Joyce, 

Lacey, 

Lewis, Scrant.Qn, 

Marsh, Shallenberger, 

McCoid, Sherwin, 

McKinley, Shultz, 

Miles, Skinner, 

Moore, Smith, A. Herr Norcross, Smith, Dietrich C. 

Parker, Taylor, 

Peelle, Thompson, Wm. G. 

Pierce, Townsend, Amos 

Pound, Tyler, 

Prescott, Valentine, 

Ray, Van Aernam, 

Reed, Wait~ 

Rich, Warn: Richardson, D.P. West, 

Ritchie, White, 

Robinson, Geo. D. Williams, Chas. G. 

Robinson, James S. Willits. 

Russell, 

NOT VOTING-101. 

Davidson, Davis, Lowndes H. Dezendorf, 

Dibble, 

Dugrow, 

Dunn, 

Ermentrout, 

Errett, 

Fisher, 

Frost, 

George, 

Gibson, 

Godshalk, 

Hall, 

Hammond, John 

Hardy, 

Harmer, 

HaiTis, Benj. W. 

Haskell, 

Hazelton. 

Het'Ddon, 

Hewitt, Abram S. 

Hoblitzell, 

Hoge, 

Hooker, 

Hubbs, 

Humphrey, 

Kasson, 

Kenna, 

Ketcham, 

Knott, LeFevre, 

Lindsey, 

Lord, 

Manning, 

Masop, 

McClure, 

McCook, McKenzie, 

McLane, 

Mills, 

Money, 

Morey, 

Morse, 

Mosgrove, 

Moulton, 

Murch, 

Neal, 

Nolan, 

O'Neill, 

Orth, 

Pacheco, 

Paul, 

Payson, 
1462" CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- HOUSE. FEBRUARY 25, 

Phelps, Rosecrans, Stephens, Webber, 

Plti.::;ter, Ryan, TaJbott, Willllims, Thomas 

Randall, Scales, Thomas, Wise Mor~an R. 

Ranney, Shelley, Townshend, R. W. Wood, Ben.Jamin 

Rice, John n. Smith, J. Hyatt Updegraff, Thomas Wood, Walter A. 

Rice, \Villiam W. Spaulding, Urner 

Robertson, Spooner, Van Voorhis, 

Robeson, Steele, Wadsworth, 

So the n.mendment was agreed to. 

The following additional pairs were announced from the Clerk's 

desk: 

Mr. LEFEVRE with Mr. BARR. 

Mr. CORNELL with Mr. HERNDO:N. 

1\lr. V A.i.~ V00RHIS with Mr. TOWNSHEND of lllinois. 

Mr. DUNNELL with Mr. DIBBLE. Mr. FISHER with 1\Ir. McKENZIE. Mr. YOUNG with :Mr. KENNA. 

Mr. MILLS with Mr. HAZELTON. 

Mr. KASSON with Mr. ROSECRANS. l\lr. WILLIAMS, of Alabama, with Mr. RYAN. 

Mr. O'NEILL with Mr. RANDALL. 

1\lr. SPAULDING with Mr. HOGE. 1\Ir. SCALES with 1\Ir. ERRETT. 

1\Ir. YOUNG. I am paired with Mr. KEN:NA on political questiOns, 

but not regarding this as such, I have voted. On motion of Mr. UPDEGR.Al!.,F, of Ohio, by unanimous consent, 

the reading of the names was dispensed with. 

The vote wa-s then announced as above recorded. Mr. HOLMAN moved to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was a~reed to ; and also moved that the motion to reconsider 

be laid on tne table. 

The latter motion was agreed to. The question r ecurred on the next amendment, as follows: 

In line 79 strike out "of official stamus." and in line 80 strike out "400," and add 

"and hereafter no official stamps shall be supplied to any of the Departments, or any officer of the United States, but all correspondence on official business shall be 

transmitted in penalty envelopes." 

'l'he House divided; and there were- ayes 58, noes 25. l\Ir. VALENTINE. No quorum has voted. 

The SPEAKER appointed 1\Ir. HISCOCK, and Mr. SL~GLETO:N of 

Illinois, tellers. The House again divided; and the tellers reported-ayes 86, noes 70. 

So the amendment was agreed to. The next amendment was read, as follows : 

In line 61, after the word "special," iniert the word "mail; " so it will read 

"for necessary ana special mail facilities on trunk lines, $500,000." 

The amendment wa-s agreed to. 

1\lr. CASWELL. I move, in section 2, to strike out "787,577.!)5 '' 

aud insert in lieu thereof "&37,177.90 ;" so it will rean: 

SEC. 2. That if the revenue of the Post-Office Department shall be insufficient to meet the appropriations made by this a{}t, then the sum of $887,177.90, or so much 

thereof as may be necessary, be. and the same is hereby1 appropriated, to be paid out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropru~ot d, to supply defi.c'encies in the revenue of the Post-Office Department for the year ending J nne 30, 1883. 

The amendment was 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. 

l\lr. SINGLETON, of lllinois. I move to recommit the bill with 

instructions to amend by adding a new section, as follows : 

Steamboat mail service on the Mississippi River, or any part thereof between 

the city of Saint Louis, in the State of Missouri, and the city of Saint Paul, in the 

State of Minnesota, shall not be discontinued so long as navi~a.tion of said river 

remains open and unobstructed and the mails can lle safely transported thereon 

uy steamboats and the laws of the United States applicable thereto maint.ained 

and the revenues therefrom collected. 

Mr. HlSCOCK. Is that in order¥ 

The SPEAKER. It is an independent motion; and a motion to 

1·ecommit with instructions is in order. 

Mr. SINGLETON, of Illinois. Upon the motion to recommit with 

instructions I ask the yeas and nays. 

The yeas and nays were not ordered, seventeen members only >oting therefor. 

The motion to recommit the bill with instructions was not agreed to. 

The SPEAKER. The question now is upon the passage of the bill. 

Under the rule the yeas and nays must be taken. The Clerk will 

call the r oll. The question was taken; and there were-yoas 180, nays 11, not 

voting 101 ; as follows : 

Aiken, Aldrich, 

Anderson, 

Annfield, 

Bayne, 

Beach, Belmont, 

~~~~m, l3lanchard, 

Bliss, 

Bragg, 

Urewer, 

Briggs, JJ1·owue l~rumm' 

llucban~, 

YEAS-180. 

Buck, 

Buckner, 

Burrows, Julius C. 

Butterworth, 

Cabell, 

Caldwell, Callrins, 

Camp, 

2:a1:~· Cannon, 

Carlisle, 

Carpenter, 

Cassidy, 

ChAlmers, 

Chapman, 

Clardy, 

Clark, 

Clements, 

Cobb, 

Col erick, 

Cook, 

Crapo, 

Cravens, 

Cullen, 

Curtin, 

Davis, George R. Dawes, 

De Motte, 

Dezendorf. 

Dibrell, 

Dingley, 

Dowd, 

Dunnell, 

Dwight, 

Ellis, 

Evins, 

Farwell, Chas. B. 

Farwell, Sewell S. 

Finley, 

:Flower, 

Ford, 

Forney, 

Fulkerson, 

Garrison, 

Geddes, 

Grout, 

Gunter, 

Hammond, N.J. 

Hardenbergh, 

Ha{leltine, 

Hatch, 

Hawk, Heilman, Henderson, 

Hepburn, 

Herbert, 

Hewitt, G. W. 

Hill 

Hiscock, 

Horr, 

Honk, 

House, 

Hubbell, 

Hubbs, Humphrey, Hutchins, 

Jacobs, 

Jadwin 

Jones, George W. 

Jones, James K. 

Jorgensen, 

Joyce, 

Kelley, 

King, Klotz, Knott, 

Lacey, Ladd, 

Latham, 

Leedom, 

Lewis, Lindsey, 

Manning, Marsh, 

Martin, 

Mason. 

Matson, 

McClure, 

McCook., 

McKinley, 

Miles, Miller, 

Morrison. Muldrow, 

Mutchler, 

Norcross, 

Oates, 

Page, Parker, 

Peelle, 

Pierce, 

Pettibone, Pound, 

Prescott, 

Ranney, 

Ray, 

Rea~an, Strait, 

Reea, Taylor, Rice, Theron M. Thompson, P. B. 

Rice, William W. Thompson, Wm. G. 

Rich, 1'ill.man, 

Richardson, D.P. Townsend, Amos 

Richardson, Jno. S. Turner, Henry G. 

Ritchie, Tyler, Robinson, Geo. D. Updegraff, J . T. 

R{)binson, Jame S. Valentine, Robinson, Wm. E. Vance, Ross, Van Aernam, Russell, Van Horn, Scoville, Wait, 

Sha<lkelford, Walker, 

Shallenberger, Ward, Sherwin, Washburn, Shultz, Watson, Singleton, Otho R. W ellborn, Skinner, W est, Smith, A. Herr Wheeler, 

Smith, Dietrich C. White, 

Sparks, Williams, Chas. G. 

Spaulding, Willis, 

Speer, Willits, St~ele, Wilson. 

Stockslager, Wise, George D. 

St{)ne, Young. 

NA..YS-11. 

Atkins, 

Bland 

McMillin, S{lringer, Simonton, Turner, Oscar 

Cox, William R. Singleton, Jas. W. Upson, 

NOT VOTING- 101. 

Allen, D~o-ro, 

Atherton, Dunn, Barbour, Ermentrout, 

Barr, Errett, 

Belford, Fisher, Beltzhoover, Frost, 

Berry, George, Blackburn, Gib. on. Blount, Godshalk., 

Bowman, Guenther, 

Burrows, Jos. H. Hall, 

Caswell, Hammond, John 

Chace, Hardy, 

Converse, Harmer 

Cornell, Harris, Benj. W. 

Cox, Samuel S. Harris, Henry S. 

Covington, Haskell, Crowley, Hazelton, 

Culberson, Herndon, Cutts, Hewitt, Abram S. 

Darrell Hoblitzell, 

Davidson, Hoge, Davis, Lowndes H. Holman, Deering, Hooker, 

Deuster, Jones, Phineas 

Dibble, Kasson, 

So the bill was passed. 

Kenna, Ketcham, 

LeFevre, 

Lord, 

McCoid, 

McKenzie, 

McLane, 

Mills 

Mon~y. 

Moore, 

Morey, 

Morse, 

Mosgrove, 

Moulton, 

Murch, 

Neal, 

NoL.'tD., 

O'Neill, 

Orth, Pacheco, 

Paul, 

P.1yson, 

Phelps, 

Phlster, 

Randall, 

Rice, John B. 

Warner, 

Whitthorne. 

Robertson, 

Robeson, 

Rosecrans, 

Ryan, 

Scales, 

, cranton, · Shelley, Smith, J. Hyatt Spooner, Stephens, 

Talbott, 

Tholll!lS, 

Townshend, R. W . Tucker, 

Updegraff, Thomas 

Urner·, 

Van Vom·his, 

Wadsworth, 

W ebber, 

Williams, Thomas 

Wiset Morgan R. 

Wooa, Benjamin Wood, Walter A. 

On motion of 1\lr. V A.LENTINE, by unanimous con ent, the reading 

of the names was dispensed with. The result of the vote was then announced as above recorded. l\Ir. CASWELL 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. 

ORDER OF BUSTh"'ESS. 

1\.U:. KLOTZ. I move that the House do now aujourn. 

1\Ir. V A.LENTINE. I hope the gentleman will yield to me for the 

purpose of introducing a bill for reference, as we will have noses- sion on l\fonday. 

LEAVE TO WITHDRAW PAPERS. 

The SPEAKER. Pending the motion to acljourn the Chair desires 

to submit certain requests of members. 

There wa.s no objection. By unanimous consent, leave was ~ranted to :Mr. LoRD to witlldraw all papers ·filed in connection w1th report No. 684, Forty-sixth 

Congress, second session, there being no adverse report. Also, to 1\Ir. HA..RDEXBERGH, t<O withdraw from the files of the Honse 

the hill H. R. No. 1038, to amend an act entitled "An act for the 

construction of a public building for use by the United States Government in the city of New York," approved June 15, 1878, there 

being no adverse report. 

LEAVE OF ABSENCE. 

By unanimous consent, leave of absence was granted to 1\Ir. CAS- WELL for ten days, on account of sickness in his family. 

INTERNAL REVEJ.~E TAX ON STILLS, ETC. 

The SPEAKER, by unanimous consent, laid before the Hou'se a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmittmg a communication 

from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, r ecommending the 

amendment of sections 3244 and 3689 of the Revised Statutes, so aa to provide for the payment of drawback of internal-revenue tax on stills and distilling-worms exported to foreign countries; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and l\1eans, and orrlered to be 

printed. ORDER OF BUSIXESS. 

'l'he SPEAKER. The question is on the motion of the gentleman 

from Pennsylvania, that the House do now adjourn. 
1882. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE. ·1463 

Mr. VALENTINE. I hope the gentleman will withdraw that mo- tion for the present. 

Mr. KLOTZ. Very well, I withdraw the motion. 

JACOB BOGERT. 

Mr. VALENTINE, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 

No. 467~) for the relief of Jacob Bogert; which was read a first and 

second time, referred to the Committee on Claims, and ordered to be 

printed. EULOGIES O.N PRF.SIDENT GARFIELD. 

The SPEAKER. The Chair is requested to announce to members 

that the Sergeant-at-Arms, in order to execute the order of the Senate 

and House of Representatives in connection with the procee~gs on Monday, will be required to remove the t~ree rows of seats rn fr~mt 

for that day, which will be restored to therr places by the followrng 

Tue day. ORDER OF BUSTh"'ESS. 

Mr. Ju~OTT. I move that the House do now adjourn. 

Mr. McCOOK. Before the gentleman presses that motion~ I wish 

to ask if we are to understand that members who have seats rn those rows will have their seats reserved. 

The SPEAKER. The Chair is unable to answer the gentleman. 

l1r. BRAGG. I desire to know whether the request for theremova.l of three rows of seats includes the entire circle of seats. 

The SPEAKER. The Chair is informed that it includes the entire 

circle. 

The Chair will al o submit to the House that for the purpose of 

carrying out the order of :proceedings on MoJ?-day it will be n~cesRary to omit the readinO' of the J_ournal of th1s. ~ay's proceed~ngs. 

The Chair desires, therefore, unarumous consent, if1t can be obtarned, 

of the Honse that the reading of the Journal of this day's proceedincrs be dispensed with on Monday, and that it be allowed to be read ou Tnesd~ty instead. 

There ''as no objection, and it was ordered accordingly. 

Mr. McCOOK. I do not wish to appear to attach any importance 

to what may seem to be a very tmimportant matter; but inasmt~ch 

as it is personal to myself, and I speak only for myself, I would like 

to know if the Sergeant-at-Arms is permitted to remove the three rows of ~eats specified by the Speaker, what provision is to be made 

for seatinO' those members who will be thereby displaced. I wish to 

know if b~ will give me another ~eat, so that I will be placed upon an equality with other members in that respect. 

The SPEAKER. The Chair is very frank to state that he is not 

fnlly a'lvised as to the arrangements. The Chair understands, how- ever that all persons admitted to the Hall by tickets, whether mem- bers'or others, will be provided with seats. 

Mr . .ATKINS. But members will not be required to have tickets. 

The SPEAKER. The Chair is informed that every person a.dmittetl. with or without tickets, will be provided with a seat. The Chair 

wishes to sta.te that he has very little to do in this matter. It is 

done under tlae order of the two Houses. 

Mr. YOUNG. I ask leave to introduce a bill for reference. 

[Cries of '' Re<Yular order!"] 

1\fr. ROBESON. I would like to know what has been the order 

a,l>out the seats¥ 

The SPEAKER. The Cha.ir is tmable to answer t.be gentleman's 

question further t.hau it has already stated. 

l\1r. ROBESON. IwanttoknowwhethertheRepresentativeshere 

in the front rows are to be ruled out or not T 

The SPEAKER. The que tion is on the motion of the gentleman 

from Kentucky, [l\1r . .K.."l<\OTT,] which is that the House do now adjourn. 

l\1r. McCOOK. I call for a division. 

:Mr. ROBESON. We want to know about this thing. Let us have 

this• settled. before we adjourn. 

The question being taken on Mr. K.~orr's motion, there were-ayes 

42, noes 62. 

So the Honse refused to adjourn. 

MERCHANT VESSELS OF THE UNITED STATES. 

Mr. V .AN HORN, by lmanimous consent, submitted a concurrent 

resolution, providing for the printing of extra copies of the authentic 

list of the merchant vessels of the United States; which was referred 

to the Committee on Printing. 

REPORT 0~ ORA..."'<GE INSECTS, 

Mr. V .AN HORN also, by rmanimous consent, submitted a concur- rent resolution to print 10,000 copies of a special report on orange 

insects; which was referred to the Committee on Printing. 

ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. 

Mr. V .AN HORN also, by unanimous consent, submitted a concm- rent resolution to print 1,000 copies of a special report entitled 

Biblio~raphy of Economic Entomology; which was referred to the 

Comm1ttee on Printing. 

L~SECTS AFFECTING TREES. 

:Mr. VAN HORN also, by unanimous consent, submitted a, concnr- ent resolution to print 2,000 copies of a special report on in ects 

_afi:ecting trees; which was referred to the Committee on Printing. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS. 

Mr. YOUNG. I ask unanimous consent to introduce a bill for ref- erence. 

Mr. ROBESON. We desire to know what it is that is said to have 

been ordered by the House. We have not heard it. 

The SPEAKER. The Chair will state to the gentleman that the 

two Houses made an order in reference to the memorial services on the 27th of this month, and each member is as able to learn the effect 

of that order as the Chair is. The nhair has simply made an announce- ment that in order to execute the order the Sergeant-at-Arms has 

intimated it would be necessary to remoYe three rows of seats in- front. The Chair has no ot.her information about it. 

Mr. BRAGG. I move that the House do now adjourn. 

Mr. ROBESON. I would like to have a vote of the House, to see if they agree with the Sergeant-at-Arms or not. 

Mr. ROBINSON, of New York. I hope there will be a vote of the 

House on that subject. 

The SPEAKER. The que tion is on the motion of the gentleman 

from Wisconsin, that the House do now adjourn. 

The question being- taken on a division by sound the Speaker stated 

that in the opinion of the Chair the "noes" had it. 

Mr. BRAGG. I call for a division. 

The House again divided; and there were-ayes 44, noes 39. 

Mr. McCOOK. I call for tellers. 

Mr . .ATKINS. I hope gentlemen will allow us to adjourn. It bas 

always been usual on such occasions to make arrangements of this 

character about the seats. 

On the question of ordering tellers, there were ayes 36, more than 

one-fifth of a quorum. 

The SPEAKER. Tellers are ordered; and the Chair appoints the 

gentleman from New York, l\1r. McCooK, and the gentleman from 

·wisconsin, Mr. BRAGG, to act as tellers. 

The Hou e again divided; and the tellers reported-ayes 52, noes 24. 

So the motion was agreed to; and accordingly (at five o'clock and 

twenty minutes p. m.) the House adjourned. 

PETITIONS, ETC. 

The following memorials, petitions, and otherpapers were laid on the Clerk's desk, nuder the ntle, and referred as follows: 

By .Mr. ALDRICH: Memoria.! andre olntions ofthe Illinois State 

board of hea.lth-to the Committee on the Public Health. 

By Mr. BAYNE: The petitions of 0 citizens of Hummelstown and 

of -360 citizens of HaiTisburgh, Pennsylvania, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposit.~ and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and draftsto the Committee on Ways and Means. 

By Mr. BELMO~: The petitiou of CaptainJ. B. Young and others, 

citizens of Stoney Brook, Brook Haven, and Smithtown, New York, 

for the improvement of Stoney Brook Harbor-to the Committee on Commerce. 

By Mr. BLISS: The petition of Lewis M. Van Kirk and others, 

glass-workers, residents of Williamsbnrgh, New York, relative to the 

enforcement of the laws imposing duties on manufactured glass-to 

the Committee on Ways and Means . .Also, pa.pers rela.ting to the pension claim of Mary R. 1\Iudge-to 

the Committee on Invalid Pensions. 

By l\1r. BREWER: The petition of 30 citizens of Kalamazoo, Micbi<Tan, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent 

stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the Committee on Ways and 

l\1eans. 

By Mr. BRIGGS: The pet.ition of 40 citizens of N asbua, a.nd of 60 

citizens of l\Iancbester, New Hampshire, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and draftsto the same committee. 

By Mr. BROWNE: The petition of Norman J. Ingersoll, for an in- crease of pension-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. 

By Mr. J. C. BURROWS: The petition of citizens of Michigan, for 

legislation for the suppression of polygamy-to the Committee on the Judiciary. 

.Also, the petition of citizens of Michigan, for legislation to regulate charges for railway transportation-to the Committee on Com- merce. By l\1r. BUTTERWORTH : The petitions of H. Field and 75 others, 

citizens of Evansville; of John l\1. Lockwood and 40 others, citizens 

of Mount Vernon, Indtana; of C. B. Russell and 100 other·, citizens 

of the Ohio Valley; of William Robinson and 49 others, citizens of 

Cincinnati; and of 0. P. SHinkle, John Gilbert, and 75 others, praying for the establishment of eighty atlditional light-hou es on the 

Ohio River-severallv to the same committee. By l\lr. CAMPBELL: The petition of citizens of Tyrone, Blair 

County, Pennsylvania, for increase of pension to eaeh soldier who 

has lost a limb, either by amputation or by such wmmds as shall have 

rendered the limb useless-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. 

By l\Ir. CORNELL: The petition of William D. Hill and about 200 

others, residents of fifteenth district of New York, for a r~duction in 

the duty on suo-ar-to the Committee ou "\Vays and Means. 

By :Mr. DEERING: The petHion of 80 citizens of Wat.erloo, Iowa, 

for the repeal of the tax on banks and the two-cent stamp on bank 

check and draft -to the same committee. 
1464 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-· SENATE. FEBRUARY 27; 

By Mr. DIBREL~: The petiti?n of 1\~s. E. F. Carter, for a pension-to the Comnnttee on Invalid Pensions. 

By Mr. S. S. FARWELL: The petition of 48 citizens of Davenport, 

Iowa, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent 

stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the Committee on Ways and 

Means. 

By Mr. C. B. FARWELL: The petition of the Chicago His1orical 

Society, urging the purchase of the manuscripts of Franklin now offered for sale-to the Committee on the Library. 

By Mr. FORD: The petition of 80 citizens of Bethany, Missouri, 

for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the Committee on Ways and Means. 

Also, the resolutions adopted by Custer Post, Grand Army of the 

Republic, of Missouri, protesting against the repeal of the arrears of 

pensions act-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. 

By Mr. HARDENBERGH: The petition of 40 citizens of Orange, 

ancl of 40 citizens of Frenchtown, New Jersey, for the repeal of the 

tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and 

drafts-to the Committee on Ways and Means. 

By Mr. B. W. HARRIS : Memorial of the officers and crew of the 

United States steamer Alliance, praying for remuneration for extra 

clothing, mess-stoTes, &c., pnrchased during the cruise of that vessel 

in the Arctic Ocean-to the Committee on Naval Affairs. 

By Mr. HAWK: The petition of 26 cjtiz.ens of J o Daviess County, 

illinois, for legislation regulating charges for railway transportation-to the Committee on Commerce. 

By Mr. HOGE: The petition of 55 citizens of Mprgantown, \Vest 

Vir()'inia, for the repeal of the ta,x on bank deposits and the two-cent sta~p tax on bank checks and drafts-to the Committee on Ways 

and Means. 

By Mr. HOLMAN: The resolutions of a public meeting of citizens 

of Liberty, Union County, Indiana, for the enactment of laws to suppress polygamy-to the Committee on the Judicia:Ly. 

Also, the petition of Edgar R. Quick, Amos W. Hutler and others, 

citizens of Franklin County, Indiana, in favor of the repeal of duties on books, &c., relating to natural history-to the Committee on Ways and Means. 

Also, the petition of James A. Jones and others, citizens ofl<'ra.nklin County, Indiana, in favor of repealing the law re~uiring the 

stamping of bank checks-to the same committee. 

By 1\Ir. HORR: The petition of 40 citizens of East Saginaw and 

of 40 citizens of Bay City, Michigan, for the repeal of the tax on bank 

deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the same committee. 

By Mr. HOUK: Papers relating to the claimofvVilliamH. Young~ 

to the Committee on War Claims. 

By Mr. HOUSE : The petition of 248 citizens of Clarksville, Tennessee, for the repeal of the tax on banks and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the Committee on W avs and Means. 

By Mr. LACEY: Papers relating to the claim of Howell H. Traskto the same committee. 

Also, the petition of George A. Starkweather and 40 others, citizens 

of Michigan, for such legislation as will permit the use of alcohol in 

manufacturing vinegar-to the Committ-ee on \Vays and Means. 

By Mr. LATHAM: The petition of citizens of North Car~lina, for an appropriation for the improvement of the Tar River-to the Committee on Commerce. 

Also, the petition of citizens of Bertie County, North Carolina, for 

the establishment of a post route-to the Committee on the PostOffice and Post-Roads. 

Also, the petition of citizens of North Carolina, for the improvement 

of the Tar River-to the Committee on Commerce. 

Also, the petition of citizens of North Carolina, for increased pay 

for employes of the life-savin~ service-to the same committee. 

By Mr. LINDSEY: The petition of J. S. Tucker and other surviving soldiers of the Aroostook war, praying a pension may Le granted 

them for their services-to the Committee on the Payment of Pensions, Bounty, and Back Pay. 

Also, the petition of Almer M. Ward, guardian, praying for a pension for Willie F. Ward, minorchildofNehemiah Ward, late private 

Seventeenth Regiment Maine Volunteers-to the Committee on ·Invalid Pensions. 

By Mr. MARTIN: The petition of citizens of Wilmington, and of 

Joel Thompson and 144 others, citizens of Delaware, for the repeal of 

the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks 

and d.Tafts-to the Committee on 'Vays and Means. 

By Mr. MATSON: The petition of Charles C. Crabb and310 others, 

ex-soldiers living in Brown and Bartholomew Counties, Indiana, 

asking that the arrears of pensions act be not repealed-to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. 

By Mr. NE.AL: The petitions of 40 citizens of Portsmouth and of 

40 citizens of Bridgeport, Iowa, for the repeal of the ta.x on banks 

and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and drafts-severally to 

the Committee on Ways and Mea,ns. By :Mr. NOLAN: The petition of Angus :McD. Shoemaker and 

others, in relation to the passage of a bill granting pensions to cer- tain Union soldiers and sailors of the late war-to the Committee on the Payment of Pensions, Bounty, and Back Pay. 

By Mr. O'NEILL: The resolutions of the Philadelphia Board of 

'frn,de, urging the passage of House bill No. 2"253, to increase the efficienoy of the United States Signal Corps-to the Committee on Military Affairs. 

By Mr. ORTH: The petition of citizens of Noblesville, Indiann., 

for the repeal ef the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the Committee on Ways and Mean&. 

By Mr. PETTIBONE: Papers relating to the claim of Samuel Bolton-to the Committee on War Claims. 

By Mr. RANNEY: The petitions of 40 citizens of Roxbury and of 

30 citizens of Malden, Massachusetts, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and draftsto the Committee on Ways and Mean . By Mr. REED: The petition of citizens of Freeport, Maine, fo.:- au appropriation for the improvement of Hawesseeket River-t~r the 

Committee on Commerce. 

By Mr. J. S. BOBINSON: Papers relating to the claim of E D. 

Wheeler-to the Committee on Military .Affairs. 

By Mr. SCRANTON: The petition of citizens of Pittston, and of 

citizens of Carbondale, Pennsylvania, for the repeal of the taxets on banks, bankers, and banking institutions-severally to the ComhJittee on Ways and Means. 

By Mr. SHALLENBERGER: The petition of Henry C. Cooper ~nd 

others, citizens of Eldersville, Pennsylvania, in favor of the Mc.Kir..~ey 

tal'iff-to the same committee. 

By Mr. SPOONER : The petition of 167 citizens of Providence, 

Rhode Island, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the twocent stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the same ·committee. 

By Mr. ,V. G. THO)fPSON: The petition of 80 citizens of Tama 

City, Iowa, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the tr.ocent stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the same committee. 

By Mr. AMOS TOWNSEND: The petition of citizens of Tolee.o, 

Ohio, protesting against the constructing a bridge acl'oss the navigable chaunel of the Niagara River above the mouth of Tonawanfia 

Creek-to the Committee on Commerce. 

By Mr. THO~IAS {JPDEGRil'F: The petitions of 74 citizeni of 

Lansing, of 111 citizens of Dubuque, of 40 citizens of Independence, 

of 80 citizens of West Union, and of 80 citizens of McGregor, Iowa, 

for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and drafts-severally to the Committee on Ways and 

Means. 

By 1\ir. WASHBURN: The petition of Jacob Frankfield anu others, 

of Henderson, and of Charles Friend and others, of Saint Paul, Minnesota, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent 

stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the same committee. 

By Mr. WATSON: The petition of 240 citizens of Erie, P ennsylvania, for the repeal of the tax on bank deposits and the two-cent 

stamp on bank checks and drafts-to the same committee. 

By Mr. C. G. WILLIAMS: Memorial of Dr. H. A. Hazen, profes- sor of Harvard College, and others, recommending the purehase !Jy 

the Government of certain engraved plates by Professor Townend 

Glover-to the Committee on A~riculture. 

By Mr. WILSON: The petitwn of 120 citizens of Parkers burgh 

and of 160 citizens of Wheeling, West Virginia, .for the repeal of the 

tax on bank deposits and the two-cent stamp on bank checks and 

drafts-to the Committee on Ways and Means. 

By Mr. G. D. WISE: The petition of the heirs of Peter B. Bruin, 

and of the heirs of other Revolutionary soldiers-to the Committee on Pensions. 

SENATE. 

MONDAY, Februatt·y 27, 1882. 

The Chaplain, Rev. J. J. BULLO(:K, D. D., offered the following 

prayer: 

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we desire to look up to Thee 

for Thy blessing to rest upon the services of this day. Sanctify to us the memorial services upon which we are abou·t to attend. Deeply 

impress upon our minds a sense of our mortality and the importance 

of being ever ready for our departure, fol' we 1..---now not the day nor the hour when we may be called hence. 

Bless, we pray Thee, our rulers, the President of the United Stutes, 

the President of the Senate, the Senators and Representatives in Congres , and all others in authority. Give them grace ancl wisdom for 

the right discharge of their important duties. 

God, be merciful unto us and bless us. Cause His face to shine upon 

us, and give us peace in our day and generation, and finally save us all in Heaven. We ask for Christ our Redeemer's sake. Amen. 

.Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. President, I move that the Senate now a · a 

body proceed to the Hall of the llonse of Representatives in ptusu- ance of the programme of arrangemen.ts for the memorial services 

in honor of the lat.e President. 

The PRESIDENT p?·o tempore. There being no objection, that order 

will be executed now. The Senate, preceded by their Sergeant-at-Arms, proceeded to the 

Hall of the House of Representatives. . At one o'clock and fifty-eight minutes p.m. the Senate retnrned 

to its Chamber, and was called to order by the Presidentp1·o tempo1·e. 

Mr. SHERMAN. I move that the Senate do now adjourn. 

The motion was agreed to; and the Senate adjourned.