The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-24
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MONDAY, February "a, 1915


The General Appropriation bill was, on Saturday,
read third time and passed.
Several Executive communications were laid be.
fore the House; among them, one from the President
Of the United states, In reply 10 resolution, cover
ing statements from the Treasury, War, Navy,
State, and Post Office Departments, showing that no
case of enlightenment OF public money is known 10
hive occurred among officers of the General Govern
lnent since The Of August, lSli and II was laid
upon the ia BILE and ordered TO be printed.
Also a COMMUNICATION with reference to an expe-
dloss mode OF taking the yeas and nays; which, on
m,tion OF Mr.. Pratt, was referred TO the Committee
on Public Buildings and Grounds.
Various Senate bills were read twice, and referred
10 the appropriate commuters.
The bill TO amend act to carry into effect with
the States of Alabama and Mississippi the existing
Compact in relation 10 the five per cent Juno for
scIooI purposes, was read third time and pas sed'
REDUCTION OF POSTAGE
The House resolved Itself into Committee Of the
Whole on the ,the OF the Union, (Mr. Weller, OF
Ohio IN the Chair) and proceeded To the considera-
ton of the Senate bill 10 Reduce The rates oil postage,
TO limit the and correct the abuse OF the ranking
privilege, aid for the preventing Of frauds upon the
revenue of the Post Office Department.
The bill having been read through by the Clerk
Mr HOPKINS moved TO amend the first section,
(Which proposed uniform rate OF postage oil nVe
cents by striking out, and inserting the hrst sec
every letter, or package composed Of single sheet
of paper, conveyed not exceeding hundred miles,
FIVE cen : one hundred miles, ten cents, shall
he charged :; and so on in proportion to the number
of sheets of paper, etc. He submitted "A few re-
marks insisting that a greater reduction could not
safely be made without throwing the Department, TO
great extent, the public treasury but let them
toy this scale. lfthey should find, hereafter, that the
postage would bear u larger reduction, they could
easily make il, by the passage OF a supplementary
bill.
Mr.. RATHBUN said it was true the bill bad many
defects but as in the main, was good, for his part
he was not in the least disposed to eJect It, lie was
ready to take il without alteration, rather than our
present Post Office laws, which were burdensome
upon the country, should remain in force. lie re-
garded the measure as a plain thing-and, like the
reduction of fare steamboat, or railroad,
he believed that the business OF the de-
parlment would be increased. The reduction o.
postage in Great Britain had demonstrated, that, IN
stead Of destroying the Of that branch oil tht
Government, II actually increased il. lie moved tba
the Committee rise, enable resolution to be 10
troduced for the debate in ten minutes iron
the lime the House shall again go into Com nittee
The question taken by tellers, and was decided
10 he atirmalive--syes 80, noes H.
So the Committee rose and the Speaker haVn!
resumed the Chair,
Mr. HAMLIN Of Maine, submitted a resolution
that all debste 10 Committee Of the Whole on th'
state Of the Union, on Senate bill 46, shall cease q
two o'clock this days and that the Committee shal
then vote on the amendments pending, and whic
may be offered and that The bill shall be reported {
the House with such amendments as may be agree
to IN Committee. And he moved the previous ques
lion.
Mr.. COBB moved that there be cali Of the Hous
before taking the question: a. he wished the countr
10 know VINO were in favor Of gagging down all de
bate in this summary say.