Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-12-23


Also, bill making appropriations for the repair, pre-
servaon and completion Of certain public works in the
State of Wisconsin, heretofore commenced under the
! By Mr. MAXWELL: bill to provide for holding the
United in the northern and southern dis
rcts of Florida in Of the sickness disability of
either of the judges Of those districts.
BY Mr.. Z0LLICOFFER: bill to regulate and make
uniform the right Of suffrage in the several Territories Of
! the United States.
RESOLUTIONS
On motion by Mr. STANTON, Of Tennessee,
Resored the Committee the Judiciary be instruct
ed to inquire the popey of further Legislation for the
the officers Of the United States and other
engaged in the execution Of the laws thereof and
port by bill or otherwise.
! On motion by Mr.. SMITH, Of Virginia,
Resolved That the Committee Commerce be and they
chasing lot and constructing building suitable
commodaton Of the custom house. post oce, and district
of the United States in Alexandria, in the State of
Virginia.
On motion by Mr.. SIMMONS,
Resolred, That the Com ntee Commerce inquire into
the expedency Of providing by law for the completion Of the
and for the purchase of site and the erection of building
that place suitable for custom-house, post Office and
for holding the United States courts in the north
district Of New York
Mr.. FAULKNER stated that he instructed by the
Committee Military Affairs offer the following re-
solution which he hoped there would be objections
Resored, That the Committee Military Affairs be
thorized to send for persons and papers.
Mr.. COBB objected.
Mr. DAVIS Of Rhode Island, presented joint resolu-
tons of the Legislature of the State of Rhode Island in
relation to navy yard 10 Narragansett bay IN relation
to cheap postage; and respecting the officers, sol
ders and sailors who served in the of 1872; which
were laid on the table and ordered to be printed.
BUSINESS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The House then resumed the consideration Of the bill
authorizing the corporate authorities of Georgetown to
impose additional taxes, and for other purposes, report
ed yesterday from the Committee Of the Whole with
amendments, the question being the motion of Mr.
LETcHER that the bill be laid on the table,
And the question being taken, the motion disagreed
to: Yeas 40, nays 81.
The amendments then agreed to, and the bill was
read the third time and passed: Yeas 80, nays 63.
Mr.. MAY, from the Committee on the Judiciary, re-
ported back House bill to reorganize the courts in the
District Of Columbia and to reform and improve the laws
thereof, with amendments
Mr. NJ remarked that he considered this bill as Of vital
importance the interests Of the District of Columbia
and this being the last Of the three days apart for the
consideration of business appertaning to the District it
his desire that it should be considered by the
House. 1t reported by the Committee the Judi
cay in June last and ordered to be printed and on his
own motion recommtted that 1t might be IN the power
of the committee to make such notifications as reflection
might show to be necessary. The BILL therefore, had
been open the inspection of ALL and the House must be
prepared to act upon it intelligenty.
He then spoke at considerable length of the history,
PLAN and operations Of the present judicial system and
the laws in force in this District prove that both
very defective, and, in the language of the Pres
dent called loudly for action the part of Con-
gress The people here universally in favor of some
of REFORM there having been in 1885, when the
Of the people of this city taken upon the sub
ec l,24 votes in favor of judicial REFORM and but ~
against it. The present judicial plan was altogether too
large for the wants Of the peopetoo slow too cumbrous
and he compared it with the systems Of other States
prove that it dsproportonae to its Jurisdiction
He referred the many reports which had been made
upon the subject by committees of Congress- none of
which had been acted upon and in conclusion gave
detailed explanation of the provisions of the bill.
Mr. ha had liatan will MI Tn
the very lucid and able statements Of the gentleman from
Maryland and was convinced that reform was me-
cessary. He had examined the BILL and was satisfied
that its provisions well calculated to effect the
form much needed. He hoped the bill would now be
put its passage, and demanded the previous question
He, however, withdrew it at the request of
Mr. ELIOT Of Massachusetts,, who said thatas the pro-
visions Of the bill had been read the House, as
was which directly affected the happiness and
social and private rights of the inhabitants of this Dis
rct than all the bills which had yet been passed, the
House would, he quite sure justify him in debat-
| ing the subject under consideration.
The bill, it said, reported last june and had
been printed but not in its present form 1t had come
from the committee this morning in modified form; and
now, when the House was by means full when the bill
had brought before the House without premonion
and upon the statement Of the gentleman from Maryland
who had frankly told the House that there private
reasons which impelled him at first decline taking
charge Of this subject they called upon pass this
without that examination of its provisions which
i its importance demanded.
1t but yesterday that his attention called to
this BILL and although he had not that acquaintance with
the subject which the gentleman from Maryland had,
| yet he possessed This District heme to
him. he not unacquainted with its COURTS and the
Judges strangers to him. He could not there
fore sit still and this guotinng this decapiation,
this ruthless and rough of legisatng away the
/ offices so ably and learnedly filed.
Mr. BRIDGES inquired if the gentleman was &C
quanted with Judge Cranch?
| Mr. ELIOT am.
Mr. BRIDGES. Is not the gentleman related to Judge
/ Cranch!
| Mr. ELIOT Judge Cranchs wife and my grand
! mother sisters.
Mr. BRIDGES. Does not the gentleman know that
the duties of his office for the last FIVE years. and that he
has during that time regularly drawn his salary of
| So, 900 year
/ Mr. ELIOT. Why does the gentleman catechise me?
i Mr. BRIDGES wish to know for my own information.
/ Mr. ELIOT Does net the gentleman know what he
! asks me?
! Mr. BRIDGES. I do.
/ Mr. ELIOT. Then why these questions?.
| Mr. BRIDGES. I asked the gentleman civil ques-
/ ton, and desire o civil answer.
4 Mr. ELIOT. / will give the gentleman civil answer.
That old man is too well known in this District to need
defence my hands II is not for say that he is
what he 1t is not for say that Congress
will not egslate away from him his salary. Why, his
life, his hearts blood his brains have been devoted to
his country He placed upon the bench in 1900 and
has done an amount Of work that would astonsh any
1 man except German.
! Dir. BRIDGES. can tell the gentleman that well
understand what the abors Of Judge Cranch have been
/ in former years but referred to latter years.
4 Mr.. ELIOT. By the organization OF our laws under
our Constitution, have pensions. In England, be-