The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-22
THIRTY FIFTH CONGRESS-.
FRIDAY, MAY "a, 1883.
SENATE.
kxE4urIyE COMMUNICATIONS


The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate com
municaton from the Secretary of War, in to
resolution of the Senate nqurng whether in his opn
ion it is expedient to convert amy portion of the of
the United States hand into breech-loadng arms
and Of the advantage to be derived from such change
the probable cost thereof for rifles and muskets and If
any, and what appropriation be for that pur
pose which read and referred to the COMMITTEES ON
Military Affairs The Secretary says that very valuable
improvements have been made, by of which old
muskes and rifles, of obsolete model and unfit for issue
have heretofore been sold for from three to five dollars
which, at moderate cost might be altered to equal
the best breec loading arms and, in view of the great
advantages to the service which such improvements
promise, he recommends appropriation of one hun
dred Thousand dollars for the purpose of making such
alterations. ~
The VICE PRESIDENT also laid before the Senate a
communication from the Secretary of the Navy, in com
pance with resolution of the Senate of the lth inst
calling for the result of the recent explorations under the
command OF Lieut. I. A. Craven, OF the United States
navy to the practicabty of mteroceanic communion
tion from the Gulf of Daren to the Pacific ocean, by the
Atato and Truando rivers which read and referred
to the Committee Naval Affairs Lieut.. Craven
ports that in his opinion the proposed canal imprac
cable involving expenditure Of money not easily
to be estmaed and also great sacrifice Of life, owing
to the fatal effects of the climate. t'-
The VICE PRESIDENT also laid before the Senate a
communication from the Secretary of the Treasury in
to resolution of the Senate inquiring what is
the present condition of the custom house at New
Orleans what will be necessary for its completion,
liabilities under existing contracts which read and
referred to the Committee Commerce The Secretary
that the exterior walls of the building up and
ready for the entablature and the interior walls up
to the fourth story the iron is also all in hand for the
fourth story floor. The amount necessary for the
pleton of the work is estimated at ST. 454 ,634 1t is
impossible to state with exactness what appropriation will
be required for the payment of liabilities under exisng
contracts but the Secretary presumes that 1t will be
something like million of dollars of the amount
tmated necessary for the completion of the work.
MEMORIALS, PETITIONS, ETC
Mr.. SEWARD presented petition of citizens of Tay
lor county Iowa. praying the enactment of law for the
relief of settlers who may suffer by the closing of the
land Offices in that State to enable the railroad company
to make their surveys and selections which referred
to the Committee on Public Lands.
Mr.. GREEN presented petition of citizens of War
saw Illinois, demonstrating against diversion of the
lands appropriated for the improvement of the Des
Moines river from that purpose which referred to
the Committee on Public Lands. go.
Mr.. CAMERON presented memorial Of the board of
marine surveyors of Philadelphia, praying the conBtfuc
tion of breakwater Grow Shoal, in the Delaware
bay which was referred to the Committee on Com
merce s '3.H q"
Mr. SEWARD presented papers in relation to the claim
of James Collier late collector of the customs of Upper
California to certain money due him under decision of
the Supreme Court of the United States which were re-
ferred to the Committee Finance. f-
Mr. RICE presented papers relative to the claim of
Eugene Bunand to compensation for translations made
for the Legislative assembly of Minnesota also papers in
relation to the claims of John M Dodgson and others to
indemnity for Indian depredations; which appro-
prately referred. .
asa REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES. q.
Mr.. BAYARD, from the Committee on the Judiciary
submitted adverse reports pesentment of the grand
jury of the United States for the District South Caro-
lima, at Charleston, relative to court house and
the maintenance of prisoners at that place; present
ment of the grand jury at Greenvile S. c. relative to
new court house memorial of members of the bar of
the northern district of Florida in relation to the salary
V,,sta i,,Ira
ment of the grand jury of the United States court the
northern district of Florida in relation to new court
house, and resolution of the legislature of Texas on
similar subject.
Mr. B. from the same committee asked to be discharg-
ed from the further consideration of resolution of the
legislature of Michigan in favor of dividing the State into
two judicial districts and resolution of the legislature
of Missouri relative to building for the United States
courts and post office at Jefferson city in that State which
was agreed to-
Mr. b. from the same committee to whom was referred
the bill to divide the State of Indiana into judicial dis
trcts and to provide for holding the district and circuit
courts of the United States reported it without amend
ment and adversely He also made a similar report in
regard to the bill to divide the State of Iowa into two
judicial districts u
Mr.. b. from the committee, to whom was refer
red the bill to supply vacancies in certain Offices reported
it with amendment II
Mr.. CLAY, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom
referred tho bill from the House of Representatives
for the relief of Elizabeth f. " Field asked to be dis
charged from the further consideration of the subject
Mr.. c., from the same committee, to whom was re-
fered the bill from the House of Representatives for the
relief of Leonard Looms reported it without amendment
MIR. FOSTER from the Committee Public Lands,
to whom referred the bills from the House of Rep
resentaves for the relief of Monroe d. Downs and for
the relief of Rebecca NJ Bowden of Prince George coun
ty, Virginia, reported them without amendment
Mr.. JONES' from the Committee on Pensions to
whom referred the memorial of William Femming
asked to be discharged from the further consideration of
the same and that it be referred to the Committee on
Public Lands which was agreed to-
Mr.. BIGIER, from the Committee on Commerce re.
ported adversely on the memorial of Noah Miller
Mr.. YULEE from the Committee on Patents and the
Patent Office reported bill for the relief of Edison Fes-
senden, conservator of William Crompton which was
read and passed to second reading. lEi Ia ~
Mr.. JONES. from the Committee on Pensions to whom
referred the bill for the relief of Myra Clark Gaines
reported it without amendment aassgUa ilfa.s n
Mr.. IyERSCN, from the Committee on Claims to
whom referred the bill from the House of Represent
atves for the relief of Richard b. Alexander asked to
be discharged from the further consideration of the same
and that it be referred to the Committee on Military Az
fairs which agreed to- 'f
Mr. PEARCE, from the Committee on Finance To
whom referred the joint resolution from the House of
Representatives for paying compensation to the ste.
nographers employed by committees in the House of
Representatives, reported it without amendment and
recommended its passage; and 1t read third time
and passed |
Mr.. YULEE, from the Committee on the Post Office |
and Post Roads to whom referred the bill from the
House of Representatives to prevent the nconyenent ac
cumulation in the Post Office Department of posasters
quarterly returns reported it without amendment and
recommended its passage and 1t read third time
and passed.
Mr.. INVERSION asked to be excused from, further ser