The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-18
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

On motion Of Mr. ). GI ANCY JONES, Of pennsylya,t
nia the Committee of Ways and Means discharged
from the further consideration of the memorial Of James
b. Stcaman Printer of the House and il rcened to
the Committee on Printing. 9fthf
REPORTS OF A PRIVATE NATURE.
The committees were then called for reports of pri.
vate nature. large number of bills reported, read
twice and scverally referred to the Committee of the
Whole the private calendar. 81 siH#ape 4sF
q BILLS PASSED
Mr. DAVIS, of Indiana from the Committee on Pub
lie lands reported bill granting portion Of the public
lands in Wabash county Indiana, for school purposes
and it was read third time and passed., ss 81
Mr.. QUFfMAN, of Mississippi, from the Committee on
Military Affairs reported back Senate bill for the relief Of
Major James " Deshelds and asked that II be put upon
its passage. ~ m
rhe claimant in this ease was pay master in the army
and the claim is for s23 ll5 which he lost in crossing the
Florida river. ahf ku.
Mr.. QUITNIAN explained that, unless this bill was
sumo his duties. a
Mr.. SHERMAN, of Ohio, moved that the bill be laid
on the table which motion not agreed to-
The bill then read a third time and passed.
rIiE ADMISSION OF MINNESOTA.
Mr.. SHERMAN, of Ohio, gave notice that when the
Minnesota bill called up he would offer substitute,
which he desired should be printed.
No objection being made the substitute was ordered to
be printed. aH
&e . THE CALENDAR.
On motion Of Mr. CHAFFEE, of Massachusetts, the
House went into Committee of the Whole the private
calendar, ir SHERMAN, of Ohio in the char) and pro-
ceeded to consider the bill to refund to Barclay Living
ston and others, duties certain goods destroyed 10y
fire in the city Of New York on the 10th day Of July
1916
The bill read 1t provides for the convening of
board of commissioners to consist of the collector Of
toms and the naval officer of the city Of New York and
the district attorney of southern New York to ascertain
fbp nfofI Iut IN pr
destroyed by fire in unbrokcn and original packages ON
the 10Th of july 1915 the of the responsible
ers with view Of refunding the amount of duty paid
on them. 7l Hase
Mr. CRAIGE, of North Carolina said il manifest
that il was public bill He moved that it be referred
the Committee Of the Whole the state Of the Union
Mr.. JOHN COCiRANE of New York, replied that it
for the relief Of certain individuals 1t does not in
cude all creation. 1t only includes some twenty or
thirty persons. p @ tHH
= Mr. CRAI(;E said IL was certainly in favor Of the
chants Of all our large cities and was certainly as much
public bill any reported to the House. 1t true
that the bill set out by naming certain parties but then
it went on to include others.
Mr.. JOHN CoCIIRANE stated that the bill had fire.
quently been before Congress- and each time it
siiercd in Committee OF the Whole the private calcn
dar
Mr. CRAIGE said private bill must all the par
ties to he benefited by it,
Mr. JOHN COCHRANE replied that the bill named
distinctly and specifically all the persons to be relieved
Mr.. WASHBURN, of Maine, cited in which three
individuals who suffered by the destruction of their prop
erty by fire in the same way and who were permitted to
Join in one bill.
Mr.. JOHN CoCHRANE had so understood the prcce
dents. From 1890 down to the present time bills had
been considered in this
Mr.. CLARK b. CoclIRANE Of New York, said the
bill very specific. Every merchant who had goods
in unbroksn packages was included, and olcr per-
sons.
Mr.. STANTON of Ohio, thought the gentleman from
North Carolina Mr. CnAIGEl undoubtedly right to
the character Of the bill
Mr.. JOHN COCHRANE briefly reviewed the action Of
Congress from 1854 to 1856 and explained the reasons
why the bill had not been passed The goods val
ued at Si00 000 nearly The entire amount Of which had
been entered with the privilege Of being withdrawn at
amy time within three years for expectation. But be-
fore the expiration of that period the fire occurred and
the property destroyed OF these goods, 100000
consisted OF liquors. which claim satisfied under the
provisions of the general law recognising this principle
This left the amount of $500 900 unsatsied Some of
the goods which duties had been paid had been inn
ported but month, and some even down to the very
day previous to the fire. This merchandise never having
gone into the general consumption, and the government
having received the benefit OF the duties it clear that
the relief prayed for should be granted.
Mr.. G. II. C0CHRANE inquired whether these parties
had not been relieved under the act Of 1857 ~,
Mr.. JOHN COCHRANE replied that the claims for the
liquors destroyed had been satisfied, but for the other
merchandise there no relief under that act. He
should ask to vote for this bill who would not be
ashamed TO vote against It, He gave notice that he
should offer amendment providing that false swearing
before the board of commissioners should be punished
according to the laws provided for that often g.
Mr.. CLEMENS of Virginia. opposed the bill.
\, Mr.. STANTON, of Ohio, said there general law
in which the has provided for all cases pros
pecve and retrospective which within the princi
pies recognised by that Congress which passed it. 1t
not because of the lapse of tme but because they
did not within its principles, that they did not avail
themselves Of the provisions of that law There
law authorizing them 10 be paid and if the bill
passed it wosd establish precedent of great magnitude
I Mr. HASKIN, of New York, obtained the floor when
the committee
Mr. REAGAN, Of Texas by unanimous consent, intro
duced bill to provide for the improvement of the bar
and harbor at Sabine in the State of Texas and it
read twice and referred to the Committee Commerce.
And then ON motion of Mr. FLORENCE, of Pcnnsy-
vania, the House adjourned till Monday next. l
large Tres The white pine (pa, ar65u of the Amer
can forest with diameter Of six or seven feet atains
the height OF sO TO 200 feet In The carly settlement Of
Dartmouth College pine stood upon the college plain
which measured 2l0 feet in height In the Ohio valley
the red maple tacer rrpn, and the sycamore piair
ccptoi,s, attain u great dimensions specimen of the
former In Indiana measured l6 feet in diaaster OF the
latter 23 feet But, all things considered, the monarch
OF the world is the eYuoa ga callcd the Caifor
nian pine. of the Sacramento valley and Maripoxr Ono
which Ind allen measured 81 feet in diam ctcr ant, G3
feet in length Among those yet standing Of
still greater dimensions as beautiful in form they
sublime in height the growth estimated by the annual
wood crcles) of more than 3, 900 years