Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-02-21
THIRTY-FIETH CONGRESS Second Session.
SATURDAY, FEB. II.
SENATE.

SATURDAY, teD. ~.
SENATE.
After a lengthy discussion as TO what bust
ness should be taken up, the Consular and
Diplomatic bill was considered.
Mr.. Pugh withdrew the amendment he had
previously offered, and substituted the follow
ing That no other minister, envoy, or COM
missioner be entitled to any compensation dur
ing the fiscal year The object of the amend
ment is to prevent the President from appoint
ing more ministers without the consent of
Congress. Agreed tO-32 to 10.
Mr.. Simmons, of Rhode Island, moved an
amendment that no minister shall be entitled
to higher rate of exchange than 10 per cent.
on the nominal amount of his salary. In
China it had reached the enormous difference
of AZ per cent.
Messrs. Toombs and Mallory said it was ne
cessary to allow the current rate of exchange;
else it is equivalent to reducing their salaries.
Mr.. Toombs said, that, strict economist as
he is, he considered there was nothing to re-
trench in the salaries of foreign ministers.
Mr.. Hunter said the controversy to which
allusion had been made, between Secretary
Guthrie and Ministers abroad, arose out of the
different values of gold and silver.
Mr.. SImm0nss amendment was carried
20 to Is. Sometime after, when the bill was
reported to the Senate, Mr.. Toombs moved to
reconsider this vote This re-opened the
whole question of exchange and Messrs.
Toombs, Simmons, Collamer, and others, dis
cussed it. The motion to reconsider was car
ried-26 to 8.
Mr.. Hunter, from the majority of the FL
nance Committee, offered an amendment that
no more money be expended for the fiscal year
commencing July l, 1859, than the amount APP
propriated in this BILL together with such
amounts of the permanent and indefinite APP
preparations as shall be applicable thereto. He
proposed to add a similar clause to all the APP
preparation bills, the effect of which, he said
would be to limit what is to be used out of the
permanent appropriations, and reduce the ex-
penditures from the estimate of S73, 0000 900 to
SCI, 100000.
Mr.. Simmons made protracted argument,
to make it appear that Mr.. Hunters expecta-
tons of economizing were tallacious.
Mr.. Biger and Mr.. Collamer sided with Mr.
Simmons.
Mr.. Hunters amendment passed.
The Chair Mr.. STUART decided this out of
order.
Mr. Davis offered an amendment providing
an additional appropriation Of S150,000 for run
ming the Washington boundary line so that the
American Commissioners could be able to keep
pace with that of the British. Agreed to-
Mr.. Wilson drew attention to the fact, that
the amount of the appropriations for Consuls
is ST. 900 over that of last year, and asked
why was this.
Mr.. Hunter explained, that last year were
expended the balance of appropriations on
hand, but that there were none this year
Mr.. Simmons gave notice that he would
move its reconsideration, when the Senate, at
6 P. NJ, adjourned.
HOUSE
Amendments providing for disabled army
officers, and appropriating one million dollars
TO pay the Texan volunteers, were both re-
jected.
Various amendments were acted upon
Those agreed to were subsequently reported to
the House. but no definite action was taken