Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-02-09
xxxynh OONGRE E.s--FrRsT SESSION.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.

WASHINGTON, Feb. g.
SENATE
The Senate met at 10 O'Clock.
Mr.. Davis resolutions were postponed til
Monday next.
Mr.. Green presented petition from the mai
contractors asking the immediate passage o.
the Bill for their relief, with the interest lef
cut, to be settled by future Legislation.
Mr.. Grimes presented the credentials Of Jas
Harlan as Senator from Iowa, from Alb March
1861
Mr. Pearcs introduced a Joint resolution au.
thorizing the Secretary of the Interior to make
arrangement for the dedication of the statue OF
washington on the 22d inst, and apprOpriating
$4,000 therefor. Laid over.
A number of reports and petitions were pre-,
sented.
Mr.. Davis made report from tho Committee
on Printing recommending the printing of TO-.
GOO copies Of the reports Of Majors Mordecai
and Delaheld, of observations in the Crimea.
Mr.. Hunter asked how much they would cost
Mr.. Davis replied $4,000 If they cost
double that amount they were we'll worth the
expenditure.
Mr.. Hunter moved to reduce the number OF
copies. Rejected-yeas 26; nays 2s
The report ofthe Committee was rejected
yeas 25; nays 81.
A motion to reconsider was lost by large
majority.
Mr.. Fitch made a report from the Committee
on Printing, recommending the printing OF
10000 copies of the report Of the Commissioner
of Patents. Laid over.
He also reported resolution for the printing
of Is, 900 copies of the Agricultural Report OF
the Patent Office, Laid over.
Mr., HAun introduced resolution instructing
the Committee on the Post Office to enquire
into the expediency of establishing line OF
steamers between San Francisco and China via
the Sandwich Islands Adopted.
The Post Office deficiency bill was taken p,
the question being on the amendment offered
by Mr.. Collamer, to repeal the acts Of l947 and
1851, apprOpriating 100000 for the expenses
of free matter.
Mr.. Collamer withdrew the amendment
Mr.. Powell discussed the amendment of the
Finance Committee to abolish the franking
privilege, regarding this as the very time ald
place to effect reforms. The privilege had been
abused for partisan and private purposes, the
franking of electiOneering documents and letters
for friends. The effect also of the amendment
would be great saving to the public printing
expenses, amounting to 500 600 per annum.
Mr.. Simmons offered an amendment requir-
ing the prepayment of printed matter.
A motion to reconsider was agreed to after
q colloquy between Messrs Simmons and
Toombs.
Mr. Simmons withdrew his amendment and
Mr.. Toombs renewed it and called for the
yeas and nays.
Mr.. Simmons suggested that the amend
ment be SO modified as to require prepayment
on printed matter by all persons.
Mr.. TOombs accepted the modification.
Mr.. Douglas thought it unWise to cucumber
the deficiency bill with such legislation as
was proposed. 1t would delay action and
keep contractors out of the money which was
due them. He was ready to cooperate on a
separate bill.
Mr.. Smith was in favor of the abOlishment
of the franking privilege, but opposed to its
introduction into this bill as out of time and
out of place.
Mr.. Hale said there was a great want of
efficiency in the mail service. Express Co.'s
in his opinion now carried one-half the cor
respondence between cities because they did
so more rapidly and safely than the depart
ment. He would make the revenues of the
department subject to a draft of the Post
establishing routes and making contracts ac-
Master General and give him discretion in
cording to the financial condition of the de-
partment. The payment of the honest debts
of the country to the contractors had nothing
to do with the adjustment of the fTanking
privilege.
Mr.. Green said he was in favor of abolishing
the iranking privilege but did not think this the
proper place for its introduction.
Mr.. Grow was willing to make the PostofiCe
Department self sustaining if it could bo done
with regard to the interests Of the country
He wanted to get proper mail facilities for the
whole country; therefore he would vote to
abolish the franking privilege.
Mr.. Green moved to reconsider the vote by
whi:h the prOviso exempted those entitled to
the franking privilege from the prepayment Of
postage. Was agreed to.
Mr.. johnson Of Ark, opposed the embarrass-
ing of the bill with the proposition to abolish
the tianking privilege.
After further debate by Messrs Davis, Hun
ter and others, Mr. Toombs' amendment modi-
fed SO as 10 require prepayment on newspapers
was agreed to by yeas %, nays &c.
Mr.. Trumbull moved to strike out the whole
proviso as amended. Carried.
The question recurred on the amendment to
abolish the ranking privilege.
NJ. Sumner moved that pre- payment on all
matter except newspapers and periodicals be
required.
Rejected by yeas % nays 80.
The question recurring on the amendment as
originally reported was rejected by yeas @7,
nays 81.
The next amendment was to appropriate
hereafter the revenues of the PostOfice Depart
ment for the use thereof
This was introduced to enable the Postmaster
General in contingencies like the present to use
the revenue of the Department. Rejected.
Mr.. Brown offered an amendent that the Su-
perintendent of Public Printing, be required to
procure the printing of the POstofice blanks
after thirty days notice, and award said con-
tract to the 10 vest bidder.
The following are the yeas aud nays on the
amendment to the Postoffice bill abOlishing the
franklng privileges.
Yeas-Benjamin, Bigler, Bragg, Davis,
Fitch, Fitzpatrick, Green, Gwin, Hammond,
Hunter, Judson, johnson of Tenn, Kennedy,
Lane, Mallory, Mason, Salisbury, Sebastian,
ToOmbs, Wigfall, Bright, Brown, Chestnut, Clay,
Clingmsn-27.
N3ys-AnthonY, Bingham, Cameron, ,Chand-
ler, Clark, Dixon, Doolittle, Durkee, Fessen-
den, Foote, Foster, Grimes, Hale, Hamlin,
Haun, Harlan, Hemphill, King, Nicholson, Rice,
Simmons, Sumner, Ten Eyck, Trumbull, ,Wfde,
Wilson, Wilkinson-27.
Adjourned.
OVERLAND MAIL