Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-03-28
Gatfst bp GfIrgrapR.
xxxvf,A Congress
First sssiion
w,su,soror Ms,,h o.

WASHINGTON, March q.
SENATg--Mr Seward ptesented petition
in favor Of the Homestead bill. from citizens
Of New York
On motion Of Alr. Brown, Saturdays were
set apart for the consideration of business
relating to the District Of Columbia
On motion Of Mr.. Salisbury, tho resolu
tions Of Mr. Davis. rpativo 10 the Territories
Nc were lakeu up and made the special
order for Monday next
Mr. Doolittle presented memorial In
favor Of bankrupt law.
lIousR.-lrhe House conourred in the
Senate amendments 10 the bill Tor fulfilling
the treaty stipulations with the Indians Of
Oregon and Washington.
Mr.. Briggs presented petitions from ~ Y.
numerously signed, praying for the passage
ola bankrupt law
The House then proceeded to the consid,
Grafton Of the bill 10 provide for the safety
Of passengers 10 boats propelled in whole or
part by steam.
Mr.. Washburn of H., urged the impor-
tance Of the passage of the bill. No remon-
STRANGE against it had come from the West
New England or the South, aud there was
none from anywhere except perhaps. par-
tioular localities.
This bill proposed to subject ferry, tug
and freight boats by local board Of inspec-
tors, bringing them within the provisions
Of the law Of 1902 The propriety OF this
is obvious as some most terrible accidents
have happened on ferry bUats. The proyis'
ions Of the same statutes extended to sea-
going steamers, limiting the passengers to a
reasonable extent and requiring the vessels
to be examined by the local inspectors from
time to time, in order that the public may
know il they are sea. worthy, or mere worm
eaten, rotten hulks. The bill proposes that
no ocean steamers running more than 400
miles, shall carry not exceeding one passon.
ger for every 81 tons.
According to this limit the steamer An,
gusta can carry $40, the Argo GAO, the
Star of the West $50 passengers, ex-
elusive Of the crew. Interested meu from
New York, however, say that il such pro-
vision be adopted their trade will be broken
down; but he (Washburne) would ask
whether, in view Of all the circumstances,
the limit was not sufficiently liberal The
bill also provides for a system of lights, fol-
lowing the example of France and England,
and four new Boards Of Inspectors, one
each at Memphis, Oregon City, Paducah,
and Galena. The entire additional cost to
the Government as compared with the
present law, would not exceed $237 per am
NUN.
Mr.. Taylor alluded to o substitute ho had
} prepared, providing that the insurance shall
yitiated by failure to comply with the re-
QuiTemep of the present law, and for the
prosecution of the master, engineer, pilot
or any other ofiieer of any vessel ON which
life is destroyed by fire, explosion, or at tue
| Nuha AMID off Ia i'm A
on any steam vessel until verdict is ren-
dered that he is absolutely free from blame
A debate followed on the merits OF the
bill.
Mr., johnson of Tenn, rose to a personal
ezpIanation lie had seen in she n. Yorl
Herald, report ofeh speech made by tht
4 Senator from New hampshire (Mr Clarke,
} at Dover on the 7th inst, in which ref
erenee had been made to his State aud him
self
The extract was TeSd by Clerk, in which
it was stated by Mr.. Clarke that Tenn, had
too little industry or enterprise to deveivpC
her mines Of copper, &c; and further, in d
conversation he CLARK had had with him
johnson he had said some admission rel'
ative to the insecurity of slave property al
the South.
MIR. johnson asked if this was a correct
report,
Mr. Clarke positively declined to give any
explanation in the Senate.
Mr.. johnson would then assume that the
report was correct, and answered it,accord-
) iDgly. If the Senator had made himself
familiar with the facts in relation to mining
in Kansas, then he stated what he knew to
be untrue, and if he had not made himself
conyersant with the facts, then he spoke oi
something he knew nothing about.
lie then drew comparison between the
relative productiveness of Kansas and New
Hampshire, making deductions lavorble to
the former, as to the alleged conversation
he had never used the language attributed
TO him.