The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-04-22
BY TELEGRAPH
Portland Daily Press.
xxxvIu OoNaREss---First Session.
WASHINGTON, April 81.

SENATE
Mr.. Collarner. from Committee on Postoffices
and Post Roads, reported favorably upon the
bill for the relief of Postmasters who have
been robbed by confedcrates or guerrillas.
The bill was passed
Mr.. Wilson's bill. TO proyide for the printing
of the official report of the armies of the
United States. was passed.
Mr.. Lane. OF Kansas. called I'M the bill to
make Portland, Oregon, and Leayenworth,
Kansas. posis of delivery. Passed
Mr. Van Wrinkle addressed the Senate AT
length on the bill repeating the fugitive slave
law. His argument was mostly confined to
the point that West Virginia is a legally con-
stituted State in the Union.
Mr. Howard moved an amendment To the
bin. providing that any person found in any
territory or In the District of Columbia shall
be deemed to have been held To service and
to be enslayed under The ACT of 17aS. and that
the 4th section of said act be repealed.
The further consideration of the bill was
postponed until "Wednesday. at / O'Clock.
Mr. Sherman reported the House bill to
provide National currency, secured by u. S.
bonds. and TO provide for the circulation and
REDEMPTION thereof. with amendments.
Mr. .Fessenden moved to take I'D the army
appropriation bill, which was carried.
The Senate afterwards went into executive
session and adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr. A. n. Clark. of n Y. from Committee
ON Printing, made report. the design of
which is TO secure the continuation OF the
publication of the Congressional Globe bv
additional Conversation. Recommitted with
instructions.
The House then went into committee for
the consideration of the internal tax bill.
At one o'clock the committee had acted on
all the general provisions, comprising forty
Mr. Washburne OF ILL.,, offered az amend
ment, providing that the stock OF liquors on
hand be taxed fifty cents gallon.
Mr.. Washburne also proposed an amend
mendment, which was agreed to, making 4
tax Of one dollar per gallon from the list Of
May, instead of LIST. of July.
Mr.. Washburne's first amendment was re-
jected, 81 against ~.
Fernando Wood, of New York, offered the
following amendment as new section: And
be IL enacted, That so much of the Tth sec.
ton of the act of Congress of March 9TH, 1864,
to increase the internal revenue, &c. as levies
tax on spirits imported prior TO March eth,
1864, be and hereby is, repealed, and that the
Secretary of the Treasury be directed to re-
fund to persons paying the same, all monies
thus exacted on spirits, the original entries of
which were made to said March It'll, 1864.
At the suggestion of several gentlemen, Mr..
ent, giving notice that he would offer it at a
future stage of the proceedings.
An amendment was adopted, including
naptha in the section which provides that all
distilled spirits and all refined coal oil, upon
which an excise duty is imposed, may be ex-
ported without payment of duty when the
same is intended for expectation.
During the proceedings on Mr.. Washburne's
amendment Mr. Griswold, of lows, moved to
-.
of whiskey," (laughter.) He also unsuccess-
fully moved TO increase tile tax from one dol
lar to one dollar and illty cents per gallon.
Mr.. Law. of Indiana. offered an amendment,
reducing the duty on all beer. lager beer. ale.
porter. and other similar ferrnented LIQUORS.
from one dollar to fifty cents per barrel. He
said the tax proposed was too high and he de-
bated the questions as one of morals as well
as of revenue. for the use of such fermented
liquors diminished the rise of spirituous lio-
uors.
RThe amendment was rejected 30 against "a.
Mr.. James Allen of mi moved n reduce
the tax 10 sixty cents. concludinp that this
would yield a larger revenue than one dollar.
Mr. Morrill,, of Vermont, said when the du-
ty was levied on these articles, the brewers
throughout the country only demanded that
other spirits. We have raised the duty on
spirits, and if that on beer was proportionate-
ly raised, we should now put on the latter
duty of S250 on each barrel.
Mr.. Pike, of Me-, moved tax of 81 per
barrel.
His amendment, together with that of Mr.
Allen, was rejected.
An amendment was added providing that
beer. ale, porter and all other similar ferment-
ed liquors in bottles, shall pay no lower rate
of duty than the proportion OF 81 per barrel
The committee have thus far acted on sew
enty-fve of the one hundred and seventy
three sections.
The House at 4.12 o'clock took recess un-
til o'clock.
EVENING SESSION.
The bill for the construction of a shin canal
to unite the Mississippi river with the North
arn l.kae for tho paesaoa of .r,nad yassaIs