The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-07-12
WASHINGTON, July IL.

mlUtee OI COulcIOuCO Nv oohu0iS"'
Senate adjourned.
WASHINGTON, July IL.
HoUsE.-Mr Stevens, from the COM
mittee on Appropriations, reported back
the Senate amendments to the consular
and diplomatic appropriation bill, some
of which were concurred in, with an
amendment abolishing the office of res
ident minister at Portugal
The Senate amendment for the ap-
pointment of Second Assistant Secre'
tary of State, was concurred in.
Mr.. Stevens, also, from the same COM
mittee, reported back the Senate amend.
ments to the Legislative Executive and
Military Appropriation bill. There were
three hundred and thirty-fve amend
ments, mostly of an unlmportant char
acter, which were all concurred in. Be-
fore disposing of all amendments, Mr..
Loan, from the committee of Conference
on the Senate bill granting lands to
Kansas to aid in the construction of the
Northern Kansas Railroad and Tele-
graph line, made a report, which was
disagreed to.
MI. Payne introduced a joint resolu.
tion recommending the organization and
instruction of the militia of the several
States and providing for the distribution
of ordinance and ordinance stores which
was read twice and passed.
Mr.. Hooper, from the committee on
Banking and Currency, reported sub
stitute for the bill amendatory OF the
National Currency act, which was or
dered to be printed and assigned for con-
sideration on Friday next, after the
morning hour.
Mr.. Alley, from the same committee,
reported back the Senate Telegraph bill,
which, after considerable discussion, was
passed by yeas ~, nays6l. :.
Mr.. Alley, from the Postoffice Commit
tee, reported back the Senate bill which
passed that body June goth, to aid in
the construction of telegraph lines and
to secure to the Government the use OF
the same for postal, military and other
purposes.
Mr.. Kasson suggested an amendment
providing that no powers granted or
privileges contained in the bill shall be
construed to apply to telegraph commu,
nication between the United States and
foreign countries.
Mr. Alley declined to have the amend
ment offered, on the ground that II the
bill was sent back to the Senate at this
late hour of the session, it would be
equivalent to killing it.
Mr.. Kasson supposed there was no
danger of such thing and mentioned
the fact that so late as yesterday Sen.
ator said to him that the House should
send over some real solid measures, in
stead of fancy premises in which it had
been recently indulging. Laughter
Mr.. Hale inquired whether the gentle
man from Massacusettsl( Mr.. AlleyD pro-
posed to bring the bill to vote without
giving any opportunity to the House to
discuss or amend it.
Mr.. Alley replied that he intended
bringing the bill to vote without yield
ing the floor to the enemies OF the bill to
propose amendments which they knew
would most certainly kill it, but he did
not propose to deny the privilege to dis
cuss the measure in good faith.
Hr. Hale said he most certainly wish
ed to discuss it, and he was not it the
habit of discussing questions otherwise
than in good faith.
Mr.. Alley opened the discussion. He
said that all telegraph companies of the
country, or nearly all, were recently con-
solidated into one, which now repre-
sent capital of four million dollars. 1t
was certainly the most gigantic monop.
oly in this country, if not in the world.
It held in its hands nearly the whole tel
egraphic power of the nation.
Mr. Finck, q member of the Post
Office Committee, argued against the
constitutionality of the bill, inasmuch
as it allows private property to be used
for public purposes, without making
compensation to owners
Mr.. Hale opposed the bill on two
grounds.
First was, that stated by the gentle
man from Ohio, Mr.. Finck, the soundness
whose argument could not be contro-
verted.
Second was, that under this bill, the
Cuban telegraph csmpany for Instance,
and other foreign companies could enjoy
its privileges, while their Governments
refuses equal privileges to American cit
izens Any company might, under this
law, extend a line beyond Marine league
from the shore, which our jurisdiction
covers, and there make connection with
foreign companies, chartered by foreign
governments. He desired to have the
the bill amended in both these particu-
MI. kasson declared that be had no
dlhcuitS about the constitutional oues
ton. The difficulty with him was a
practical one: Thebil did not reserve s a
to the United States, as it sboniJ ths
control OF telegraph rates and there vas @
nothing to prevent a perfect accord " ha' ao
tween existing companies and tbosa - 70
be organized under this act in regard to 70
establishing extravagant rates.
Mr.. Washburne, of Illinois, expressed
his willingness to everything tending to
| hreak down or intarfare with tbe rroso.s