The Portland daily press., 1866-04-25
xxx CoNGREss---First Session
WASHINGTON, April "a.

I
The bill for the relief of Naval contractor
was amended, authorising the Secretary Of tn
Treasury to pay not over IL per cent. OF tn
original contract, and was postponed until tC
morrow.
Mr.. Sumner offered an additional section
giving the same rate of compensation to Don
aid Mckay of Boston, who built the AshuelOt
and Miles Greenwood of Cincinnati, wh'
built the Tippecanoe, as awarded to other par
ties, provided the evidence submitted eStab
llshes their right to compensation.
l A resolution was adopted that the Secreta
ry OF War furnish the evidence upon which
the reward for the arrest of JEFF Davis wa
| awarded.
A resolution was adopted asking the Secre
tary OF the Navy if naval officers had been or
dered not to visit Washington.
| The bill for the admission of Colorado was
taken up.
The pending question was on motion to
reconsider the vote rejecting the bill.
Mr.. Sumner spoke against the proposition
MIR. Sherman introduced bill to reorganize
the clerical force of the Interior Department
Referred to special Committee. s9 -s
MI. Sherman, from the Finance Committee
reported the Consular and Diplomatic Appro-
| prlatiOn BILL Also, the House bill authorizing
the coming of five cent pieces.
Mr.. Sherman also reporting a public print
ing deficiency bill, appropriating 100000,
which was passed. 6e
Mr.. Wiley offered resolution for the re-
llef OF loyal citizens of Jefferson and Berkiey
counties, Virginia. 1t is to pay them for
quartermasters' stores furnished the army.
Refer ed to the Judiciary Committee. q
"A message was received from the House
announcing its non-concurrence to the Senate
amendments to the bill in relation to the ha-
beas corpus.
The Senate voted to insist on its amend
ments, and ask Committee of conference.
message was submitted from the Presi-
dent transmitting a record of the commission
assembled in st. Louis, in relation to brevet
appointments in the regular army.
Mr. Stewart spoke in favor OF the admission
of Colorado ~
Mr.. Guthrie opposed it. ~
Mr. Nye spoke in its support.
There was considerable incidental debate.
Adjourned. ,75a 4
HOUSE. us4
The Niagara Ship Canal bill was consider
ed. The bill was debated until the close Of
the morning hour.
-o Several bills were then acted upon, most of
which were appropriately referred.
The Army oil was then taken up The
motion to postpone it until December next
was Withdrawn, and the House proceeded to
its consideration.
The 10Th section was also passed over.
The 10th section, in reference to the Pro-
vost MarshaFs Bureau, was then considered.
Mr.. Conkling moved to strike out the sec
ton. He caused to be read letter from Gen.
Grant to Senator Nesmith, in which he saws:
am opposed to multiplying bureaus, and
think there IS no necessity for Provost Mar
shal General. In fact, il we had to organize
the army anew should not have as MANY bu-
reans as we now have. In my opinion the
country would be just as well and more eco
nomically served if the Coast Survey were
added to the Engineers Bureau, and if the
Quartermasters, Subsistence and Paw Depart
ments were emerged into one"
Mr.. Conkling opposed the perpetuation of
the Provost Marshaps Bureau, power under
which his constituents had suffered beyond
his capacity to express. He spoke in very
strong terms of condemnation of the Provost
Marshal of the Western division of New
York and of Gen. Fry. Against the former,
every offence from highway robbery up and
down had been charged and proved.
Mr.. Blaine defended Gen. Fry, than whom
more honorable and high toned officer was
not in the army. The gentleman from New
York, Mr.. Conkling, had had issues with Gen.
Fry, which had been adjudicated by the Sec
retary OF War, and he could leave the gentle
man to say whether he had come out second
best.
Mr.. Conkling said he was responsible here
and elsewhere for what he had said and
should say about Gen. Fry. He pronounced
the statement OF Mr.. Blaine in reference to
himself and his quarrel and his issues with
Gen. Fry to be false.
Mr.. Blaine raised point of Order-that Mr..
Conkling was using unparIiamentary language
In saying that he, (Blaine) had made false
statement. 8
The Speaker pro tem., Mr.. Davis, sustained
the point, when on motion, Mr. Conkling was
allowed to proceed in order.
Mr.. Conkling denied any personal quarrel
with Gen. Frye, and that the statement made
here was without foundation. No officer in
this Government had done so much harm and
so little good as Gen. Frye. If that was often
sive, so be it. To the particular individual,
lBlalne) to whom 1t might give offence he
(COnkIng) would answer, not here, but else
where, anywhere it might be agreeable to have
the answer.
Mr.. Blaine in reply said the phrase "answer-
ing here or elsewhere was so very cheap as
to be beneath his notice. He did not presume
the gentleman from New York really meant
that ne wants to fight duel, and he need not
have the assurance from him tBlaine) that he
did not intend it when he had to resort to the
epithet false and to so into the cheap swag-
ger OF answering here or elsewhere" He
should have very little faith in the cause he
stood up here to maintain.
Mr.. Stevens moved to substitute a new sec
ton providing thai the Provost Marshals Bu-
reau shall be sustained only so long as in the
judgment of the Secretary of War is necessa-
ry to close up the business thereof, not exceed
ing six months from the passage of this Act.
Mr.. Conzlng accepting the amendment,
Mr.. Stevens substitute was adopted.
The DIST section nrOvidin0 for tho Modioal
Department was slightly amended. The 22d
relating to Medical Purveyors was struck out.
the project being embraced in another section.
The 23d section relating to the Pay Depart
ment was amended by adding to the sentence
excluding West Point graduates from appoint
ment, provision that it shall not apply to
officers now in the Pay Department. Recess
till Z.
Mr.. Price from the Committee on the Pa
cific Rail Road, reported back with amend
ments the bill granting lands to Missouri and
Iowa for the State Line Railroad. 1t grants
ten sections per mile on each side of the road,
which is about 250 miles long, Referred to
the Committee on Public Lands "a
MIR. Price also reported back the bill to Sc
cure the speedy construction of the Northern
Pacific Railroad
Mr.. Randall made point of order that it
was an appropriation bill pledging the credit
OF the United States, and that it should go to
the Committee Of the Whole.
The Speaker sustained the point. The bill
was then recommitted to the Committee on
the Pacific Railroad, and it was Immediately
reported again to avoid the point of order.
After considerable debate, the House, with
out taking the question on the reception Of
the report, adjourned.
From Ne,c Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS. April "a.
There is fearful crevasse 20 miles below
Packard plantation an acre and half wide.