The national Republican., 1867-02-26
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
EVENING SESSION.

provisions Of the act for the hnsl adjustment Of
private land claims in Florida, Louisiaps and Mis-
souri, was taken up and passed.
The unfinished business, being the bill making
appropriations for the completion preservation and
repair Of certain public works. and generally known
as the harbor and fortihcstion appropriation bill,
was then proceeded with.
Mr, Ramsey moved to amend BY appropriating
tSh oOO 70 remove snags and boulders from the
Mississippi river which was adopted.
Mr. sprague moved TO amend by appropriating
S25, 900 for the improvement Of Providence river,
and Sl7, 900 for the improvement Of Pawtuekst
riveri which was adopted.
Mr.. Edmunds moved to strike out the appropria.
tion Of St6, 900 for the improvement Of Lac La
Belle and Lake Superior; which was agreed to.
Mr. Sumner. from the committee Of conference
on the consular and diplomatic appropriation bill,
made q report.
The committee recommend the adoption Of q
provision which leaves the United States still rep
resented at Portugal, but prohibits any money
being paid to the present Minister to that country
until authorised BY Congress; and also, that the
Senate recede from its amendment reducing the
contingent fund Of the State Department from
$65, 900 to $50, 900.
Mr. Hendricks called for the yeas Ind nays on
the report. He said that the conference committee
had gone further than the House. The House had
originally struck out the appropriation for the
Minister to Portugal for this year only, and now
the conference committee recommend that this pro.
hibition shall be permanent He was we'll aware
Of the opinions Of the Senator from Massadhusetts
Mr.. Sumner, but that Senator was appointed to
represent the Senate, and not carry out his own
views. The Senate had voted to insert the usual
appropriation.
Mr., Sumner said he would content himself with
calling for the vote.
The report was then OOncurrsd in by yeas "a,
nays 10, As follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Brown, Cattell, Chandler, Con.
ness, Creswell, Edmunds, Fessenden, Fowler, Howe,
Ian
Pomeroy, Ramsey, Sherman, Sprague, Sumner,
Trumbull, Van Wrinkle, Williams and wilson-24.
Nays-Messrs Buokalew, Cowan, Doolittle, Eos.
ter, Hendricks, Norton, Patterson. Ross, Wade
and Willey-l0.
The consideration Of the pending appropriation
bill was then resumed.
The bill having been considered in COMMITTEES Of
the Whole was reported To the Senate, when
Mr.. Henderson moved TO increase the appropria-
ton for improving the navigation Of the Mississippi
at Des Moines from $500, 900 to 81 900, OOo Dis
agreed to.
Mr.. Henderson moved to strike out the appropri.
alton Of $37S, 900 for tho improvement of Boston
harbor.
Mr.. Sumner appealed to the magnanimity Of the
Senator to withdraw this amendment.
After some discussion the amendment was with.
drawn.
The bill was then passed.
On motion Of Mr.. Chandler, the bill to repeal the
provisions Of the law authorizing foreign goods to
be imported into the country without inspection at
the port Of entry was taken MP and passed.
On motion Of Mr.. Chandler, the House bill to
authorize the building Of light. houses at certain
points therein named was taken up, amended, and
passed.
Mr. Chandler called up the bill creating Albany,
New York port Of entry, and authorizing the
appointment OF Surveyor Of the Customs for that
port which was passed.
Mr.. Chandler called up the House bill relative to
the port Of Camden, in New Jersey, annexing It to
the collection district Of Philadelphia which was
passed.
corporate the Niagara Ship Canal Company.
Mr.. Buckalew called for the yeas and nays on the
motion.
Mr.. Sherman hoped the Senator would not press
bis motion. It was impossible to procure any &C.
tion on this bill.
Mr. Chandler would like to get test vote on his
motion.
Mr.. Sherman moved to adjourn.
Mr.. Chandler called for q divisioni when the mo.
tion was disagreed to.
Mr.. Lane renewed the motion to adjourn when
II was again disagreed to.
The question was then taken on the motion to
take up the Niagara Ship Canal BILL whom 1t was
agreed to.
The question was on the amendment that the act
shall not take effect unless with the consent Of the
Legislature Of the State Of New York, given with.
In two years from tho passage Of the act.
Mr.. Edmunds hoped the amendment would not
be adopted. This canal was in the interests Of
commerce, and intended to connect the States Of
the East and the West and no State should be
| allowed to interpose any objections. Tho General
Government alone had the right to regulate com.
merce.
Mr.. Williams moved to ADJOURN which was disa.
| greed to.
Mr.. COwan said the nation had no right to char.
ter this company, and to do SO would be to do a
most dangerous thing.
Pending discussion, the Senate adjourned, at II
| p. N.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Tho House resumed the consideration Of the
amendments Of the Committee of tho Whole to tn,
tax bill.
The amendment striking out the 22d section
which required distiers to maintain cistefns upor
their premises to hold the spirits distilled during
the day, was rejected.
| The amendment striking out the tar Of dfty
cents per gallon on brandy made Of grapes wai
agreed to-yeas 95, nays 81
Mr.. Bidwell, of CAL, moved to reconsider the
vote whereby the House refused to agree to the
amendment Of the Committee Of the Whole making
| the distillers' license 800,
Mr.. Morrill, Of Vt, moved to lay that motion on
| the table
The latter motion was rejected-yeas 6S, nays 65.
| The question Of reconsidering the vote whereby
the amendment was rejected was then taken by
yeas and nays and 1t was agreed to-yeas 72
nays 65.
| The question was then again taken upon making
the distlerS license 500 instead Of $500; and Il
was agreed tO-yeas 73, nays s.
| The amendment striking steam locomotives from
the free list was rejected.
The bill was then read a third time and passed
unanimously.
Mr. Eliot, Of Massachusetts,, from the select com
mittee on the New Orleans riot, which was alst
charged with the investigation of the New orleanl
custom house, made report upon the latter brancl
| of the subject. Ordered to be printed.
On motion Of Mr.. Stevens, Of Pa, the House 70
solved itself into Committee Of the Whole, (Mr
Donnelly Of MINI, in the chair and proceeded Il
the consideration Of tho bill making appropriation
for the preservation and repair OF certain fortca
tions for the year ending June 80, 1868. Tho bill
Rppropriates 81 ,365, 900.
Mr.. Ross, Of Illinois, moved to strike out the en-
acting clause Of the bill, lie did not see any neeC
for this expenditure Of money.
| Mr.. KassOn, of Iowa, said the bill had beef
drawn up at the suggestion Of officers Of the army
who deemed the appropriations necessary.
Mr.. Scoheld Of Pa, agreed with Mr.. Ross, ant
deemed this useless expenditure and should yot
| to strike out the enRcting clause.
| Mr.. Stevens, Of Pa, said q bill Of a character
similar to this had been defeated day or two ago
and tho Committee on Appropriations had thel
sent for the General Of the army and asked him Il
fix the lowest estimates for the proper preservation
of these forts and this bill was the result. II !
was proposed to abandon the Notifications, defea
the bill, but If II was proposed to make then
available the appropriation was necessary. Mr.
Stevens closed his remarks by motion that th