The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-27
xxxIx CONGRESS- SECOND SESSION
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2

| on which separate votes were demanded All
the rest We're agreed to as whole. The first
vote taken by yeas and nays was on the
a anne reducing distillery licences from
Sooo 10 Sloo. The vote was 81 to rs. SO the IL
cence Is to be $500. The next vote taken was
On niahlhg gas companies pay the tax instead
OF charging 1t to their customers after the 3Oth
OF April next. 1t resulted in vote of 100 to
o. % % The gas companies are expected to pay
their own taxes after that date The amend
inent agreed TO in Committee Of the Whole ON
hotion OF MIR. Myers, taxing cigarettes, enc
roots and cigars of all descriptions 10 tne eX-
t mt of Is per thousand was agreed TO without
a division, so the section stands 80 per thou
sand on all cigars.
The Senate proceeded to the election of
government printer under the act Just passed,
creating that office.
The rule requiring election by ballot was
suspended, and John d. Defries of Ind, was
elected
Petitions and memorials were presented and
referred.
Mr.. Grimes from the Committee on Naval
Affairs reported bill to amend the acts in re-
iaton to the Navy
The Senate concurred in the House amend
ments to the bill providing extra compensa-
ton Tor the civil employees of the government
in Washington. 1t goes to the President
Mr.. Trumbull called up the House bill es-
tablishing Department of Education for col
lection OF statistics and facts with regard to
the school system of the States to he under
the contract of a Superintendent at $4,000
per year.
Mr.. CONFESS moved to strike out the word
department and insert bureau.
MI Irumbull spoke in favor of the bill. 1t
was better to use the word department because
heads OF departments could appoint ubordi-
nate officers, and it was important that the
Commissioner of Education should appoint
his own subordinates
Mr.. Sumner was in favor of the bill. He
cared not whether it was called n bureau or de-
partment Suffrage in the rebel States would
be a barren scepter without education.
PENDING consideration of the sn'ject the
morning hour expired.
Mr. Fessenden moved to take up the army
appropriation bill.
Mr. Chandler moved to take up the NIAGARA
ship canal bill
After debate MIR. Fessenden's motion was
carried-4 to 49,
Mr.. Chandler said he should not trouble the
Senate again with this Niagara ship canal bill,
! but desired to give notice that he should at an
early day present bill to construct ship ca
nal around Niagara Falls by government and
not by corporation, and have it free to the
navigation OF the world
Mr. Grimes said he had opposed Mr. Chand-
ler's bill, but would give his support to such a
measure as Mr.. Chandler had Just promised TO
introduce.
The army appropriation bill was then taken
Mr.. Fessenden moved as an amendment
section directing the officers of the Freedman's
bufeau TO prohibit whipping and manning in
the late rebelious States Agreed to.
Mr. wilson offered an amendment which as
subsequently modified, provides for the dis
| bandment of all militia organizations in the
| lately rebellious States which was agreed to
| % to IL. f.sf
| After some amendments had been acted up
| on an appropriation of $250000 for the erection
| of n brldOa ba Of r.,
| land was passed
Mr. Sherman called up the compound inter
est note finding bill, but without taking action
| upon 1t the Senate took recess.
EVENING SESSION
The compound interest note bill was taken
up as the unfinished business and on motion
OF Mr. Sherman il was postponed until to-
morrow at one o'clock
| Mr.. Wilson gave notice OF an amendment
winch he intended to offer to Mr.. Sherman 5
I bill providing that every National Bank shall
at all times have on hand in lawful money OF
the United States an amount equal to % per
cent OF the aggregate amount OF its notes in
circulation and its deposits
MI. Fessenden from the Finance Committee
reported the omnibus appropriation bill. Or
| dered to be printed.
On motion of Mr. Trumbull the Senate
agreed to committee of conference on the
.Joln5 resolution prohibiting the payment of
to have been loyal during the rebellion.
A number of private pension bills were
passed.
Mr.. Wilson called up the bill relative to
courts martial, which was passed and goes to
the House.
Mr. Creswell called up the joint resolution
to provide for the exchange of public docu-
ments oil this country for the public documents
OF other countries for the use of the congress
| sOnal library which was passed
Mr. Wilson eallad nm tho III ,,,so hill - oIIo,,-
the reissue of discharges for use in the collec-
| ton of extra bounty.
An amendment was offered making the pro-
visions for additional bounty in the bill of last
| year applicable to sailors and marines
Pending the consideration of this amend
ment they adjourned.
Mr.. Wentworth, in accordance with the re-
solution of the House yesterday, made a report
STATING the progress of the examination insti-
tuted into the charges as to corrupt bargains
between members and the President 1t an
pears that the whole story was derived from
observations made by reporters in the gallery
anu conJecuonal differences drawn therefrom
Ihere was also some story about two persons
| who went back and forth between the Piesi-
| dent and certain conservative members of
| Congress. The upshOt was that there was not
| the least knowledge obtained by the commit
| tee about the reported proposition of reconcile
nor had the committee any reliable expectation
of obtaining such knowledge The committee
asked to be discharged from any further consi-
deration of the subject
Mr.. Glcssbi enner of Pennsylvania read a
statement which caused much amusement. 1t
declared that the committee spared no pains
to ind ugly facts, but the witnesses could not
| be brought up to the mark, seeing or sus-
pecnng anything but what was honorable and
patriotic in those whose proceedings they de-
| tailed The impeachment of the President had
/ not been discussed or mentioned in any shape
| Or form. He suggested that the modest gen
tleman named Cowan, now guest of the Mar
shall OF the city, might be induced to come out
and furnish all information that might be de-
| sired.
The committee was discharged.
On motion of Mr. Delan0, the Senates
amendments to the Houses resolution provi-
ding Tor the payment of claims of persons resi-
! ding in the rebel States not known to have
been loyal during the rebellion was taken from
| the Speakers table and acted on. The second
senate amendment was nOn-cOncurred in and
| committee of conference was asked.
| MIR. Garfield from the Committee on WAYS
and Means reported back the Senate's amend
| meuts to the bill for extra compensation to CT
| vii officers of the Government in Washing ton
| with amendments. The report was agreed to
and the bill goes back to the Senate.
/ The House went into Committee of the
| whole on the fortifcation appropriation bill
| After several amendments were acted on Mr.
| Maynard moved to strike out the enacting
clause being the third time the motion had
been made. Adopted-67 to So.
| The House then proceeded to the business of
the morning hour, which was to consider the
| joint resolution reported last week for the re-
moval of the Naval Academy from Annapolis.
| To this Mr.. Schenck had offered a substitute
After an hours debate Mr. Schenck's substi
tute was rejected and then the Joint resolution
was rejected er r5'
The committee rose and reported The ac-
| ton OF the committee was again reviewed by
the House, " to 70, and the bill was recommit-
| ted under the rules.
The House again went into committe on the
bill.
MIR. Leblond moved an amendment that moi
more than one half the sums appropriated be
expended during the next fiscal year. Agreed
to- The committe rose and reported the bill
to the House. The amendments reported were
agreed to and the bill was passed
The House then went into Committee of the
Whole on the tariff bill and the balance Of
the time to the recess was occupied in reading
| the Senate amendments
-H EVENING SESSION.
The House went into Committee of tbe
Whole on the tariff bill and the reading of IN,
Senate amendments was concluded at twanty
minutes past eight
Mr.. Morrill, presented an amendment 70 tho
amendments Of the Senate in the nature ot :
substitute for the whole BILL He exnIained
that the substitute was in the main the same
| as reported from the Committee on WAYS anf
Means There are few alterations. not NOR,
| fI,nx, rod, ri. fIa Ia