The New York herald., 1868-01-08

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1ne Senate then adjournsA
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Z, 1883
wncoNm voLUHrEKRA
Mr. Ccss trsp) Of Wis, offered resolution instruct
ing the Committee Military Afars TO inquire into the
sxpsdiency OF putting the ocsrs OF the Fiftisth Wis
consin volunteers the footing In reference 70
the three months extra pay proper though they had
been mustered into the service Of the URsd States q
the time Of the passage OF the act granting such extra
pay 10 certain officers The resolution was adopted
PUBLIC LASps
Mr. HOPKINS trsp.) Of Wis, offered resolution In
structing the Committee Public Lands to inquire into
the sxpedency OF subjscting entry under the Homo
stead Law and oen for sale and smpton for actual
settlement all the unsod even numbered sections and
parts sections Of public lands remaining unsold along
the lines OF railroad whore the odd numbered sections
have been granted or reserved aid construction
OF railroads. The resolution was adopted.
COMMISSIONER WELLS RHPoRr-suRvEY OF rm PENINSULA
ALASKA
The SPEAKER presented . communication from the
Secretary Of tho Treasury transmitting the report Of the
ferred to the Committee on Ways and Meana Also
Communication from the Secretary Of the Interior
transmitting copies Of letters from shs Secretary o. war
and bringing Into market the lands Of the peninsula OF
Alaska which Was referred to the Committee on Public
Lands
The bill 10 facilitate payment Of soldsrs bounties
the amendments were Withdrawn, and Mr. wAsHBuRsE
(rep OF Ind proposed a. substitute bill directing
the Secretary Of the Treasury TO employ By transfer or
less than ffty in the division Of the Second Auditors
onies OF the Treasury Department furnishing informa
claiming bounty under the act OF July 1855 TO be
nued 80 long a. necessary and preference to bc given
sons the O S TO
provide adequate and convenient rooms for all clerks
employed in that business also directing tho Assistant
Of the loss Of the original
Mr. ARNKII, (rcp) OF Tenn, asked Mr.. washburne TO
accept an amendment transferring the claims OF coored
soldiers for bounty and back pay to the Freedmen's
Bureau.
offered, and pressed vote the substitute which
agreed 10, and the bill was passed.
PROPOSED RoS.CIAD VESSELS.
Mr. PKR, trep.) of Me-, from the Committee on Naval
Affairs reported back joint resolution authorizing the
Secretary Of the Navy to dispose Of such ron-cad
@ ss 1 n0 be- oy ne v
TO be made by Board of not less than nve naval
officers two Of whom shall be engineers; report to os
made Congress fast the vessels sold Of the
amount realized from such sales and OF the parties TO
whom sold
Mr. scnoFrKIp, Crep.) OF Pa, moved an amendment
providing the proceeds Of the shall be paid
Mr. WAsHBuRSs expressed desire to have informa.
ton to the number names prices &C., OF iron-cads
belonging to the navy saying that there had been the
grossest abuses In the whole business
should bc sold at public auction the Board fixing thor
minimum price. He thought that course necessary to
Mr. PIKE Stated that this bill applied to nfy-four iron.
clad vessels that now laid up or these there
at LEAGUE Island twenty at New iorleans eight,
four, at New York thrco at San Francisco two, st
Philadclphia three.
Mr M1YSARp, (rep.) OF Tenn, inquired a. 10 who
wore expected TO be the purchasers.
Mr. PIKE said 1t manifest that II to the inter.
est Of government to dispose OF these vessels boter
R1oo rnnIA n
addition to them there were number on the stocks
which could be completed in very short time
between France and Prussia, and France had immedf.
aey reinforced ts navy by the purchase Of TWO OF our
Powers in Europe and South America were in trouble
In apprehensons Of trouble and wished to purchase
some Of iho smaller vessels ana sppiessons ior that
SusS1'' %ssf. 0A' '''' -a' ''' WY p'''"'n' ~
Mr MAYNARD inquired whether in the opinion Of tho
Naval Committee, II was wise policy for the govern
ment sell It's naval armament for the benefit Of other
natons As 10 the Dunderberg which had been sold
France that vessel had proved TO be OF the staunch
est and best sailing vessels built and she had gone
TO weaken the American Navy and to strengthen that OF
powerful maritime rival ne submitted whether that
were expensive 10 be kept II would be better 70
have them broken up and their material sold.
Mr. PIKE reminded Mr. Maynard that the Dunderberg
had never constituted part OF the navy.
Mr.. MAYNARD said no very well aware Of that; but
sho had been built for tine navy.
Mr.. srALpSe, trep) OF Ohio inquired whether the
measure was recommended by the Navy Department.
Mr.. PIKE replied that II was.
Mr.. woop declared himself In favor OF tho measure.
It but carrying out policy which the country de-
mandedhat OF general retrenchment IN every DEPART
ment or the government He not frightened by the
considerations presented by the gentleman from Ten
nessee (Nr. Maynard The sooner the government was
Ssss on a The Ser but be %o
apply to the disposal Of those ships the rule which
merchant would apply in similar case; ne would put
them in the market 10 general competition, and would
invite the nations OF Europe they desired any OF
them bid them and let tho proceeds be paid
the Treasury Of the United States.
Mr. wooD yielded 10 Mr. KERR, fdem.) Of Ind, who
proposed to offer amendments that the ships should be
sold subject only to public auction and for not less than
their appraised Value, after sucn advertisement the
Secretary Of the Navy shall deem proper.
Mr.. PIKn declined to let the amendment be offered.
Mr. MAYNARD said that those vessels part OF thu
active navy and bore the and marks Of honorable
warfare. They had been associated intimately and
he dd not feel disposed to 500 them taken from under
the American flag and the flags OF foreign nations
placed ovcr them II would be unjust TO the bravo
men who had fought on their decks and 10 those who
had died their decks IL was part Of the glory
and honor OF tho nation that t proposed TO sell
in order put money in the Treasury. II the orgi
nal Monitor herself still anoat would the gentle.
from New York (Mr. Wocd) think IL economy to
put her into the market TO sec how much other
nations would bid for that wonderful memento OF
naval renownY IL his ideas OF economy were in that
direction, then the old Constitution and the Macedo-
nian should be put into the market He admitted that
there were some things which mon and nations could
not afford TO sell for money, aud Of these things
was honor This was an injudcious attempt At vcry
Mr.. woop, referring TO Nr. Msynard's expression
TO those vessels being scarred asked whether he did
think taxpayers mad been pretyl we'll Scared and
also whether he not aware that very few OF the
vessels proposed to be sold had been in any engage
mentY
Mr. MAYNARD replied That he was very well aware
that the taxpayers had been SCARED. aud also
that the marks OF treason were on the face Of the nation
elsewhere than the decks and sides Of those
vessels; but he not that very few OF those
vessels had been engaged In the actual defence OF the
country.
PIKE said he did not propose TO make an inventory
OF tho national goods, and dispose OF them a. house
cleaning operation TO the nations OF Europe. He had
idea OF dsposing Of the navy Of the United States
None OF the vessels proposed 70 DO sold were worthy
the attention OF the first cisss Powers There
the list which either England or France would buy.
or the nyfour vessels proposed to be sold thirty
had been In tho service, and consequently the
eloquent remarks Of the gentleman from Tennessee did
not ap ply to them al all.
Mr. woop inquired how IL proposed TO prevent
these vessels getting into possession Of European gov
ernmenisp
Mr.. PIKE replied that he had objections TO their
0ctt int M eluht-