The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-06-20
XLtb OON4REsS-seooud Session

Referred.
MIR. Conkling presented memorial from a
number OF Insurance Companies, asking Con-
gress to declare that SO far as the United
States are concerned that state of war be-
tween foreign powers is at an end when hos.
Utilities have actually ceased for one year, though
IN absence of any formal treaty of peace as in
the case of the South A nerican republics.
Mr.. Pomeroy introduced bill to transfer
the Indian bureau from the Interior Depart
ment to the War Department. Referred to
the Committee on Indian Affairs
On motion of Mr.. Morgan the adverse vote
of yesterday on the bill for the relief of GER
tam exporters of rum and alcohol was recon-
sidered.
Mr.. Cole after abiding to the extensive COM
merce springing up between the Pacific and
AMOR river moved to include whiskey on
the ground OF contracts, similar to those
that occasion this bill, having been made
there.
On motion of Mr.. Howard the bill in relation
to the Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad
was taken up and Mr.. Edmunds addressed the
Senate in opposition.
Mr.. Hendricks followed in favor of the bill.
winch was discussed until ten minutes after s.
when, with the understanding that it will be
again taken up on Monday next, the Senate
adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Washburne of Ind, from the Committee
on Military Affairs reported bill in relation to
additional bounties. Ordered to be printed
and recommitted.
Mr.. Banks presented a resolution from the
State of Massachusetts, in relation to the ship
canal connecting lakes Erie and Ontaria Or
dered to be printed and referred to the Com
mlttee on Roads and Canals.
The House proceeded as business the MORN
ing hour to the consideration of the bill report
ed last Saturday by Mr.. Myers, from the Com
mlttee on Patents, for extension of the wood
question being the motion made BY Mr..
Stevens of Pa, to lay the bill on the table.
Mr. Myers withdrew the demand for the pre-
vlous question, in order to make an explana-
Ton Wnlch might be made in regard to the bill
lie said he had been instructed by unanimous
vote OF the Committee on Patents to report
Inc Dill and that there was perhaps more mer-
1t in it than in any other bill ever reported for
extension of a patent.
The Speaker remarked that in the absence
OF MI stevens the motion could not be with
drawn. "'-
Mr.. Garfield said if it were withdrawn he
could renew it,
Mr.. Farnsworth demanded the yeas and
nays, saying this bill had been killed three
times already.
The vote was taken and the bill was not laid
on the table-yeas 40. nays 81.
ME- myers suggested his understanding that
Mr.. Stevens was willing to withdraw the mo-
ton to lay on the table. When the bill was
first reported, it was defeated by the produce
ton in the House of fraudulent paper, stating
the extension sought for was net to enure to
ohO vi Iu0 VluOW ana nelrS OF HarVoV.
and that the statement was false as the last
assignment did not assign any further extern
sion OF the patent
He went on to state facts showing that Har-
vey had derived but comparatively small
benefit from his invention and that the exteu-
sion of the patent would really have the effect
OF breaking up the monopoly in the manufac-
ture of wood screws.
Mr.. Washburne, of Massachusetts,, argued
against the bill, and stated the facts in connec-
lad bat rla,,A L:
was last before Congress it was opposed by
screw company corporation in his own district
having 100000 capital involved, and by the
Union Screw Company of Providence r. l.,
put neither OF these companies now appeared
to oppose this bill. Why? Because the Amer
lean Screw Company, of Providence, which
owns the patent, had bought up the interest of
the Union Screw Company for $161 600, with
condition in the contract that the Union
Screw Company would rot oppose the extern
sion of the patent If the American Screw
Company had no interest in the extension of
the patent, as stated by the chairman of the
Committee on Patents (Mr. Myers), how did it
come to make such an agreement? He had
asked that question of gentlemen who knew
all about the proceedings, and received the re-
ply that il was the expectation of the Ameri-
can Screw Company that it would derive the
dement, OF the extension. The reason why
there was not any corporation appearing to
oppose the extension was that they all had
either been bought up had arrangements
made with them by the American Screw Com
pany " tn that company, making profit of
from nifty to seventy per cent on every gross
OF screws, and when there was danger of hav
ing screws imported from abroad the company
managed to get the tariff on screws put SO
high as to be prohibitory.
Mr.. Myers contested the statements made by
Mr.. Washburne, and repeated that the extern
sion of the patent would be the breaking up
OF monopoly; because, if not extended, the
American Screw Company, with its immense
capital and Its 1000 machines, would be able to
drown all competition. The people of his
(Myers) district was Just as largely interested
in it as the people of any other district.
Mr.. Garfield suggested that it would be bet
ter to make direct appropriation out of the
Treasury for the benefit of the widow and
heirs of Mr.. Harvey THAI to tax the people for
their benefit
Mr.. Myers intimated that Mr.. Garfield had
made that suggestion two or three times be-
fore, and declared that the effect of the bill
would be, not to tax the people, but to confer
blessing on them.
Mr.. Shellabarger opposed the bill
Finally the debate being closed, and the
question being on the passage of the bill, Mr..
Washburne, of Massachusetts, demanded the
yeas and nays. The vote was then taken and
the bill was rejected-yeas C., nays II.
The morning hour having expired, Mr..
Farnsworth, from the conference committee
on the bill removing political disabilities from
certain persons in the Southern States, made
report in favor of striking out the names of
Geo. s. Houston, of Alabama, and George w.
Jones, of Tennessee II
Mr.. Beck, of the minority of the committee,
opposed the report, and spoke of the high char
acter of the two men who are excluded by it.
Mr.. Farnsworth defended the report He
said that when the Senate amendment re-
ferred TO the Committee on Reconstruction
that committee naturally consulted the MEM
bers from Tennessee as to the present condi-
ton OF Mr.. Johnsons mind, and came to the
conclusion from what they said that until
Mr.. Jones asked to be relieved from the disa-
bilities it was not worth while for Congress to
tender amnesty to him. He didn't inquire in
to the politics of man opposed to be relieved,
but he did inquire whether he was acting with
the loyal people of the United States or was
acting with the rebels of the South.
Mr.. Beck asked Mr.. Farnsworth whether he
did not know that every Republican Senator
had voted to rel !eve Messrs. Houston and
Jones.
Mr.. Farnsworth said he didn't know that
put he did know that two Republican Senators
mad voted for the report of the conference
committee. He would relieve a hundred Brig
aulef Generals of the rebel army who had
ioughC so calamity and well, and who had
been originally secessonists, but who now put
tnelr shoulders to the wheel to support the
GoVernment, rather than relieve any of those
Janus-faced men who stood by the Union I'M
til the last moment and then went off to the
rebels and were with them still.
Mr.. Stokes stated that note of inquiry had
that the reply given was that Geo w. Jones
was a rebel: that he went into the rebellion
and was connected with it, and that if he had
repented of it they didn't know it, Besides
he didn't know whether Mr.. Jones wanted tc
be relieved or not He made substantially the
same statement to the two members of the con
ference committee. He had no personal feel
ing against MIR. Jones. If that gentleman had
sent petition to himself or any member o
the House asking to be relieved from disabili
ties he would be in favor of relieving him.
After further discussion the bill was defeat
ed by vote of n yeas 55 nays, less than tw'
thirds voting for it,
A motion to reconsider was made, and tn
matter was postponed till Monday next.
=, The House then proceeded to business Oh
me Speakers tables. and disposed thereof a
Iollows:- The Senate amendments to tn
nouse loiht resolution for turning over dam
aseu ordnance for the Lincoln monumen
We're agreed to; the Senate amendments to tn
~ ro9 use resolution to amend the act of Marc
20, LOT :. providing for carrying the mails iron
49, ni:eu oIates 10 foreign ports were cor
CURED IN Inc Senate amendments to con
InuS .he. rreeumehs Bureau, concurred in
the oehate amendments to the House bill t
extend the boundaries of the c 1lection distric
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, so AS TO inoi,d
the whole consolidated city of Pbilaan1nh;.
concurred in; the Senate amendments To III
House bill relating to the Supreme Court :
the United STAGES, concurred in; the Senat
amendments y the House bill in relation
the collection district in Michigan, concurre
IN; the Ssffate amendments to the House hi
ior the relief of certain exporters of distille
on spirits, by striking out the word acoh,
concurred in.