Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-06-04
FORTIETH CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings,
THURSDAY, June

the election to be by ballot was suspended. and
Geo Z. Gorham, of California, was declared
TO be the ~ cretary Of the S.nate.
Mr.. Buchalew announced the decease of ex-
President Buchanan, and after briefly sketch
ing the life and services of Mr.. Buchanan
moved as mark of respect that the Senate do
now adjourn.
Mr.. Cameron seconded the motion of Mr.
Buchalew, and the Senate then ad iourned
House OF RHPREsENrArIvEs.-The Senate
amendments to the deficiency appropriation
olii were taken up and concurred In, and the
bill was passed.
Mr.. Julian (Ind.) obtained leave 10 make a
statems Mt with regard 10 the condition of bust
ness before the Committee on Public Lands
and said there was SO much business before il
that II could not possibly report in two morn
ing hours. He therefore asked that an addi-
tional morning hour be allowed.
Objection was made.
Mr.. Julian, from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported bill to amend the act To Sc
cure homesteads TO actual settlers on the pub
lie domain. 1t relieves honorably discharge ed
soldiers from payment of fees for taking up
homesteads on the public domain, except the
fees 20 local land ofiices.l Passed.
Mr.. briggs Mich J, from same committee
reported a bill authorizing the Commissioner
of the General Land Office to locate a land
patent upon public lands in Kansas. Passed.
Also from same Committee, reported a bill
extending the time for the construction OF a
military road and telegraph line from Copper
Harbor, in the State of Michigan, TO Green
Bay, IN the State OF Wisconsin; passed.
MT. Eckley (o.l from same Committee,
ported bill 10 reopen the Virginia land dis.
trIct in the State OF Ohio passed.
Mr.. Donnelley (O.) from same Committee re-
ported bill 10 prohibit the location of more
than three sections of land except for Agricul-
tural Colleges, IN anyone township of State:
passed.
Also. reported bill making grant OF lands
to Minnesota, TO aid IN The Improvement of the
navigation OF the Mississippi river.
MI. Donnelly, i'll explaining the bill said Its
object was to connect the navigable waters OF
the Mississippi. which now extended only to
st. Paul. with the great water power of the
Falls of St. Authony-the greatest water power
IN the world. II was bill which, If passed,
would not only benefit the STATE of Minnesota,
but also the whole country watered by the Ms
sIssippi and its Tributaries.
The bill was passed.
Mr.. Ashley, (Nevada,) from same Committee,
reported back Senate bill amendatory of the ACT
for the relief OF nhabitants of town sites located
upon the public lands. Passed.
Also, reported back, with amendments. the
bill TO increase the compensation of registers
and receivers IN the Territory of Idaho.
Pending consideration the morning hour ex-
pired.
On motion of Mr.. Schenck, (O..J the Senate
amendment 10 the resolution to supply books to
the Soldiers Asylums was concurred in
On motion of Mr. Stevens PA the IL ouse
on-concurred in the Senate amendmenrs 20
The Arkansas bill, and asked a Committee of
Conference.
The House then resolved itself into Commit
tee ofthe Whole Mr.. Pomeroy IN the chair and
resumed the consideration OF the Internal tax
bill.
Mr. Miller Pa addressed the committee
arguing that the main question IN the bill was
with reference 10 the collection OF the tax upon
distilled spirits. He believed that Secretary
MCCulloch and the Commissioner OF Internal
Revenue had honestly done all to collect the
tax, and believed the law was IN fault, and the
remedy must therefore come from Congress
Mr. Maynard, (Tenn.,) in addressing the
committee, referred to the whisky ring and
said il was composed in part OF a combiu a.
ton OF corrupt officials So with the banks
in relation 20 the tobacco tax: and in order to
get at the root OF this matter II necessary to
put the responsibility for the acts of these OFF,
cials in some Individual head, and he, there
fore. approved OF the first section of the pend
ing BILL which proposed to give the head of the
Internal Revenue Bureau more enlarged au.
thorlty. Unexplained the difficulties of prevent
ing fraud when 80 many offcials had 10 b. con-
suited, and IN making the Internal Revenue
bureau seperate department. il did not ne
cessarIly involve the creation with II Of all the
powers usually held by a head OF depart
ment. Because be was the head of a depart
Chief of the Internal Revenue Bureau must
have seat in the Cabinet. The Post Once
Department was III existence a long time be-
fore the Postmaster Geneaal was invited
o seat In the Cabinet, and the head OF the
Department OF Agriculture had never vet been
invited there. He believed II was essential to
he proper collection Of the taxes that all the
patronage OF tie Internal Revenue Department
should be in the hands OF one officer. who
would be held responsible by Congress. and il
was for that reason that this clause was inco--
porated In the bill.
Mr.. Allison Iowa said no.withstand ding the
!act that this bill appeared TO be so volumln-
Gus, he believed II could be speedily considered
II gentlemen would pay attention TO the busi-
uess OF the House. There Were really but
three Coneroyerted points IN this BILL and these
weIe-ist, that which had just been argued by
Mr.. Maynard I'd, that relating To the tax upon
distilled spirits: third that relating TO tobacco
n. xsrist
pleasure 10 the remarks Of the gentleman from
New York, (Mr. Wood.l and was glad 10 hear
from him. a leader OF the party, that the Demo-
cratic party. never contemplated a repudia-
ton OF either the principal or interest of IN.
National bebt The Committee OF Ways and
Means had not only made this bill for the pur-
framed with view Of speedy
reduction OF all taxes. Mr.. Allison
theL proceeded TO refer to the several laws re-
iating TO taxation that had been passed since
me flrsl year OF the war. and referred TO IN.
labor that had necessarily devolved upon the
committee IN bringing all these laws together
ana uniting them INTO one general law He
ihen proceeded to argue by a comparison of
the receipts and expenditures of the several
years from 1ct2 down TO the present time thai
Ihe taAation n had been steadily decreasing; and
now, according 10 estimates submitted. the
expenditures of this year would BE- greatly less
Than those OF last year: and he de MED the truth
OF the charge that had been made that these es-
Inmates had been made for the purpose of
conducting a political campaign. The Com
mitIee OF Ways and Means had, in preparing
this bill, acted upon the theory that its terms
would benefit the consumer as we'll as
the producer. The committee did not proposa
10 90 into a general revision of the tariff law
but II il was touched al all, only TO take up
certain specific subjects. The Committee had
concluded nor 10 revise the tariff, and they did
cid not believe any gl eat man ufacturins inter-
ests would suffer. for statistics showed thot the
oral and iron Interests OF the country Were
never more prosperous than at the present
time, and be did not believe this would, there
great oblecr of the Committee in preparing th.
bill was 10 do away as much as possible with
the taxation npon the necessaries OF life.
MIR. Allison then proceeded argue in favor
OF the adoption Of that clause OF the bill which
vested the power over the Bureau of Internal
Revenue IN an officer who would be the head
of the Bureau. AT this moment the Commis.
sioner of Internal Revenue was the response
tbs Treasury. and il was useless 10 say
not been informed of the frauds that
were 10 great extent component parts
OF the whisky ring, who We're charged with so
much fraud; and OF his knowledge he knew
that Mir. Rollins, the Commissioner had fire.
quently called the attention Of the Secretary of
the Treasury 10 great frauds and no removals
had been effected. The matter had also been
called 10 the attention OF the President, and he
had not made removals, and the respons ibility
IL upon the Executive Department OF the Gov.
ernment, and upon no other department.
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