The Portland daily press., 1869-02-25
XLth CONGRESS- Third Session.


Il
WAsHINGToN, Feb. M.-A message from th,
PRESIDENT of the United States was received
7I1 read, vetoing the copper tariff bill.
Inc Dill was then passed by SO to II.
| Inc Senate then proceeded to consider thu
loint resolutions reported by the joint Com
mlttee on Printing to provide for reporting
and printing the debates Of the next Congress
After considerable discussion the Senate
| passed the joint resolu lions authorizing the
Committee on Public Printing to conclude !
satisfactory contract with Rives & Bailey fol
reporting and publishing the debates for the
next two years.
The vote was "a to IL,
Mr. Morrill, of Maine then called up the ar.
| my appropriation bill.
The amendments reported by the Committee
on appropriations were then agreed to.
MIR. Wilson then offered an amendment re-
duclng the number of infantry regiments to
tmrty-hve the number of Brigadier Generals
10 eight, liking the term of enlistment at five
years, mastering out of service about fourteen
infantry regiments, and providing that the
PRESIDENT shall consolidate the regiments as
rapidly as the requirements of the public ser
vice will permit. Agreed to.
Mr.. Grimes offered an amendment which
was agreed to, striking out the provision
against making new appointments ppnnt IN the ord
Mr.. Sumner moved to add an additional Sec
ton, authorizing the Secretary of the Treasu-
ry to audit and pay the interest account of
Maine and Massachusetts, for advances made
by Massachusetts,, then including Maine, for
the United States during the war of 1872.
Mr. Grimes raised point of order that this
was substantially private claim, being for
the benefit of railroad company, and there
lore 1t could not under the rules be tackled on
to the pending appropriation bill.
Mr.. Sumner maintained that this being the
claim OF State, was not private but public
cialm. What he proposed was that the Sem
ate should provide for the payment Of an out
standing interest account due to Massachu-
setts for her services during the war OF 1917,
and the question of the justice of the claim
or the propriety of providing for it in this way
was not at all affected by the fact that Massa-
chusetts had generously appropriated the pro-
ceeds of the claim to the construction ofa very
important railroad, by which the general inter-
ests of the country would be advanced.
Mr.. Sherman thought the amendment to
the pending bill offered by the Senator from
Massachusetts, was not in order.
Mr.. Fessenden took an opposite view and
the question of order was discussed until four
O'Clock, when the Senate took recess.
EVENING SESSION.
Mr.. Wilson as chairman of the Committee
on Military Affairs, called up the following
bills and resolutions, which were passed: The
House bill providing that brevet commissions
shall be issued only in time of war; the joint
resolution authorizing the Secretary of War to
take possession the National cemeteries at An
dropping from the army roll certain officers
absent three months OF longer without leave:
the bill continuing the Freedmen's hospital at
Richmond and other points in the South till
the 10Th OF june next, and longer if necessary;
the bill declaring and fixing the salaries of the
corps OF Judge Advocates; the bill repeating
the law requiring the General of the army to
reside always in Washington, and requiring
that all orders to the army shall 60 to the army
thrf ugh him.
Tho foIlouinr h;IIs rrov., +I,o No~.,o.4&oo -.
Military Affairs were also passed: The House
bill in relation to additional bounties; the bill
TO remove the charge of desertion from certain
soldiers OF North Caarolina mounted infantry.
The House bill to define the pay of officers
OF the army detailed to act as military instruc-
tors in colleges and universities was discussed
some time and tabled.
Several private bills were passed. Ad.
iourned.
The House resumed the consideration of the
unfinished business of yesterday, it being the
bill to strengthen the public credit and legal
ize gold contracts
After discussion the question was taken on
the passage of the bill, resulting yeas 119, nays
81, and so the bill passed
The House then went into committee on the
legislative appropriation bill, Mr.. Schenck in
the chair.
On motion of Mr. Allison, the proviso strik-
ing out the salary OF the Special Commissioner
OF revenue was, after debate by Messrs. Alli-
son, Kelley, Pike and Moorhead, amended by
adding the words, "after June 80, 1870.
The appropriation for miscellaneous items
Of the Treasury Bureau was reduced from
$4,000 to $4,000.
Items were inserted for the Commissioner of
Education $4,000; for two clerks of class one
Sz4OO, and for contingent expenses 5000.
Pending the consideration of the bill, the
House took a recess till evening.
EVENING SESSION.
In committee on the whole, Mr.. Wilson of
Iowa in the chair, resumed consideration of
the legislative appropriation BILL
Mr.. Kelsey of New York moved to increase
the number of second class clerks in the Pa
tent Office from 80 to 80. Adopted.
Also, to increase the number of first class
clerks from 26 to 40. Adopted.
The amendment was adopted striking out
the appropriation for temporary clerks in the
Patent Office, and providing for 13 copyists of
drawings at $1,000 each, and Is at 500 each.
The amendments offered appropriating $15,
600 to enable the Commissioner Of Agriculture
to prosecute his inquiries into the cattle dis
ease, and increasing the salaries of judges of
the Supreme Court was rejected
Some other amendments were also offered
and lost.
The committee rose and Mr.. Kelley from
the Committee on Coinage, &C., reported bill
tor the coinage of nickel and copper five cents
and under. Adjourned