The Portland daily press., 1869-12-16

iab0reTS, approved June 10th, 1905, snail hOt
create a reduction of wages Mr.. Morrill, OF
Vermont moved an amendment repeating the
former act, which declared eight hours to be a
day labor He proceeded to address the Sen
ate at length in favor of his amendment, argu :
ing that the law was offensive to men n0t IN
the employ of the government ana without
profit to the men employed, and VIII lead to
the abandonment of industrial establishments
heretofore maintained at the public expense
The eight hours rule would be for our people a
grave mistake, nationally and Individually
He then proceeded to argue, hrst, that the
eight hour law applied only to those in the en-
ployment of the governments anti-republcan
and offensive to all other laboring men; second,
that such law universal applied would be
inconsistent with the highest interest of Amer
lean working-men; third, that it will not af-
ford any additional leisure which will be made
available Tor mental or moral improvement;
fourth that it is untrue that mankind will OF
can periom as much labor and of equal value
IN eight hours as in ten or more; fifth that the
measure, if adopted, now by our whole country
would prove an unreasonable national disaS-
ter; sixth, that there are the means whereby
labor has been and can be much more efficient
ly encouraged and practical. Mr.. Wilson said
that the construction put on the act of 1868,
fixing the hours of labor by the departments of
the government would put Congress in false
position. The President, however, had reieas-
ed Congress by the construction he had given
to the law. He desired that the law might
have fair chance to be tested practically.
Mr.. Trumbull moved to order to take up the
bill relative to the appellate jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court in certain cases.
Mr.. Thurman opposed the motion and
moved to adjourn, but finally modified mis- mo-
ton to provide for an executive session. Dis
agreed to-yeas "a, nays %.
A motion to adjourn was also disagreed to-
Mr.. Trumbul having previously moved to
take up the bill relative to the appellate juris-
diction, the motion wa agreed to, and the bill
was taken up.
On motion of Mr.. Wilson the Senate went
into executive session and adjourned.
Mr.. Ferris, of New York, offered a resolution
calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for a
copy of the report of the special agent of the
Treasury in Alaska in reference to establish
ing post office there. Adopted
Mi. Jones, of Kentucky, bv unanimous con-
sent, offered preamble and resolution declar-
ing that IN the death of George Peabody this
country and the world have sustained an ire
parable loss; reciting the fact that the Queen
OF Great Britain, the authorities of London
and the Emperor of the French have made ex-
traordinary provision for the transfer of Mr..
Peabody's remains to his native land, and au-
thorIzlng the President to order as many ships
of the line as may be considered adequate for
the occasion to meet at sea the European fleet
and conduct them to these shores, and to make
his body as are commensurate with the merits
of the deceased and the dignity of the coun-
try The resolution will be called up Monday.
a resolution of inquiry was adopted as
whether injustice had had been done in set
Ting the accounts of the late Consul Caldwell
at Honolulu.
A resolution asking for information relative
to the payment of bounty for the capture of
jeff Davis was adopted.
A resolution adopted. inquiring what dispo-
sition had been made of the six hundred thou
sand dollars indemnity for aggressions by
Japan.
Several bills were introduced, one providing
tiles.
A resolution declaring as the judgment of the
House that Indian lands be Immediately open
ed to settlement when disencumbered from
Indians, and that the sale of Indian lands TO
corporations and spectators is contrary to
hepubcan policy, and that the House will not
les in which the above provisions are not in
cluded. Was referred to the Indian Commit
tee.
Mr.. Mungen, of Ohio, asked leave to offer
resolution calling fol information as to govern
ment bonds loaned to railroad companies, and
the amount received from national banks, sc.
Objected to.
Mr.. Dyer, of Missouri, introduced bill to
increase the tax on the circulation, deposits
and the average amount of capital stock of the
national banks beyond the amount invested in
the United States bonds Referred to Com
mittee on Banking.
Mr.. Arnell of Tennessee, offered resolution
calling on the Secretary for information as to
pubic funds remaining unappropriated in the
several Southern and Southwestern States.
Adopted
Mr.. Hayes, of Illinois, offered resolution
requesting the Committee ON Mines and Min
ing to investigate the causes that Occasioned
the late horrible accident in the Avondale mine
pennsylvania, and if there be power under the
Constitution, to report bill embodying such
provisions as will, as far as practicable, pre-
vent the recurrence of such accidents in coal
mines; also to report on the propriety of the
creation by the House of Committee of Safe
ty, whose duty it shall be to investigate the
causes of all accidents whereby human life is
endangered and lost, and to recommend legis-
lation to provide against the happening of the
same and to punish those by whose neglect or
carelessness they may be occasoned Adopt
ed.
The House went into com mittee of the whole
on the census amendments pending yesterday,
for the collection of statistics of United States
bonds held by corporations and individuals.
Rejected.
Various propositions were made as to rail-
road and other statistics, but the amendment
offered yesterday by Mr.. Garfield from the
Census Committee was adopted with but one
one slight alteration.
Various propositions were also made and dis
cussed in- relation to de tails in the schedule of
inquiries
Mr.. Jenckes of Rhode Island moved TO strike
out the agricultural schedule from the bill and
leave the superintendent of the census to frame
schedule which would naturally vary accord
ing to locations. He argued that 1T was the
practical way OF doing it, Congress simply in
dicating what subject it required information
upon.
Messrs. Garfield and Powers argued against
the motion and it was rejected.
Mr.. Bingham of Ohio moved to amend by
inserting new section, directing the SupeIin-
tendent of Census to report to Congress on or
before the LIST day of September next, the actu-
al enumeration of the people of the several
States. He supported the amendment by an
argument in favor of the right of the people to
be represented in the next Congress according
to the population of 1870. Rejected by vote
of SO to e..
The committee then reported the bill to the
House, which proceeded to vote ON the amend
ments that were agreed to in Committee of the
Whole. Most of these were merely verbal al
terations and they were agreed to.
An amendment, offered by Mr.. Cox and
agreed to in the committee as section g. for the
appointment of special deputies to collect and
arrange manufacturing and social statistics,
was agreed to; yeas 80, nays Sc.
Without disposing of all the amendments the
House at o'clock adjourned.