The Portland daily press., 1870-05-26
XLIst CONGRESs---secord sss SION.
SENATE.


WASHINGTON, May 25-Mr. Chandler offer-
ed a resolution instructing the Committee on
Commerce to inquire and report as to the most
feasible mode of restoring foreign commerce to
American vessels. 1t was laid on the table
preparatory to remarks to be made on the sub
ject by MIR. Chandler on Friday next.
bill making appropriation of S25 600
out of the funds of the F-eedmen's Bureau in
aid of the Wilberforce University, of Ohio.
was passed, 3j to II.
The consular, diplomatic and other appropri-
alton bills were received from the House and
referred, and the Senate resumed the consider
alton OF the bill to enforce the 18th amend
ment.
The question of order by Mr.. Salisbury that
1t was not competent for the committee to add
TO Dy both Houses, was Overruled after full
statement of the case by the chair.
The bill was passed by 4S to IL.
The legislative, judicial and executive appro.
pr,atlon bill was debated until the recess.
Messrs. Irumbull, Conkling and Thurman
were appointed as committee of conference on
the bill amendatory of the bankrupt law
HOUSE.
Wednesday next is assigned for the business
OF the Committee on Banking and Currency.
The House resumed the consideration of the
bill to revive the navigation and commercial
posed the bill because it only aided the iron
workers of Pennsylvania and the wood hewers
in Maine, while it burdened the tax payers of
the whole country. He would vote to remit
the actual duties on materials used in ship
building. -,h
Mr.. Lynch of Maine remarked that the COM
mittee had agreed to substitute for the bill,
and he offered it to be acted upon as an amend
ment.
Mr.. Ingersol of Illinois, argued that the COM
mittee had misconceived the duty assigned to
it. That duty was to inquire into the causes
OF the decay of American commerce and navi-
cation, but the committee had confined itself
SO far as the pending bill was concerned to the
shipbuilding interest. Everybody knew that
iron ships could not be built in Maine, and that
wooden ships could not compete with iron
ships in foreign trade. If the bill were to be-
come a law it would not endanger the interests
of foreigners in carrying. American tonnage
so far as foreign trade was concerned would
continue to decline until it became actually
extinct. 1t would have been Just as sensible
when railroad bL siness superseded the old stage
coach business to have reported a bill to revive
the coach building interest as to report the
pending bill.
Mr.. Garfield of Ohio, also offered bill as
not giving relief at the very place where relief
was most needed; namely, in regard to foreign
tonnage.
The morning hour expired and the bill went
over
In the substitute offered by Mr.. Lynch the
preamble is the same as in the original bill, but
the first section is modified as follows: That
upon all imported lumber, hemp, and for iron
and steel not advanced beyond rods, bars, bolts,
plates, beams and forgings which may be used
and wrought up in the construction of steam
or sail vessels built in the United States and
furnished after the passage of this act, whether
for hull, rigging, equipment or machinery of
such vessels, shall be allowed and paid by the
Secretary of the Treasury. A rebate and draw
back equal to the duties which have been paid
on such material and where American material
is used in the construction of vessels or steam
ers of not less than 1000 tons, shall be allowed
and paid as aforesaid to an amount equivalent
to the duties on similar articles Of foreign man.
ufcture when imported. The second section,
allowing ship stores to be taken aud consumed
free of duty remains as in the original bill. The
remaining sections are struck out
The Pacific Railroad Committee reported
without amendment the Northern Pacific Rail-
road bill, and Mr.. Hawley addressed the House
in support of his amendment, which forbids
the company to sell its lands to other than ac-
tual settlers in lots of 160 acres, at prices be-
yond $3.50 an acre.
MIR. Wheeler being entitled to the floor for
an hour yielded part of his time TO Messrs.
Sargent and Poland, who favored the bill, and
to- MIR. Cox, who opposed it, after which the
Honse rejected Mr.. Hawley's amendment by IS
to los, and Mr.. Sargent's lands granted to the
operation of the homestead and pre-emption
laws, by % to 105, and without further action
adjourned