New-York tribune., 1870-12-15
XLTsT CONGRESS-3D SESSION.
SENATE. WASHINGTON, Dec. Il, 1870

Mr.. FENTON tRep, N Y.)-Praying Congress to fix
the charges OF International telegraph lines.
THE HOLIDAY RECESS. -
The House resolution for recess the Christmas
hO!idays-frOm the 22d OF December to January was
Mr.. STEWART dsep, New offered resolution re-
qesting the President to furnish the senate with STATE
Ient OF the cost Of transportation OF mails ana ireiSs
Of every description to the pacnc Coas anu ~ & a. th
intermediate points west Of the Missouri RIVER from ne
also the expenses OF the War Department and Indian
Bureau during the same period, IN Ruarnihg tne
land Route from the Missouri River tn California against
Indians and MOrmOns and the cost or the lnd service
the line, including all cases on HclgHt ahu AZ
other expenditures Under objection the reSoutioh went
Mr.. HARRIS Rep., La) offered resolution which
was agreed TO- nstrictng the Committee OH Commerce
TO inquire into the eNpediency OF constructing ana ina
tanning at the expense Of ana under tine exclusive super
intendence Of the General E, SP P f "a
a point Breton Island, on the Gulf of Mexico the
canal to be open to all commerce entering or departing
''''' ' RrTRFsCHmEST IN THE CUSTOMS SERVICE
Mr.. FENTON Rep., n ~ submitted the following
esoIed That the Committee instructed to r
toms revenue at por, NewYork Boston PHILADELPHIA, Baltimore
New Orleans and San Francisco with 1ch
Ie public service Also particularly report the present system
AMI psctce' connected xt' ns 80 In a. - tss general
the Of goods while IN the custody Of the Gov
of That the secrs Of the Treasury be reqns.ted to farns :,
%ons @ m The Trea.ury s the proceed. Of snes penalties forfeit
snd seizures By custom officers at the ports Of Nel bGsPn
DAY OF Jsnuary up and ianlng the 3 dA o. November
lso stating whether such sums o mone were ooansa ~ &
mission Of frauds Of such seizures and ioreures and Of
Also statement Of the smoauts paid mOes y the Treasury ont
n thus received to officers Custom IN the ports & %
Of the persons from whom s9eh moees haze been tice sn
the f hose to whom such moneys have been
paid and the amounts thereof also the aaa 81 e sfGn
deaung the Customs an who have been pros
cu;d cminy convicted and punished therefor ohef"e D@n
Mr.. ROSS Rep., Kansas from the Committee on In
dian Affairs reported and asked for the present c3t1e
ration Of the Joint resolution relative to the Miami lhda
Reservation in Kansas. ..,
Mr. ROSS in reply his colleague, POmeroy, stated
that he had doubt OF the commission OF great frauds
in the sale lands in the reservation The only object
OF the bill to secure suspension OF Issuance OF e'
dences OF title until after an Investigation Passed
TIE RELIEF FUND FOR GOVERNMENT EMPIolEEs.
The bill 10 provide a relief fund for employees in the
Executive Department of the Government reported
with amendments by Mr.. SHERMAN from the Finance
The I,l taken the motion Of Mr. DRAKE Soi
Rep, MOI and discussed for one hour by Messrs CQk-
ling, Davis Morton, Drake, Upton, Howe, and Howell
The question turned upon the proprety OF ,leyyl9g
compulsory contrbutisns upon G9yernmeht cepks o., 10
defray funeral expenses Of deceased associates ana Tor
other purposes. 1t objected that the proposed go
aton could have no bindng efficacy, and was betthg
Mr.. HOWE (Rep., Wis., proposed the establishment
OF re gular and sufficient fund to relieve all actual want
in the District Of Columbia He detailed the eircum-
stances attending dcpOrable case OF destltutlon re,
Gently coming under his notice In Washington, ana
remarked that it was burning shame ana hldeoIs %
crime the part of some one that actnal want 5lou
exist within tlc slatlDW OF NdIhlol
the continual clam0r by Government cierss ~ apo tne
sucency Of their pay had no eiiect upon tue COUNTY R
at large that heretofore, hundreds OF persons day
made pplcation either personally by letter 10 mem
bers of Congress for cleTkshps Inc inference was a1
they were enabled to realize larger conpel mere
than elsewhere He went on to show that Washington
City had been scandalousy slandered by unwaIIahted
reports as charges for ordinary expenses of Nv
ing. His experience was that the rates OI uNlhg
very reasonable.
Mr.. DAVIS Dem, KY offered an amendment pro-
hbiting political assessments in all offices
Mr. WILSON Hep., MaSs) submitted as substitute
for the amendment the bill previously introduced Dy
him on the same subject. 80
Mr. DRAKE, goodhumoredly, suggested modinGa-
prohibition should as the Democratic party
cane n9 PeTer nnght95 @ remarked that the les
taught the Senator from Missouri IN his own state
had doubtless opened his eyes the fact that the party
passing out OF existence TO make way for the Great
National Party which, though temporarily defeated by
fraud and violence again about to unfold It's time
hOnored flag above a reunited country. He would adj
wise his friend Mr Drake) while yet in time, to return
like the PrOdigal, mentioned in the Scripture. To his
fathers house, cOniessng himself no more worthy to be
MIR DRAKE in response TO Mr. Salisbury ys invitation
had only say that the scriptural prodigal. after
leaving his fathers house, consumed his substance in
Democratic party Of the South had left him (Drake and
spent its substance in roous living treason and rebel
lion against the Government, and when, by reason or
their they had been reduced to feeding on husk,
and had repened, he would receive them back; never
APPRENTICES FOR THE NAVY.
Mr.. DRAKE then withdrew his amendment and, upon
his notion in order e. economic time the bill was laid
aside and the bill Of the last session for securing efficient
seamn for the Navy of the United States was substituted
The provides Ia addition the number Of and boys
Navy s be received annually from all part
after passing moral and ph eIamnat shall Naval ap
pences until 81 of to he snow2 nion Apprentices
aud receive nch shall be fre BY the President Upon ar
ryng At maoy :sd aPp'e1se' p,.3. the proper sIa@
class ordinary The Union shall he
eligible promotion petty Offices seamen in the
Their commanding officers aad passing examination be entitled to receive
The bill passed amended by additional section,
giving to noncommssioned officers, seamen, ordinary
same allowance for clothing, is may he allowed
commissioned officers and priyates in the Army and
SOUTHERN WAR CLAIM
The Senate took the calendar OF general and special
orders, the first IN order being the Dll appropratng
lucky Union Surgeon for the destruction OF his dwell
ing house IN 1864 by order of the Union commander during
the Rebel attack upon the place The general questions
OF the liability OF the General Government TO pay for
private prGperty taken Tor public use whether 81 the de
war; was In a constitutional sense, their appropriation
for pub ue: and the peculiar features OF the ease were
discussed during the remainder OF the session by Messr
Wiley, Scott aud Morton, in favor OF the claim, and by
Messrs Conkling and Chandler in oppoaion.
Mr. CHANDLER (Bep, Mich.l said the principle Of
the bill involved the payment Of claims, OF which this
was representative amounting In the aggregate to
81 900 100000 effect OF which would be to make the
Treasury bankrupt and to repudate the entire national
debt.
operation during the OF the principle adyerted 10
by the opponents OF the bill would have prevented the
creation OF any ndtlonuI utDl III was u virtual ac-
OF the right of the Union armies to lay
violent hands upon all private property whether in
York, Pennsylvania, or Michigan which was needed
for Government use, without any Obligations upon the
Government tO make restitution therefor.
Mr. MORTON (Rep., IndD, in advocacy OF the claim,
argued that it differed in principle from the great batch
Of similar claims for indemnity.
without di,pO>ing of the bl the Senate, at $3.50
went into Executive session, and ten minutes later ad
0urned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Mr. GTENENSDN (Ran 0Iln\ nracantaI n ra-
solution OF the National Board OF Trade in ayOrO ap
propriation for the improvement of the Des MOines
Rapids Louisville Canal and the mouth of the Mssis-
againat ralrnal hrlgna hnn