Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-02-18
EVENING STAR.
CONGRESSIONAL



The debate on the Mississippi bill was con-
tnued by MessTs- Sawyer, Summer, Williams,
Warner, Drake. and others.
The debate was closed by Mr.. Trumbull. He
said II was unworthy of the United States Senate
that the prejudced argument should be adduced
here that those Senators who voted against con-
ditlons were voting with the Democrats. 1t
would be useless to reason with any Senator who
could be Influenced BY any such cry. Another
plea that had been made here that the Oppo-
nents OF these conditions were reyiving exploded
doctrines of States rights, should never have
been brought into this debate. Congress was
not the grand custodian of the liberties of this
country as some seemed 10 imagine, they were
the mere servants of the people. We are not to
he told because we DENY the OmnipOtcnce of
COngrCss that we are the enemies of human
rights. 1t will be surrender indeed of human
rights " the whole power Of this Government is
given ~ Congress; TO a centralized power at
Washington Mr.. Il. quoted from a unanimous
decision of the Supreme Court delivered in 1874,
that Congress had no right to impose flnda-
mental conditions of admission upon a State
The question was then taken on the amend
ment OF Mr.. Wiley, ~ repeal the condition, i'm
posed on Virginia: which was lost by yeas ,,
nays 81, those voting in the afimatIye being
Messrs- Bayard, Casserly. COnkling. Davis,
Ferry, Fowler, Hamilton, johnson kellogg,
MeCreeTy, Nye, Ross. Salisbury, Sawyer,
SpTague, stewart, stockton, sherman, Trum-
bull, NiCkers, Warner. Wiley ami Williams.
The question was then taken on the amend
mt mt Of the Judiciary Committee to strike ont
the conditions ia the bill, which was also re-
jected-yCaS q nays -.
Mcssrs. Cole, Scott, Fenton and Upton, who
voted in the negative on Mr. Willcy's amend
ment, changed their votes 20 the affirmative.
The Senate then also refused to strike out the
preamble. ard tie bill was passed rs il came
from the House. by yeas 20, nayS,l1-the mega
tives being Messrs. Bayard. Casserly, DAVIS,
Fowler, Hamilton, johnson. McCTeery, Sauls-
bury. Stockton, Thurman and Nickers.
Mr. Carpenter was not present; he would have
voted for the amendments, and also in favor of
the bill.
Mr. Lewis of virginia was NO, nrasan. vrbon
the vote taken.
The Senate then, at 5:35 p. M. adjourned.
HOUSE.-Aftcr our report cIosed-the Iegis-
lstiye appropriation bill being under considera-
tiOH by the House in Committee of the Whole
The committee, by large vote, refused TO
amend the paragraph in relation to the Court of
Claims by striking out the proviso prohibiting
the paw ent OF any Judgment for 4 sum exceed
Mr.. washburn lwis.) moved to amend the
paragraph in relation to compensation of private
secretaries, &c., of the President, by reducin 2
II from $1,000 to - 100, and to strike out the
appropriation for private secretary and assistant
private secretary, and TO provide for two exesu-
tive clerks at q, 500 each This he said would be
n reduction from the amount expended under
the last administration. With regard to the EN-
plOyment OF military men rs secretaries, which
excepted to bv Mr.. Wood the other tay
Mr.. Washburp said that these gentlemen were
on General SfeTman's staff. He had no employ
ment for them, and their employment at the
White House put additional expense upon
the Government, for they received nothing
whatever except what they would get paid a.
officers of the army in any other capacity
The President, he said, was willing that this
appropriation should be stricken out, and he
employed military secretaries from desire fOl
economy.
MIR. Logan (In) said if the President did not
want private secretaries, let him say 50, and LEI
the House dispense with the appropriation. But
lie objected to the employment of military mel
as private secretaries. Here were these stat
officers who got pay OF between - 900 AID -, 90
for army duty.
Mr.. Washburne said it was not really a kind
ness to the President to amend the bill as he
proposed, because il would reduce his force al
the White House. But the President was viii
ling to endure any inconvenience OF a personal
character in order To reduce expenses.
Mr.. Wood y. " said under the present adj
ministratIOn, for the first time ia the history OF
the Government. We had military secretaries
Not only that, but he found also. by examina-
ton Of the Official records of the Post Office
Department., that two of the military secreta-
ries, Porter and BabrOck, were also special
agents of the Post Office Department. Her.
were men, then, who were occupying three Off
cial positions under the Government. He had
no objection to giving the President many
secretaries a. might DC necessary to the conduc ct
OF the business at the White House. but he was
opposed to the employment of military men in
that capacity.
MIR. Latin N. " and Mr. Washburn bot,
showed that Mr.. johnson had military men at
the White House a. secretaries during his al
ministTaton.
WI. WOOL SAID they were not called military
secretaries
MI " sshburn explained that the commissions
held a. agents of the Post once Department
by the gentlemen named carried with them no
paw
Mr.. Swami (Nd.) made some general remarks
IN relation to the salary OF the President OF the
United States, and cOntended that it was no
SufhcIent, and he would vote for any bill TO in
crease the salary SO as to make il conform to ths
dignity of the high office. He did not think the
amount appropriated for the Executive offict
was any too large, but he agreed with Mr.. Woo
and Mr.. Logan that civilians, and not Army of
Ulcers, should be employed.
After further discussion, the amendment wa
MIR. Kelsey N. " moved to amend by adiin,
to the appropriation for the State Department
three clerks 10 make indexes OF the books of tn,
Department, and apPropriating $500 therefor
Agreed to.
Mr.. Dawes moved to amend the first para
graph under the head OF Treasury Department
50 as 10 make 1t real as follows: For compensa
ton OF the Secretary of the Treasury - 800
two assistant Secretaries of the Treasury, -. so
each; Chief Clerk. $500; nine heads OF diyi
sions $500 each; forty mine clerks of class four
additional To one clerk of class four as disburs
ing clerk; thirty clerks OF class three: twenty
siN clerks of class two; twenty-seyen clerks Of
Class one; thirty-twO female clerks at 5000 each
eleven messengers; one assistant messenger ana
three labOrers. making in all S29O, $40, This /.
an increase over the amount Appropriated BY
the bin a. reported of nearly Al 900. 900 bat Mr.
Dawes explained that il was in lieu of tempo
't'Ahrs anu TIE department OF tilf
employment of clerks of the latter class. 1t Wa
thought more economical 10 make an absolute
and direct appropriation rather than allow
Tor temporary cleTt. Ii did not Actually in
crease the force Of clerks in the DEPART
mfHf.
The amendment was adopted.
Pending further consideration of the bill the
committee rose.
Nr. Beck (kyl from the Conference Com
mittee on the Military Academy Appropric.-
uOn bill, submitted report. The BILL as oriei-
hxrrI
TO. and the conference report was adopted'
The House then, at i:55 p. m. adjourned.