Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-26
CONGRESSIONAL.


from the Committee on Commerce, re-
ported favorably bill extending the time
for the completion of the Cairo and Fulton
Railroad.
! Mr.. Pomeroy, from the Committee on
Public Lands, reported back the bill to in
corporate the Southern Trans-C Continental
Railroad Company Referred to the Com
mittee on the Pacific Railroad.
Mr.. Howard presented a communication
from Gen. Fremont relating to the Mem
phis, FL Paso and Trans-C Continental Rail
road. Ordered printed.
Mr.. Ramsey, from the Committee on
Postofiices, reported favorably bill to au-
thorize the Postmaster General to prescribe
an earlier time for the execution of con-
tracts by accepted bidders.
Polar Exploration.
Mr.. Sherman introduced joint resolu-
ton authorizing the President to furnish a
steamer for voyage into the Polar regions,
under control of Capt. @. F. Hall, and ap-
| propriating one hundred thousand dollars
to pay the necessary expenses. Referred
to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
| Army Reduction.
Mr.. Wilson introduced q bill to reduce
the number of officers and enlisted of the
army, and to fix their pay. 1t reduces the
army to twenty-five thousand men, and au-
| tborizes the President to discharge any
officer applying for such discharge before
September. 1t abolishes the offices of
General and Lieutenant General when va
Gated by the present incumbents; reduces
the number Of Major Generals to three and
Brigadier General to six when the present
incumbents vacate, and makes of staff de-
partments Colonies when vacated by the
present incumbents.
By the bill, enlisted men, now numbering
about 80, 900 will be reduced to %, 600 by the
first of September, which will reduce the
expenses of the army several millions.
The House bill, which was partially adopt
ed, instead of reducing the expenses of the
army increases it, it is believed, several
hundred thousand dollars.
HOmesteads in the south.
Mr.. Osborne called up the bill extending
the homestead and pre-emption laws to
pubic lands in Alabama, Louisiana, Missis-
sippi and Arkansas.
Pending its consideration the morning
hour expired, and the Senate at l o'clock,
on motion of Mr.. Sumner, went into ex-
ecutiye session on the San Domingo treaty
HOUSE.
Mr.. Poland, as question of privilege,
submitted a resolution to admit Adolph
Baily to seat as Representative from the
Third District of Louisiana.
MIR. Paine objected, and said it was not
question of privilege, the subject of the
Louisiana elections having been referred
to the Election Committee.
The Speaker sustained that view of the
case and the resolution was not received.
More Alabama Claims.
Mr. Hale introduced bill to compen-
safe the officers and crew of the Kearsags,
for the destruction of the Alabama.
Criminal Practice i'm u. =. Courts
Mr.. Cox offered resolution instructing
the Judiciary Committee to inquire into
the expediency of reporting a bill to pro-
vide for writs of error in criminal cases in
United States Courts; also, for pre-
emptory challenges and allow defendants
to testify. Adopted
Mr.. Randall introduced bill to regulate
the matter of payment of pensions. Re-
ferred.
The House proceeded, as the business of
the morning hour, to the call of commit
tees for bills of private character. A large
number were reported and disposed of.
RcrSOnal-IhC CaucISnlpS.
Mr. Randall. by unanimous consent, had
read a letter from ex- Congressman Lehman,
denying for himself the imputation con-
tanned in Mr.. Kelley's speech of yesterday
as to the cadetship. He says Mr.. Kelly
disclaimed any reference to him or such
others of his predecessors, as Ingersoll,
Roberts and Moore.
Mr.. Woodward stated that it had been
proven that Mr.. Kelleys immediate prede-
cessor, Mr.. Milward, sold cadetship at
West Point for $4,000, but it was untrue
that MIR. Kelley had anything to do with it.
MIR. Kelley expressed his qualification at
the statement of his colleague, and said
that between the time of his own election
and the time he took his seat in the House,
there was a notorious sale of cadetship in
mis- district, and he found that the people
held him responsible for it. The man that
he believed sold that cadetship was the
same man Milward, who begged him to
confer an appointment on a protege of his,
and huckstered the appointment through
the streets of Philadelphia, finally
selling it for a thousand dollars, and swear
ing that he put the money in his pocket,
except that he paid $500 to his agent,
which his agent denies So that he be-
trayed the friendship of Mr. Covode, at
| tempted to brand him with infamy, cheated
his agent and pocketed the thousand.
The Tariff.
The House at 2 P. NJ went into Com
mittee of the Whole on the tariff bill.
Mr.. Allison continued the argument in
favor of the reduction of taxation. He gave
notice that he would move to recommit the
| bill to the Committee on Ways and Means,
with instructions to report a general reduc-
| ton of 20 per cent, and this he said would
not fully compensate for the reduction
made in the Internal Revenue. This re-
duction could be done in two days without
| difficulty It was but justice to the great
manufacturing interests of the country
which were not protected, and to the great
consuming interest that the reduction
should be made in the interest of con-
sumers and not in the interest of special
classes.
Mr. Schenck asked Mr.. Allison to state
whether hiss proposition was to make re-
duction of twenty per cent Oh iron, or on
everything.
He subsequently stated he meant the
same reduction to apply also to wool and
woolens.
Mr.. Diekey asked him whether blankets
l
tective duty was imposed.
Mr.. Allison replied in the negative, and
said blankets which cost So in 1860 cost Sc
now Coming to the question of iron he
claimed the new classification of iron
while it reduced the duties on some clEa q
was on the whole an increase of duty. He
calculated the present duty on steel most
largely imported was $50 a ton, and this
bill proposed to increase that by 1872 to
$40 ton. The duty on Bessimer steel, of
which rails are made, was about
equal to 800 per hundred. 1t was
certainly matter of great importance to
cheaper railroad iron, which would have
the effect of diminishing the cost of trans
portation. He protested against this enor-
nous duty on steel rails As to salt, he
believed the duty onerous and burden
some on the country, and it should DO
largely reduced. He was also opposed to
the new classification of sugar. Summing
up his speech, he argued on the impossi-
bility of getting up an export trade in
manufactured articles SO long as such a
burdensome tariff is kept up, and declared
it the duty of Congress to carry out a
general system of reduction of taxation.
Mr.. Kelly addressed the Committee in
favor of q protective tariff, and some re.
marks were made by Messrs. Cleveland
and Sargent.
Mr.. Schenck gave notice that he would
try on Monday to close the general debate
| ON the tariff bill
: The House at $50 adjourned.
The session tomorrow will be for gene