The Portland daily press., 1870-05-30
XLIst O0NGRESs---Second Session.

XLIst O0NGRESs---Secoud Session.
SENATE.
ASHiNGToN, May % The bill to provide
LOT buildings for post Office, United States rev.
enue, pension and judicial offices in Trenton,
N. D., was passed
Mr.. sumner presented petition from the
American Cable Company from New York
o.ate, proposing to lay a cable from New York
CITY 10 the Azores Islands, thence to Lisbon,
fortusal, thence to Lands End, England, and
s sn a,h 10 Havre and Amsterdam, and asking
ior sucn aid as Congress may be willing to eX-
tend. referred Also petition from the col
ored cltlzens OF Maryland, setting forth that
they were exposed to prescription When
tney are travelling by land or water they are
!rea.ea IN acceptance with the infamous decis
ion OF the late Chief Justice and denied com
Portable lodgings, and in their transit from one
place 10 another are assigned quarters under
cattles feet, where they experienced bodily
harm, and asking for remedy by Congress.
MI. sumner said that the subject was now
under consideration by the Judiciary Commit
tee, to which the paper had been referred.
MIR. Chandler proceeded to address the Sen
ate upon the resolution recently introduced by
him for restoring our commerce to American
vessels. He said our domestic and cOastwise
commerce was never in more favorable con-
ditOn than now, but our flag had been driven
from foreign traffic. The question was, how
was 1T best to restore our former prestige in
that traffic. He referred to the gradual SUBJ
stItution of steam propellers for American
wooden ships, by which iron had taken the
place OF wood and steam the place of wind.
MIR. Howard desired to hear his colleagues
opinion as to the acquisition of Cuba by pur-
chase.
Mr.. Chandler replied that since voting to
buy that iceberg, Alaska he had not felt like
pay money for Cuba under any pretence.
MIR. Sumner inquired as to the probable cost
OF war resulting from the acquisition of San
Domingo.
Mr.. Chandler asserted that if the American
nag was hOisted in that island it would be i'm
possible to get up a war there AT the best
there was no one there disposed to fight. He
proceeded to show from authority and statis-
tics the fertility of the soil and the natural
wealth of the island, aud that diplomacy and
diplomatic dinners had more than anything
else to do with preventing its annexation.
A bill to prevent any officer or employee of a
corporation from acting as elector or registra-
ton officer was passed.
AT O'Clock the Senate went into executive
session and soon after adjourned till Tuesday
HOUSE.
The call showed 1873 members present.
A resolution was adopted calling GU the
Secretary of the Treasury for information
whether any telegraph office in New York city
refused or neglected to report to the assessor
the amount of their gross receipts.
Mr.. Willard, of Vermont, reported bill
granting pensions to the surviving soldiers
and sailors of the war of 1872 The bin grants
pensions of eight dollars month to the sur
viving officers, enlisted and drafted men, in
Guiding the militia and volunteers of the mill
tary and naval service who served consecu-
lively for three months, and were honoraby
discharged,a and who are dependent upon others
for support, and gave no aid or comfort to the
enemy during the late rebellion.
MIR. Winans, of Ohio, moved to amend by
on a anti ro(o.
ing aid and comfort to the rebellion, arguing
that these old men We're physically incapable
OF rendering active aid to the rebellion Re-
jected-60 to I'LL
Mr.. Holman's amendment, making the bill
apply also to widows who had been married
before the close OF the war, was agreed to-S3
to 81. The bill then passed.
The House then resumed the consideration
of the bill to reduce internal taxes The tax
on sales and contracts for the SAILS of stocks
bonds, gold and silver, were reduced from two
cents for every 500 to one cent, the present
rate. The provision taxing contracts for the
sale and delivery of gold coin through clear
ing house or other Institute n, one-twentieth of
one per cent additional, and doubling the tax
on all gambling operations in gold aud stocks
was agreed to.
The paragraph in regard to foreign- eomn'ar-
mercial brokers, whose annual sales do not ex-
coed 100000, shall pay each special tax of
$1,000" &c. The paragraph relating to claim
agents was amended by striking out the DIFF
ferent rates and leaving it to read, "Claim
agents shall each pay So" The paragraph
relating to retail liquor dealers was amended
by adding the words, ANY retail liquor dealer
who sells only wines or malt liquors shall be
required to pay only half of the above rates of
taxation" The paragraph relating to whole
sale liquor dealers was amended so as to read
that wholesale liquor dealers shall each pay
$lOO. and $40 additional for every $1,000 on all
sales in excess OF $25 600. A proviso, exempt
ing savings banks from the tax, was made. a
general exemption by striking out the words
limiting to deposits invested in United States
securities and to deposits less than than $500
made IN the name of any one person. The
paragraph relating to distillers was amended
by making the tax of distilers of spirits from
apoles, peaches or grapes, producing ten bar
rels or less within year $40, and "a for each
additional barrel.
Mr.. Iogersoll, of Illinois, moved to strike
out the paragraph relating to bankers, and in
sert the words "and tax of one quarter per
cent each month on the average amount of all
deposits of public money in their possession to
the credit OF the Treasurer or any discussing
officer of the Unised States''
Mr.. Peters, OF Maine, moved to strike out of
the sentence taxing the average amount of de-
posts one twenty fourth OF one per cent per
month The words "other than public monies of
the United States" so as to leave to them only
that tax.
After loud discussion both amendments
were rejected and the following words added |:
And no national bank shall con tinue to be a
depository OF public moneys longer than such
bank may elect" An additional paragraph
was inserted taxing the proprietors of the
banking game-farO, rouge ct noir, vingt ct un,
etc, $1,000 for every table where games are
played.
The exemption of savings institutions was
limited to those not authorized to receive
higher rate of interest than authorized by the
general laws of the State where located
The paragraph as to keepers OF hotels, ms
or taverns was amended by excluding taverns
where the yearly rent of the property was not
more than 500. Amendments TO reduce the
Tx on circulating notes of State banks from 10
to IL per cent on the propretors of public
amusements of the first class from $500 to 500;
on bowling alleys and billiard tables. from 800
to $40 for each alley and table; and taxing
each distiller 81 for every barrel of forty gal
Ions of distilled spirits produced by him, were
rejected.
The paragraph relating to places of public
amusement was amended by reducing the tax
on the gross receipts of the owner or lessee of
any permanently located place of amusement
from 3 to per cent.
MIR. Logan of Illinois moved to strike out of
the paragraph relating to recifiers, the proviso
that it shall apply to authorized distilers who
merely rectify spirits of their own production !;
but without disposing of the amendment the