The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-01-27
XLIst OONGRESS---second Session
SENATE,

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Ex-senator Howell of
Iowa, successor of Mr.. Grimes, appeared, took
the oath and seat
Petitions for the removal of the Capital, for
female suffrage, increase of the Supreme Court
Judges salaries, and on other matters were re-
ceved.
bill relative to the disposal of land in the
Fort Rdgely reservation was debated and re-
committed.
The currency bill was taken up and Mr.. Cor.
bett made speech, and considered that the
country was gradually returning to sound
basis. :,
The discussion of the bill occupied the en-
tire session.
HOUSE.
resolution was adopted, calling on the
Secretary OF the Treasury for statement as
to the interest paid by Government on the
bonds of the Union and Central Pacific Rail
road Companies for Government freight trans
portation over those routes, as to why those
bonds are omitted in the official periodical
statements OF the public debt, and as to the
stock of those companies
A resolution Was adopted, directing an in
vestigaton into the causes of the Avondale
mine disaster and to report whether Congress
has power to legislate so as to prevent such &C.
currences in the future.
A resolution was adopted, calling on the
Secretary of War for information as to the paw
OF officers employed in civil duties in the South
and whether they are alsU paid out of the State
Treasures.
The League Island bill was taken up. Mr..
Washburne of Wisconsin advocated the abol-
ishing of navy yards and giving of the work to
private parties. He also made speech in de-
Tense OF the Secretary of the Navy against Mr.
Dawes insinuations as TO the economical no.
tions of that official. Speeches were also made
by Mr.. Calkins of New York, in defence of the
navy yard system and in favor of the League
Island bill; by Mr.. Randall of Pennsylvania, in
support of the bill, and by Mr.. Dawes of Mass,
the anfOrnnmppt Of the ViaWS haratOfora NH
mitted by him.
Mr.. Dawes declared that in his opinion the
three New England navy yards might be con-
solidated into one at New London, and that
would swallow up the Charlestown and Ports
mouth navy yards and perhaps also the Brook
lyn navy yard.
Mr.. Dawes of Mass, said with the great bur-
den of public debt, with the currency derang-
ed, with industry paralyzed in every depart
ment, he called for the House to pause and see
whether some change of policy might not re-
suit in a reduction of the large expenditures
contemplated by the bill. That was his Oppo-
sition to the bill. There was no need of this
preparatory bill. -Four words in an appropria-
ton when the time came would be enough
He predicted that those words would be added
in the Senate to the navy appropriation BILL
Under these circumstances with the ewes of the
country upon them, holding them to their
pledge that they would expend no money un-
necessarily in the administration of the gov
ernment, he called upon them to wait until the
question was settled whether in the future the
work was to be done in private yards before
they launched out on this expenditure.
MIR. Randall of Penn, said Mr.. Dawes would
mud faithful allies for economy on the Demo-
cratic side of the House.
The previous question was seconded and Mr.
Schoheld OF Penn. had an hour to close the de.
bate, which he did in support of the bill.
Mr. Dawes OF Mass. moved to lay it on the
table and called for yeas and nays.
The bill was tabled-veas Oh navs az
MIR. Wilson of Ohio offered a resolution Of
inquiry as to the extent and value of the i'm
ports of foreign commodities SUSCEPTIBLE of
production in the United States, such as plants
useful for dye stuffS, medicine, food, textile
and hbrous materials, and for other economi-
cal purposes. Adopted.
The House at 2 10 p NJ. went into Commit.
tee OF the Whole and took up the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation bills.
MT. Butter OF Mass. addressed the Commit
tee as to the expenditures of the administra-
tlon, Temarking that it was discussion of
grave facts and figures which would prove to
be anything but interesting except to those
VINO desired to learn the exact condition of
PRESIDENT Grants administration in regard to
economy III the expenditures of public money.
In order to make no mistakes he had reduced
his remarks to writing. In COMMENTING in his
Introductory paragraph on Dawes Speech to
whlcn ms was reply, Mr.. Butler stated that
SO palatabe was that speech to the Democracy
mat ne understood that the Democratic MEM
bers OF the House had subscribed for 2OO, 600
copies of it,
MIR. Wood of New York, interrupting, said
that they had not subscribed for 1000 of the
speech.
MIR. Butler remarked that somebody had
done it for Them
Mr. Eldridge of Wisconsin said that the
Son.lemdh was mistaken as to that. The DEM
cratic members generally did such things for
themselves.