The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-07-01
LATEST n EW s
by TELEGRAPH TO THE
O0NGRESS---Second Session.
SENATE,

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, June 30.--The House amend
ments to the bill to prevent the determination
OF fur bearing animals in Alaska occupied the
morning hour and were cOncurred in.
MIR. Sumner reported joint resolutions au-
thorizing the exploration and survey of the
TehuanteDec and Nicaragua route for a ship
canal between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans ;
that the committee be discharged from further
consideration of the JOINT resolution Tor ship
canal survey across the Isthmus of Darien and
that the various memorials on the subject be
indefoitey postponed.
AT one O'cock the tue Senate went into ex-
ecutIve session and resu med the consideration
of the San Domingo treaty.
MIR. Morrill, continued his speech against the
ratification of the treaty. An ffoIt will be
made to have the question taken as soon as he
concludes. After Mr.. Morrill, had concluded
his speech the Senate proceeded to vote on the
amendments proposed by the President of the
United States; some of which were adopted
The vote was then taken on the ratification of
the treaty aud resulted in % yeas against 20
nays. A twO-thirdS vote being required the
treaty was rejected. A number of the mem
bers paired off and others were absent. The
opponents OF the measure say that they could
have rejected it without the aid of the Demo-
cratic vote.
The Senate then resumed the tariff bill and
after debate fixed the duty on steel railway
bars made in part of steel at one cent per
pound. The amendment to impose 90 per
cent. duty GU states for roofing was rejected
MIR. morrill, OF Vermont moved to insert son
sword-blades 35 per cent. advalorrm on swords
As per cent advalOrem, aud on watch Jewels 10
per cent. advalorem," which was agreed to.
Mr.. Sumner moved to place on the free list
books in foreign or dead languages, OF which
no editions were printed in the United States
also books with illustrations relating to science
and arts. Rejected.
An amend ment was adopted that paintings
and works OF art, the property of American
artists, now held for pay ment of duty in any
custom house be surrendered without duty
upon proof OF the property by the owner. The
Senate then took recess.
EVENING SESSION.
At the evening session the bill was resumed
and long discussion ensued on the amend
ment allowing transportation of imported
goods in bulk from port of entry to port of
delivery, the dues to be paid at the latter
place, the provision to be confined to cities of
not less than 900 inhabitants and to be I'M
der the regulation of the Secretary of the
Treasury.
Mr.. Sherman advocated The amend ment and
Mr.. Conkliog denied that any complicated or
doubtful scheme touching Custom House reg
ulatiOns could be appended to the tax bull. He
thought that bill to prohibit the enforcement
of the Chinese coolie contracts would be equal
ly as germane, and he therefore offered that as
q further amendment, and both amendments
were withdrawn.
MIR. Cole moved to raise the tax on whiskey
to Que dollar, remarking that it would add
forty millions to the revenue and relieve it,
The increase was opposed by Mr.. Thurman
and favored by Mr.. Edwards, and after q brief
debate was voted down.
An amendment allowing free importations to
the value OF $500 of household furniture in
agreed to. and the duty on oats reduced to five
cents per bushel
Mr.. Hamilton of Maryland offered new Sec
ton imposing tax of five per cent. on gov
erpment bonds, which was rejected.
No quorum being present the Senate adj
journed.
A committee of conference was ordered on
the disagreeiug votes.
The Senate bill to constitute Omaha, Neb
port OF delivery, was passed, and substitute
for the Senate bill for the improvement of the
water communication between the Mississippi
and Lake Michigan, by the way of the WiscOn-
sin and Fox rivers. A bill was passed to amend
the act to prevent the smuggling of ship stores
purchased at Canadian ports
The House resumed the consideration of the
Senate amendments to the Indian appropria-
ton bill
The report of the committee on appropria-
tons, recommending concurrence in some and
non concurrence in Others was agreed to, ex-
cept where special votes were called for. Sep
arate votes were taken ON the following amend
ments, in which the committee recommended
non-concurrence; approprating to the Michi-
gan Indians, the difference between the coin
aud the currency paid them in 1868 and 1864
making large appropriations under the Indian
treaties of 1867 and 1868, which were not salts
fed by the forteth congress; increasing the
appropriation for Indian service in California.
Alter a debate the recommendations of the
committee was adopted, and tie amendment
fOrbidding deductions from Indian annuities
on account of depredations was concurred in.
The receipts from Internal Revenue to-day,
were $758, &c. for June $50, 4GS ,756, 81; and
the general total tor the fiscal year ending to-
day is S1S4, 1872 37459.
A bill was passed making Jersey City port
of entry.
Mr.. d xon of Rhode Island reported bill re-
citing a project for building a canal from
Barnstable Bay to BnzZard's Bay, Massachu
sets, the canal to be eight miles long and
tweDty-three feet deep, at an expense of 81,
600 900, and pledging the faith of the govern
ment to construct a suitable breakwater and
barbor OF refuge, at the eastern entrance to the
canal, the expense not to exceed ZOO, 600. OBJ
lection being made by Mr.. Benjamin, as. the
bill made an appropriation and must first be
considered in committee of the whole; ard il
was so referred.
The conference committee report on the bill
defining the duties of pension agents, was
read. The fees of pension and claim agents
ments are made and filed at the department.,
in which case the maximum fec will be $25.
The House then took up the bill for funding
and consolidating the national debt, the debate
being under the five minute rule.
Mr.. BLAIR OF Michigan, moved to amend the
first section by inserting the words, "The
amount of interest specified in each coupon
shall be expressed in dollars and its equivalenl
in English sterling currency and in francs"
Mr.. Davis of New York. moved to amend
the amendment by adding proviso that the
Secretary of the Treasury shall have power in
his discretion to make the interest on coupons
on part of the bonds not exceeding five hun
dred millions, payable in any foreign country
as he may deem advisable. (Murmurs OF dis
approvaL)
Considerable discussion ensued on Messrs
Blair and Davis amendments; Messrs. Wood
and Kelley opposing the placing of any of oul
public debt in foreign countries or the payment
of interest abroad, while Mr.. Coburn advocat-
ed the governments borrowing money where
it could get it the cheapest and paying the in
terest irrespective of locality. Finally bott
amendments were rejected.
Mr. Woodward OF Pennsylvania moved tC
strike from the first section the clause which
exempts bonds and coupons from all taxation
and argued that Congress had no right to de-
visit itself of its power over taxation. This Con
greSs could not bind restrain any future
Congress from exercising that power.
Mr.. Bingham Of Ohio opposed the amend
ment and denied the correctness Of the lega
position taken by Mr. Wood ward.
Mr.. Brooks of New York opposed it and ap
pealod to his Democratic colleagues not t(
place themselves in an impractcabe position
and not to put obstacles in the way of meas.
ure which would reduce by one-third the
amount ofinterest which the government bad
now TO ply.
Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts, argued tina
while the 5 20 bonds were liable to FEEDER a
taxation Congress could declare these fOu
per cent bonds exempt from all taxation. Tha
would not be actually relieving them from
taxation, but would merely be dscounting tn
taxation in advance.
The amendments, together with several sub
eequent ones to the first section, were rejecte
without division. The amendment to the sec
ond section, prohibiting the payment of an
commission on brokerage for the sale, exchane
or transfer of any of these bonds was rejecte
Adjourned.