Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-05
HOUSE.
DisgraccFuI Advertisements.

Mr. SlOcuIn rose 10 question OF privilege
calling the attention of the House to an adj
vertisement in the New York Times, of Feb.
2. which he thought calculated to bring
dishonor on the House. The advertisement
reads as follows: Omitted States Naval
Academy; vacant Cadetship to be filed
before June; parties Of means will address
Congressman box No. 147, Times Office
also.a West Point vacancy"
He thought it one Of the crying evils of
the day that to hold office was deemed dis
honorable, and that to have the name of a
politician was a little better than to be
called thief, and just such articles as that
which brought members of Congress into
disrepute. He therefore, offered reso-
luton reciting the publication of the adj
vertisement, and authorizing the Commit
tee on Military Affairs to inquire as to
whether any member of the House has ever
sold or offered to sell his influence as a
member in securing appointments to the
Military or Naval Academy, and whether
any member had received or expressed will
ingness to receive any valuable considera-
ton for using his influence in connection
with such appointments, with power to
send for persons and papers.
Mr.. Woodward, expressed hopes that
the resolution should be adopted
A lady of the highest responsibility
in his district, had informed him
Just before he left for Congress, that
she had received letter from member
of Congress, offering to place her son at
the West Point Academy, for $3.50 He
had asked her the name Of that member,
but she could not give it to him at that
moment, but she would furnish him with
the letter. She had not done so how
ever. or he would have brought it forward
as a proposition similar to that offered
bv the gentleman from New York.
Mr.. Wood remarked that he had recent
" seen an advertisement in the Philadel-
phia newspapers offering an appointment
of that kind for sale.
Mr.. Stevens suggested that the amend
ment be modified SO as to embrace mem
bers of the preceding Congress, 1t was so
modified.
Mr.. Jenckes suggested that it be made
also to apply to delegates. That suSges-
ton was also accepted.
Mr.. Scofield said that he had recently
seen in two newspapers published in the
western part of Pennsylvania that some
member of Congress, from that State no be
| lieved, had sold one of those appointments
for five hundred dollars. As matter o
| course. therefore, the whole delegation was
| anxious to have this investigation.
| Mr.. Washburn, of Wisconsin, sah there
| would certainly be no objection to the res
olution.
MIR. Rally, of Pennsylvania, referred t,
the same fact as that statedby Mr.. Scofeld
adding that the editor seemed to have spe
cifc Information on the subject of the reso
luton adopted.
MIR. Bingham, from the Judiciary Com
| mittee, reported bill to permit Francis E
| Sholzer, member-elect from North Caro-
| lima, to take the oath prescribed for per
| sons relieved from disabilities, instead 0
the test oath
| After some discussion, the bill being adj
vocated by Bingham and opposed b!
Payne, it was tabled by 81 to 70 votes.
| Paying Pensions.
| Mr.. Lawrence introduced bill to pro
vide a mode of paying pensions. referred
The bill provides that the Secretary OF tn
| Interior shall select in every county In th
United States, either a National Bank,
postmaster. an assessor or Internal Revenu
or other existing officer, to prepare all pen
sion papers for paying pensions, free
cost TO the pensioner.
| The Commissioner of Pensions shall Ger
tify to each officer list of the penslOneT
in his county, and transmit check on th
nearest Assistant Treasurer, payable
order of each pensioner, to be delivered
transformers, who shall be thus paid ever
three months, instead of semi-annually, &
now. One hundred thousand dollars sha
be paid annually to officers for their Sc
vices, in equitable proportion, instead
$3.50, 600 paid in commissions now.
Quarterly payments, it is claimed, WI
save pensioners several millions now pal
for money loaned and pledge of pensio
certificates, and save them 81, 100000 al
nually paid to agents for collecting, Pc
sions, and 1867, 900 paid for notaries' fe
and for preparing pension papers.
The District Negroes.
The House then took up the bill for Il
temporary relief of the District OF Colur
bia.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Logan Il
other day, instructing the Secretary of W
TO issue rations to the poor, was adopted
yeas, 90; nays, SO.
} The bill then passed by vote OF ITO
Coal Oil.
e Mr.. Negley introduced a bill to prove
r the sale of coal oil, or other oil, for illuI
| mating purposes that will ignite at low
temperature than 40 degrees, Fahrenhe
Referred to the Committee on Ways al
Means.
Gold and GrecnbaCks'
Mr.. Cake introduced billwhich REFER
to regulating the issue of currency and
L its equitable distribution, to check
n drain of coin and prepare for permane
! resumption of specie payment.