Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-06-09
F0RTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings,
THURSDAY. June Q.

SENAIE--Mr. Davis gave notice of his in
tention to introduce bill TO secure 20 the In
dams OF all tribes their treaty rights and rights
under the laws of Congress, and for this pur-
pose 70 allow them free access 70 the United
Mr.. Rice introduced bill to secure the benefit
of certain treaty stipulatiops TO the Choctaw In
dams. Referred to Judiciary Committee
The resolution to make the ioint resoin-ion
relative TO bridges over the Ohio river a special
order was taken up.
Mr.. Morton said this was a most important
Dill, and there was necessity for prompt action,
as there was great danger OF the navigation OF
the river being destroyed by the short span
bridges which were being erected.
MIR. Drake said the whole Mississippi Valley
was interested IN this matter, and his informa-
tion was TO the same effect as Mr.. Mortons.
Mr Cameron SAID II was really imperative
that this bill should be acted on. The way
bridges are being constructed over the Ohio
rlVeT, II they did not destroy the navigation
would certainly greatly injure il. At Alieganv
the people had contributed out of theff own
pockets $4,000 to induce the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad TO lenQ then span of their bridge
Mr.. Foreman said this bill was. being pushed
oy the Pennsy lvania coal interest, since the bill
was first introduced here a year ago COM
promised had been made between the parties
concerned, a. 10 the spans OF the bridge, and
the masonry was now nearly completed. The
proposition in the bill was TO tear down not
only those bridges in process of constr uction.
but those already completed, and also to refuad
this money spoken OF 10 the parties who had
contributed II. de die not care TO go INTO the
merits OF the case now, but would state that
there was nothing in the matter calling for its
being made a special order.
Mr.. Scott advocated early action. He said
that under the present system, while Congress
annually made appropriations to remove OBJ
structons from the Ohio river, il yet suffered
other obstructions TO navigation (short-span
bIidges) to be put there. The question was
whether this system was TO continue.
Several Senators held that at this stage of the
session 1t was not proper TO make any bill, un-
less of uanscendent Importance, Especial order;
and others stated that If it was not made a spe-
| II this session.
The motion for a special order was then lost.
The resolution proposing to amend the 3Oth
rule was then taken up.
Mr.. Howard opposed making any change
which directly or indirectly would introduce the
previous question into the Senate, and that was
meant by this proposed amendment. He did
not believe the people Of the country wished
the previous question introduced in this body
nor did he believe the public interests re-
quired it.
Mr.. Pomeroy said we would have forty States
in year or two. and fifty in our lifetime. Then
there would be u hundred Senators, and if the
previous question not introduced here in
some shape, the result would be that the ses-
sions would have to be perpetual.
Mr.. Morrill, OF Me-, alluding to the increasing
propriation bills, held that it caused great de-
lay in business. The legislative appropriation
bill had been up for weeks on account of put
ting on these legislative provisions. Hence he
amendment which would require a tWo-thirds
vote before adopting such provisions.
Mr. Sumner did not think il eXpedIent for the
Senate TO put itself In a straight jacket, and he
moved that the whole subject be laid upon the
table. He had sat too long in the Senate to
allow such proposition 70 pass without pro-
test.
The motion to lay on the table was carried
ayes -, noes q.
Mr.. Sumner presented memorial OF Commo-
| dore Edward Llttleton, asking payment for
Te S ohtn nh 6Gafofha 6GsaoffSP ufias a SsSe % snd
Of Gen Sherman. Mr.. ). remarked that al
though presenting this memorial he should ab-
stain from expressing an opinion until after a
report from the Committee Oh Claims.
@r. Howe said he thought it best that this
memorial should b. referred TO the Committee
on Foreign Relations, because the Senator
lsulanerl had Persistently treated the southern
loyalists as foreigners, and refused 10 pay them
.or their property taken 10y our army.
Ihe bill 70 provide foI the aVportionment of
10 Congfess among the several
ported by the Judiciary Committee.
The first amendment reported was to increase
me number OF Representatives from 215, as
proNlced IN the BIZ, 10 800.
AIr. Trumbull said the committee recon-
mended this amendment for two reasons-first
that 500 was not too large a number of Repre-
sentatves for great country like ours; and
sc cond, because they thought that, placing the
number at 500, no State would lose its present
representation, and hence there would be no
dlfhculty in any State in that respect. Ii was
believed that the population of the United
States was about forty or fOrty-one millions
Putting the number at 500 would make the basis
about 127 600. Mr.. Trumbull explained the
other amendments as designed to provide for an
early ascertalnment OF the basis Of representa-
ton OF the different States, so that the new
element which had been introduced into our
voting population would be fully represented
only three.1fths OF that class Of voters being
represented under the present apportionment
1he first amendment, 20 increase the number
OF representatives. TO 800, was agreed to.
The second amendment, being to strike out
that clause OF the bill, which provides that un-
der the new apport0nment if any State loses in
representation, such loss shall not take effect
until after the 42nd Congress.
Mr.. Morrill,, OF Vermont, opposed the striking
ont. Vermont would certainly lose representa-
uves. be did not complain of that, but he
wanted the old system adhered to, and did not
want the reduced representation " take eject
unt the end of three years.
MIR. Sherman regretted that the Committee
had Lot agreed upon the bill just as passed by
House only, and should be left TO that BODY.
This increase to 800 was unnecessary. Ii was a
very large number and would increase the ex-
pense about two millions annually.
Mr.. Edmunds said there were important con-
stitutional questions involved i'm this bill which
ought TO be elucidated. He was not prepared
now to discuss the bill, and he suggested that ID
be passed over for to-day,
MrThurman said there were strong objections
against incressing the membership OF the House
The bill was then passed over, and the first
special order, being the bin 10 abolish the frank
ing privilege, was before the Senate, when Mr..
Chandler moved to pass it over; which was not
agreed to.
HoUSE-Mr. Swami (Md) presented reso-
luton Of the Board of Trade of the City of Bal
tInore endorsing the action of the National
Board Of Trade in regard to the establishment
of Department OF Commerce. Referred to the
Committee on Commerce. Z -
Mr.. Mccormick tMo.) rising to personal ex
planation called attention TO q publication made
In the New York Eveniag Post, in relation 10 the
Cuban bond robbery, and in which it was stated
that he (McCormick) had been offered q bite
In the Cuban question. 80 far as his name was
implicated IL was utterly and absolutely false.
he had never been approached upon the subject
either directly or indirectly, and there was not
yestge Of testimony against him before the
sub committee which was investigating this
matter. He called upon MT. Butler, Who vas
chair rman Of the sub-eommittee, to corroborate
his statement. - rfit.tH -. ~
Mr.. Butler vas not in his seat at the d me
and Mr.. Mccormick said he would call this
matter up again.
The regular order Of business was demaned