The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-18
WORK NEGLECTED BY CONGRESS
Measures That Failed 10 Re-
ceiVe Action.
Legacies Left for the Next Session-How Com
mercial Interests were slighted-stupidity
of the House Naval Committee Why
Certain Bills were Defeated
Effects Of Mismanagement ON
the Part of Congressman.
WASHINGTON, July 10, 1870.

NOTWITHSTANDING the great length OF The session OF
Congress which closed yesterday-neary eight
moDths-qulte number OF important measures
failed They will 60 legacies TO the next SEES
sioD and some OF them VIII, perhaps, never be
heard Of again. There were about two dozen bills
on the Speakers table yesterday when the hour OF
adjournment reached. or this number at least
a dozen and half are ''and grabs''-bil!s donating
public lands to railroad companies. Some OF them
have been moving along for Two or three sessions,
and are no nearer success now than when they were
first introduced. Nothing but the logged persist
ency OF their projectors keeps them before Congress-
Probably the most
IMPORTANT BILL THAT FAILED
was that providing for the apportonment OF repre-
sentatives among the several States, better known
the Apporuonment bin. It's defeat has settle the
question Of increasing the number Of members OF
the House OF Representatives until the Forty second
Congress- and II has prevented the West and the
South from getting any Increase in their representa-
ton. The elements oil opposition 10 this measure
were rather singular, and an allusion to them Will
SHOW what slim chance It had First oil all the
New England delegation were against 1t for the
double reason that while 1t would increase the
strength OF other sections OF the country IN
the House, 1t would cause the New Eng
land States to lose portion or their re- rcsenta-
lives New York and Pennsylvania were generally
opposed 10 it bec1ue whle 10 wodii awe
given them one or two additional member each,
the republicans feared they MINT be democrat. ana
n the republican slrengtl il already large enough
they considered 1t best 10 let well enough alo4, A.
a general rule the South and West wanted the hill
passed, because after al those sections would have
been most largely benefited by ts PROVISIONS. There
some opposition 10 Il, however, even among
The Western meh. Certain or the democrats op-
posed it the ground tnat it wolld give republican
klronghods Ike the state OF Iowa a chance TO
increase the republican majority IN The House, and,
on the other hand, republicans did not favor ii be-
cause it might add TO the democratic minority in
instances. As the census is taken 1t
Will be absolutely necessary to pass this bill, aud The
chances THAI 1t will 20 through at the next ses
Sion Perhaps by that time the contending elements
viii nave harmonize1 The bill
FIXING TUE TINE FOR THE ELECTION OF CoNGRESS-
MEN
failed consequence OF the Senate having put it on
IA an amendment TO the 'portionncnt 3fll There
particular objection TO IL, and had it been
allowed to stand upon It's own merits it would I'm.
doubleday have gone through. II was a sort OF
party measure got up by the republicans as one OF
series OF measures to head on the alleged 'iepelt
lDg'i ana ''colonzing prociyites oil the democrats
Ii provided that the elections for members of the
House OF Representatives, should take pace IN all
the states On the same day, the Tuesday after the
first Monday in November. Some OF lie states
now elect in November some IN October ana a few
measure Was to have each new Congress compete
on the day when its predecessor expired the 4th OF
purpose for which the bill was originally introduced.
The bill for the
REORGANIZATION OF THE NAVY
never came ont OF the committee room OF naval
affairs after il was printed and recommitted. II was
less fortunate than the bin for the reorganization OF
the army, which, under the lead OF Logan was
pushed through both houses, though In % somewhat
different shape from what 1t came from the House
Military Committee The truth Is the Committee on
Naval Affairs not equal TO the task. Not single
member of that committee knows anything, pract.
cally OF the navy Of naval arar IN general. IN
like The Military Committee, it has no member who
has served IN the navy, and, therefore, none VINO
account. On the vexed question Of cline and starr
The members OF the committee were a. much divided
Saron e }nends outside What was worst t"e OF
ali the committee would take no alvce
are supposed 10 know something about our navy
from their long connection with H. TO be sure, they
sent for Admiral Porter hall dozen times, and had
Two or three letters from Admiral Falrigut; but
alter getting the opinions Of these officers as 10 what
was needed to insure The EMERGENCY Of The service
they Immediately set about TO do the opposite Per-
haps, the whO.e, 1t is better that the measure
failed, for In the shape agreed upon by the commit
1t would have done little TO add TO The strength
and TO promote the efficiency Of the navy. On The
other hand the chances are that the navy would
have been injured by the success OF the measure
The Bill for the
REORGANIZATION OF TIE INTERNAL REVENUE b.
went TO the wall probably account Of It's great size
and weight IL prepared by General Schenck,
and when that is stated 1t is hardly necessary TO say
that IL covers several pages and Is the
perfection OF elaboration. IL was not introduced
until la,e in the session the committee being
gagged on the tariff ana the tax bills The bIll pro-
poses 10 create the Internal Revenue Bureau into
separate department and to place AT its heat an
officer who shall be member Oh The Cabinet. or
this change viii necessitate thorough re-
organization OF the whole Bureau, and much OF the
bill taken up with the details OF the organization.
Making the Internal Revenue Bureau Il separate de
pariment has been cherished plan OF the President
since lie came into Office, and he was very anX
1t done before The close OF the session.
bat 1t impossible. 1t is said that tie secretary
OF the Treasury does not look with favor upon the
proposed dismemberment or his department As
now organized the Internal Revenue Bureau is the
main part OF the Treasury Department. Ii mas the
bulk OF the patronage and il brings In the largest
part OF the public revenues Nearly all TIE projects
FOR increasing the number and promoting the eff
MERCANTILE MARINE
were defeated, partially for lack OF time and partially
through the acknowledgement OF those who had them
In charge. The most important oil these were The
Oriental and Mediterranean steamship project in
wbch large number OF New Workers were inter-
ested; the New YORK Steam Navigation bill; the bin
for line OF steamships between San Francisco and
Australia; the bill for line OF steamers between
New Orleans, Vera Cruz and other Mexican ports,
together win several bills for lines OF steamships
between Nav York and European ports Had ali or
half OF the bills OF this character passed would
have had mercantile marine ahoat which would
soon have rivalled that Of Great Britain Or course
This on the supposon that AL the lines chartered
would have been Established IN good faith. Some
OF them were mere speculative schemes out OF wnicn
lot OF hungry lobbyists expected To make few
thousand dollars by getting them through and then
selling out, tat there were enough OF the bills gent
Inc backed 10y men who meant business, to nave
made maternal addition 10 our mercantile marine
had they passed. In THIS connection also may be
meDIOneu tue Dill vi MI IyuNH, Vi MNlUt, 10 cU
courage and revive Aineli an shipping. The deiea
OF this measure was solely OWING 10 bad manage
ment. In other hands, and more shTewdly CON
Quoted, IL might have passed But there are great
many
OTHER MEASURES
that went by the board. Among them the
Postal Telegraph bill, the New YORK Air Line Rail
road, several submarine telegraph cable bits, the
bill TO prevent the importation OF servile labor into
the United States, which embraces the Chinese
question the Cvil Service bill, which, like the New
York Air Line Railroad IS an old standby, being let
over at every session. In addition TO these
bali dozen contested election cases WHEN must be