Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-02-19
FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18.
SENATE The funding bill was made q
special order for next Wednesday.
The bill was passed providing for an exam
liner of claims, to be attached to the State
Department.
The bill to encourage and promote an inter-
national exhibition in Washington, in 1871,
was debated by Messrs Hamlin, Patterson,
Nye and Sherman in favor, and Messrs.
Thurman, Morrill,, of Vermont, Stewart and
Schurz in opposition.
Mr.. Thurman said that upon the pretext of
making the exhibition credtable to the Ma
ton the government would be obliged to
shoulder the bulk of the expense, otherwise
it would prove miserable failure. He re-
garded the whole thing as a humbug, and
moved to postpone the bill indefinitely.
Mr. Hamlin said that he had been informed
by wealthy men of Washington and others
having the matter in charge, that they could
make the project success without further
charges to the government than was specified
in the bill. The entire charge is embraced
in the two items, viz, the transportation to
Washington by government vessels, of for
eign articles to be delivered at various points
of this country, and the presentation Of the
ground for the exhibition.
Without disposing of the bill the Senate
went into executive session.
Bills were introduced authorizing the North
ern Pacific Railroad Co. to issue bonds for
the construction of the road and secure the
same by mortgage, and to construct its main
road via. the Columbia river valley; to make
the importation of immigrants under labor
contracts unlawful granting lands to the
Dacotah & North Western Railroad; and to
encourage American Steamship Navigation
The latter directs the Post Master General to
contract with the North American Steamship
Co., of New York, for the transportation of
the mails between New York and Antwerp or
Bremen, touching at Plymouth, for a term of
fifteen years. The steamers are to be ex-
empt from State and federal taxation, and re-
serve ocean and inland postage on the mails
carried by them.
Adjourned.
duced a bill to regulate ocean telegraph COM
munication between the United States and
foreign countries. Referred to the Commit
tee on foreign affairs.
Mr.. Butler of Mass, made an affort to
have the House proceed to reconsideration of
the bill to remove political disabilities but
Mr. Dawes pressed his motion to 60 into a
Committee of the Whole. debate occurred
between Mr.. Butler and Mr.. Dawes occurred,
the former stating that unless the disability
was now disposed Of no one knew when it
could be taken up.
Mr.. Dawes recognized the importance of
that bill, but deemed the legislative appropria-
ton bill of more Importance.
The legislative appropriation bill was then
taken up in Committee of the Whole.
The discussion in reference to the super
vision architect of the Treasury Department,
which was opened yesterday, was resumed
and occupied over an hour and half.
Finally the vote was taken on Mr. Farms
worth's motion to strike out the whole para
graph for the construction of branch of the
Treasury Department, and it was rejected 40
to Is.
During the discussion relative to the second
comptroller of the currency, Mr.. Dawes, of
Massachusetts, stated that the law withdraw
ing the 20 per cent. additional compensation
allowed during the war to the clerks in the
department had been construed not to apply
to the heads of bureaus, and those officers
were still drawing the additional compensation.
The discussion relative to women being
empoyed in the department, created excite
ment and amusement. Mr.. Rogers, of Ar
kansas, taking the ground that the employ
ment of women in the public Offices was de-
moralizing and disreputable, and should be
abandond by the government. The sugges-
ton being repealed by Mr.. Stevenson of Ohio
and others.
The bill appropriating $4,000 for investiga-
ton into the alleged sale of cadetships was
passed. Adjourned.