Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-02-19
xLIst cOAGREss---2d SESSION.

WASHINGTON, February 18.-SsH-
dte.-MT. Sumner had read tel
egram from the Governor of Nebras-
ka announcing the ratification OF the
Fifteenth Amendment by the LCgi5-
lature With but five dissenting votes.
Mr.. Sherman presented a petition
from many thousand citizens of Con- /
necticut and Maryland for the rec0g-
milton of Cuban Independence. Re !
ferred TO the Committee on Foreign /
Relations.
Mr. Howard, from the Committee |
on Pacific BaiIroads, reported, with |
an amendment, the joint resolution |
authorizing the Northern Pacific Rail- |
road Company to issue bonds for the |
construction OF its road, and to secure |
the same by mortgage; and also TO !
construct its main road to the western |
terminus via the valley of the COlum-
bia river
Mr.. Wilson introduced a bill TO /
make the importation of emigrant5 |
under labor contracts unlawful.
Mr.. CUnkling introduced bill in /
structing the Postmaster General to |
contract with the North American |
Steam Navigation Company of New /
mails between New York and Ant /
Werp or Bremen, touching at Ply |
mouth, for q term OF fifteen years. /
The steamers to be exempt from State |
and Federal taxation, and to receive |
the ocean and inland postage on the |
mails carried by them. Referred to |
the Committee on Post Offices.
On the motion Of Mr.. Sherman, the /
funding bill was taken up, and by q |
vote of y TO II, made the special or |
der for Wednesday next, Monday be- /
ing assigned for the consideration Of |
the business fEsIn the COmmitsee on /
Commerce.
On the motion Of Mr.. Sumner, the |
bill creating the Office of Solicitor for /
the State Department and other pur-
poses, was then taken up.
Mr.. Trumbuil said the question |
suggested by the bill was, whether |
we were TO have in each department |
ofathe Government q Law Depart
nlent; and consequently q variety Of
discussions upon every question. He
preferred that such offices should be /
subject to one head, or, il other
words, that there should be an ac-
cumulatiOn in the Attorney Generals
Office of the business belonging to it.
Mr.. Sumner said the Immediate
wants of the State Department re-
Quired the assistance of q solicitor, aud I
he proposed that the clerical force bill
be amended 50 as to provide for an
Examiner Of Claims, in lieu Of a So
Hcitor. Passed,
Mr. Morrill,, OF Maine, introduced a
bill relative 10 appropriations and APP
preparation accounts, directing that
the estimates OF appropriations be
through the Secretary OF the Treasury,
and prescribing method of keeping
the accounts OF the appropriations.
The following bills were considered
and passed:
Extending the time for the cOnstruc-
ton Of the Little Rock and Fort Smith
railroad.
Relative to settlers on the late Sioux
Indian reservations in Minnesota.
Amending the usury laws OF the Dis
trict Of Columbia.
The bill to encourage and promote /
the International Exhibitions in
Washington in 1871, was debated bY
MeSsrs. Hamlin, Patterson, Nye and /
Sherman IN favor, and Messrs. Thur-
man, Merrill, Of Vermont; Steward
aGd Schencll in opposition. Nr Thur
man said that, upon the preteXt Of
making the Exhibition creditable to
the nation, the Government would be
obliged to shoulder the bulk Of the
expenses, otherwise it would prove ii
failure. He regarded the whole thing
As 4 humbuG, aud with a view TO saw
ing time, he would move to postpone
il indefinitely.
Mr.. Baniia said he had been in
formed by wealthy men of Washing
ton, and others having the matter in
charge, that they could make the
project a success, without further
charge to the Government than was
pee fed in the bill, and this entire
charge was embraced in two items
that of transportation 10 Washington
by the Government vessels Of foreign
articles, 10 be del, rerad at the various
ports of this country, and the prepa-
ration of the place for the exhibition.
At 3 o'clock, without disposinS Of
the bill, the Senate went into eXecu-
tive session.
HouSe.-Nlr. Wood introduced a
bill to regulate ocean telegraph COM
municatiOn between this and foreign
countries.
Referred to the Committee on For
eign Affairs.
Mr.. Butler, Of Massachusetts,, made
an effort to have the House proceed
to the consideration of the bill to re-
move political disabilities, but Mr..
Dawes pressed his motion to 60 into
Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Butler said he was directed by
the Reconstruction Committee to re-
port a general bill for tile removal of
disqualification, and there We're some
5000 or 1000 names awaiting the re-
port. Two thousand bills had passed
The Senate, and some were prepared
in the House, and he desired that the
House should indicate whether it was
disposed to pass a general bill, or what
course it would pursue. He thought
this legislation was essential, as many
hundred were waiting to be restored
to their rights, while the appT0pria-
ton bill would not take effect until
July.
Mr.. Bennett, rising to q personal
explanation, referred to the acCusa-
tiOns made against him in the Buffalo
COmmeT0idl AdgeTjis6r. he declared
them false and wholly without fOun-
dation, and said he proposed to vindi-
cate himself in the courts Of law.
Mr.. Logan, from the Committee on
Military Affairs, reported a bill apprO-
priating 5000 for an investigation into
the alleged sale Of cadetships, which
was passed.
Mr. Dawes said he recognized the |
importance of the measure his col
league desired considered, but 1t was
important that this bill be sent to the /
Senate az soon as possible.
mr. Butler said there were numer-
Gus special orders to come up imme-
diately after this bill, so If the disabil- |
ity hill was not now considered, no /
one knew when ii could be taken up. |
Mr.. BfooSs, Of New York, re
marked that one of the calamiJles I
of the country was the late passage OF
the Appropriation bill, and the SEN I
ate usually added on large appTopria- |
tions at the last moment, when the |
House had no opportunity to discuss
them, but had to leave them to Con- /
ference Committees, and therefore he /
hoped the appropriation bills would /
be sent to the Senate at the earliest |
day possible.
After further discussion, the House |
went into d COMMITTEES OF the Whole |
on the Legislative Appropriation bill,