The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-21
CON & H II y p.
FORTY-RIRsT TERM-SECOND SESSION.
Senate.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-Mr. Wilson presented
the memorial of 400 army officers for an in
crease OF pay. Referred to the Committee on
Military Affairs.
Also, a memorial in favor of sixteenth
amendment to the Constitution giving women
the right to vote. Referred to the Judiciary
Committee.
Mr. Pomeroy presented petition of like
import to permit the exercise of the elective
franchise by citizens now deprived of the right.
Referred to the Judiciary Committee.
Mr.. Morrill, (Vt), in presenting petition for
the abolition of the fraDking privilege said that
an idea had been generally disseminated, by
means of circulars sent out by the Postmaster
General, that Senators and Representatives were
guilty of gross frauds in their abuse of the
franking privilege. So far as he was personally
concerned, he did not believe any fraud had
been practised in the manner complained of.
He would favor the proposed reform, but did
not believe any material saving would be effected
thereby, as the mails would have to be carried,
and if the Government did not pay for it out of
one pocket 1t would be out of the other.
MI. Wilson thought Congress should feel CRATE
full to the Post Office Department for its efforts
to aid in abolishing that which experience had
shown to be a burden rather than privilege for
Congressman.
Mr. Cole did not favor the abolition of the
privilege as q measure of economy, believing
that mail contracts would not be reduced in
the amount of expense to the Government by
the reform. Ne intimated that he was not
ment.
Mr.. Bayard said he had been informed by
postmaster, whose name appeared among the
signers to petitions for the abolition OF the
franking privilege, that he had taken action in
the matter under instructions, from
which the inference was that he had
been instructed by his official chief
He recognized among the signers several of his
constituents, who within two weeks had re-
ceiyed, under frank, public documents which in
bulk counterbalanced the whole of the mail
matter 10 which his own correspondence would
amount during the entire session.
Mr.. Thurman presented petition on the same
subject, and said that the Postmaster-Gen in
printing and sending TO his Is, 600 subordnates
throughout the country, holding their positions
not by the compensation OF the Senate but at
his own pleasure, instructions TO procure sigma
lures of petitions to influence Congressional ac-
tion, was guilty of an action which had no pre-
cedent in this or any other country.
He thoughs this departure from official pro-
priety, and remarked that there had been time
when the Congress of the United States would
| not have quietly tolerated such conduct by the
| head of q department, or an attempt by any
authority Of the Government to forestall public
opinion and prevent proper investigation.
The various petitions on the subject were re-
| ferred to the Committee on the Post Office.
| Mr.. Fenton presented the memorial of II. G.
Barnes asking certain privileges SO as to enable
him and his associates to connect the United
States and the kingdom of Belgium by direc
submarine cable, including a translation of the
| Belgian corcesSion.
| Also, petition for the erection of Govern
| ment building at Albany. Referred.
Mr.. Sherman, from the Committee on Fl
| nance, reported with verbal amendment the
House joint resolution TO continue the law re
lating to the tax on salaries, declaring tht
| meaning of the act to be that the tax shall b,
collected until the end of the year 1870, anC
upon his motion the Senate proceeded TO con
slider the BILL
HouAe.
Mr.. Schenek, Chairman of the Committee o
Ways and Means, asked and obtained leave TO
that committee to sit during the sessions OF th
House, and at the same time notified the Hous
that he expected very early next week, probabl.
Monday, TO report to the House the revision o
the Tariff bill, and that after its being reported
| and ordered printed he would move, at the frs
fitting opportunity, to go into Committee of th
Whole to take up bill No. !, the revision of tn
internal tax law.
Mr.. Garfield asked and obtained leave for tn
Committee on Banking and Currency to Vi
during the sessions of the House.
Mr. Ketchum presented two petitions, hume
rously signed, from citizens of Hudson and Kin
derhook, N. X, for the abolition of the franklin
privilege, r