Evening star., 1870-02-02
FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings
WEDNESDAY, February2,

oENAIEs-Mr. OaIpeHter EepOrteu Win
amendment from Judiciary Committee bill to
eastern District of Texas.
Also, reported bill to punish contempt Of U.
s. cCu urts In certain cases.
Mr.. Northumberland bill for the relief of Il.
C. Robbins, late Register Of Wills OF the District
OF Columbia.
Also, bill to authorize the appointment of a
stenographer for the Supreme Court of the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Mr.. Ferry offered a resolution for the printing
OF 900 copies of chart Of the bay and harbor OF
Samana. Passed.
Mr.. Cameron called up bill for the extension
OF the time for the completion of the branch OF
the Baltimore and Potomac road in the District
of Columbia. =
Mr.. Williams called up bill granting lands to
aid in the construction of a railroad and tele-
graph line from Portland to Astoria and McMin-
vile, in the State of Oregon.
Mr. Thurman argued against the policy of
granting such immense portions of the public
domain to these railroads. He said that in thirty
years our population would be one hundred mil
lions, and in sixty years two hundred millions;
and all this land would be needed by the people
1t was now being given away to spectators, and
at this rate land in a few years would be as diff
cult to obtain in this country as in densely-set-
tied portions of Europe.
The bill then went over, and the bill to extend
the time for the completion OF the branch of the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad into the Dis
trict of Columbia to February 1, 1875, was taken
up.
Mr.. Sherman asked if it would take five years
to complete this railroad. He certainly never
should have voted to charter this road had he
supposed 1t would take so long as this to build
forty miles of rail.
ming order in one year from this time. Why
they had placed the time at 1875 was on account
OF some difficult tunneling to be done in Balti
more, and probably here.
Mr.. Morrill, (Nt.) expressed opposition to the
route by which the road was to enter the city
OF Washington, and thought the bill should 60
over tomorrow to consider this.
Mr.. Cameron said there was great necessity
and Importance that another road should be
built to connect this city with the North, and
he was surprised that any objection should be
made.
Mr. Morrill, thought the Committee on Public
Buildings and Lands should first examine the
route proposed.
The bill was then laid over, and the bill to
provide national currency OF coin, notes, aud
to eqaalize the distribution of circulating notes
was taken up, and various amendments agreed
to in Committee of the Whole were concurred in.
BY agreement among the Finance Committee
amendments were offered making the amount
of additional circulation to be issued forty-fiye
millions, originally reported by the COM
mittee, in place Of the sixty-twO millions agreed
upon yesterday, and increasing the amount of
circulation TO be withdrawn from those States
i'll excess from thirteen to twenty million.
The first amendment was adopted without
DIVISION, the second was adopted by 43 ayes to Is
nays.
resolution, which was agreed to, directing the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs to report, for the
use of the Committee eOnAppropriations. on certain
information in relation to Indian agents Indian
tribes, and estimates therefor.
Mr.. Logan ull) introduced resolution re-
citing that the people of Cuba have been strug-
Cling successfully against the Spanish Govern
mept ,sand have, to all intents and purposes, es-
the Committee on Foreign aairs a to oree9mg fsnn1
what reasons, If any exist, why the Republic of
Cuba should not be recognized as belligerents,
and accorded belligerent rights. Referred to
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Mr.. Davis IN. Y.) introduced bill to establish
uniform system Standardization, and to repu-
late proceedings therein. Referred to judiciary
Mr.. Archer, (Md.) from the Committee On
Naval Affairs, reported a bill for the relief OF
the officers and crew of the steamer Wyoming
ordered to be printed and recommitted
On motion of Mr.. Hooper (Mass.l the Secreta
70 of War was directed to furnish report of the
commission appointed by resolution of July %
1866, with reference to a suitable building for
War Department in Washington.
On motion of Mr.. Cook (1l.) the testimony
taken by the Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds Of the 4Oth Congress, relative to a
Jail in the District of Columbia, was referred to
Committee on District of Columbia.
On motion of Mr.. Ferriss On. W the Secreta-
ry Of the Treasury was directed to inform the
House OF the number Of special agents of the
Department appointed since March 4, 1869, to-
gether with their names, the amount of salary.
mileage, Sc, paid each.
Mr.. Dickey (Pa.) asked leave to report from
the Committee on Appropriations bin author
pan to be covered into the Treasury of the
United States.
Mr.. Brooks IN. Y.)-I object. L object to any
thing that comes from that quarter.
The regular order of business having been de-
manded the Speaker prOceededtO to call the Com
mittees for reports.
Mr.. Judd Gil )frorn the Committee on FOREIGN
ted n tn ft.nri
Claims to determine certain claims of Russian
subjects against the United States Government
Passed.
Mr Willard (vt) from same Committee. re-
ported bill to authorize Lieut.. Commander W.
A. Kirkland, United States Navy, to receive a
gold medal from the Emperor Of France
Passed.
Mr.. Swami, (Md..) from same committee, re-
ported a joint resolution authorizing Com
mander Chas. III. Baldwin, U. ). N, to accent
gold medal from the King of the Netherlands.
Passed.
MIR. Swami, from same committee, also re-
ported a resolution requesting the President, if
not incompatible with the public interests to
inform the House of all knowledge in possession
OF the Government with regard to American
citizens now confined ih British prisons; and
a 50 to report what measures of protection are
in his opinion deemed necessary. With the res
OlutiOn was report setting forth the wrongs
imposed upon prisoners by the British Govern
ment.
MIR. Swami made brief speech in favor of
the resolution.
Mr.. Cox IN. W also spoke afirmatively He
said he believed the President had in his posses
sion information which should be in the custody
Of the House. This information was of i'm
portance not to the American people only, but
also to the whole civilized world. 1t was be-
cause it was of importance that he wanted it,
and not because in a spirit Of reproach to the
British nation. Mr.. Cox referred to the visit of
Prince Arthur, and said while our people were
entertaining a prince of the blood royal, we
seemed to have forgotten the wrongs of Ameri-
cans in British prisons. When he read Of ban
quets, &C., to this royal prince, he thought he
saw a skeleton at every board, and one that
appealed loudly for sympathy. He hoped this
feeling Of sympathy with those who were suffer-
ing in British dungeons.