Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-04-12
Congressional News.
WASHINGTON, April ,, 1870.

w AShi-NhIOr, ]hP4iA =;
The Oregon railroad land bill, which was
before the House when it took a recess
yesterday, was by consent RENTED 10 the
Speakers table.
Mr.. Wood of New York objected to pro-
ceeding with business in the absence OF
quorum and moved a cal! of the House
Negatiyed-yeas, p nays, ll3-more than
quorum voting.
The House then proceeded, as the DusI-
ness of the morning hour, to call off COM
mittees for reports of private character.
A large number of private bills were re-
ported and passed, and some adverse re-
ports were presented and laid on the table.
Among the bills passed was the follow
ing: Authorizing the issue of an Ameri-
can register to the British built schooner
Venilea, wrecked and abandoned in the
waters of the United States, and now own
| ed by citizens of Maine A motion was
made to reconsider the vote by which the /
! bill was passed, and considerable discus
sion ensued, its opponents cOntending that
it was in contravention of the settled poll /
| cy of the Government to grant an Ameri- /
lean register to foreign built vessels. FL /
nally the motion to reconsider was laid on
the table-yeas, 81 nays, As.
The bill authorizing the city of Buffalo
to construct a tunnel under Niagara river
was passed.
The bill allowing retired officers of the
army to be assigned to duty in the Soldiers
Home was passed
The House then went into committee Of
the whole on the tariff bill, with the time
for discussion limited to half an hour.
Mr.. Wood of New York modified his
amendment of yesterday so as to provide
70, i all
stead of per cent. He offered it on the
principle of discrimination, so as not to
levy so heavy a tax on the qualities of tea
used by the poorer classes as on those used
by the wealthier classes. He said the
working people of New York had recently
taken to the use of tea instead of intOXi-
eating beverages.
Mr.. Beck of Kentucky opposed the re-
duction of the duty on tea because that was
a tax every dollar Of which went into the
treasury, except the cost of collection,
whereas large portion Of the other taxes
imposed on the people in the way Of pro
ductiye duties went into the pockets of mo-
nopolists. In this connection he mention
ed the articles of salt, iron, lumber and
coal, on which fifty millions were taken
out Of the pockets of the people, and only
t between seven and eight millions reached
q the treasury.
: Mr.. Woods amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Ingersol of Illinois moved an amend
+ ment providing that tea valued at less than
! 80 cents per pound should be free of duty !;
that tea valued at between 30 and so cents
/ shall pay 20 cents a pound, and that the
higher classes OF tea shall pay 80 cents a
i pound.
O Mr. Allison of Iowa remarked that the
Inc Of cd sv,4a IN
: country was 334 cents
, Mr.. Hay of Illinois thought the country
was going it blind, and that the House was
e acting in the dark in reference to taxation
;, and the tariff and he called on the chair
u man Of the committee on ways and means
0 to state what changes were to be made in
n the internal revenue tax.
st Mr.. Schenck of Ohio replied that reve-
2, nue. bill would be reported reducing the to-
d tai amount at least thirty millions. He
q declined to 90 into particulars as to that
II reduction. If they were acting in the dark
e it was because they were trying to legistatt
+ on such knowledge as they had, which he
lie thought a safer plan than to legislate or
;e knowledge that they had not. His impress
ID sion was thatif Mr.. IngersOll's amendment
ie was adopted the government would receive
lie from the tax on tea huRdrcds where it only
Or now received millions of dollars, for ther
all the tea would be sworn down under
p thirty cents They would have under val
+ uation, false invoices and false oaths. H,
~ thought also that the masses Of the peopl,
IL drink about a. good tea as the wealthie
n. classes. 1t was with tea a. with whiskev
an he had known milliOnaires to drink tn
ID poorer stuff that would kill at twenty yards
al when men of moderate means were willing
as to take old Bourbon. lLaughter.l
10 Mr.. Marshall of Illinois sustained the &C
as ton of the committee in regard to tea, tn
ne tax on which would amount to p cents an
nd nually per capita. He thought it as easil
OF borne and as fairly distributed as any ia
MT could be.
* Messrs. Ingersoll and Loughridge
3d amendments were rejected.
he Mr.. Stevenson of Ohio moved to fix tn
a duty on tea at u cents per pound. Reiet
ted, by a vote of % 20 100.
he No other amendments were offered, an
he tea remains As reported in the bill, at :
as cents per pound.
nv Mr.. Sheldon of Louisiana moved /
an strike out the line taxing coffee t cents Pc
.xt pound, and proposing To put coffee on tn
free list. He argued in support of h
amendment.
Of A discussion on the amendment ensue
ed between Messrs. Loughridge, Stevenso
lc- and Schenck
er- Mr. Schenck said that coffee now pr,
/ duced over eleven millions Of revenue. an
he the reduction Of the rate from to cen
Az would reduce the revenue on that article
Ige about nine millions. The taxes should |
ger reduced so As to keep pace with the redu
lal ton of the public debt, and he expecte
ace that in another year or two the tax on co
eli fee might be reduced to 3 cents, and the
Do to cents, and then abolish altogether
IN, Mr.. Kerr of Indiana wanted to know G
ont what article Mr.. L0ughridge would Lex
the the eleven millions now produced by COTE
EN- Mr.. Loughridge did not think it nece
ION sary to place it on any other article as Il
tn secretary estimated there would be a Su
be- plus revenue of one hundred and two nj
tile lions next year. He expressed his astoI
ear ishment at seeing the Democratic membe
os- voting against the removing of the tax {
ms tea.
ur- Mr., Cox replied that he was not discu
M sing his friends but the gentlemen on Il
'll- other side. He wanted duties placed {
Der such articles as that the amount paid
W. them by the people should go into tt
'er; treasury and not into the pockets of 9th
md people.
ing Mr.. Cox of New York, in defence Of Il
at Democratic members, said that they we
not playing the demagogue on this subieC
s and the gentleman (Loughridge) in unde
the taking to cut down the tax on tea, cof
ON and sugar was, if he only knew what
I. was about, going to work to raise the t
yas on all the wooden, cotton, lumber and ma
ont ufactures used in Iowa
md Mr.. Dawes of Massachusetts inquired
ed that was the object of the other gentlem;
asst from New York, Wood.
ain Mr.. Kerr said he would make eyervthil
sta free if possible, but they were not actil
ard in the capacity Of theorists but as practc
,ars law makers, and it was useless for the &c
hat tleman from Iowa (Mr. Loughridgel
full ggest-pointing to the Democratic 81
: of of the House-that he would make Il
lne thing free or that thing free. He lLoug
eat ridge would do no such thing and he cou
was not do it if he would Why then did
in, get up and attempt that kind of demago
was ism and undertake to put honest men il
Ict false attitude before the country? I
the revenue of 81 | 100000 obtained from cOf
the cost the people only cents a year per ca
,yer ita, yet cotton goods, which produced
his the revenue only IS, 100000, cost the Dc
ash Pile S2.2l per capita wOolens, which pl
car duced S26, 100000 cost the people 81
ard per capita and the iron manufactur
ave which produced only s6,OO0,OOO revenr
cost the people S1.73 per capita
Mr.. sheldon Withdrew his amendment
ram Mr.. Stevenson moved to make the I
anne IN coffee three cants nor,nd ;ns+ood
tion four cents. Rejected
on No other amendments were otfared IN ,
enty erence to coffee and II remains as nro,-;f
first in the hill at fonr cents nor nonnd e.
in few other clauses of the Hi frorn - ~
hen no amendments were made Wbaa