The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-12-08
Kills O0SG: ES.---1hud Sc on.
SENATE.


WASHINGTON, Dec. THE following bills
were introduced and temporarily laid on the
table:
By Mr.. Conklng, to encourage and promote
telegraphic communication between America,
Asia and Europe The bill gives the Amar;,
can and East Isdia Telegraph Company The
exclusive right for twenty-One years to con-
struct and maintain line or lines of telegram
cable on the Pacific coast of the United States.
to connect the American and Asiatic coasts,
provided the said company shall begin to Law
the cable within one year and complete it with
IN three years from the passage of this act, &c.
By Mr.. Sumner, to secure wages to seamen
In case OF wreck, emitting every seaman to his
wages up to the period of the wreck, provided
he has previously exerted himself to the ut
most to save the ships cargo and stores. The
master of the vessel is to be a competent wit
ness on this question.
By Mr.. Wilson, a bill to secure eligibility to
American ships for the foreign trade and to
1t provides for the appointment by the Secre-
tary of the Treasury of a commission to estab-
lish standard for rating ships, and allowing
the manager Of every American built ship de-
string to employ his vessel in the foreign trade
to have it rated. When such vessel shall have
delivered her cargo of dutiable goods in any
| port of the United States, the owner of such
| goods is to be entitled to drawback OF u per
| cent. on account of duties The bill also al
| lows to owners of shipyards drawback equal
| to the amount of duties on the material used
| in the manufacture OF machinery designed
solely for the perfecting and cheapening of con-
| structiOn.
By Mr.. Carpenter to amend section 20 of the
Bankruptcy act of March I'd, 1867, by striking
| out from the fourth line the words, "and with
| in one year" so as to remove the Limitation of
time in which the bankrupt may apply for
| discharge.
1t was agreed to make the calendar the daily
order of business on and after Monday next
| till finished. All unobjected bills are to be
| considered in order, and each Senator be al
lowed to speak once on each question and for
five minutes only ,1 Adjourned.
| John Manning, member elect from the 4th
| district of North Carolina, took the oath of Of
| fee.
Mr. Lynch of Maine introduced BILL which
was referred, to provide for the gradual re-
sumption of specie payment 1t provides for
the destruction of all United States notes as
| received in the regular course of bushes into
| the treasury, and the issuing of a like amount
| to be paid out as required for disbursements,
payable in specie after six months from date
| The national banks are to redeem in new Unit
| ed States notes and the new United States
notes are to be received for duties on imports
after they have become redeemable in coin.
A resolution by Mr. Burlington of Massachu-
setts was adopted, calling on the Secretary of
State for information relative to the alleged
seizure of the schooner Granada of Province
town, Mass, by a British cutter in the harbor
of Port Hood, N. S., on the pretext that she
had on board too much provisions for two
months fishing voyage.
A resolution by Mr.. Munger of Ohio, rect.
ing the paragraph in the Presidents message
relative to European project to make the
bay of SANTANA free port and declaring that
Congress should regard any such attempt I'M
friendly to the United States and in contra
vention to the Monroe policy and requesting
the President to transmit to Congress any cor
respOndence in the possession of the admins
tration showing the grounds in which his be-
lief is based: Referred to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs.
A resolution by Mr. Crebs of Illinois, reeiting
that the recent elections developed the fact that
the decrease in tariff duties, especially on the
necessares of life, was demanded by the coun-
| try, and instructing the Committee on Ways
and Means to report bill to SO amend the
| tariff laws as to reduce the duties on tea cof
| fee, sugar and salt to 10 per cent. adva0rem;
on bessemer steel to 20 per cent; on pig-iron
| 50 80 per ton and such general reduction on all
other articles as will in the main correspond
with the duties imposed by the tariff law of
1S46. framing the law for the purpose of reve-
nue. only and not for protection. Referred to
the Committee of Ways and Means.
Mr.. Farnsworth of Illinois, from the Post
Office Committee reported bill to revise, con-
solidate and amend the statutes relating to the
Post Office Department, aud the House pro-
ceeded to consider it in the morning hour. The
bill consisted of 1872 pages and is substitute
for all existing laws on the subject.
| Considerable discussion took place on the
section which declares that it shall not be law
full to carry by mail or deposit in the post Office
to be sent by mail, any letters or circulars con-
corning lotteries, gift concerns or similar en-
prises and that such letters or circulars be de-
tanned by the postmaster at the Office of deliv-
| cry or mailing, and be disposed of under iu-
| structions from the Postmaster General. The
| section was amended on motion of Mr.. Brooks
| of New York, by providing penalty of not less
than 500 or more than $500 fine for violation
| of its provisions. "
The amendments of Mr.. Hill of New York,
to reduce letter postage to two cents, and au-
thorizing the Postmaster General to issue the
postage or correspondence cards lately intro
| duced in England and Germany. were reject
| ed, Messrs. Farnsworth and Garfield wishing
| time for full examination of the merits OF the
| latter system.
Mr.. Farnsworth of Illinois offered an amend
ment abolishing the Thanking privilege from
and after the LIST of July, 1871, newspapers,
periodicals and magazines reciprOcally 70 be
interchanged between publishers, and weekly
papers one copy to each actual subscriber
within the county to go free as heretofore;
stamping machines to be provided for the
President, each head of departments, and tho
clerks of the Senate and House, with which to
stamp their official correspondence, and in
Guiding speeches of Senators and members, and
which when SO stamped are to be carried
through the mails free; the postage thereon to
be charged by the Post Office department
against the various departments and Congress-
and that one hundred dollars be allowed each
member and Senator to pay the postage on
their correspondence.
The amendment was ordered to be printed,
in order that the House may act upon it to-
morrow. Adjourned.