The Portland daily press., 1870-05-18
LATEST N r. w s
EY TELEGRAPH TO THE
pOlsTI4AND DAEE4x IsEEEsS.
XLIst C0NGRESS---seo nd Session.


XLTst CONGRESSES nj Session.
WASHINGTON, May 17-Mr Cameccp, il
presenting memorial for the general aboli
ton of taxation on productions said he though
the first duty Of Congress was to reduce th,
taxes now when our bonds were at par Fl,
should be taxed upon their labor. He woul,
favor to great extent the substitution of ex-
ternai for internal taxes; and above all the ab
oltion OF taxes on incomes.
Mr.. Howard, from the Committee on the
Pacific railroad reported substitute for the
Marshal and San Diego railroad which he ex
planned was to authorize railroad from Mar
shall, Texas, to Trinity river, thence to e
Paso on the Rio Grande, and thence through
Territories and across the Colorado river Il
San Diego on the Pacific. The bill grants
twenty alternate sections of land OF each sid
of the line in the Territories and ten section
in any State through which the road nigh
pass. The bill was ordered to be printed and
placed upon the calendar
A session was ordered for Wednesday eve
ming to give Mr.. Cragin an opportunity for ad
dressng'the Senate upon the bill to provide fo
the execution of the laws in Utah.
A bill to relinquish the interest of Unite,
States in certain lands in San Francisco occu
pied the morning hour, it being passed after
lengthy discussion, and the Senate resumed
the consideration of the 18th amendment bill.
Mr.. Terry proposed a modification of hi
amendment, the purpose of which he stated t.
be to prevent the creating of any further polti
cal disabilities than now existed, and proceed
ed to reply at length to Mr.. Morton's speech O
Monday against the removal of DISABILITIES from
citizens of the South.
Mr.. Morton replied at length to Mr.. Terry
and was followed by Mr.. Sawyer, who con
denmed the system OF test oaths and proscrip
ton as contemplated in the bill.
Mr.. Revels having been called upon proceed
ed to define his position and that of the Re
publican party of Mississippi Upon the ques
tion OF general amnesty, he said he was in ia
vor of removing disabilities in the South JUS
as fast as its people gave evidence of loyalty
Wherever man gave this evidence by ceasin.
to denounce and oppose the laws of Congres
and by respecting them and laboring to carr,
them out he was in favor Of removing his disa
blities. II this could be truly said oi the Who'll,
State he would be in favor of the removal O
the disabilities of that State. In Mississippi
the Republican party had pledged itself to uni
versal amnesty and the legislature had re-
deemed that pledge by the passage of reso
luton asking Congress to remove the disabili-
ties of the citizens of that State, and -whinh- he
bad presented. The condition of things il
Mississippi was exceptional Lawlessenss and
violence prevailing in the other reconstructed
States did not exist there, but the people were
harmonious aud prosperous. He was in favor
given its pledge to that effect and the State
was fit for it,
During its discussion it was proposed to take
up the House bill on the subject which had
been received from that body, but objection
was made on the ground that the pending bill
committee while the House bill was defective.
After short executive session the Senate ad
journed.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Wood of New York addressed the House
on the bill to revive American commerce and
shipping, correcting what he characterized a
popular error, viz, that the foreign commerce
of the United States was on the decline. 1t
was not the foreign commerce of the United
States that was declining; it was the naviga-
ton interests of the United States that were
on the decline. The mistake was to comfOund
commerce with navigation. So far as the for
eign commerce is concerned, as shown by the
value of imports and exports and by their rela.
tive proportions, it was in q safe, sound and
satisfactory condition. What were the causes
that led to the decline of American tonnage?
The common idea was that it was attributable
to the depredations OF the Alabama. He ad-
mtted that it had some influence, but not to
the extent generally exposed. He assigned
several general operating causes for it, The
trst was the substitution of steamers for sail
ing vessels and iron for wood. The second
was economy in The reduction of tonnage in
consequence OF the substitution OF steam for
sails, one steamer being able to do the work of
three sailing vessels. The third was the over
production of ships from 1S4S to 1860, stimu-
lated by the discovery Of gold in California and
the trade to which it gave rise. The fourth
was the Influence of the navigation laws, in
which the United States is far behind all other
nations in the policy of refusing American
registers to foreign built vessels French
steamers were bought in England, and so were
r4r;oy oy,1 ft,ap ~
the Hamburg and Bremen lines =; but the navi-
cation laws Of the United States, founded on a
policy Of exclusion, stood at the threshold oil
American harbors and shut out foreign built
vessels from entering under the American flag.
Mr.. Lynch inquired whether the commercial
marine of England and the United States had
not obtained their highest point Of prosperity
under the very laws that the gentleman was
now cOndemning.
Mr. Wood of New York replied in the mega
tive and said that the gentleman's own report
answered his question. The fifth cause of the
decay of American tonnage was the transfer oi
American vessels to the Britis flag during
the late war. The transfer amounted to S33, 3Oa
tons, Dearly one-quarter of the aggregate ton.
mage of the United States. The next cause
was the depredations of privateers curing the
war, but the loss by that means did not exceed
100000 tons While he would hold England
to just responsibility in the matter, he would
not over-estmata or magnify the actual loss to
our tonnage. He hoped to live to see the day
when England would be compelled not only ia
make reparatiOn but restitution for the wrong.
The seventh cause was the appreciation OF the
cost of labor and materials, and in consequence
of the deprecated currency and heavy taxa
ton Was causing a large difference in The cost
of building and sailing ships
MIR. Wood then argued against the bill as en-.
tirely inadequate and Intellectual for the re.
moval of the difficulties which it sought tt
,s~IA
stimulate, but that was all. In his opinion the
true remedies were to be found in very gen
eral revival Of trade founded on sound basi.
with specie payment and currency, the aboli-
tion Of internal taxes and greater public ant
private economy. in new avenues of foreign
commerce, in the readmisson to America,
registry of American vessels which sought the
protection of foreign flags during the war, il
the modification of the navigation laws so a,
TO admit foreign built vessels to American reg
istry, either free of duty or on payment of ;
moderate duty on tonnage; fifth, in allowanc,
of drawback of the duty on shipbuildng ma
terials; sixth. on allowing ship stores to bt
taken out of bond for foreign voyages; seventh
in eXemptipg tonnage from all taxes othe
than by the federal Government; eighth, i,
granting moderate compensation by way o
postage on mails; ninth, in favoriDg American
bottoms in the imposition of tariff duties so al
20 discriminate in their favor on all foreig,
merchandise imported.
Mr.. Washburne, of Wisconsin, followed il
support of the report of the committee, afte
which the bill went over till tomorrow Mt
Lynch, of Maine, giving notice that he wou
ask for a vote on the bill on Thursday.
Mr.. Julian, of Indiana, asked leave to pre-
sent two petitions against Stephen j. Field
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of th
United States, and Ogden Hoffman, j udge
yfacto of the United States for the district G
California, and praying that articles of im
peachment be presented against them
Mr.. Banks, of Massachusetts,, objected, an,
Mr.. Julian presented them under the nev
rule and had them referred to the Judiciar,
Committee.
The House then went into Committee of th
Whole on the naval appropriation bill, and wa
addressed by Mr. Hale, of Maine, in vindica
ton of the Navy Department.
Mr.. Morgan OF Ohio followed in condemna
tion of the navy department for having in vic
lation OF law paid to officers of the navy 33 L.
per cent in addition to their legal pay amount
ing to S3,70O,5O0. Mr.. Scofeld of Pa. remark
ed that the order of the Secretary of the Navy
under which that was paid was strictly ia ac
cOrdance with law.
Mr.. Morgan repeated the assertion and con
tradicted the statement of Mr.. Scofeld. H
denounced the extravaganza of the naval es
tablishment, showing the large disproportior
OF officers OF high rank to vessels employed a