Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-04
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.

| MI. OnofILdIl, from Tue Iluduco OOlll-
mittee, reported the following bill to au-
| thorize the
Funding and Consolidation
of the national debt, to extend bank
ing facilities and to establish specie
payments. 1t provides for the issue of
three classes of bonds of 300, 900, 600 each.
l. Ten and thirty years, 5 per cent. 9
Thirteen and twenty years, a per cent.
| Twenty and sixty years, per cent
| 1t also provides for setting aside yearly
| $50, 900, 900 of custom receipts to pay the
interest on the public debt and for the sink
ing fund to reduce the public debt.
Resolutions were offered and adopted as
| follows:
More Reconstruction Coming.
By Mr.. Abbott-Setting forth occurrence
| of frequent violations of the public peace
in various Southern localities, and that
protection in life and property by the Gov
eminent was right of every citizen, and in
structing the Judiciary Committee to in
quire into the power of the Government to
give protection to its citizens within the
limits of such States, and to report what
legislation is required, especially to inquire
into the constitutionaiity and expediency
of establishing q national police force for
the better enforcement of the laws.
RcIrenchment
BY MIR. Kellogg-Directing the Commit
tee on Commerce to inquire. into the e1pe-
diency Of abolishing ports of delivery,
where the same can be dispensed with
without detriment to the public service.
The Navy Transfers.
On motion of Mr. Morrel, of Maine, the
fnIp4 xauDlT,f1np or,IhNr5ri,or 4ha Gaarafor1,
of the Navy to transfer to the use of the
bureau of construction and repairs of steam
engineering, such appropriations to the
credit of other bureaus in that department
as may be required, was taken up.
Encouragement Exposed.
Mr. Sherman said that at the last session
Congress appropriated all the money
deemed necessary for the Bureau of Con-
struction and Repairs, but the Navy De-
partment went on TO contract an expendi- |
ture of twice the amount appropriated. !
The extent to which the department had |
goLe in making transfers of money without |
previous specific legislation by Congress is |
shown by the books.
Upon tho books of the Treasury it ap-
peared that upon July /, 1868, there was |
$l43, 900, 900 among the Departments still |
appropriated and were unexpended. Of |
this amount 81, 200, 900 belonged to the |
Navy Department. He proposed to Con- |
gress, not only to put an end to this prac- |
tice of Departments in transferring appro- |
priations from one use to another, but |
to provide for carrying all the unex- |
pended balances at the end of the fiscal |
year to the surplus fund, from which ap- |
preparations may be made by special legIs- |
lation.
He favored the present bill, as it would |
enable the Government to proceed with |
the work now incomplete in various navy |
yards, which, if left in its present condi-
ton, would be liable to injury from neglect |
and decay, and inhict loss upon the Gov
eminent
Mr. Morrill,, of Maine, and Mr. Cragin |
spoke in support of the bill
Mr.. Trumbull opposed it because it in
time of peace would continue the employ |
ment of 7, 600 men on the construction of |
war vessels.
Mr.. Morrill, moved an amendment by |
making direct appropriations to Bureaus of |
construction and repairs of steam engineer |
ing of the amount equivalent to that
proposed be transferred from other
Bureaus.
Mr. Howard opposed the bill because he
did not believe in converting the United |
States into an eleemosynary institution.
Mr.. Nye followed in advocacy of the |
bill
Mr. Morrill, of Vermont said The under
standing in the Senate appeared to be, that /
the men were to be employed as q matter |
of charity, he therefore moved an amend
ment by adding the words, that the wages
paid TO employees, shall be at no higher
rate than that paid by private citizens |
in respective localities.
Mr.. Morton said the amendment wonld |
absolutely oyerturn the eight hour law in |
the navy yards of the United States, but |
after discussion it was adopted-yeas %, |
nays %.
The bill was finally laid aside in order to |
permit Mr.. Carpenter to address the Sen |
ate upon the bill relative to the neutrality |
laws.
WinnCpCg.
The Vice President laid before the Sen |
ate a communication from the President in |
response to the Senate resolution of inquiry |
relative to the trouble in Winnepeg, which |
was referred.
The Senate at o'clock went into execu- |
tive session, and soon after adjourned