The Portland daily press., 1870-05-13
XLIst OONGRESS---Second Session.

SENATE.
VASE NcToN, May ia resolution was
adopted calling on the President for informa-
ton concerning organized bands of persons at
Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory.
Mr. Sherman gave notice of his intention to
call up the bill to reduce taxation Immediately
after the funding bill was disposed of.
The army bill was then taken up and the
pending motion to strike out the first section
reducing the army to 10000 men was lost, q
to 81.
Mr.. Ferry moved to strike out the eleventh
section providing for board to retire army Of
ficers. His objection was that the section was
threat 70 turn out OF the service officers who
did not voluntarily resign in consequence of
the inducements held out to them in previous
sections. lie was opposed to the compulsory
retirement of wounded officers and those dis
abled by sickness. He preferred to provide for
this class SO long as they lived rather than they
should believe that an ungrateful country had
turned them out upon the cold charities of the
world.
Mr.. Wilson regarded the intention of this
proposition to examine only such officers as
were reported unfit for duty. 1t was more
practicable than that of the House bill for a
general examination of all the officers of the
army.
The amendment to provide that the officers
to lie reported to the board shall be only those
that are unfit for duty from any cause 9th err
than injuries incurred in the line of their duty
was adopted and Mr.. Ferry's motion to strike
out that section was lost.
Mr.. Carpenters amendment respecting the
act OF July, 1870, relating to retired oicers,and
providing upon their own application for their
assignment to duty except service with troops
and as professors in colleges, no compensation
is to be allowed during such service, except
their actual expenses and mileage, was adopt
ed.
Mr.. Sherman offered an amendment to al
low retired army officers to hold civil offices,
and ridiculed the idea that the people of the
United States were afraid of undue military in
fuence in their affairs by the election to Office
OF relieved army officers. He knew an officer
WHO had almost lost his life and who was now
breathing through one lung, and who would
be honored by the people Of Ohio with any Of
tice he would accept.
Mr.. Trumbull remarked that laws must be
made of general character, though hardships
might be done in individual cases. If retired
officers were allowed to hold civil Office the
law would be evaded and persons would be
placed on the retired list as a means of acquir-
ing an appointment in the civil service. He
did not believe in administering civil offices by
milisy authority. During the discussion which
followed Mr. COnkling read from the statute on
the subject to show that any officer accepting
diplomatic or consular position was required to
vacate his military Office.
Mr.. Wilson said that Gen Sickles now held
his diplomatic appointment by virtue of one
years absence from the army, which would
expire in July, when he would have to resign
from the army and come home He did not
draw salal as an army off Ger by reason of
the law prohibiting the drawing of two sala-
ries by the same official.
Mr.. Thurman enquired whether Gen. Scho-
field orfeited his military position by accept
ing The post of Secretary of War.
MIR. Conkling replied that the statute did not
cover that case
The amendment was then rejected to pro-
hibit any officer of the army, either on the ac-
tive or retired lists, from holding civil Office
Mr. Sumner thought there was a clear dis
function between officers on the active list and
retired off GERS. and that the latter ought not
to be excluded from civil service.
Messrs. Thurman and Hamlin concurred in
the belief that in the retiring process discrimi-
naaRp IS sn 81 haabsoatey dismissed from the SER
vice because of their remissions and those who
become disqualified by wounds or disease in
the service.
Mr.. Morton said the amendment cut of every
officer now assigned to public duty on the
plains, the private secretaries of the President
and many others. 1t would look very much
like a direct blow at the administration and
would be SO construed by the country. The
amendmendment was then adopted 81 to 81.
Mr.. Buckingham motion to strike out the
section fixing the pay for each grade of officers
was agreed to, % to IA, and Mr.. Thurman's to
recommit the bill was rejected, 1S to q, and
the bill was then reported to the Senate and
passed. Nations to strike out the LIST and 18th
sections being rejected. adjourned.
HOUSE.
Messrs. Kelsey, Butler of Mass, and Niblaclz
were appointed conference com mittee on the
pension appropriation bill.
The House consumed the morning hoLr in
the consideration of the bill to revive the nav-
cation and commercial interests of the United
States.
Mr.. Wells of Missouri, a member of the select
committee on the subject, addressed the House
in advocacy of the bill.
Mr.. Finklenburg of Missouri opposed the
bill. He was alive to the Importance of the re-
viving of American commerce, but was totally
opposed to subsidies and bountes. The true
remedy was TO reduce the burdens that de-
pressed that interest as we'll as every other in
dustry of the country. The morning hour ex-
pired ald the bill went over until Tuesday
next.
The bill extending to Colorado the provision
of the eemption laws was passed.
Mr.. Schenck of Ohio moved to go into Com
mittee of the Whole on the tariff bill.
The paragraph on nickel was agreed to. Mr.
Buffers motion to include aluminium and Its
alleris in the paragraph relating to German
silver was agreed to.
Tie paragraph taxing old type was struck
out and the duty on live animals fixed at 90
per cent. advalorem with provso admitting
free erigrant teams not exceeding one wagon
and two animals for each family.
Pending discussion on the paragraph tax
ing oatmeal one cent per pound and flour,
wheat, rye corn and buckwheat IL cent per
pound the committee rose and the House took
a recess.
EVENING SESSION.
At the evening session the bill to define the
duties of pension agents and prescribing the
mode of paying the pension was passed as it
came from the committee, several amendments
having been rejected. 1t requires the pension
agents to prepare quarterly vouchers for pen
siOners and direct the same to their post office
address and then executed and returned to the
agency, on the receipt of which, properly exc
cuted, checks for the amount Of the pension
are to be transmitted to the pensioner by mail;
pensions to be payable in March, June, Sep
TENDER and December. The House then ad-
iournpd