Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-02-18
FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings
FRIDAY, February IS.

Governor of Nebraska, TO the effect that the
Legislature of that State yesterday ratified the
fifteenth amendment, with but five dissenting
voices.
faculty of Harvard College, asking that such
rank be accorded tO the medical officer of the
Navy as is betitting the members of an honor
able profession, and will conduce to the eff
cheney of the naval service. Referred to I'll,
Committee on Naval Affairs.
Mr.. Sherman presented memorials of 500 cit
zens of Baltimore and 5000 citizens of Mary
land, asking, in the name of God and libert,
recognition of struggling Cuba. Referred t.
Committee on Foreign Relations.
Mr.. Hamlin, from Committee on District or
bills to incorporate the New Era Printing Com
pany and to amend the charter of the Mutual
Insurance Company.
Mr.. Nye introduced bill to incorporate the
National Paving Company of the District OF
Columbia. Referred to Committee on District
OF Columbia.
On motion Of Mr.. Sherman, the funding bill
was taken up, and it was then made the special
order for Wednesday next.
And on motion of MIR. Chandler. Monday was
set apart for consideration Of bills from Com
MIR. Sumner called up bill to provide for the
appointment of a solicitor to the Department of
State. He said this was matter of great i'm
portance and convenience to the Department
OF State.
MIR. Trumbull opposed the principle Of the
bill. There should be but one law department
be creating these solicitors for the different de-
partments would cause a great variety of con-
fictng decisions, and would produce infinite
trouble in the various departments of the Gov
ernment. He had no objection to an increase
of the Attorney Generals Office. if the force
there was not sufficient. Make another Assistant
Attorney General If necessary, but have all the
law business of the Government under the con-
troll OF one head. The Senate had last wear
decided against this principle, by providing that
when the present appropriation is exhausted
the office OF Solicitor for the Navy Department
shall cease.
Mr.. Sumner said the Secretary had informed
him that this assistance was absolutely needed
IL e eSecretary wanted some one under the same
root with whom he could communicate at once
informally, some one who could examine the
numerous claims against foreign governments
He (Mr. 81 conceded with Mr.. Trumbull's
views. He thought it would be well if we had
Department OF Justice, as had many Of the
European governments, and he did not see why
We could not, but we did not have such de
meet the immediate and pressing necessities of
the State Department.. Mr. s. called for tha
r a ling Of a letter from the Secretary of STATE
asking for the passage of the bill.
Mr.. TrumbuiI moved an amendment that the
officer to be appointed shall be denominated
Examiner Of Claims" which was agreed to-
and the bill was then passed. 1t also provides
clas clerks for the State Department. Tn,
salary of the Examiner to be 8, 800 Der ann nm
Mr.. Hamlin then called up bill to amend th G
Mr.. Hamlin said the law now i'm existence wos
the old law of Maryland, which provides thai
where any interest beyond per cent is AIKEN
the whole amount of the loan is forfeited Thi,
bill is to conform the law to the present law OF
Maryland, which provides for the forfeiture OF
s.s the amount in excess @ & OF per cent. He had
sper cent, where written contract is made to
that effect. "
Mr.. Wilson hoped this amendment would not
be adopted, as he considered it entirely in tn,
interest of the money lenders of this District
He moved to insert instead Of 8 per cert
which was not agreed to.
adopted
Mr.. Thurman moved an amendment that
where interest beyond per cent Is exacted tha
whole value of the loan shall be forfeited; which
was adopted ~
The bin was then passed.
Mr.. Hamlin then called up the bill to en-
courage and promote the International Indus
trial Exhibition to be held in Washington c;fy
in 1871.
The following amendments Of Mr.. Morrill,, OF
Vermont, were agreed to:
sell the property of the company within one
year from the time the exhibition shall be opeI,
to the pnblic, and to pay all debts, &c.
opening Of the exhibition the directors shall
submit to the Secretary Of State a report OF
their proceedings.
That possession Of the reservation on which
the building is erected shall not be held longel
the exhibition.
That imported goods for the exhibition sha,,
of the exhibitors, or of the cOrpOration AZ
mutually agreed upon.
That goods sold during the exhibition shall not
be re- exported within one year after opening OF
The United States shall have a lien on sucb
goods until the duties are paid, and i'm case they
are sold and removed, the corporation shall b.
MI Thurman moved to indefinitely postnone
the bill. He was satisfied that unless the Gov
ernnent assumed the whole burden of this
country. He knew what would be said, that we
must carry it through for the credit of the ma
ton, that the national honor was involved Our
taxes were high enough now, without going into
spending a large amount of money on a Show.
and I'll st or last the United States would have 10
pay the bulk of the expense.
Mr.. Hamlin would say but one word, and then
leave the matter with the Senate. The business
men and the wealthy men OF the District were
interested in this matter; they were very earnest
i'm its favor. They say they can make it a sue
what is now in the bill. They have secured now.
they say, 80 900 600. They are in correspondence
with the Governors OF nearly every State, and
also have an extensive correspondence with
foreign parties, and the indications of snc-
cess are most favorable and fiattering.
1t is probable that the building will be erected
on the reservation in front Of the Presidents
House, and that square will be graded ANYHOW,
whether this bill is passed or not. Some saw
that this is not proper locality for an Interna-
tiOnal Exposition. Certainly it is not London
nor Paris, but it is the capital Of the country,
and in Europe these eXpositiOns are always held
at the capitals. Now If Ii was held at New York
or Philadelphia, you get the opposition OF one of
these localities to the other.
Mr.. Morrill,, Of Vermont, argued that this was
not the time to hold the exhibition, the country
had not sufficiently recovered from the prostra-
ton of the war to 60 into such thing, and
furthermore this was too close after the time of
the exhibition in France, and it could but be
failure to hold it in q city of such sparse pOpu-
lation; and as for going to work to build Wash
ington up into q very large city he did not want
to do it, he never wanted to see this city rival
New York and have q million of inhabitants be-
cause he regarded New York as an evidence of
the failure of our system of government
He further held that an immense expense would
be entailed upon the Government; it would take
two or three hundred ships to transport the
goods, and the 11th section provides that the
Secretaries OF the Navy and the Treasury shall
fun nish transports for these goods. Then, in the
18th section, the President Is authorized to as
sign to duty at the Exhibition officers in the
army and navy. This would also be very ex-
pensive. Furthermore, the dfhculties Of access
here were very great. New jersey and Mary
land charged excessive tolls on every passenger
that came over their territory to this city.
Mr.. Stockton said this was An oft repeated
slander on the State OF New Jersey. She had
never charged toll on any one going through
certain proportion OF the earnings, which did
not amount to as much as IL the railroad prop
erty was taxed. But New Jersey, In Difference
IN tho saneoIc rlauOr that had been ruisaa