Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-28
Forty-First Congressional Session.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 81, 1871.
IusT

! nNlug statement III tne New lOtk tribune tnat
the senate naval committee was Intentionally
delaying the house bill regulating rank in the
navy.
Mr.. Wilson objected to the explanation as
not being Of the privileged character, and Mr..
Cragiu, having moved to take up the bill, pro-
cceded, on that motion, to make his statement
He said he had twice asked the senate, and had
been refused, for day for the business from the
naval committee, and, in view of the flct that
the appropriation bills were crowding aside all
Others he bad concluded not to continue his
efforts.
Mr.. Salisbury desired to make a suggestion,
which, iffollowed would he thought, save sem
ators a great deal of trouble in the future, that
was, not read the New York Tribune at all.
| Laughtcr.) If members would read it, they
would know nothing at all of the things of
| which it complained.
! MIR. Cragin then withdrew his motion TO take
! up the bill, and asked the senate TO apprOpri-
ate one hour this evening, for its consderat on.
General objection being made, Mr.. Cragin
| gave notice that he would move the bill ms an
amendment TO the naval appropriation bill
when il came up. The post otficeiapprOpriatiOn
bill was then proceeded with and the amendment
increasing to 81 100000 annually the subsidy to
the Pacific Mail steamship company was land on
| the table-32 to f9-and the same disposition was
made-by vote of 81 to 21-Of the senate bill,
| which Mr.. Sherman mOved as an amendment,
| suSpendiDg the construction of the Cincinnati
| and Newport bridge now being built and re-
| curing it TO be raised from seventy as at pres
| ent, to one hundred feet above low water mark.
| Mr.. Buckingham moved to add to the clause
| relating to stamped envelopes a proviso that
| such envelopes shall not be transmitted by mail
without an additional charge of one dollar per
| 1000 for transportation
Mr.. Sawyer thought the effect of such addi-
| tional cost would be to do away with stamped
| envelopes entirely, as it would preclude their
| being sent by mail
| Mr.. Buckingham denied that such would be
the effect, and criticized the practice of the post
office department in competing with private
manufacturers in the manufacture of envelopes
Mr. Ramsey denied that there was any danger
GUS competition and stated that while the year
ly aggregate of envelopes under ordinary stamps
| passing through the mails was fourteen mil
lions, that of stamped envelopes was but two
and quarter millions.
After further discussion, the amendment was
rCIectcd-26 to Gland a motion, by Mr.. Buck
ingham, to raise the price of envelopes by in
GLIDING the cost of transportation and labor was
also lost-19 1882.
The bill was then reported from the commit
tee of tn? whole, when Mr.. Sherman renewed
bis amendment relative to the Cincinnati and
Newport bridge, but it was again laid on the
table-29 TO %.
Recess.
EVENING SESSION.
On reassembng, the senate ordered evening
sessions for every evening the present week.
Mr. Cragin, from the committee of conference
on the bin to abolish the grades of admiral and
vice admiral in the navy, reported that the
committees of the two houses failed to agree
and, on his motion, the committee was dis
charged.
Mr. Cragin gave notice that when the mott
| tcation of disagreement was received from the
house he would move that the senate insist on
| the amendment, and ask for a new committee
| of conference.
The post office appropriation bill was then
| proceeded with, and Mr.. Stewart renewed and
| advocated his amendment, rejected in commit
tee of the whole, to increase the annual subsidy
| to the Pacific Mail steamship company to
| 81 100000.
Mr., Stewart, in the course of his remarks,
| said the company had been much crippled by
the Pacific railroad, which virtually destroyed
| its Panama line. 1t was feared that, if additional
| aid was not extended, the company would be
| compelled to cease operations.
MIR. Chandler said that, as a postal expert
| ment, this line had been a dead failure In four
| years the government had paid it, in subsidies,
two million dollars, and the entire amount it
| received from hostages was S51 ,279. He charac-
| terized the whole thing as n job. These worn
out and rotten hulks should be turned out into
deep sea sounding, and ten pounds of nitro.
| glycerne put in them, and let us hear no more
| of them.
| Mr.. Ramsey said Mr.. Chandler came in here
with the roar of Numidian lion, (great laugh
! teri Boosting of his devotion to commerce, and
| and all he ever done was to bring in an appro-
priahon for five or six hundred thousand dol
| lars for twenty or thirty small ports in Michi-
| gan.
Messrs. Stewart, Cole and Corbett replied to
| Mr.. Chandler, and stated that the ships of the
| company were staunch new vessels, the oldest
having been built in 1865.
Mr.. Morrill, of Vermont expressed his gratii-
cation that the temper of the senate did not
seem adorable to this new crop of subsidies.
He moved to lay the amendment on the table.
Agreed to-32 to H.
The amendment to suspend the construction
of the Cincinnati and Newport bridges was re-
newed, and, after being modified SO as to pro-
vide that II the span Is made one hundred feet
above the water no draws need be constructed,
and that claim shall be made against the gov
eminent on account of the alteration in the plan
of the bridge, was adOpted-32 to %.
Mr. Williams renewed his amendment for the
| Australian steamship subsidy, but Mr. Conkling
moved to lay the motion on the table. Agreed
to-25 to 20.
The bill was then passed, and the army appro-
priation bill was then taken up.
Adjourned,
The house disagreed to the senate amend
ments on the executive and legislative appropri-
alton bill, ard also the IndiN appropriation
bill, and conference committees were requested
in each case.
The usual Monday morning call Of states did
not take place to-day, bat the house went on
with the sundry civil appropriation bill.
Mr.. Starkweathcr renewed his amendment to
appropriate $4,000 TO commence a new navy
yard at New London, but it was again rejected
The paragraph apprOpriating 5000 for care and
protection of public property at thenaval station
at New London was retained.
When the paragraphs in relation to the New
York and Boston post office and sub treasury
buildings were reached, Mr.. Famsworth made |
his usual rad on the supervising architect of the
treasury, and reiterated his charges of fraud. |
He evidently wanted to get up another contest
with General Butler, but the latter had effectu-
ally disposed of the Illinois member last week, |
and did not think it worth while TO reply, and |
Messrs. Dawes and Niblack contented themselves |
with defending the action Of the appropriation
committee
The paragraph in relation to the Boston post
office and su6-treasury appropriates nine hun |
dred and forty-two thousand five hundred and |
seventy-four dollars for continuation of con- |
struction upon plans that shall limit the ulti- |
mate cost of said building TO sum not exceed |
ing one million five hundred thousand dollars, |
and subject to no other Limitation or restric- |
tons.
There are in the sunday bill number of para
graphs making appropriations for the COM
mencement of new buildings at about dozen |
different places, including Hartford and Machias
When the first OF these paragraphs, which re- |
lated to Trenton, N. j.. was reached Mr. Buchard |
made point of order, that there was no law au-
thOrizing the work, and the speaker sustained |
the point.
As this ruling would have thrown out all |
similar paragraphs, the result was the greatest |
excitement and confusion on the floor. |
Mr.. Kellogg Immediately offered a resolution |
to suspend the rules to allow all the items to be |
considered without being subject to the points of |
order.
Mr.. Dawes protested against this wholesale |
action, but was willing that each paragraph |
should be considered separately.
Mr.. Kellogg then withdrew his resolution, |
and the rules were suspended by vote OF al to |
"a, to allow the Trenton item to come in.
Mr.. Myers asked leave to move an appropria |
ton of S17,50O, for the salary of an envoy ex.
traordinary and minister plenipotentiary to |
Russia, placing that mission on footing with |
the mission to the German empire and France |
and England, but Mr.. Dawes objected.
The house having reached the Add page of the |
bill, nothing more being left but the light house
appropriation, the section to allow the secretary |
Of the treasury to refund duties to parties |
entitled to such refunding, and the section to |
place the mission TO the German empire on the |
same footing as the missions to England and |
France, the remainder of the bill was agreed to |
by single vote, under suspension Of the |
rules.