The Portland daily press., 1871-03-03
BY TELEGRAPH
TO THE DAILY PRESS.
XLIst CONGRESs---Thi.d Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON March 2-The credentials of
Senators elect Henry Cooper of Tennessee, and
J. r. West 0I Louisiana, were presented and
filed.
Upon the request of Mr.. BrOwnlow the
House bill for collecting duties due the gov
ernment from southern railroads was taken up
and passed.
Mr.. Hill presented a communication from
present and former members OF the Legisla-
ture of Georgia demonstrating against the char.
acter and election of Foster BlOdgett as United
States Senator from that State, which was Or
dered filed.
Upon the conclusion of the morning hour
Mr.. Davis motion to take up his resolutions
for an investigation into the condition of the
Union Pacific railroad was lost.
The Committee of Conference on the legis-
lat've, executive, and judicial appropriation
bill reported that the committees of The two
Houses were unable to agree and were dis.
charged.
% motion of Mr.. Cole the Senate insisted
Oh its amendment to the bill and asked Tor the
appointment of new committee on the part
OF the House. Agreed TO.
The deficiency appropriation bill was then
considered in Com mmiGtee OF the Whole and va
rious amendments reported from the Commit
tee on Appropriations reducing items which
were adopted, including an amendment limit
ing the total cost of the new post office and
sub Treasury building in Boston to 81, 500, 900
and also an amendment limiLiug the advertise
er in each State in which contracts are to be
let.
The appropriation to provide for collecting,
translatiDg and publishing all documents re-
lating to the early history of the west, COM
meucing with the discovery OF the great lakes
in 1869 and including explorations to theR Rocky
Mounta,ns in 1872 was agreed to.
Mr.. Casserly, commenting upon the large de-
act in the bill Tor the post-office department,
to VIII 'ch last year twenty four million dollars
VUo annr fp1 unu .alit al
| five millions, intimated that the regular de-
partment expenditures were purposely under
estimated last session for political effect at the
elections. He understood that the aggregate
| deficit under the bill amounted to $4,000 OOO
Mr.. Cole said it was impossible to state eX-
actly the total amount, but that in the report
from the Senate Committee the estimate did
not exceed $10,O00,000
Mr.. Edmunds said these deficiencies, though
much larger under Democratic administra-
tons were not then perceptible, inasmuch as
under the loose practice of retainD Dg the bal
ance in Treasury the money intended for use
in one department was diverted to support
another without any settlement OF accounts
Republican administration had reformed this
gross abuse by substituting TOR II tae present
system of deficiency, whereby the actual ex-
penditures of government were readily seen.
The bill then passed.
The Senate insisted on its amounts to the
| army and naval appropriate IN bills and ap.
bill and on naval bills.
A resolution calling on the President for in
| formation communicated by the legation at
| ConstantinOple relating to restriOns on the
| passage of the Straits of the Darda uelles and
| Bosphorus by the ships of other nations was
| passed. The fertilization appropriation bill
| passed without amendment.
The river and harbor appropriation bill was
| then taken up and pending its consideration
the Senate went into executive session, afte
which it took recess.