Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-02-07
This Afternoons PROCEEDINGS.
TUESDAY. February 4.

tons Of the Legislature of Texas asking in
creased mail facilities OF that State. Referred
10 the Committee on Post Offices.
Mr. Nickers presented memorial OF y mem
bers OF the bar of Washington asking Con- ress
20 award 3 800 per annum tor the balance OF
hIs life 10
The LATE JUDGE OF THB ORPHANS COURT
Of the District, on account OF his long and val
liable service Referred TO Committee on Dis
Iict OF Columbia.
Mr.. Ramsey. from Committee on Post OHfces,
reported the House joint resolution suspendng
the resolution authorizing the Postmaster Gen
erSl 20 adjust
TIE CLAIM or ego. caoErESS1SG.
Mr. Trumbull had 10 desire or intention 20
animadvert upon the course of the Postmaster
General, or TO reflect upon his integrity, but he
must say that the resolution now 10 be repealed
was susceptible of a very different construction
than that given TO il. He did not think tn the
POSTMASTER General was compelled by the reso-
luton TO act in this matter as he had aud there
fore he did not concur in the report OF the CON-
mittee on Post Off Ces TO that effect
Mr.. Hamlin regarded the Postmaster General
as having acted exactly according 70 the items
81 tie resolution, and as having no other atern.
alive, and he Mr.. H. should have acted iustas
the Postmaster General had.
Mr.. Nickers did not think the resolution sus-
ceptble OF the construction put upon IL, and he
did not think the Postmaster Gener al had acted
properly in euPpre>sing the evidence before
him. And in regard 10 the passage OF III at reso-
that it had been
PUr THROUGH TIE HOUSE sURREPrIrIorsLY.
Ii was never intended that the evidence should
be suppressed upon which former Postmaster
Generals had refused 10 allow this claim
After further discussion, the resolution was
passed.
Relations, reported the House bill TO authorize
the holding Of
NATIONAL EXPOSITION
Of arts and industry at Philadelphia on the
occasion OF the centennial anniversary OF the
Declaration Of Independence.
The unfinished business being the
WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK AIR LINE RAIL
ROAD BILL,
was taken up in regular order.
MIR. Howe moved to postpone the unfinished
business, and to proceed with business frors the
Committee on Claims, for which this day had
been set apart.
MIR. Chandler hoped the friends Of the air line
bill would stand by him until IL was passed.
he had been trying for - years to get an air
line road from here TO New York. and he be-
heved If the bill was passed now, we would have
hat road in two years. and It would carry US to
New York in six hours. He had been assured
by gentlemen Of the House that If the Senate
would now stick to this bill and pass il, the
House would pass 1t at this session.
The motion OF Mr. Howe was determined In
the negative-ayes %. nays land the airline
bill was proceeded with.
Mr.. Nickers Of Md. took the floor, and ar
gued at length as to the proper construction TO
be put on the " commerce" clause in the con-
ssitution, quoting from various authorities, ju-
dicisl decisions, &C. in support OF his point that
the federal government was prohibited from
entering upon the soil of the States without
their consent; that its power to regulate COM
merce applied only to foreign commerce, not
internal.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
mediatelv after the reading OF the journal, MI
Cessna Pa rose to
Personal EXPLANATION
n relation to the Chorpenning post route alIair.
He said that he had not made any remarks
when the question was before the House, be-
cause he was not informed that action was to
Toe had in the matter: second, because he had
TO papers at hand 10 which he could refer; and
third, because Mr.. Dawes had made no personal
barge against him, but, on the contrary, dis
tinctly said that he believed he acted in good
faith. lie was not insensible to the criticisms
Of the press, for which he bad high
Spect, but protested against its being used
10 b'acken the character OF individuals.
lie had taken what action he had IN the matter
because CborpennlBg was constituent OF his,
and because lie had the highest confidence in
Judge Black, Chorpenuing's attorney, and IN
Mr.. Earle, aLother attorney, who came into the
case in May, 1870; and he had confidence in the
witnesses, several OF whom were his constitu-
ents. He then believed, and he still believed,
that there was something due TO Major Choir
penring, although he did not then suppose 50
large an amount was involved. He had
Presented CLOrpennng's memorial in the
House in May, and did not suppose that he
would have anything more to 10 with II
until the 18th OF July, thinking the Post
nth, and not on the last dav OF the session,
he presented the bill, and made no attempt
TO conceal tie facts IN the case. Onthe corr
trary, his attempts TO explain it were cut OFF by
calls 10 order. The report was drawn up by
The attorneys OF the claimants, and the Post
master General was mistaken in surprising it
report of the committee. He had had 10 con-
ference with Mr.. Creswell upon the subject
since the passage of the bill lie made this ey-
PLANTATION with no expectation or desire TO
change the action OF the House in the matter,
and closed with an earnest prote.tation OF his
integrity in this and all other legislation.
MessrS; HUI \. - Beck tky:.) and Farms
ply, but the regular order was demanded b.
Mr. McGrew w. Va and ArneIl Tenn
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES
during the morning hour were then called for.
Mir. McNeely Ill., from the Committee on
Revolutionary Claims, reported bill for the
rehet OF the heirs OF Lieut.. Joseph Wiegan,
which was passed.
Nr. Coburn, (Ind.. > from the Committee on
Public Expenditures, reported bill to prevent
the Teopening OF claims that have been audited
by the Treasury Department, and to prohibit
persons WHO are now, or may be employees from
practising in the DEPARTING ntS, or giving infor-
nation i'll relation thereto, with an amendment
providing that the act shall not apply TO the
claims OF loyal men in the States lately in re-
bellion.
Mr.. Finckelnburg moved an amendment
limiting the time for which employees are pro-
hibted from practising to three years, which
was adopted, and the bill as amended passed.
Mr.. Asper, (Mo.,) from the Committee on
Military Ahars. made report in the matter
of the recent West Point investigation. and
asked that the report might be printed and
IecOmmitted, and made the special order for
TUESDAY next.
The PENNSYLVANIA COAL TRADE-The
Philadelphia ledger OF yesterday SAYS: The
anthracite coal trade is unchanged, though
there have been meeting Of the several parties
interested in it, and the newspapers have al
most daily had something to say upon the SUBJ
iect; but practically, except slow reduction of
the stock of coal on hand, the trade presents no
new feature. tits quite apparent that the sew
eral parties engaged in the production and mar
ketng of anthracite coal do not wish to resume
work. if they can help it, until there is such q
scarcity OF coal as to maintain prices. In the
rivalry for the market that exists between the
several coal regions and between the leading
carrying companies, each Of which il watching
the others that no undue advantage shall be
gained or lost, IL n difficult to say what moment
jealousy in competition may set the II ade ac-
lively at work, though the present purpose all
round is TO make baae market at the begin
ing of the season, and il possible to start at
suspension or strike. To this end IN sarties
seem 10 be harmoni0usly working Neeotia-
tiors are now pending to adjust the trade eoui-
tabay between the several coal reeiSSs. Win
what result we have little data for Judging.
Inc reader can guess az we'll a. the most INTEL
Hgent newspaper man, TherA "A oePfainlv m