Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-07
LATEST NEWS.
BY TELEGRAPH
TO THE wORCEsTER DAILY SPY
Forty-First Congress Second Session
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 6.
HnTTCE

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. G.
HOUSE.
The house was engaged all the morning on
the consideration Of the Paraguay report.
Messrs Sargent of California and Beck of Ken
lucky both made speeches sustaining the major
ity report.
AT the close of Mr.. Beck'S speech it was in
tended to call the previous question, but the
time was extended twenty minutes, and Mr..
Dawes spoke in favor of the majority report.
He regretted that the necessity arose of passing
vote of implied ceusure upon distinguished
officers of the navy, but in view Of the circum-
stances in this case he could not fail TO vote af-
frmatyely on the resolution CT the majority.
Gen Banks said the principal difficulty in the
minds OF members seemed to be that they did
not want to censure naval officers, who believed
they had acted right in this business. The CEN
sure was not upon the officers, but upon the
policy of the navy department, which would not
allow naval officers to assist dinlomatiC repre-
sentatives. He would vote for the resolutions
and would not consider that he was putting a
personal censure upon Gordon or Davis.
MIR. Dawes said, while this censure might apply
to the former management of the navy depart
ment, so far as he knew, the present secretary of
the navy was utterly opposed to that policy.
MIR. Maynard offered an amendment, censur-
ing Captains Ramsay and Kirkland for witness
ing Bliss confession when they did not believe
the confession to be voluntary; and Mr.. Farms
worth offered an amendment recommending
court OF inquiry to investigate the conduct of
AdmralS Gordon and Davis.
The discussion was continued at considerable
length, and participated in by Messrs. Maynard,
Farnsworth, Willard, Wood, Voorhees,, e.
bridge, and Orth, and, after Iefusing-44 to 116
TO lay the matter on the table, the house
adOpTed-90 to 26-Mr Farnsworth's resolution,
directing a court of inquiry for the trial of Adj
miralS Gordon and Davis; 100 to 62-that of Mr.
Orth, disappearing the conduct of Admiral Da-
Wis in delaying for an unreasonable time to
proceed to the release OF Bliss and Masterman,
in accepting their release in the manner and
under circumstances detailed in the testimony
and in receiving, holding and treating them as
prisoners; 80 to 39-that reported by the com
mttee declaring that Admiral Gordon, in
neglectng 10 aid WashbuTn 10 reach the gov
eminent to which he was accredited failed to
discharge his duty as commander of the south
Atlantic squadron, and the other majority resO-
luton; without divsion-Mr. Maynard's reso-
luton, censuring Capt. Ramsay and Lieut.. Com
mander Kirkland; and Mr. Swann's substitute
for the majority report was rejected, only four
teen members voting in its favor.
Mr. Conner asked leave to present a reSolu-
ton requesting the secretary of the navy to pub
lsh in general orders the resolutions censuring
Admirals Gordon and Davis, but Mr.. Hooper
objected
Mr.. Wood of New York presented a memo
rial for the extension of the work of the hydro.
graphic office, from the officers of the leading
insurance companies, from the Pacific Mail
steamship company, the Panama railroad com
pany, Atlantic Mail steamship company, New
York and Mexican steamship company, and a
large number of merchants whose commerce is
all over the world.
Mr.. Van Horn, from the committee on Indian
affairs, reported bill to provide for the CONSOLE
dation of the Indian tribes, and to organize a
system of government in the Indian territory
Recommtted.
Mr.. Julian offered resolution, which was
adopted, instructing the committee on public
lands to inquire into the expediency of provid-
ing by law that every officer, soldier or sailor
who served ninety days in the war Tor the
Union, and was honOrahly discharged, shall re-
ceive 100 acres of land as homestead, his actu-
al term of service to count as part of the five
years required by the homestead act of 1862
Adjourned.
The session tomorrow will be for general de
bate only