The Portland daily press., 1871-02-25
xLIst CONGRESS- Third Session

WASHINGTON, February 24.-The creden-
tials of William Window Eas Senator from
Minnesota for six years from the 4th of March
next we're read and tabled oe
Mr.. Stewart. from the Committee on the
Pacific Railroad, reported upon the question of
the transportation of government freights on
the Pacific railroad, recommending that the i'm
terests Of the government would be subserved
by transporting all freishts overland instead
OF via Panama and that by retaining fifty per
cent. the semi annual interest would be pro-
vided for. The report of the committee in
writing was ordered to be printed. Mr.. Car
penter in response to the resolution in regard
to the retention by the government of more
IMAM nifty per cent. of the transportation over
the Pacific railroad submitted a written re-
port averse to the opinion OF the Attorney Gen
eral claiming that under the provisions of ex-
lsting laws the government has no right to re-
tain more than fifty per cent. of the amount
Mr. Edmunds, in behalf OF the minority of the
committee, stated that be had not time to sub
NIT the minority report aud desired the Senate
TO understand that he did not concur in the
views of the minority. The report was ordered
to be printed, g
Mr.. Trumbull, from the Judiciary Commit
tee, reported favOrably on the bill repeating the
test oath and asked to be discharged from fur
Their consideration of the Presidents message
SO ordered. l5aatl, rfllr .s5s-ta
The Senate concurred in the House amend
ment to the Senate bill to secure better pro-
tcCtiou " passengers on STEAMBOATS,.
Mr.. Howard called up the Texas Pacific rail-
road bill and moved for tine appointment of o
committee of conference on the subject
Mr. Warner moved to concur in the House
amendments. gf 49, :.
A message was received from the President
announcing that he had signed the resolution
prescribing the form of the oath to be taken by
Senator elect Mil Ter of Georgia who was swor Il
in and took his seat .t
HOUSE. ~. --t.r
Mr.. Dawes Of Massachusetts,, ape aled TO the
House to consent to an evening session for
sundry civil appropriation bills. Objections
were made on the ground that experience
sessions. 1t was suggested that the House
would perform much more work by sitting un-
I'll O'Clock in the afternoon. Mr.. Dawes
yielded and withdrew the proposition,
MI. Cox Of New York, appealed to the House
to let him offer resolution aboliShing duty on
coal, declaring that be had tried for two months
to get a hearing on that subject. Coal was
now twenty dollars a ton to the poor, and hu-
man beings we're being frozen to death in New
York; to which objection was made. TIE
House then took up the bill making appropria-
tions Tor suDdry civil expenses of the govern
ment. The 9Th section of the bill appropriates
$l7 600 for salary for minister t. the German
Empire, $25, 600 for secretary of legation. Mr..
for the compensation and expenses of the COM
mission tor determining the pending question
between Great Britiau and the United States
from $25 COO to $4,000
Mr.. Brooks OF New York, suggested that the
House should begin to at the tail end OF the
bill because other appropriation bills in the
last few days had been passed under suspen-
SION Of the rules before the tail end of them
bad been reached. The bill appropriates $33, :
| 583 1892 Among the items are the following:
for the State Department $114O0C; treasury
| department $3.50 900; revenue cater service
| 81 ,057 900; construction of revenue cutters
$500, 900; marine hospitals $50 600; national
| currency and detecting and Furnishing counter
letters 100000; to pay Massachusetts amount
| due for coast defences $3.50 600; expenses OF
| United States courts 80 100000; land offices
| S43,000; expenses for collecting the revenue
| from public lands $4,000.
Among the items are 1000 for public work
at Machias and $44 900 for Portland.
| He said the object OF his motion was to OBJ
tain an opportunity of expressing an opinion
l on the subject of the commission and after a
| few remarks in favor of the policy OF acquiring
peaceably the British North American Pos.
| sessions withdrew his amendment. "A
Various propositions were submitted by
Messrs. Wood, Brooks Of New York, Cox and
Fox. for repeal OF duty on COAL but all were
ruled out of order
Among them was proposition by Mr., Fox
| of New York, to strike out the item for fuel
for the Treasury Department He remarked
| that while the poor people of New York were
| perisbipg on account OF the high price of coal.
caused by the legislation of Congress he would
not vote for fuel to toast the shins of the friends
| of the Republican party.
The item of $23, 600 to pay the State of Mas
sachusetts for the cost of coast defences was
ruled out of order on a poipt made by MI
| Farnsworth Of Illinois, on the ground that
| there was no law authorizing it.
Mr.. Dawes expressed surprise at the rul; ne
| of the speaker pro tenn. MR. Scofeld) but de-
clined from motive of delicacy to appeal from
| 1t. 'a'
| Mr.. Sargent Of CAL, however, did appeal
| but the decision was sustained. -
| Mr.. Sargent then moved to suspend the
| rules so as to make the item in order,in the bill
| Motion rejected and item excluded.
The item of $40, 900 to compensate Joseph s.
| Wilson, late Land Commissioner, for the col
lection of a valuable scientific museum at the
General Land Office, gave rise to an excited
discussion.
Kelsey's motion to strike i. ort was rejected
| II to SO. .t
Mr. Banks motion to increase tue item O
| 70, 600 due to Winnie Reams for statue o
Abraham Lincoln to $40, 600, making the tota
amount $16 600 was agreed to, IS to GO.
House having disposed of 21 pages out of b
pages Of the bill, adjourned