The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-12-16
HOUSE.

Mr.. Swift offered resolution instruct
ing the committee on Public Expendi
lures to report the expense to the Govern
ment Of printing, folding and delivering
to members of Congress what are called
pull lie documents; also the cost of trans
portation of the same, and report a bill
to abolish the printing and transporta
ton Of such documents, or that il
printed they be sent at the expense o.
the members, the whole scheme being
fraught with great and really unneces
sary expense Of the government Re
ferred to committee on Public Expendi
lures.
The Speaker then proceeded to call
on the committees for bills and reports
of a private character, and many such
were presented and disposed Of
Mr.. Stoughton presented petition Of
merchants of New York and Boston for
a reduction of the duty on rice.
Mr.. Gould, from the committee on
Appropriations, reported bill author
izing the Secretary Of the Treasury to
purchase at private sale, or by condem-
nation, the remainder of the square of
ground on which the postoffice building
in Chicago recently stood, and not now
owned by the Government. And if the
same cannot be procured at a reason
able price, then to purchase some other
square, not more than two squares from
that location, and to proceed to have
erected thereon freproof building, for
the accommodation of the custom
house, sub-treasury, postotfice, United
States Courts, and pension and internal
revenue offices.
The bill appropriated 100000 and
provides that the total cost of the site
and buildings shall not exceed $4,000
000 He explained the features Of the
bill and advocated its prompt passage.
Mr.. Randall moved to strike out that
part of the bill which limits the selec-
ton of a site to within two squares Of
the location OF the old postoffice. He
thought that such a limitation would
place the Government in the power of
q real estate combination.
Mr.. Platt spoke against the amend
ment and explained that even with the
proposed limitation the Government
would still have twenty-four squares to
select from, so that there was nothing
to be feared from any such comblna-
ton.
Mr.. Holman moved to reduce the
total cost to 81, ,000 600.
Mr.. Platt spoke against that amend
ment and referred to the fact that the
postoffice buildings in New York and
Boston were to cost So, 1000 each and
to accommodate only the postoffice and
United States Court.
Mr.. Randall advocated Mr.. Holman 6
amendment, contending that 100000
was a liberal allowance for site and
building He thought the allowance
to the New York and Boston custom
houses rather unfortunate, because by
corruption and misappropriation of the
public money, and by the enlargement
of the original plans, the building in
New York was likely to cost the Coy
ernment $l0000,000 instead of S2,OoO,-
900.
Mr.. Kelley, OF Pa, dissented entirely
from the views of his colleague, and
believed the people of Philadelphia
would dissent from him and would
rejoice in a liberal appropriation for
Chicago. The Government should put
building there that would be monu.
ment in all time to come OF the tre
which had desolated that city. The
Government could guard against fraud
in the expenditures of money there as
she could anywhere else except, per-
hans in New York, where the Tamma-
nv leaders had so corrupted the atmos-
phere that honesty was almost impoSsl-
Bile in any department in that city. He
was willing to vote for $4,OOO,OOO for
Chicago, and only regretted that the
amendment had been reduced from
IS OOO,OOO the amount recommended
bv the Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds.
Mr.. Randall reminded his colleague
that the question was not one OF charity
at all.
Mr.. Kelley replied that he was not
asking charity. He was only asking
that Goyernment should deal with a
generous justice to stricken people
That was all; there was no charity In
the proposition: r -
Mr.. Randall-That was the line OF
the gentleman's argument.
Mr.. Marshall said that, as member
of the Committee on Appropriations
he had given his assent to the bill. III. ne
protested that neither Chicago nor I'LL,
nois asked any appropriation on account
Of charity. Chicago, great city, one
of the finest on the continent, and the
most rapidly growing city on the iace
of the earth, had been destroyed anu
laid in ashes; the Government had I'M
nortant interests there; it had no Gus
tom house there, no court house., no
nostofice, no public buildings, and 1t
was the duty of the Government 10
furnish proper accommodations for the
transaction OF its business. ,.r
After a alengthy discussion the Dill ap-
nronriatipg four millions for rebuilding
~ Goyerpment edifices in Chicago was
p" Mr.. Morgan, (ohio) from the Com, o. +
mittee on Foreign Affairs suomltleu a .
renort recommending the appointment
nf a commissioner for the purpose o,
S,inp boundaries between the Onlted
States and British Possessions, from
the Lake of the Woods to the kocky -
Mountains. Referred to Committee o'
the Whole. ~ e1aoo
The bill to pay W. H; Preston sliUU l,i,, :
for the expense incurred IN conseSss 1snd
the seat of J. NJ Harris, OF Marylanu'
in the Forty-frst Congress, was taken
up and passed. ,,..,,.husst,s from