The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-12-06
BY TELEGRAPH.
XLIId CONGREss..sECOND SESSION.
SENATE,

| SENATE.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-Several bills were IN
| troduced and laid on the table,
A resolution was adopted that report OF the
survey of the Isthmus Of Tehauntepec be FUR
nished to the Senate
The bill authorizing steamship service be-
| tween New Orleans, Mexican ports and Hava-
ma was tabled
Mr. Blair moved to take up the bill asking in
| formation of the President why he suspended
the laws in certain counties in South Carolina,
and supported his motion in a speech.
Messrs. Fenton and Conkling opposed it and
the motion to take it up was lost
A resolution calling on the President for the
official correspondence on the retirement Oh
Catacazy was adopted.
A bill from the House, declaring the mean,
ing of the eight hour law was taken up, ana
Mr.. Trumbull offered an amendment ABOLISH
ing it. :.
Mr. Wilson urged the immediate passage OF
the bill, but before action was taken the Senate
adjourned. ssa2
Several bills were introduced and referred, in
Guiding one authorizing the issue OF penny cor
A bill was reported from the Post-office Com
mittee to codify the postal laws, but no acuon
was taken
A motion to go into Committee of the Whole
on the message, and resolutions distributing
portions among the various committees were
adopted.
THE COMMITTEE ON THE INsURRECTIoNARY
STATES.
A debate sprung up on resolutions distrl-
buting the Presidents Message among the
committees, Mr.. Wood denying that there were
any insurrectionary States or any committee
thereon.
Mr. Dawes said that such a committee was
raised last session, and it was proposed to refer
to it the Committee on Ku-Klux outrages
Mr.. Wood remarked that several efforts were
made last session to revive the Reconstruction
Committee but the House invariably voted it
down. The Committee on 1nsurrectionary
States was formed for temporary purpose to
go in the Southern States and do certain things.
When it reported its functions ceased, and he
opposed revivng it in surreptitious manner
Mr.. Dawes said that the terms constituting
the committee provided that it continue the
present Congress, but even were that not so,
measures were referred to it yesterday which
revived the committee.
Mr.. Wood protested against keeping in exist
ence committee not only useless, but a pro-
mOter of disorder throughout the country, and
the subject was here dropped.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH sA'
Mr.. Randall called attention to the resolution
referring that portion of the message relative to
postal telegraph to select committee He
didn't see why it should not go to the Com
merce or Post-offce Committee. The owners
of telegraph lines had estimated the cost to the
government at twenty-five millions He here
tofore had seen the evil effect of creating spec
ial committees. The first Prcific Railroad Com
was made up in the interest of the road, and
was prepared to give away all the land of the
nation. This subject should go to the appro-
pirate Standing Committee.
Mr.. Farnsworth, chairman of the Post-office
Committee, moved its reference to that COM
mittee, because it seemed to him no other could
have proper jurisdiction. The Select Commit
tee formed at the last session arrived at ne con-
clusion.
Mr.. Dawes remarked that he was a member
of that committee and joined in the minority
report against the proposition. The subject was
OF great Importance. 1t affected treaties, pos
tai affairs, and the foreign affairs of the coun-
try; so no one committee could be said to have
jurisdiction of the whole matter If anything
required special committee, it was this, Not
however, because he had any want of confidence
in the chairman of post-office.or any other COM
mittee.
Mr.. Niblack suggested that the project would
entail an immense patronage ON the admins
tration which would have an appointment at
least OF 5000 employees to take charge of tele-
graphic business, which fact made the PROPOSE
ton an appalling one to him and would control
his vote against it.
Mr.. Farnsworth' understood that it was pro-
posed to Incorporate with every considerable
post-ofice in the country, telegraph Office and
to make every postmaster a telegraph operator
or else to appoint an expert operator to operate
the telegraph. The government would thus
have the convenience of all private, confden-
tial and financial business of the people The
members of Congress would be importuned by
their constituents to make their post-office
telegraph station. The Post-ofice Committee
has been appointed without reference to this
subject, and might, therefore, be presumed as
fair as one appointed specially. He was will
ing to admit that he had gone over the whole
subject and was against the whole scheme The
success of the system in Great Britain or any
thickly settled country where no new post-offi-
ces had been established for fifty years, formed
no criterion for this country. The whole thing
was monstrous in any way it could be regarded.
Mr.. Banks remarked that the question of
ocean cables was in the jurisdiction of the for
eign committee and moved that that point be
stricken from the pending resolution.
Mr. Dawes assented and the resolution was
modified.
the country to avoid special committees when
ever there was permanent standing commit
tee to whom the subject could be referred.
Mr.. Beck, member of the Special Commit
tee last session, said that the cost and effect
of the project had been understated to-day
There were now 5000 stations in the country
with II 900 miles of line and 1000 employees
Under the government plan there would be at
least 10000 telegraph offices, 10000 miles of
line, and $4,000 employees. He believed the
proper committee to be that of appropriations
who would be very careful in recommending
anything that would take from the people, not
thirty-five but nearly seventy million dollars
He did not believe that the committee would
ever sanction such a scheme or even consider it
for moment.
Mr.; Randall wished to stop this scheme of
plumber at its threshold He was informed
that originally the whole of the telegraph lines
did not cost over two or three millions and now
the company had the effrontery to ask Congress
to take its property at the present appreciated
value. He would oppose the scheme because it
would place the whole private and business
transactions of the people under the scrutiny of
government officials He hoped that the
House would quash the thing at once.
MIR. Dawes did not understand that any pro-
iect was recommended. The statement made
by Mr. Randall that the telegraph companies
asked Congress to purchase its property, show
ed that the gentleman did not understand the
relation of the matter more than baby. The
Western Union Co., was arreigning itself with
all its power and influence against any such
proposition
MI. Beck remarked that while the Western
Union opposed the project last Congress, he I'M
derstood that it changed its position and was
now anxious for it.
Mr.. Dawes said that fact did not commend
the matter to his approval, but this was not the
time to enter upon the merits of the whole SUBJ
Ject.
After further discussion by Messrs Palmer
and Garfield in favor and Conner against a
special committee, the subject was referred. 1O5
to 9S, to Committee on Appropriation.
THE NEW LOAN.
Mr.. Cox moved the reference to that portion
of the message relative to the new loan to the
Committee on Banking. Rejected The sub
ject was left with the Ways and Means Com
mttee The resignation of Mr.. Washburn
of Mass, was presented.
A resolution was adopted for inquiring into
the expediency of the establishment of Labor
Reform Bureau in connection with the Depart
ment of Agriculture with view to compilation
of statistics and a more complete recognition of
rights of laboring classes. Adjourned.