The Portland daily press., 1872-04-16
xLIId CONGREss-.sECOND SESSION
SENATE.


WASHINGTON, April 15-The resolutions of
the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, ask
ing for the establishment of a mail service to
the South Pacific Islands, and to increase the
mail service to China and Japan, and the me-
mortal of $4,000 citizens of San Francisco
against cedlng Government Island to the Cen
trail Pacific Railroad were presented and re-
ferred
The following bills were introduced BY Mr.
Morrill,, of Vermont providing that no money
be paid from the proceeds in the Treasury of
any captured or abandoned property without
special appropriation; by Mr. Conkiing, direct
ing the sale of the site of the present post
office in New York to the Chamber of Com
merce for 100000. q II ...-.r....
Mr. Pomeroy, from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported bill incorporating and grant,
ing right of way to the Wort Bridges & Vim
tab Mountains Railroad Company.
The bill was passed permitting the interment
in national cemeteries of all honorably dis
charged soldiers and sailors.
The bill authorizing bridge across the Mis-
sissippi at Quincy was passed.
Monday next was set apart to consider the
bill extending discretion to the President to
suspend the habeas corpus until the the end of
Congress. 3tata =
The resolution declaring that Mr.. Abbott
was not entitled to seat from North Carolina
came up, and Mr.. Thurman opposed Mr. Abb
bolts claims.
After Mr.. Thurman concluded, Mr. Cole
moved 10 postpone Cne 1uTbner consideration OF
the subject in order to take up the deficiency
bill. Carried-27 to Is.
The Vice President submitted message of
the President, vetoing the bill to increase the
pension of Mrs. Mrs. Abigail Ryan, which, on
the motion of Mr.. Edmunds was referred to
the Committee on Pensions.
An understanding was had that the North
Carolina Senatorship be again taken up on next
Monday, and the bill reported by the select
committee on Southern outrages was set for
Wednesday of next week.
The deficiency bill was then proceeded with
Among the amendments adopted are the fol-
lowing Appropriate 500, 900 to pay mileage
of Senators at the Executive session last May
to ratify the Alabama treaty; authorizing
extra compensation in the discretion of the
President to the United States consuls at AL
giers, Boulogne, Lyons, Marseilles, Nantes,
Nice and Rheims for extraordinary services
during the late war in Europe; for continuing
the work ON the new State Department during
the balance of the present fiscal year, 5000 600:
reducing the amount appropriation the Quar-
termaster's Department $420,000; providing
that no part of the appropriation for the signal
service nor any appropriation for the several
departments of the Government shall be ex-
pended for telegraphing between said depart
ments or their officers and agents except at the
rates first to be established by the Postmaster
General under Sect of Chapter 23O of the
States of 1866 when over the lines subject
thereto; to supply the deficiency in the appro-
priation for the 9th census, 10000; authoriz-
ing payment to the employees of the Sprinfield
Armory who were such on and after July 3Oth,
1868, namely, the sums respectively by which
their wages were reduced by order of the War
Department. under the eight hour law so called.
Without action on the bill the Senate adj
| journed.
HOUSE
| A large number of bills were introduced and
| referred: Is No "E& ~
The morning hour was consumed in dilatory
motions. to DraVpnt action Mr. Honpar'S Of
Mass, civil rights bill.
| A bill was passed confirming to the Port
Huron & Lake Michigan Railroad, the land
granted by the State of Michigan.
ldr. Williams of Ind, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Expenditures in the War Depart
ment made report with the testimony taken
| on the investigation of the sale of arms during
the FrancO-Prussian war Ordered to be print
ed with the views of the minority.
The Committee reports the following con-
| customs
First-That the Act of Congress of July 20,
1868, authorizing the sale of unsuitable arms
| gave, by fair Interpretation of its letter and
spirit, full authority to the Secretary of War to
sell and dispose of the arms and ordnance
stores in question, and that in doing SO he vio-
lated neither letter nor spirit of the law.
Second-That the proceeds of the sales were
promptly paid into the Treasury
Third-That no sales were made to any
known agent of either belligerant government,
and that no act was done by the Secretary OF
War or any of his subordinates that was calcu-
lated to impair or violate any international OBJ
legation alsBE1H Ess5l
Fourth-That no official of the United States
government was pecuniarily benefited in con-
nection with the sales.
Fifth-That the only party benefited was
the government of the United States, in hav.
ing disposed of unsuitable arms at the highest
market price to the amount of nearly $4,000
| 900. aa. s.i r-
The House proceeded to the consideration OF
the river and harbor improvement bill, which
appropriates $5,000,000 The bill was passed
with but few unimportant amendments.
Mr. Hancock of Texas, introduced bill fol
the appointment by the President, of three
Commissioners at salary of $40 a day each
to inquire into the depredatons on the frontier
of Texas by bands of Indians and Mexicans
and appropriating $4,000 for the expenses Of
the Commissioners The bill was passed and
the House adjourned.