Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-12
FOrty-Second Congressional Session.
WASHINGTON, D. C., April II.
~ L M

Mr.. Nckers introduced bill amending the
war Of 1872 pension act of Feb. 18th, 1871, by
striking out tue proySo of the first section re-
atiye to the remarriage Of Widows and extend,
ing the benefits of the act to females who mar
ried officers, soldiers and sailors within three
years after the treaty of peace.
q The North Carolina senatorial election case
was considered, Mr.. Logan arguing at length in
favor OF the report OF the majority cleo ton COM
mittee that Abbott is not entitled to a seat.
Mr., Carpenter got the floor, but yielded to Mr.
Cole, on whose motion the consular and diplo-
matte appropriation bill was taken up, and an
amendment adopted providing that hereafter no
allowance shall be made any consular or diplc
matte officer after the termination of his official
functions, other than for the time necessarily
occupied in his direct return to the United
States
An amendment was also adopted making the
interpreter OF the American legation in Japan
also secretary of the legation, and giving him
an additional compensation OF $500 per annum.
The bill passed.
Adjourned.
HOUSE.
When the house was called to order, several
gentlemen pressed forward to introduce bills
aud resolutions by unanimous consent but Mr.
Brooks of New York, whose resolution of in
quiry in relation to Mexican outrages ON Texas
and Arizona borders, was objected to Yesterday,
inheXibly demanded the regular order, and the
house at once, in the morning hour, proceeded
~ tut CoHoluCIdllOu Ol DlllS reported from COM
mittee.
Mr.. Wilson of Ohio, from the committee on
agriculture, reported Il bill to prevent cruelty to
animals when ON train by railroad or other
means of communication. Mr.. Kerr of Indiana
raised the question of cOnstitutonaty and de
manded the yeas and nays on the passage of the
bill
MIR. 1aldeman, from the same committee, then
reported q bill to protect and encourage the
planting and growth of trees on public domain
Mr.. llaldeman's bill was still pending when
the morning hour expired.
Mr. kCtchum rave notice that on Tuesday
next he would call up the report of the confer
| ence committee ON the ST. CrOiX and Lake Su-
peror railroad bill.
Mr. Risk said the committee had disagreed
and he did not see why the report could not be
made at once.
Mr., Ketchum replied that many members had
| gone away, not expecting the subject would
come up until Tuesday
| The house at half past one went into commit
| tee OF the whole OH the legislative and executive
| appropriation bill, the pending question being
| upon the amendment appropriating fifty thou
| sand dollars TO carry out civil service REFORM
| MIR. Holman and Mr., Wakeman advocated the
| amendment, bur at the same time expressed
| doubts whether it would result in the desired
| reform.
| Mr.. Kellogg of Connecticut would vote for
| this proposition, but at the same time he be-
| ieycd that the civil service was rs well admins
| tered now as IL could be. The proof of it Law in
the fact that out of all the Investigations now in
progress there had not yet been ELECTED any evil
deuce to prove criminality on the part of any
official.
Mr. Dunnell of Minnesota argued that this
| civil service proposition was an unwise and inn
| polite measure, and one which should never
have been passed originally. He did not think
ne was antagonizing Cen Grants administTa-
ton by opposing this appropriations
During tlp discussion Mr. ShaDLc cborootor
lied civil service reform and the abolition of the
| ranking privilege as two specimens of regular
western humbuggeIy
MessrS. Stevenson and Perry of Ohio also
took part i'll the discussion, and favored the
| amendment
Mr.. Butler of Massachusetts opposed it. and
| declared the movement to have been a shrewd
political trick to put the president in a position
where, if he did not inaugurate it, he would be
attacked; and, if he did, it would be failure.
The thing had sprung from the late turned ont
| secretary of the treasury.
Mr.. Stevenson remarked that Mr. Butler at
trbuted too much honor to the late secretary.
MIR. Bntler-lt came from there and will end
there. 1t began i'll Cincinnati and will end in
| Cincinnati.
The discussion here closed and the amend
ment offered by Mr. Sargent to reduce the APP
preparation TO SO 900 was adopted, 90 to SO.
| The next important amendment in the bill was
for the extension Of the capitol grounds north
aud south, an estimate of the cost being about
| $500 600.
Mr. Garfield, chairman of the committee on
| appropriations explained the subject, and stated
| that the committee recommended nOnconcur.
| rence-nOt merely as a formal matter, but as an
| expression of the sentiment of the house, 50
when the matter went to the conference com
mittee the house cOnlerers might understa the
wish of the house.
After long discussion the senate amendment
was amended by limiting the amount to $500
600, and by requiring, within six months, the
removal of the locomotive railroad track from
in front of the west gate of the capitol As
TINS amended, the senate amendment was con-
| Cured in.
| The next important amendment of the senate
| was one increasing the salaries of assistant see
| retares and their officers of the several eXecu-
| tive departments to $4,000: and of Judges of the
| court of claims and the United States district
| Judges TO $1,000 The amendment was rejected
| The committee then rose and Mr.. Butler of
| Massachusetts raised the point of order that
| the amendment lOrbidding the publication
| of laws in newspapers differed in the printed
| bill from the exact words in the enerossed
| bill. Much time was consumed in dsentaug-
| ling this parliamentary snarl but the speaker
finally succeeded in doing SO, and then the vote
| on the various amendments went over until to-
| morrow.
MIR. Banks presented report in the case of
DIR. Howard, the Cuban political prisoner, which
| report was ordered printed.
| Mr.. ketchum gave notice that on Tuesday
| next he would present the conference report on
the 81. CroiN and Lake Superior railroad bill
| Adjourned.