The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-16
42d CONGRESS.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, February1h

| mSub butdAhbo Nv SSuihSJt Allt bhtllo VI
In the morning, and, on vote by yeRs
and nays, passed. (
4 Mr.. WiLLARD, from the Committee to
Reorganize the Civil Service, reported a
bill to regulate the employment and com.
pensatiOn of clerks.
After some discussion, tho bill went
over.
The House then went into committee
Of the whole on the naval appropriation
bill. .-,,-., ~
Mr.. SLocUM moved 10 strike out the
item for Brooklyn Naval Hospital and,
spoke Of thoimmense cost of keeping up
that establishment, and Of the folly Of
retaining land there which was worth q
million Of dollars. He said 1t would be
cheaper 10 send every sick sailor in that
hospital, with IN attendant physician, to
the Filth Avenue Hotel, and keep sailor
and physician there, than tits TO keep up
the naval hospital. Every sick sailor
there costs more than Cabinet officer
costs in Washington.
Mr.. lIAI.E was in favor Of Hbolshing
both the navy yard and hospital, but
this was not the proper bill to decide that
question.
Mr.. BANKS opposed all sales OF govern.
ment property as 1t became valuable, thus
making the government miserable spec.
ulator in lands. HitbecamG the policy Of
the government 10 have its work done in
private yards, or by contract, he did not
object to selling the Brooklyn navy yard,
but at present such q course would be TO
the last degree Improbable and unwise.
After further discussion Mr.. SIoCUM
withdrew his motion, saying he had &C.
complished the object of calling attention
to the subject.
The motion by Mr.. HOLMAN to strike
out the item for o naval establishment at
Mound City, Illinois. Rejected. 4
Mr. MYERS offered an amendment for
supplying sailors with clothing at the
governments expense, but after discus
sion withdrew it, with the remark that he
would Introduce II as a separate bill. f.
Mr.. HALE moved 10 add new section
to the bill directing the Secretary Of the
Navy to sell at public sale, after being adj
'vertised, such vessels and materials as are
not suitable or capable Of profitable use
tor repair or fitting out yIi't 'NN'
MIR. WOOD suggested that no vessel
should be held except after condemnation
by board ofnaval officers.
MIR. MAYNARD suggested that the ex-
ceptions should be made Of such historical
vessels as the Constitution, Macedonian,
Kearsage and the yacht America, which
should beRlways maintained by the gov
ernment. '.' '1l o..
Mr.. HALE objected to Mr.. WOODS sug-
gestion as to taking the responsibility from
the Secretary OF the Navy and putting it
on board ofnaval officers ,lN
Mr.. WooD argued in support Of his
proposition, and suggested that the
objection to it arose from the fear that the
naval officers would condemn all the
vessels in the navy. .....,.
The discussion on this point was con.
tinued by Messrs. GARFIELD and SWAMI
against Mr.. WooDs' proposition. In the
course Of his remarks, Mr.. SWAMI stated
that in case Of war there were not six
vessels in the navy that could be relied
on, and he felt convinced that there was
at present immediate danger OF war.
Mr.. MAYNARD offered his amendment,
excepting from sale such vessels rs had
been eminently distinguished in the naval
history Oi the country. b.a4 | VIZ.
MIR. DICKEY suggested that that would
inclnde oil vessels thatwere eminently
distinguished for theirincapacity. Laugh.
ter.
Mr. BUTLRR, OF Mass, questioned the
good policy and economy of selling naval
vessels. They had had some experience
Of that kind. They had sold for 1873, 900
captured Blockade runner, which had
since been known rs the Hornet, and it
had cost the Government $l5000O to
watch her and to convey her. Some Of
these vessels might be converted into
privateers against other Governments and
put this country in the same prcdlcament
as England had been put in by the Ala
bama and other, privateers. He would
have useless vessels broken up and sold,
hut he would not have them held as
ships. T'%
Mr.. MAYNARD's amendment was re-
jected and Mr.. HALR's was adopted.
The committee then rose and the bill
was passed. ....
House adjourned. I"
SENATE.
Mr.. BRowNLow made personal expla-
nation in reply to Mr.. BECK's statement
in the House that he (BRowNLow) while
Governor Of Tennessee, made that State
o pandemonium; that he. and other re.
construction Governors were hated and
despised by the people, and seemed to
find no refuge from prison except in the
Senate MIR. BRowNLow began by say
ing that there was a time when BECK
would not have dared to put this insult
upon him, lest he (BR6wNLow) should