The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-05-31
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON. May 80.
SENATE.

Mr.. Morrill,, Of Vermont from the
Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds, reported bill authorizing
the Secretary OF the Treasury to pur'
chase, in Philadelphia, a site for post
office and United States Courts, the site
and buildings not to cost more than
81 100000.
Mr.. Scott from the Committee on
Southern Outrages, reported bill to
amend the enforcement act, and also
the supplemental civil rights bill.
Mr.. Bayard objected to the second
reading OF the bills. The minority ol
the committee, he said, had no knoWl.
edge of the reference Of these bills, and
he questioned the right of the Senate to
refer them to committee organized Tor
specific and entirely different duties.
The Vice President said that the
Senate could, if it chose, refer to a
committee matters outside OF its speci-
fled bills.
Mr.. Sumner offered a joint resolution
proposing an amendment to the Constl,
tuition providing for the election OF
President by a direct vote OF the people,
and abolishing the office Of Vice Presl'
dent
Mr.. Edwards reported a number OF
pension bills which were passed.
The tariff and tax bill came up as
unfinished business. The question was
on Mr.. Sawyers amendment to add
the House bill authorizing the appoint
ment OF Labor Commission.
Mr.. Wilson moved that the salary OF
the secretary of the commission be
$500, which was agreed to, and then
moved to amend the amendment by
substituting the word population" for
the word classes" He did not recog-
nize any higher or lower classes in this
country, and he objected to the use OF
the word. Lost.
Mr.. Wilson moved that the term Of
Commissioners be limited to two
years. Lost.
Mr.. Conkling offered a substitute to
the pending amendment, providing for
the appointment Of three Commission.
ere, to hold their office for one year, TO
consider and examine various plans
and methods OF raising the revenue,
and report the best tax and tariff sys.
tenn they can devise, having regard to
the interests OF labor in relation to
capital and otherwise and having re.
gard, also, to the interests Of COM
merce, and of all classes Of
American people. This amendment,
be said, preserved all that was valuable
in the original proposition, while, at the
same time, it provided for an investiga-
ton of the chief question now agitatlng
the public mind-the question OF the
best method OF raising revenue. Upon
this question the parties and fractions Of
parties in this country were divided, and
the remarkable juggle OF one unau-
thorized crowd OF men recently
in dealing with the subject showed
the fears and difficulties felt by all. In
approaching the subject he (Conkling)
appreciated as fully as anybody our OBJ
legations to the labor interest aud was
willing to vote for anything likely to
advance it and he believed that his
amendment would be at least as useful
to that interest as the original PROPOSE
ton.
Mr.. Conklings amendment to the
| Labor Commission amendment was
adoptei-yeas -, nays %, and the
| Labor Commission amendment TO the
tariff bill was then reJected-yeas 10,
nays 36.
Various motions were made to in-
crease the duty on salt, all Of which
were rejected, and the rates remain as
fixed by the House. The bill having
been considered in Committee OF the
Whole, was reported to the Senate,
when all the amendments not received
were concurred in. \ debate then en-
sued on the various amendments as
received. The eleven per cent reduce
ton from the existing duties on paper
was concurred in exactly as it original
|ly came from the Finance Com
mittee, and fixing the duty on sized and
glued paper suitable for prining paper
at twentv.ti five per cent al valorem.
The amendment providing for an ad-
ditional duty OF ten per cent ad valorem
on all goods produced in countries east
of the Cape OF Good Hope, except raw
cotton and raw silks when imported
| from places west OF the Cape OF Good
Hope, amended so as to take effect on
the lst OF October, was concurred in.
The paragraph imposing duty oi
three fourths Of one cent per pound on
fine flax, dressed, valued at twenty-five
cents per pound, was stricken out.
| The amendment making the duty on
saltpetre, crude, one cent per pound
on partially refined one and a hal
cents. and on refined two cents pei
pound, was concurred in.
The amendment was adopted proyid
ing that American vessels which have
not been registered since July -, 1861
NAV, within two years, be registered a:
American vessels, under such resolu
tions as the Secretary Of the Treasury
may prescribe.
The section providing for the pay
ment OF oue-third of the duties on i'm
ports in legal tender notes was stricken
out; the amendment providing for tn,
remission OF duties on imported sal
used for curing fish was concurred in
The amendment fixing the tax on to
bacco at "A cents was concurred in.
An amendment, reported from tn,
Committee on Finance, abolishins
moieties to informers aud appropriatinl
500, 900 for attending to bringing u
punishment vioiators Of the inteIna
revenue laws, was concurred in-yea!
80, nays II.
Mr.. Morton offered an amendmen
providing for the non collection OF any
income tax on distilleries which hav,
occurred when the distillery was una
voidably suspended.
S,no,or ,,ayaJ 20 on,a.I u