The Portland daily press., 1872-02-22

part of the resolution and could not be with
drawn.
Mr.. Herlan offered an amendment directing
the committee to investigate the sale of arms
for the whole fiscal year, and emitting the d-
rectlon to inquire as to who were the real par
tles In interest. Adopted.
| Mr.. Taumbull said it was desirable that the
| investigation be conducted by committee of
the members who were in favor of it, and as
the adoption of Mr.. Conkling's amendment
would make it improper for the mover of this
investigation to sit upon the committee he
thought it would be better to pass the original
resolution and assign the investigation propos-
ed by Mr.. Conkling to another committee. He
therefore moved a reconsideration of the vote
by which the amendment had been adopted
| PENDING the motion the Senate went into exec
utlve session and soon adjourned till Friday.
HOUSE.
The civil service reform bill, reported by Mr.
Willard yesterday, was made the special order
LOT TOUR weeks from to-day.
"A resolution was adopted that the Ways and
Means Committee inquire into the expediency
OF allowing the bill for the importation of
yarn spinning machines.
- A resolution was adopted that the Attorney
General furnish statement of all criminal
ana civil cases pending i'll Utah, with all the
"details relating thereunto.
A bill was passed removing r. e. Cowan's
| political disabilities.
=, A resolution was adopted that the Military
committee examine witnesses the subject
OF consolidation of the staff of the army.
| a resolution was adopted for information as
TO the necessity of light house at Providence
| river
| :, reso ution was adopted that the Judiciary
| Committee report bill securing better security
| ZOE lie and property on railroads.
Inc military academy appropriation bill was
maze the special order for tomorrow.
MI. Hooper of Mass, from the Committee
on banking, reported back the Senate bill
amending the national currency act, by striking
OUT Leavenworth as one of the places for the
aeaa;eImptlon OF banking currency-passed; also
D1il authorizing the Warren National Bank
OF south Danvers to change its name to the
warren National Bank of Peabody-passed
MT Hooper also reported back adversely the
o oil increasing the circulation of currency $780,,
Mr.. Monroe, from the same Committee, re-
ported bill providing for the retirement of
torn and mutilated national bank notes. He
explained at some length the object and neces-
slty OF the measure
MI. Holman of Ind, offered an amendment,
requiring the cost of the new notes to be paid
by the national banks, and not by the govern
ment as proposed by the bill The bill went
over without action
After spending an hour on yea and nav votes.
ON the question of observing tomorrow as a
holiday in honor of Washington's birthday.
winch was finally agreed to, the House went
into Committee of the Whole ON the diplomatic
appropriation bill
o.. motion of Mr. Brooks of N. ". the five
Central American missions were reduced to
one, with minister resident at Nicaragua ac-
credited also to other Central American States.
Mr fotter OF N y, moved to strike out the
clause for a mission to Paraguay and Uruguay,
and after opposition by Messers. Banks and
Garfield, the motion was rejected
MIR. Banks OF Mass, moved to place the
Russian NISSAN among the first-cass missions.
the minister's salary to be S17 800
Mr.. Colman of Ind, opposed the motion.
II 1t was to be done as a mere matter of COM
pliment to Russia, he protested against such
compliment to that hoary headed despotism A
nation whose whole career had been one of des-
potism and of crushing out the rights of
manknd-a nation whose remorseless ambi-
lions had stained the soil of Europe with the
best blood of nations. If the argument was
that Russia had manifested friendly spirit to-
wards the United States, he entered his protest
against that He did not know of one friendly
act on the part of Russia to The United States.
MIR. Banks of Mass, advocated the proposi-
ton on the ground that the missions to Eng
land, France and Germany were first-class mis-
SONS t and IT would be slight to Russia not to
put her on the same footing The question
was not as to the character of the government
to which minister was accredited, but whether
the interests of the country required such rep
resentation. He spoke of Russias vast popu-
lation and territory, and her advances in civili-
cation, literature, diplomacy and arms. She
had given freedom to q, 900, 900 serfs from her
own wisdom and recognition of human rights.
one nau been the nrSt to show friendship TO the
American colonies in their struggle for indie
pendence. So too, in the darkest hour of our
civil war, she gave indications by her fleet, not
only of her friendship for this country, but of
the power which she would be willing hereafter
to use for it,
Messrs Brooks of N. Y, Wood, Morgan and
Butler of Mass, sustained the proposition; the
latter saying that at this particular iuncture
when the United States had not too many
friends in Europe, and when by the treaty of
Washington "our ancient enemy" had insisted
that we should not give Russia the poor compile
ment of appointing a single arbitrator in any
OF the six or eight lawsuits to be arbitrated, it
would be ungracious not to raise the Russian
mission to the first-elass rank
Messrs. Potter and Holman opposed the pro-
position which after further discussion was
agreed to-
Various other amendments to the bill were
offered and discussed when the committee rose
amp reported the bill to the House.
The vote upon 1t and the amendments are to
be taken Friday next.
The House at o'clock adjourned