The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-04-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON. April s.
SENATE.

Kansas Legislature in relation to the
bribery and corruption in the Senatorial
elections Of 1867 and 1871.
Mr.. Pomeroy moved to refer it to the
Committee on Privileges and Elections
and said he hoped there would be an
early action upon it and Mr.. Caldwell
expressed the same hope, after which a
motion 10 refer was adopted.
Mr.. Casserly presented joint resolu'
ton of the Legislature oil California,
setting forth the perils to life and prop,
erty in Arizona from raids OF the Apa,
ches and expressing the opinion that
until these Indians be chastised and
permanently subdued the territory will
not be safely habitable by the whites.
Mr.. Blair called up the bill to
authorize the construction OF bridge
across the Mississippi river at Boone
VILE, Missouri, which was passed.
After the morning hour, the Indian
Appropriation bill came up, when II
was laid aside to consider the claims
bill.
The bill Tor the reliefot Mrs. Martha
House Russell, of Tennessee, appro
priatiug $l4,9T5 for her cotton and
other articles taken Tor the use OF the
Union army after the battle Of Stone
river, was passed.
The bill appropriating $4,000 fol
J. Milton Beck, OF Kentucky, as com
pensation for the destruction OF his
property by the Union army, was taken
up. y
Senators Sumner and Trumbull
warned the Senate against it as setting
a bad precedent and establishing the
liability OF the government for all prop
erty destroyed by the Union army dur
ing the war.
Messrs. Stevenson and Thurman
denied that the bill involved such con
sequences and argued that this was not
an ordinary case OF destruction oil
property, but rather case otthe taking
of property for public use. The bill
passed; yeas 81, noes II,
Mr.. Cole, from the Committee on
Appropriations, reported a deficiency
appropriation bill with numerous
amendments, the principle ones cut
ting down the appropriations for the
Quartermasters Department to 1928
600, and making a new appropriation OF
5000, 900 for continuing the work on
the State Department building.
Bills were introduced to provide for
the transit of merchant vessels of heavy
draught across the bar at the mouth Of
the Mississippi river by snbsidizing the
National Ship Towing Company; to
authorize an extension OF patents OBJ
tained TOR inventions or discoveries
prior to March 2, 1861.
Bills were reported from the Military
Committee incorporating a National
Soldiers and Sailors Orphan Indus
trial rrainisg Association; from the
Indian Committee, the House bill au-
thorzing negotiations for the purchase
of the southern portion Of the Ute
Indian reservation in Colorado; from
the Committee on Commerce, with
amendments, the bill authorizing the
construction Of bridges across the Mis-
sissippi river at Quincy, Illinois and
Warsaw, Illinois.
Mr. Ramsey called up the bill 10 break
up the system OF straw bids for mail
contracts, and it was passed with the
amendments reported by the committee
and with two additional amendments;
one bv Mr.. Ramsey, authorizing the
Postmaster General to place to the
credit of the Treasurer of the United
States for the service of the Postoffice
Department the net proceeds oil the
money order business; and the other by
Mr.. CasserIy, providing that all regular
contracts hereafter made for over $4,000
per arnum may, in the discretion OF
the Postmaster General, he continued
in force for not more than six months
ill a new contract shall be made.
Mr.. Kerr introduced bill to refund
to several U. S Judges the amount OF
income tax collected from them. Re
red to the Committee on Ways and
Means.
Mr.. Mitchell moved to suspend the
rules and authorize the Committee on
Public Lands to report on Wednesday
of next week on the bill extending time
for the completion Of tie Topeka and
Santa Fe Railroad; the motion was
rejected; yeas, SO, nays 63, less than
twothirds voting in the affirmative.
The House then at 3:l5 went into
Committee Of the Whole, Mr.. Wheel
er, in the chair, on the Senate amend
merts to the legislative, executive and
judiciary appropriation bill.
Several private claims bills Of minor
importance were passed, after which
the Indian appropriation bill was re-
sumed, the question being upon the
motion OF Mr.. Wright to reduce appro-
priation for the Sioux Indians, in Mons
tana Territory. from 100000 to S2OO,'
900.
Mr.. Window said that these Indians
were the worst on the continent; there
were twelve thousand of them, mostly
Young braves, who, with their chief,
Sitting Bull, were disposed to open hos
tilities in 1886, and s6,OOO,0O0 were
spent in fighting these Indians, and it
cost about S2,OO0,0O0 to kill one Of
them. Thirty million dollars
were spent in the two years named in
hostiliiies against the Indians aud it
had amounted to nothing practicable.
1t was far better and much less expen'
sive to feed them than to fight them.
He did not believe a force Of 5OOO men
could accomplish anything against
this band. Sitting Bull instigated q
massacre in 1862 when 500 people
were killed.
Mr.. Blair said he did not believe in the
policy of feeding the Indians, 1t only
put them in better condition to hgnt u.s.
which they were sure to do. After
further discussion the motion to reduce
.ba Sanoto at \. HI