Worcester daily spy., 1872-03-07
Forty-SeeOnd Congressional Session
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 6.
GEN ATE

WASHINGTON, D. c., March 6.
SENATE.
While the secretary was reading the journal
of Yesterdays proceedings the Japanese entered
the chamber. The ambassadors and Mr.. MOri
came on the floor, and their suite occupied the
diplomatic gallery. After looking around them
for few moments the ambassadors rose and
left, followed by their suite.
Mr. Morrill, of Vermont called the attention of
the senate to a circular signed by Giles A.
Smith, late assistant postmaster general, and
addressed TO railroad companies, stating that
movement was to be made to increase their
compensation for carrying the mails, and ask
ing an immediate retainer with a prospective
fee.
Mr. Morrill, and Mr.. Wilson denounced this
system of plumber by eX-ofllcials.
After the business hour the consideration OF
the appropriation bill was resumed
Tue amendment to increase the salary of the
supervising architect of the treasury to $4,000
was lost
Mr. Pomeroy moved an amendment to give
the land Office forty additional clerks of class
one; adopted.
and labor, reported an amendment increasing
the appropriation for the bureau of education
from S26, 800 TO S36 900.
Mr.. Carpenter asked him to state under what
head of federal jurisdiction this bureau of edu-
cation came.
Mr. Sawyer said he would do so if the senator
would tell him under what head the agricultural
bureau came.
Mr.. Carpenter said he could not; still he
thought that neither of these bureaus had any
warrant whatever under the constitution. owe
are scnsibly travelling" said he, towards con-
centration of power in the federal government,
and it would be well to stop and look around us
and ask what authority we have TO establish this
bureau of education We have also bureau of
agriculture. What more authority have we to
| Ia 0aafb fbaNs f1nFa h.
lish bureau of boots and shoes (laugnter); a
| bureau of merchandise, or of silk goods, or of
| any other industry in the country? These bu.
| reaus of agriculture and education are, in my
| judgment, an innovation and uSurpation on the
| part of the government. ] have never, know
ingly, voted for a.bill which contained an APP
| preparation for either of these bureaus, and
| knowingly ] never will"
| Mr.. Sawyer did not propose to reply on con-
| stituiiOnal point, but he urged the amendment
because it was necessary to enable the bureau TO
| work satisfactorily. Ii the senator objected TO
the bureau as unconstitutional, the proper course
would be to move to strike out the provision for
it inserted by the house of representatives.
Mr. Carpenter said that Mr.. Sawyer's argu-
mcnt seemed like this: "If we are goiug to do
| an unconstitutional thing, let us do it hand
| somely." (Laughter.)
Mr.. Thurman agreed with Mr.. Carpenter on
| this subject. The central government was grad
ually encIoaching on the powers of the states.
| The department of agriculture began as mere
| bureau for the collection OF statistics, bat it
| grew to be department, and the next thing
| would probably be that the head of it would be
made cabinet officer. So, too, the bureau of
| education was growing into a department of
| public instruction; and before long we would
| have minister of publicinstruction, who would
| be a member of the cabinet Unless the people
| put Il stop to this centrazing movement, it
| would never end until it had absorbed every
| power oftbe states and assumed right to regu-
| late every industry in the country. This federal
| education scheme had another phase. The
| people of this country were already more heavi-
| ~ taxed by the states for educational purposes
| than any other people in the world, but if the
| ieedral government should levy upon them for
the same purpose, then they would be dOubly
and nSupportably taxed for education. Fur
ther, even if the federal government had a con-
Stltutional right to take charge of the subject it
would be unwise TO do so, because it would place
| the whole education of the country on one uni
form dead level, which would be great mis-
| rake.
Mr.. FrelinghuySen thought there was authOri-
| ty in the constitution for establishing a bureau
| of agriculture, and found IN the provision of the
| eighth section that congress shall have the pow
er TO levy taxes, &c, &C., to promote the general
| welfare
After some further discussion by Messrs. Car
penter, Edmunds and FreIinghuysen, the amend
mcnt was rejected; yeas II nays %. Mr. Free
linghuysen offered an amendment increasing the
salaries in the agricultural department. Lost;
yeas %, nays IL,
To the item appr0prating 900 to enable
the president TO carry out the civil service re-
| form, Mr.. FreinghuysOn offered an amendment
| authorizing the president to make suitable com
| pensation TO such members of the civil service
| commission are otherwise in the service Of
the United States, thus compensatng them for
| the extra service on the commission.
Mr.. Sherman thought that the amendment
| was the best commentary on civil service reform
we had vet. CLaughter) Mr.. Carpenter also
thought it a striking illustration of reform, as
| it was being carried out, and said that with an
appropriation of S50,0 900 for the purpose, to be
| spent at the pleasure OF the president, and with
| precedent set for its expenditure by allowing
each OF these three Ieformers to draw two sal
aries from the government tor the same time,
| the prospect was very good, and that the people
would be delighted with civil servive reform.
| Uauehter)
| Mr. FrelnghuySen said these gentlemen had
| to do three or four hours extra work daily
while on the commission, and agreed that they
| ought to be paid
The amendment was declared out of order and
| withdrawn.
| Mr.. Logan gave notice that when the bill gets
| out of the committee and before the sen lte, he
would move to strike out the appropriation of
| S50,00O and insert provision repeating the law
under which the civil service reform commission
| was created. He was as much in favor of re-
| forming the civil service as anybody, but not in
| this way. In fact the reform, as organized now,
| was a humbug, as was well illustrated by the
| appointment recently of one civil service COM
missioner 10 another office, without undergoing
| examination according to the rules of the COM
| mission.
| Mr. Sawyer for Sumner, who was absent
| offered an amendment appropriating $4,000 to
enable the commissioner of education TO pre-
| pare an account Of the common schools of the
| United States, in compliance with the request of
| fhn prflpn n
Mr.. Cole opposed this as unnecessary, and said
there were already in existence books and re-
| ports which would give the japanese all the in
formation they could get from the proposed pub
lcation. The amendment was rejected.
| Other amendments were offered and rejected
and the bill was reported to the senate which at
40 went into executive session and soon after
adjourned.
HOUSE.
| The house of representatives reassembed this
morning at eleven o'clock to receive the Japan
csc embassy. Long before that hour the gal
lcries in all parts o the house were much crowd
cd. The families of members and senators were
on hand early, and occupied their seats in the
southeast gallery, while the space in the other
gal leries reserved for the public was occupied
before haf-past ten o'clock ,and by eleven O'Clock
not another person could crowd in. The pas
| sages and corridors were then crowded. and men
and women pushed each other at the doOrways,
all anxious to get glimpse of the japanese
| ambassadors.
Members OF the house were also early in then
seats, and senators and other distinguished per
sonages also had places on the floor. The diplo
matte gallery was the only one not occupied al
that hour. BY eleven O'Clock the galleries were
so densely crowded that members brou ght theii
lady friends in upon the floor
few minutes after, the embassy appeared
the chief ambassador being escorted by Gen
Banks, chairman of the committee on foreign
affairs, and the chief members of the embassy
by Messrs. Wood, Ambler and Robinson, mem
bers OF the committee on foreign affairs. As The
embassy entered the hall the members and clerks
rose and received them standing, and the visit
ors were escorted to the semi-circle in front Of
the speakers desk, the chief ambassadors TAX
ing positions nearest the desk and the attaches
in the rear Of them, amid profound silence
Gen. Banks then introduced the distinguished
visitors, and as each name was mentioned the
person designated bowed low.
Speaker Blaine then addressed the embassy al
follows:
Your Exceencies: On behalf of the house o