The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-29


Walker assumes the duties of Commissioner of
! Pensions, are without proper foundation. No
! changes are contemplated.
xLIId CONGRESS-.SECOND SESSION.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, March 2S.-Mr Anthony, from
the Committee of Conference, on the bill pro-
yidlng for reporting and publishing the debate
OF Congress- made a report, which was concur
| red in. :,
| Messrs. Carpenter, Pomeroy and Kellogg
were appointed a committee of conference on
! the Bayfield, & st. Croix Railroad bill
| Mr.. Casserlys amendment offered YESTERDAY
was referred to the Committee of Conference.
The consideration of the bill for the repeal of
the duty ON tea and coffee was resumed
various propositions were made as to the
! settlement of the difficulty
| The amendment adding to the bill the free
| list of the Senate tariff bill was concurred in
| On motion of Mr.. Wright, the Senate concur
| red in the House amendment to the Chicago re-
| lief bill exempting lumber from the operations
| of the act. ,au
Mr.. Hamilton of Maryland moved an amend
ment SO as to reduce the duty on steel rails 10
per cent, which was lost, yeas 25, nays 28.
The question was then taken ON the amend
ment made in the committee adding the Sec
ond section of the tariff bill reducing the duties
on cotton, woolens, silks, iron, earthware,
glassware, ETC., 10 per cent and it was concur
red in, yeas 80, nays H.
Mr.. Frelnghuysen moved to strike out the
second section manufactures of silk now SUBJ
ject to duty of per cent, which was agreed to,
yeas %, nays "A. This leaves the duty I'M
changed. -
Mr. Frelinghuysen offered two other amend
ments striking out the items which were re-
jected.
The third section of the tariff bill was then
adopted.
reported from the Finance Committee had now
been adopted except the first section and he
moved that the section be adopted as subst-
tute for the trst section of the tea and coffee
bill now under consideration. He would ex-
cept, however, from the first section of the tar
III bill the clauses relating to rice and to iron
wire cloth, SO as to leave the present duties on
those articles unchanged.
After some debate, Mr. Hamlin modified his
amendment so as to make the duty on teas at
cents per pound and ON coffee IL cents per
pound.
Mr.. Edmunds moved to strike from the
amendment offered by Mr. IIsIniin the para
groph as to tea and coffee and to insert pro-
viso provision that after July !, tea and coffee
should be free Lost, yeas 81, nays %.
MT Irumbull moved to reduce the duty ON
SAT- TO three cents per hundred pounds. Lost,
yeas To- nays 20. 90 p s
Mr.. Hamlin's amendment was rejected, yeas
10, nays 81. -
Mr.. Trumbull moved the same amendment
onered by Mr. Hamlin, emitting the para
graphs relating to tea and coffee, which was
ADOPTED, yeas %, nays IS.
Mr.. Scott offered an amendment repeating all
Incernal taxes except on whiskey, tobacco and
matt liquors. 1 answer to a question he said he
meant to include the income tax for the cur
emit Year. Ed
Mr.. Conkling predicted that if the bill as it
now stood should be passed by both houses
there would be no reduction of the internal
taxes at this session of Congress.
r. foyo Va1 lo~ oe -,
ternal taxes, but thought the amendment went
too far. He did not think the tax which was
alread due, like the income tax, should be taken
off.
Mr. Scott modified his amendment to provide
that al internal taxes on illuminating gas, the
income taxes imposed by section 40 Of the in
ternal revenue act of June 30, 1864, except the
tax on banks and bankers, and all taxes by
stamps except such as relate to distilled spirits,
fermented liquors, snuff, tobacco and cigars to
be repealed, said repeal to take effect July l.
1872.
Pending the discussion repeated motions to
adjourn were made and negatived.
Mr.. Sherman opposed hasty legislation in
this connection, and said it was discorteaas to
the House of Representatives as a committee
of that body was laboriously engaged in con-
sidering the subject of internal taxes for the
Senate to take action in the matter.
Mr. Coakling said it was no more discooteous
than the Senate considering the tariff bill while
the House Committee were engaged on the
same subject.
Mr.. Blair moved to omit the income tax from
Mr.. Scotts amendment. Lost, yeas 10, nays 81
The question was then taken on Mr.. Scotts
amendment which was carried, yeas %, nays
81. - ~
Mr. Sherman then expressed his opinion that
the bill would be killed by the adoption of this
amendment, and he believed it was SO intend
ed. is
The bill was then passed amid great confu-
sion by a vote of IS to 4, Messrs. Foreman,
Hamlin, Frelinghuysen and Scott in the mega
tive. t
1t now goes to the House for concurrence in
the amendments, which include substantially
the tariff bill reported by the Senate Finance
Committee and the wholesale reduction OF in
ternal taxes involved in Mr.. Scott's amend
ment, the first section providing for free tea
and coffee.
The Senate at 9.45 p m. adjourned till Mon
day. --.
HOUSE.
The question in regard to the bill for rail-
road depot in Washington for the Baltimore &
Potomac Railroad came up as unfinished BUSH
ness
Mr. Kerr of Indiana, called attention to the
fact that the House had been kept from the con-
sideration of the public business for four days
in the interest of the great corporation which
took Congress by the throat, and said that Con-
gress should not take one step in public legisa-
ton until it consented to give that corporation
piece of property for its use worth 100000
All efforts failed to effect a compromise on the
bill and tillibustering was continued.
The Chicago relief bill was taken up and
passed, with an amendment that it shall not
apply to lumber.
Mr.. Dawes of Massachusetts,, from the Com
mittee on Ways and Means, reported back the
Chicago relief bill, and intimated he would al
low an amendment to be offered excepting lum-
Der from its operations
Mr.. Farwell of Illinois, offered that amend
ment.
Mr.. Garfield of Ohio, inquired whether the
| interests of the government were sufficiently
| protected against frauds.
| Mr.. Dawes said the bill followed the language
| OF the Portland bill, and the committee had
been informed by the Secretary of the Treasury
that no frauds under that bill had been report
to that bill was that it applied to no materials
except those which entered into the construc-
toa OF a building, and the same construction
would doubtless be given to this bill
| MIR. Conger of Michigan, said that after
consultation with the friends and opponents of
the bill, it had been understood the exception OF
lumber from it provisions would be entirely sat
isfactory.
Mr.. Finkelnburg of Missouri, said that it
| meant the lumber interests of Michigan and
Missouri having been saved, they were willing
that all other interests should be sacrificed
| Mr.. FarwelPs amendment was agreed to
! without division and the Senate amendment rs
thus modified was concurred in.
| AT o'clock the bill reported last week from
the Committee on Commerce to amend the act
of Feb. q, 1871, for the better security of life
on board vessel propelled in whole or part by
steam, came up as special order from day to
day until disposed of. The bill contains II sec
tions and covers 81 printed pages.
Pending its consideration Mr.. Dawes present
ed conference report on the bill providing for
contingencies in the transportation of goods in
bond across the country. The committee re-
commend an additional provision in cases of
| blockade BY ice, and allowing transfer of goods
frome one vessel to another. The report was
agreed to-
The consideration of the steamboat bill was
resumed and considerable progress was made
thereon.
A committee of conference was appointed on
ST. Croix s. Lake Superior Railroad land grant
bill.
Adjourned till Monday.