Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-02
Forty-Second Congressional Session
WASHINGTON, d. G., March 1


MIR. Sumner, after the reading OF the journal,
stated that his name having been mentioned as
chairman of the committee for investigating the
sale of arms, he felt 1t duty TO say that he
could not serve if appointed. He had recently
experienced recurrence of the complaint with
which he had been afflicted year ago, and his
physician had impcratively prescribed repOSe.
Mr. Sherman stated that great alarm had
been created In mercantile circles by the passage
of bill in the house affecting the tariff on tea
and coffee. Should such bill be enacted the
senate committee on finance would do all in
their power not to have it 90 into operation be-
fore the first of July next
The senate committee on appropriations re.
ported the naval appropriation bill with some
amendments, none of them affecting the navy
yards at Portsmouth or CharlestOwu.
MIR. Anthony reported bill providing for re-
porting and printing the debates Of congress,
obtaining unanimous consent to its immediate
consideration. He said that fhe publishers of
the Globe printed the debates nearly year
without contract, relying on the good faith of
congress for compensation. The printing com
mittee agreed to report this bill, renewing the
old contract with the Globe until the end Of the
present congress, with an amendment providing
for less expensive index.
The bill passed.
Mr.. Cameron moved that the vcc-president
appoint an investigating committee into the al
legged sale of arms to the French agents.
The vice-presidcut declined.
Mr.. Cameron then offered resolution pro.
viding that senators Hamlin, Carpenter, Sher-
man, Sawyer, Logan, Stevenson and Harlan be
constituted committee. He explained that
owing to the decnatlOn of Mr. Sumner he sub
stituted Hamlin and Trumbull. He said he
thought one of the senators who brought this
matter before the senate ought to he on the
committee, and thought as Mr.. Sumner was not
on the committee, that Schurz ought to be.
MIR. Sumner thought that in ordinary fairness
one OF the two senators who bad taken prOm-
nent part in instltuting this inquiry should be
on the committee. He (Sumner) could not
serve, and it seemed TO him that the senator
from Missouri (Schurz) should be upon the
committee.
Mr. Foreman moved to lay the resolution and
amendment on the table, which motion was car
red-yeas %, nays not counted.
The legislative appropriation bill was then
| taken up.
An amendment was adopted authorizing the
| secretary of the treasury 10 employ not over
three persons to assist the proper officers of the
| government i'll discovering and collecting any
money belonging to the United States wherever
the the same is withheld by any person or cor.
| poration, upon such terms and conditions as he
| shall deem best for the interests of the United
| States; but providing that they shall he paid nc
compensation except out of the money and prop
| erty so secured.
An amendment proposing to abolish the
branch mint at Charlotte, North Carolina, was
rejected, after some further debate.
The senate went into executive session. and
| subsequently adjournec.
HOUSE.
The St. CroiX railroad bill was again before
| the house.
An amendment was offered that proviso he
inserted that only American iron be used on the
road. There was considerable debate and short
filhbustcring speeches involving questions of
| tariff and protection as side issue, the ques.
| ton being reference of the bill with instruc-
| tions to the public lands committee to report
| any time next week after Monday; and that the
bill, when reported, shall be open to debate and
| amendments The instructions are that the bill
shall be amended so as to grant to the state Of
| Wisconsin all lands specified which would enurC
| TO the Northern Pacific railroad company under
existing laws by any location of its road if this
| grant were not renewed, and 10 limit the gram
| TO such legislation as might be taken by the
| Northern Pacific railroad; also providing thai
| the act shall not he construed to enlarge the
| grant Of land to the Northern Pacific railroad
| company, or to authorize the company to select
lands elsewhere in lieu of any lands specified ir
| this bill; also that the extent OF this grant shall
| be determined by the secretary Of the interior
| and attorney general; that coal lands be eX
| cluded from the grant
| The senate amendment to the bill removing
stamp duty on canned fruits, etc., was concurreC
in, and the bill goes to the president.
| A bill passed Tor more effective system o
| qudl III iuc sOuIueiu dlNl Sutl ports, du
thorizing the detail of army surgeons to confer
| with local authorities on the subject.
The house then went into committee on the
deficiency appropriation bill. There was con.
| siderable discussion in the progress OF the bill
| principally on the improvement and extension
OF the capitol grounds, and on the utility and
cost of the storm signal service.
So much was said in favor of the signal SER
vice that Mr.. Farnsworth, who made the an tag
onistic amendment, withdrew it, remarking that
babies would soon be weaned according to these
signals.
The committee rose without disposing of the
bill
MIR. Banks offered a resolution authorizing
the speaker to extend an invitation to the Japan
ese embassy to visit the house.
Mr.. Dawes offered resolution instructing the
committee on printing to inquire and report the
cost of printing the several volumes of Clarence
Kings geological explorations, and whether
the same may not be printed at Tess cost. Agreed
to.
Adjourned.
Tomorrow session will be for general debate
only.