The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-12-12
CONGRESS.
WARRINGTON, December II.
HOUSE.


Ways and Means, reported adversely thC
: bill for the abatement OF taxes on spiritI
destroyed by accident while in bond. Ia
bled.
SsOn motion Of Mr., Shellabarger tue Judi
ciary Committee was instructed to report
what powers Congress possess. Rejected
Mr.. Hawley,presented memorial oI
the Centennial Committee, asking the aid
Of Congress In the matter referred to the
Centennial Committee.
Mr, Kelley Of Pennsylvania, asked tc
be and was excused from further service
as Chairman Of the Committee on Civil
Service Reform and on Coinage OF
Weights and Measures, stating, his duties
as member Of the Ways and Means
Committee and Chairman Of the Cenlen-
nial Committee, engrossed his time.
The Speaker announced the following
appointments, to fill vacancies on Com.
mittees: Committee on Elections, Foster
OF Ohio; on Claims, Hawley Of COnnec.
ticut; on Judiciary, Shoemaker OF Penn.
sylvania; Civil Service and Reform,
Crooker OF Massachusetts and Dodds Of
Ohio; on Patents, Esty OF Massachusetts;
on Coinage Of Weights and Measures,
Conner OF Texas; on Private Land Claims,
Geddings Of Texas; on Agriculture, Hun.
don Of Texas.
The House resumed consideration Of
the soldiers bounty bill called up yester-
day.
Mr. Dunnell, Of Minnesota, opposed the
bill, being unable, he said, to conceive Of
a bill more mischievous in its tendencies
and effects. Did Congress propose to sat
Tisiy the claims Of soldiers for an equaliz4
tiOn Of bounties by giving them bounty
land warrants which would not sell in
the market for twenty dollars? The bill
would benefit only those who never Smelt
gunpowder in the defence Of the country.
Mr.. Townsend opposed the BILL and
said the soldiers OF Pennsylvania were
opposed to it, and the Grand Army of the
Republic, in its session in EastOn, in Feb
ruary, 1872, had expressed in resolutions
its disapprobation Of the provisions and
principles embraced in the bill.
Mr.. HawlGy also opposed the bill, and
showed how unfairly and iDjuriously the
bounty system had worked MS applied
to thesoldiers OF the Mexican war. He cal
culated that those soldiers got $3G,0O0-
900 from the sale Of their land war
rants and that the actual settlers had paid
$3.50, 100000 for II, the difference going
into the pOckels OF the land speCulltOrs.
The pending measure would work inf.
nitely more unfairly than that one, be-
cause now any one could settle on lands
under the homestead and pre.emptiOn
laws. Under this bill two million per-
sons would bo entitled to land scrip. II
only Onetenth Of them applied IN the year
that would throw on the market thirty
two million acres, and scrip would only
hold good for one year. The effect would
only be that the soldier who spent at least
$40 in getting his warrant could not sell
ii in the market for S.. The measure
would therefore prove 10 be practically
fraud on the soldier, and he held most
rigidly 10 the policy Of preserving the
public lands for actual settlers.
The bill waS defended by Mcssrs. Don.
nan and Speer, when Pennsylvania poll
tics were brought into the discussion, Nj.
SpeGr asserting relative to the resolutions
of the Grand Army Of the Republic pre-
sented by Mr.. Townsend and signed by
Hartranit, the Governor elect, that the
organization did not represent tho honest
soldier OF the country, but the political
men and officers who were controlled by
railroad companies and monOpOlics. lie
| (Speer) had been repeatedly called a liar
by the Republican press for stating that
Hartranft signed these resolutions, which
a ~ AN
vania. He asked his colleague to furnish
the resolutions Of the Soldiers Conven-
tiOn, or the letter OF single soldier Of
Pennsylvania who carried the musket, in
opposition TO his bill. They are the DO.
litical soldiers put forward BY politicians
10 win campaigns for them.
Mr.. Townsend replied that the conven.
tiOn was composed OF delegates chosen
by soldiers, and some OF whom were pri.
vate soldiers, who carried musket and
knapsack during the war
MIR. Speer again asserted that the Grand
Army OF the Republic was a semi.politi-
cal organization run in the interest of pol.
iticians and Of railroad companies.
Mr.. Townsend replied that il was Il
semi political organic ltiOn because 1t was
composed Of men who were soldiers.
The soldiers o! the war are Republicans,
while those Of the rebellion were Demo.
Gratis, Excitement on the Democratic
side
Mr.. Randall-Thats not so.
Mr. Speer denounced Mr. Townsends
statement as false in fact and disgraCelul
TO q representative from Pennsylvania.
Mr. Townsend, in conclusion, asserted
that the rebellion was gotten up by the
Democratic party Of the South assisted
by the moral influence OF their coalIutors,
the Democratic party Of tho North, and
tina: nine.tenths OF tho soldiers were Re.
publCans.
After some further debate OF n conycr.
sational nature, tho bill went over at the
expiration oi tho morning hour until TO.
morrow
The French spoilation bill was post.
poned and tho House went into Com
mittGc Of tho Whole, Mr. Dawes pre-
siding on tho Indian Appropriations bill.
The usual annual debate on the Indian
policy Of the government, tho absurdi,y
OF making and continuing treaties with
the Indians, took place. and was parlicl.
pated in by Messrs. Sargent, GArtisld,
Beck, Nlblack, Connor and Shanks. The
Committee rose and reported tho bill to
the House, when 1t passed. Yeas Ill;
nays 43,
The House non-cOncurrCd in the Sen
ate amendment 10 the House bill Tor the
removal Of the sunkcn wreck oil Sandy
Hook, and ordered Il Conference Commit.
tee. Adjourned
SENATE.
A bill was passed admitting free OF duty
the statue 10 commemorate tEo sailors
who fell In tho latO war.
The concurrent resolution in regard 90
holiday recess was presented.
Mr.. Cole objected to It's consideration
and 1t went over.
Mr., Hitchcock introduced u bill for the
! 4 49, al. ~ =