Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-20
Forty-Second Congressional Session
WASHINGTON, d. G., April 10.
GEN ATE

SENATE
Mr.. Window, from the committee on appro.
priations, reported the postal appropriation bill
with amendments, doubling for ten years the
present mail service and subsidy on the Pacific
Mail steamship line between San Francisco and
China, so as to provide for a semi monthly trip
at 81 100000 year; requiring that all steamers
hereafter accepted for said service shall be of not
less than 1000 tons register, and wholly OF Amer
lean construction; giving the government the
right, in case of war, to take any of the steam
ers npon the payment of reasonable compen-
satlon, and providing that United States mails
be carried, without further charge, on all steam
ers Of said line or extension thereof beyond Yo-
kohama; also doubling the present service and
subsidy Of the steamship line between New York
and Rio Janeiro, SO as to provide for semi
monthly trips at 100000 per year.
Bills introduced: By Mr.. Chandler-To au-
thorze inquiries into causes of steamboat ex,
plosions, and appropriating 100000 to be ex-
pended under the direction of the president in
making such experiments as may in his opinion
be useful and important to guard against steam
boiler explosions.
Mr.. Sumner called for, as unfinished business
the bill prohibiting distinctions on account of
race or color in public schools of the District of
Columbia.
Mr.. Stewart moved to lay it aside for the
purpose OF taking up bills reported from the
committee on Pacific railroads. to day having
been assigned for their consideration; agreed to
y
Mr.. Stewart called up the bill Supplementary
to the act to incorporate the Texas Pacific rail
road company.
Mr.. Hamilton of Texas opposed the bill The
land along the road for 400 miles from its cast
ern terminus, was valuable; and the probable
traffic would be sufficient to warrant the con
struction of the road for that distance without
any land grant; and there would be no difficulty
inlfnding capital for so profitable an investment,
put the land along other parts OF the route was
barren and sterile, and no one would be so
foolish as TO buy bonds based on such security
These enterprises were got up in interest of
spectators, and he would not be surprised to
see even the exploded "Memphis and I'll Paso''
project revived.
Mr. Stewart defended the bill and said its pas
sage was necessary to enable the company to
build the road.
The bill was discussed at length and several
amendments offered, but no action was taken.
Mr.: Ramsey, from the committee on confer.
ence on the bill to prevent straw bids for mail
contracts, made report, which was concurred
in.
Adjourned.
HOUSE.
During the discussion OF the bill in relation to
appointments TO Office, Gen. Butler quoted from
the Tribune to show that Mr. Garfield, who was
an earnest advocate of the bill, had refused TO
sign paper endorsing the president
Mr.. GARFIELD denied that any one had right
to demand bis signature TO that paper. He re
torted by saying that according to the Tribune,
Gen. Butler had also refused TO sign.
Gen. Butler denied the truth of the statement.
and said the Tribune was incorrect in its list
Mr.. Perry of Ohio-l call the gentlemen 10 Or
der: These Interruptions are intolerable.
Mr.. Garheld-l have few more words with
the gentleman from Massachusetts on the mat.
ter now in hand. The impression was made on
my mind yesterday that the gentleman did as.
sumo to speaslby authority on this floor, and 10
represent that this civil service reform move.
ment was thrust on an unwilling president and
that the men who defended il were the presi-
dents enemies and not his friends. | have re-
counted here the steps by which the movement
has reached itsipresent Stage. have shown YOU
that Il began with the president, and that 1t has
been followed up by the president: but. 10 make
myself doubly sure, called last evening with a
colleague at his residence myself, and conversed
with him on that matter OF civil service reform,