The New York herald., 1872-12-04
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.


peared at the bar and was sworn in.
Mr.. HALE, (rep.) OF Me-, introduced bill to
amend the Tarin act, SO as to admit shipbuilding
materials free Of duty. Referred.
Mr.. KELLOGG, (rep) Of Conn.,, introduced a bill
to repeal the stamp tax on bank checks and notes.
Referred.
I BoUrwELL's LEGAL TENDERS.
Mr.. RANDALL, (rep.) OF Pa, offered resolution
calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for In
formation as to what law authorizes him to make
an increased issue of legal tender notes, as was
done in October last, and whether such issue was
made in the legal tender notes heretofore retred
After some discussion by Messrs. Randall, Dawes
Brooks and Garfield, the latter stating that the is
sue OF legal tender notes last October had taken
the country by SURPRISE the resolution was adopted
BILLS INTRODUCED.
Bills were introduced and received as fOHOws-
BY. Mr. L. MYERS, (dem.) OF Pa.-To repeal the
stamp duty on matches.
of the state Of TENNESSEE
BY Mr.. HILL, (rep) ofN. ITO reduce the postage
By Mr.. WHEELER, rep.) OF N. Y.-For the
construction Of a bridge across the st. Lawrence
by Mr.. DUNNELL, (rep.) Of Minn.-For an exten.
sion Of time to the Winona and ST. Peter Railroad
~ MI: HALDEMAN. ldem.l Of Pa;.To provide
for the preservation and increase OF timber.
BY Mr.. STORM, ldem.) of Pa.-Amendatory Of the
act OF the 1st or February, 1871, giving pensions 10
the soldiers and sailors Of 1872
MI. PERoE, lrep:l Of Miss, asked leave to intro.
=
payment Of female employees OF the government.
Mr.. CoNoER, rep.l OF Mich. objected.
THE CREDIT MOBILIER INVESTIGATION.
Mr.. Bs0K, (dem.) OF KY, asked to be ahd was
excused from service on the select committee ap-
Ua
he had expressed decided opinion on the subject.
Mr Cox dsm Of n ~ took IT. the sAndr chair as Is
Mr. MooO, tdem.] Of n. r.. offered resolu:
the report Of General Vincent, Assistant Adjatant
General on the condition Of the AFFAIRS Of the
Freedmen'6 Bureau. Adopted.
THE TEN sLOOPS-OF-wAR-
Mr. sooFIELD, (rep.) OF Pa, IRON the Committee
construction OF ten steam vessels OF war, and ap-
sproprtattng $S,0 900 for that purpose The ves-
ss DS 70 FS ach Ss sn Or r. nc 81 q large
wood as the secretary Of the Navy may determine.
Mr.. HALE offered an amendment that not less
than Eve OF the vessels shall be constructed in
private yards in the United states under contract.
Mr.. RANDALL advocated the amendment, but he
much discretion to the secretary OF the Navy.
Mr.. SC0FIELD replied to MIR. Randall's structures,
arguing that the more restrictions placed on the
secretary the less security there would be to have
the work properly done.
Mr. Hale argued m M support M n OF this am amendment;
the personnel OF the navy was concerned the coun-
try had right to be proud OF IT. but that as to the
THE COUNTRY SHOULD BE ASHAMED
OF them. He opposed Mr.. Hale's amendment argu-
DO the work, and that experience had shown that At
vessels Of war built in private yards under contract
Mr.. PLATT, Tep.) Of va, supported the bill, but
opposed the amendment. he proposed, however,
apOstp0nement OF the subject.
Mr.. POTTER, (dem.) of N Y, asked to what use
these vessels were to be applied.
Mr.. ScOFIELD responded that there were now kept
up 1ve SquadrOns-the North Atlantic, the South
Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Pacific and the
East Indian-and that there were not now in the
u Small Vessels he ssi1 were reay
better for such service than large ones for the
small ones could enter all the ports and were much
less expensive. II those squadrons were to be
Withdrawn or reduced then these vessels were not
wanted but otherwise they were much needed,
Mr.. SHELLABARGER, (rep.) OF Ohio, gave 1t as his
judgment that system ought to be Initiated which
would be harmonious in plan Sar in idea and and in n
put upon the seas u class of vessels that would
have speed. have size, and have adaptations for
THE PROTECTION OF COMMERCE.
qualify the descriptions Of ships TO be built.
by the gentleman from Ohio corresponded with the
purposes OF the committee The sl00ps-0-war pro-
posed to be built were to be propelled poth by
steam ana sail, and were in continuation in that
respect OF the plan hitherto adopted by the Navy
scattered over the seas OF the globe to protect
American commerce-to act as kind OF police
and that CO. could la be used % IN Of
purpose he would welcome an amendment that
would perfectt.
vessels from ten to five aud the making OF pro-
vision for obtaining live oak timber, out OF which
honor on the service and credit on the country.
SIGNIFICANT WARNING TO SPAIN.
Mr.: BANKs, Gib.! Of Mass, said that he had intro
with Spain and the affairs in the Gulf OF Mexico had
not improved since then. No one knew what might
occur there any day, and 1t was proper to be pre-.
pared for all contingencies. He would like to wait
until navy yards could be built and live oak grown
but It was proper to be prepared for emergencies
Navy yards and live oak would come afterwards for
the reconstruction Of the navy on grand scale.
.cMr. POTTER inquired ss to the proposed size OF
Mr.. SCoFIELD considered that four hundred or
nve hundred tons would be large enough. He did
not suppose that any OF them would exceed one
Mr.. BANKS added that he supposed four or nve
guns would be armament enough for each vessel.
eympathized with the effort to involve the country
Mr.. BANKS denied that he had ever sympathizcd
with such effort, but he had introduced the bill
because the Secretary had declared to the members
OF the House that he afraid that events had
occurred In the Gulf OF Mexico which would require
the government to be prepared to defend their
commerce.
Mr.. sooprELD said he did not participate in that
rear. and 1t was not Tor any such purpose that he
wanted these sloops Of war constructed. 1t was
simply to keep up the American squadrons in the
sas GC Mr.
ment because the Navy Department was pre-
pared to construct iron vessels in the Navy Yards
Of New YORK, Boston and Washington.
Mr. KERR, (dem.) OF Ind, thought that the bill
should be postponed until some future day, so as
20 give members time to consult the reports OF the
departments and to discuss the subject intelli-
the morning hour expired, and the bill went over
Mr.. LYNCH, lcf Me.) introduced bill providing
imported material for sHpbuiidins and amin stores a.
also for the payment OF an amount equal to such
duties when American material Ia used. Referred.
Nc. BROOKS RNCUMBERED WITH PUB. Doc
On motion to print v0luminous document
sent IN by the Secretary Of the Treasury. Mr..