Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-12

The house resolution for & holiday recess came
up, and Mr. Window made an effort TO shorten
it by amendments, but il passed in the original
form.
Adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Beck, from the committee OF ways and
means, reported back adversely the bill amend
ing the act Of May, 1872, for the abatement OF
taxes on distilled spirits destroyed by accident
while in Bond. Tabled.
Mr. Hawiey Of Connecticut presented 4 ne
mortal from the centennial commission, asking
the aid OF congress on matters referred to the
centennial committee.
Mr. Kelley of Pennsylvania was excused from
the civil service reform committee, Resolutions
were adopted iDstructing the judiciary commit
tee TO inquire and report what powers congress
possesses in regulating commerce among the
several states, in so far as such commerce is
transported on railroads and other lines Of
transportation organized and conducted under
tue laws OF the various states, and whether such
powers include the power to prohibit unequal or
oppressive charges or determinations made by
such common carriers on freight or passengers
from one state on their way 10 or through an
other state.
The speaker announced the following appoint
ments to ill vacancies on committees: On reso'
buttons, Mr.. Foster Of Ohio; on claims, Mr.
Hawey of Connecticut; on judiciary, MIR. Shoe
maker OF pennsylvania; on civil service, Alr.
Croker of Massachusetts and MI. Dodds of
Ohio; on agriculture, Mr.. Harnden of Texas; on
patents, Mr.. Esty Of Massachusetts,; on private
land claims, Mr., Giddngs Of Texas; and on
coinage weights and measures, Mr.. Conner Of
Texas.
The house in the morning hour resumed con-
sideration Of the soldiers homestead bill pending
yesterday.
Con. Hawey of Connecticut made his maiden
speech in opposition to the bill, because many
land warrants would be so thrown upon the
market as to make them worthless. He argued
also that the soldiers were opposed TO the bill.
Mr.. Hawley calculated that the soldiers had got
thirty-siX millions from the sale Of their land
warrants under former law and thar actual
settlers had paid hundred and fifty millions for
it, the difference going into the pockets OF land
SPECTATORS. The pending measure would work
INFINITELY more unfairly than that one; because
now any one could settle on lands under the
homestead and pre-emption laws Under this
bill, two million persons would be entitled to
land scrip. Ii only one-tenth of them applied
in the year, that would throw on the market
thiry-twO million acres, and the scrip would
only hold good for a year. The effect would be
that the soldier who spent at least $40 getting
his warrant could not sell it in market for S.
The measure would, therefore, prove to be prac
tically "a fraud on the soldier He held most
rigidly to the policy ofpreseying public lands
for actual settlers
The bill was defended BY Donnan and Speer
Pennsylvania politics were brought into the dis
cuSSion, Speer asserting, in relation to the reso-
lulonS OF the Grand Army OF the kepuOHc pre-
scented by townsend and signed by governor
erect lartiahlt, mat the organization dld not
represent the honest soldiers OF the country, but
the political soldiers and officers WHO were CON
iTolled by railroad companies and monopIleS'
lie (Speer) mad been repeatedly called liar ny
the republican press for stating that Hartranit
signed these resolutions, which do rot represent
the soldiers oil Pennsy wanna lie asked ms COZ,
league 10 turniSh the resolutions OF SoidleiS
convention or the lelter Oh single soluler OF
fehnsyly wanna VINO carried Tue musket' IN OPPOSE
tlon TO tins pin; they are the political soldiers,
put forward by politicians 10 WIN campaigns Tor
them. ..-..--
ME- townsend repled that the convention
was composed OF delegates chosen by soldiers,
aud some OF whom Were private soldiers VINO
carried mhsHet ana hhapSach uuTih% Tue war
Mt 9peer again asserted that the Hrahd Army
OF Tue hePuDilc was sehlp0liticai orSa'li lii
tloh run Ill the interest oil pohtlcianS ana rall-
ROAD cOrporatOlS.