The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-02-24
CONGRESSIONAL.

ment continued with speech from MT.
Morton, who assumed that no one could
vote for Mr.. Summers preamble because it
alleged the existence of eyerythingswhich
the investigation proposed to discover, .lnstA
as if a Jury had been asked to bring in
verdict of guilty first and hear the evidence
afterwards He defended the sale OF arms
and war material, and said that Mr. Sum-
ner was-eudeavoripg to get upa grievance
for Prussia against the United States while
that country was sitting as judge on
questions sins.whieh we are deeply inter-
ested. 1t was shown that Bismarck was
aware that arms were being sent from the
United States to France during the war,
and that he then conceded the perfect right
of Americans to make such shipments
Mr.. Morton branched off into a eulogy OF
President Grants Administration, which
was sharply replied to by Mr.. Upton. The
Senate adjourned until Monday. In the
House of Representatives nearly the whole
day was occupied in personal explanation
by Mr. Beck in relation to what he had
said about Senator Brownlow. and the lat
ter's reply. Some private business was
disposed of, and the consideration OF the
Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation
bill was commenced.
In the Senate on Monday, Mr.. Oonkling
took ND the matter of the Tilted States
Government selling arms to France aud
after reviewing the facts, pressed his
amendment for an investigation as to
whether any American Senator has been
in collision in this matter with agents Of
the French Government There is a law
existing which makes any such action
misdemeanor, punishable by fine and i'm
prisonment, and in bringing it into this
connection Mr.. .Conkling has given turn
to the matter that may severely retort up
ON the Massachusetts, Senator. Mr.. Schurz
has the floor for to-day. The reports of
the Investigating Committee on the South
ern States were presented in both Houses,
and members Of the majority spoke OF false
statements contained in the minority re-
mort. In the House of Representatives
4 this led to a discussion, and a resolution to
print the minority report was rejected, but
afterwards passed, with the proviso that
the unparliamentary references to Congress
| siopal legislation shall be stricken out. \
resolution instructing the Committee on
| WAYS and Means to place salt and coal on
the free list in the Tariff bill was lost for
want of the necessity tWo-tlirds vote. The
bill repeating the duties on tea and coffee
was passed.
In the Senate on Tuesday, Mr.. Schurz
made bis second speech upon the resolu
ton of inquiry into the sale OF arms to
| France. He complained that the contracts
were rushed through and the arms hastily
! delivered into French hands in order to
prevent any interference from the repre-
sentatives of Germany. The speech was
partially devoted to the making Of politl-
cal capital against the Administration, and
a coliouy ensued between Mr.. Schurz and
| Mr.. Conkling, In which each expressed his
contempt for the other. Mr.. Morton re-
! piled to Mr. SchurZ, maintaining that
there was no objection to the investigation
! but only to The language of Mr.. Summers
| preamble, which makes allegations that are
vet to be proved. He commented severely
on Mr.. Schurz's personal motives for his
course in the Senate, and said that his
| oppasition to Grant arose from the remoy
al of hi. friends from office. which Mr..
Schurz stirmatiacd as lie. This sort of
discussion continued ust;, the adjournment
of the SenaA In the of House of Repre-
! septatives bills concerning appointments to
| office, forbidding any member of Congress
| to make solicitations at the Departments,
were discussed during the morning hour
! The Consular and Diplomatic Appropria-
ton bill was considered, and Mr.. Swami
spoke in very complimentary manner of
! the management of our foreign relations by
| the State Department, and advocated lib
eral appropriations generally for the use eft
the Government. i motion was made to
strike out the items for thG maintenance of
! Ministers to the Central American States
and without any action the House adjourn
| ed. ,-..
In the Senate on Wednesday. Mr.. Sher-
man reported a general tariff bill from the
/ nd nd ha
! specal order for Monday two weeks hence.
| The bill providing for the transportation of
! the malls over the blockaded portion of
! the Pacific Railroads was referred to the
! Postal Committee Mr.. Summers resOlu-
ton then came up as the stock subject for
! discussion. Mr.. Morton had tic !saor and
proceeded to attack Mr.. Schurz as trai-
! tor to the Republican party. who only re-
! manned within it to betray it. He denied
/ that the Government had eyer dealt direct
/ ly with France in the sales OF irQs. and to
| show that there was no violation OF nei-
trality he adduced the fact that Baron Won
! Gerolt was at one time in negotiation
| with the Secretary of War for the disposals
/ of the arms to Germany, Mr. Conkling
| and Mr.. Schurz had q personal and sarcas-
! tie colloquy. in which each said bitter
| things of the other. and the formers
| am sndmeut. directing the proposed com
mittee to investigate whether any Senator
has been acting IS the agent of France,
was adopted. Mr.. fTaRbDl pointed out
! that the effect of the amendment would be
| to keep Sumner and Schurz off tue COM
mittee, and pending motion to reconsider
, the Senate adjourned. In the House of
| Representatives bills were introduced to
add thirty millions of dollars to the cur
i do Rt., he, ,lat of
worn and mutilated bank EGtRs. The Dip
lomatic and Consular Appropriation bill
was resumed, and the amendment tG eGn-
! soifdate the Missions to the Central Amer
! lean Republics was rejected. 1t was NOV
/ ed to raise the Mission at st. Petersburg to
the first class, which was not acted upon.
! Without final disposition of the bill the
House adjourned The vote in the Ways
I and Means Committee of the House of Rep
resentatives by which the resolution re-
pealing the income tax was lost, was yeas
i. nays !, as follows: Yeas-Messrs. Dawes
Kelly. Roberts. Brooks. Nays-Messrs.
Maynard. Fmkelnberg. Burchard, Kerr,
i Beck. This, of course, shiStant tally dissi-
| pates all prospect of a repeal effle tax. 1t
will have to be paid this year and then
disappear by expiration of the law. Hon.
Amasa Walker appeared before the COM
mittee and made an argument i'll favor of
the re-mposition of tle tax. The ques-
! ton is so close that those who oppose the
repeal but favor the cessation of the tax
with the expiration of the law hold the
balance of power, and will doubtless pre-
vent the re-enactment OF li.e tax. The
Commissioners of Internal Revenue has
ordered the blanks for this year, which
will require fifteen tons Of paper for their
printing.
Free Tea and CCffee.
The House by vote of 155 to 80 passed
the bill, OH Monday last, repeating the duty
OH tea and coffee. For this achieve
ment no thanks are due to the free traders
Loudly as they have been clamoring for
decreaSa in tie hurdauS of tnyatio.i and