The New York herald., 1872-04-20
CONGRESS.
The Texas Pacific Railroad Land
Steal in the Senate.
Attempt to Revive the Pacific Mail
Subsidy Job.
Civil Service Reform in the
House.
GARFIELD DEFENDS THE PRESIDENT.
Butler Wants the Patronage
Retained.
THE BILL PRACTICALLY DEFEATED.
GARFIELD DEFENDS THE PRESIDENT.
THE BILL PRACTICALLY DEFEATED.


WASHINGTON, April 10, 1872.
Mr. FENToN, (rep) ofN. Y, introduced bill for
the relief of the heirs Of Jethro Wood the inventor
of improvements in the plough.
SUBSIDY JOBS.
Mr. WINDOW (rep.) of Minn., from the Commit
tee on Appropriations, reported the Postal Appro-
priation 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 pro-
vide for semi-monthly trip, at $1,000 900
per year, requiring that all steamers hereafter
accepted for said service shall be of not less than
4oO0 tons register, and wholly of American con-
struction, giving the government the right In case
OF war, to take any of the steamers OF said line
upon the payment Of reasonable compensation,
and providing that the United States mails shall be
carried without further charge on all steamers OF
said line or extension thereon beyond Yokohama
also doubling the present service and subsidy OF
the steamship line between New York and Rio ia
nero so as to provide for seven monthly trips at
BILLS INTRODUCED.
BY Mr.. CHANDLER, Gep.l of Mich.-To authorize
inquiries into the causes of steamboat explosions
direction of the President in making such expert
ments as may In his opinion, be useful and i'm
portant to guard against steam boiler explosions.
registers, receivers and surveyors general and
their wives or clerks, from locating or purchasing
BY Mr. OSBORN, repl, of Fla.-Grantng the
right OF way to the Pensacola ana Louisville Rail-
road Company OF Alabama.
BY Mr.. KELLOGG, (rep.l of La.-To re-estabsh the
Greensburg Land district in Louisiana.
DEFICIENCY APPROPRIATIONS.
On motion Of Mr.. COLE (rep.l, OF Cal, the Def
cheney Appropriation bill taken up.
Mr.. MORRILL, rep) of Vt, offered an amendment,
providing that the jurisdiction of the Court OF
Claims shall not extend to or include any claim for
abandoned or captured property received or col
ected, either by the civil military authorities of
the United States under the act OF March IL 1868
unless in cases commenced within two years after
the suppression OF the rebellion, and where the
claimants have proved to the satisfaction Of the
court that they have never given aid or comfort to
the rebellion.
Mr.. COLE moved to lay the amendment on the
table on the ground that it not germane to the
bill. Lost-yeas, 10; nays, 25.
Mr.. SUMNER, rep.l Of Mass, called for the un
finished business-the bill prohibiting distinctions
account Of race or color in the public schools
the District Of Columbia.
Mr.. STEWART, Gep.) Of New, moved to lay 1t aside
for the purpose OF taking up the bills reported iron
the Committee OH Pacific Railroads, to-day having
been assigned for their consideration. Agreed to-
yeas 27; nays, 10.
Mr.. STEWART then called up the bill supplement
ary to the act to incorporate the
TEXAS PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY.
Mr.. HAMILTON, (rep.) of Texas, opposed the bill
He said that the land along the road for 400
miles from its eastern terminus was valuable
warrant the construction OF the road for that dis
tance without any land grant, and that
there would be no difficulty in finding
capital for so profitable an investment; but
the land along the other part of the route
was barren and sterile, and no one would be so
foolish as 10 buy bonds based on such security.
These enterprises were got up In the interest OF
spectators, and he would not be surprised to see
even the exploded memphis ana III Paso" pro-
was now no doubt that the Northern Pacific would
be built, and it would probably be successful, be-
cause the lands along its route were so good, and
the probability was that If the projectors OF this
Texas road got what they wanted
THEY WOULD SELL THEIR FRANCHISE.
to the Central and the Union Pacific Companies and
the road would never be built. Further on In the
discussion Mr. Hamilton said that If this bill passed
IL would pave the way for the company to get hold
OF the school lands OF Texas, for they had that OBJ
ject in view, and he did not believe that the men In
power in the State government had the strength or
the virtue to resist them.
Mr.. STEWART defended the bill and said its pas
sage was necessary to enable the company to con-
struct the road.
Mr.. HARLAN, rep) OF Iowa. said the bin ap-
peared to be so loosely drawn that 1t would enable
the company to use its bonds to acquire the fran
chises OF other companies without building mile
of its own road
The bill was discussed at length and severa
amendments were offered, but no action was
taken.
STRAW BIDS.
Mr.. RAMSEY, (rep.) of Mimi, from the committee
OF conference on the bill to prevent straw bids fo
mail contracts, made a report, which was concur
red in
AT halfpast Ave O'Clock P. NJ. the Senate ad
tOurned.