Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-23
Washington, d. c.. Jan. 20.

SENATE.
Mr.. Edmunds from the judiciary commit
tee reported substitute for Mr.. Norton
bill to regulate the distribution of the Geneva
award.
Mr.. Ramsey moved 10 assign next Monday
for consideration of the postal telegraph bill.
Mr.. Conkling objected to fixing any day for
the consideration of the bill
The Senate resumed the consideration of
the calendar and several bills granting PEN
slons were passed.
The bill to allow women to vote and hold
office in the territories was Indefinitely post
poned.
On motion of Mr.. Ramsey tina bill to abol-
ish the ranking privilege was taken ups
to 10.
Mr.. Morrill, Of Vt. offered an amendment
providing that no allowance be made to mem
bers of Congress in lieu of the franking priv
ilege. Without this, he said, the abolition
would be farce.
Mr.. Hamil said that the bill ought to be
| amended so as to reduce and limit the amount
Of public printing.
Mr.. Freinghuysen did not favor the aboli-
ton. He thought it undesirable that there
should be any tax imposed by the government
upon communication between the people and
their representatives. Abuses should be cor
rected and that could be best done by limiting
the privilege to postal matter weighing not
more than one ounce and by the preparation
of compendium il one volume of informa-
ton about public affairs most necessary and
useful to the people.
Mr.. Edmnnds spoke of the bill as an utter
delusion. The abuses of the franking privi-
leges ought to Inc corrected, but the benefits
of the privilege belonged to the people, and
| not to members of Congress, and the people
should bear as they ought to bear, the burd-
en- of it. If, however, it was to be abolished
he was in favor Of abolishing it honestly and
completely, and not as proposed by this bill.
He hoped that no one would accuse him of
Sinking the question.
Mr.. Cenkling-Are you for or against it.
Mr.. Edmunds-I am against abolishing it
| most decidtdly.-I hope the Senator under
stands me.
Mr.. Conkling-I DO now. (Laughter.)
MIR. Upton said that he would vote to cor
rect the abuses of the privilege, but not to
abolish it.
Mr.. Wilson did not rcgarl it as privilege
at all, and was willing, now, as he had always
been, to relinquish it Internationally, but he
was not sangune as to the saving to BE- effect
ed by abolishing it.
Mr.. Hill gave notice that when the iegsla
tive appropriation bill should come up, he
compensation Of members of Congress, and
he moved that in the meantime the pending
hill be laid on the table. Lost.
The amendment offered by MIR. Morrill, of
Vermont, was agreed to.
On motion Of Mr.. Carpenter, the bill was
then SO amended as to simply abolish the
frank ing privilege en- July Ist, next The
bill then passed. Yeas, 80. Nays, lG.
Adjourned.
HOUSE.
The Colorado bill was discussed until the
| end of the morning hour when it went over
without action.
| The House took up the bill for the creation
of commissioners of commerce and for Civ.
| ing bounties to American ship builders.
After speeches against the bill by Messrs.
Potter, Kerr, Wood and Farnsworth, Mr.. Cox
moved to table the bill. Carried-l21 yeas
to GA nays.
So the bill was defeated.
Mr.. Garfield of Ohio from the appropria-
ton committee, reported bill appropriating
sll3,5 to supply the deficiency for the ex-
penses of the L. S. MIXED commission on
American and British claims.
Mr.. Lynch of Me. from the committee on
| commerce reported an amendment to section
| u of the shipping commissioners act, which
| he advocated
Mr.. Potter of n. Y. hoped the House
| would not pass the bill.
| After brief discussion the bill was finally
passed.
The Speaker presented a message from the
President vetoing the act reducing from two
years to six months the time in which new
| trials may be, on motion of the L. S., grant
ed in the court of claims. The President
failed to see any advantages in the proposed
law and regarded it as tending to facilitate
the perpetraing of frauds on the U. s.
The message was referred to the Judiciary
committee.
Adjourned.