The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-12-09
Forty Third Congress-First Session.
SENATE.

state Mr.. COnkllng presented petltlOn VI .Ho
| Chamber of Commerce of New York, regarding
the resumption of specie payments. Referred
| to the Finance Committee.
A petition from the Legislature OF North
| Carolina, asking for modification OF the IN
| ternal Revenue laws was presented and refer
red to the Finance Committee.
| MI. Summer presented petition OF coloreu
| citizens asking for the passage of the supple
mental civil rights law. Tabled.
Mr.. Stevenson introduced a bill providing 1or
busts for late Chief Justices fancy and Chase
to be placed in the Supreme. Court Room. he
| ferred to the Library Committee.
| :. A bill was introduced to incorporate the
Trans Continental Railway Co., which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Public Lands.
Mr.. Sherman of Ohio, introduced bill to au-
thorize the organization of national banks WIN
out circulation. Referred to the Finance Com
mittee; also a bill amending the act restricting
| the jurisdiction of the Court of Claims. he
| ferred TO the Judiciary Committee.
The Scott and Conl1ling bills, amendments OF
the act to establish a uniform system of bank
ruptcy throughout the United States, were re-
| ferred to the Judiciary Committee
In addition to a number of bills OF minor I'M
| portance, the following were introduced and
referred: For the better protection of he pub
lie works on the Mississippi River; (By Mr. Lo-
gam to provide cheap and permanent transpor-
tation between New York and Chicago AS
there will probably be some question as to the
power of Congress to enact this law he asked
that the bill be referred to the Judiciary Com
mittee, which was SO ordered.
James r. Young was elected Executive Clerk
and Rev. Byron Sunderland, Chaplain OF the
Senate.
Mr.. Wright of Iowa, addressed the Senate in
favor of the repeal of the salary bill after which
the Senate went into executive session.
A bill was introduced establishing national
university of education and labor.
Mr.. Conkling's bill amending the bankruptcy
act provides that when majority of the credI-
tors amounting to two-thirds in value shall
agree upon terms OF settlement, the court shall
decree such agreement binding.
Mr.. Scotts supplementary bankruptcy bill
provides that when the bankrupt proposes a
settlement and four=ifths of the crcdisefs- agroo
thereto, such agreement shall be binding upon
all the creditors
Mr.. Sherman's bill. authorizing the organiza-
ton of national banks without circulation, is
substantially the same bill as passed by the
Senate last year.
duced by him last Monday repeating the salary
act and claimed the bill should pass such a
course was demanded by the people. 1t should
pass also because the people in the last Pres-
denttial election believed they were electing Of
ficials pledged to economy. The people had
cheerfully paid the taxes made necessary by
war and it was time now that their burdens
were lessened. He considered the argument
odious that claimed high salaries essential to
abatement of honest officials. This government
was uOG mdue HOT were the Two houses OF Con-
gress created to make men rich or enable public
servants to keep up foolish show. Five thou
sane dollars he was sure was larger sum than
majority of the members of either House rep
resented before coming to Congress. What the
country wants is not men for sale, and increas-
ed salaries will lead to men buying their way
into Congress. He thought it best to fix salar-
les at what they were before the last act was
passed. Reforms must be wrought in the
whole civil list 1t is incumbent upon Congress
10 n.r -
cause, and no act had been so universally con-
demned for ten years as this. He concluded by
asking that the bill be referred to the Civil Ser
vice Committee, which was done. Adjourned.
HOUSE.
Bills were introduced as follows: (By Mr.
Frye of Me-, in relation to bounties to nine
months volunteers and heirs; (by Mr.. Poland
of VT to provide for the distribution of the
Geneva award, also to amend the bankruptcy
| act; (by Mr.. Pierce of Mass to remit the du
| ties on goods consumed in the Boston confia-
| grafton; (by Mr. Eames of r. IL to repeal the
tax on deposits in savings banks; (by Mr.. KEEL
logg of Ct.) for breakwater at Newport, Ct,
and for the improvement of the Housatonic
River; Thy Mr.. Duell of n. Y. for the repeal
of the bankruptcy act, and also the transmits
sion by mail of papers and PERIODICALS, also for
public building at Syracuse; (by Mr. Cox of
n. W for the resumption of specie payments
(by Mr.. Myers of Pa.) for the repeal Of taxes on
watches, also for the payment of the French
| spoilatlon claims; (by Mr. Biery of--) fol
the free transmission and receipt by mail Of
newspapers and periodicals; (by Mr.. Ransier, J
| for equalizing national bank currency.
The following bills Were also introduced: to
| refund the proceeds of cotton illegally seized
| for the improvement of the Tennessee river;
| to grant land for railroad from Decatur, Ala
| to Rome, Ga; for the admission of Colorado as
| State; concerning the execution of laws in
| Utah; for ship canal near Fort St. Phillip
| for mail steamship service between New Or
| leans and Mexican points; to appropriate the
| education; to provide $25, 100000 additional
| bank note circulation, for States having les;
| than their due proportion: for the payment OF
| losses by the Morgan raid; for refunding to
distiilsTs adv ances Inads for tics meJers4
peal the act of 1853, to strengthen public credit;
| to repeal the tax on bank checks; to repeal the
bill to enforce civil rights; to repeal the tax on
retailers of leaf tobacco and provide for the de-
| ficiency of the revenue, for the removal of Ii
| quOr saloons from the capital grounds; to pro-
vide for cheap transportation between Chicago
and New York; to amend Ithe lawk pensionins
| soldiers of the war of 1872; authorizing bridge
| across the Arkansas river at Fine Bluff; for q
| Niagara ship canal; for the issue of national
| currency and 3-65 per cent. government bonds
| to be interchanged; to amend the internal rev
enue laws; also bills for several public build
| ings in various cities and to improve several
| harbors; for free banking law; to repeal the
bankruptcy act; for the payment of claims Of
| Southern citizens; to repeal the bill authoriz
| ing ex parte injunctions; (by Mr.. Butler) tC
| reimburse the State of Massachusetts for Ger
tain expenditures during the war for sea coast
defences; also for the relief of sufferers by the
Boston fire; also to restore to the pension
rolls pensioners dropped during the war; tt
| reduce postage.
Mr. Negley of Penn, introduced bill which
| at his request was passed, modifying the steam
| boat passenger act by allowing boats on the
| MiSyigsinDi and Ohm rivprs n IN pOun09
| pressure on certain kind of boilers
Mr.. Maynard of Tenn, from the committee
on rules reported bill removing all disabii
ties imposed and remaining on any person by
| the Sd section of the 14th article of the amend
ments, and substituting for the iron clad oatt
| a modified oath now administered to persons
| from whom disabilities have been removed.
After debate the rules were suspended, the bill
received and passed by vote Of al to 20.
Mr. Lawrence (Rep) asked whether under
that law Jefferson Davis might not obtain a
| seat in either House.
| G. F. Hoar (Rep.) of Mass, enquired wheth
| er the committee on rules had the right to re-
port such an act under general legislation.
The Speaker doubted very much whether the
committee had the right to report it except I'M
| der call.
Mr. F. Hoar said he would not insist on the
point.
MI. Butler (Rep) of Mass, said he would.
Mr.. Maynard (Rep.) of Tenn, moved to sus
ply to Mr.. Lawrence's question he said tina
the late President Of the Southern Confederacy
might as well as the Vice President have {
seat in either house provided the people thnh
| proper to send him.
Mr. Butler said he would not object to the bill
/ if it had been examined and was reported from
| the committee.
Mr. Maynard said it was the unanimous re
| port of the committee.
| Mr.. Cox asked leave to report resolutions rec
ognizing Cuban belligerency. Objected to- H,
then moved to suspend the rules. Rejected II,
then asked leeve to introduce it for referenc,
to the foreign committee. Objected to.
Mr.. Hale of Maine, from the Select Commit
tee on the Salary question, reported a bill re
pealing so much Of the salary bill as increase
the compensation Of the Vice President, Speak
er, Senators, Representatives and delegates t.
Congress. The second section revives and de
clares to be the full force of all acts relating tt
the pay and allowance of Senators and mem
bers that were repealed or superseded by the ac
of March Sd, 1873; provided that they shall re
ceve no mileage for coming to and from tn
present session except actual individual travel
ing expenses by the most direct route of usua
travel
Mr.. Kasson from the minority of the com
mittee submitted a report signed by himself
and Mr., Jewett of Ohio. They declare them
selves unsatisfed with toe bill reported by tn
majority and state the reasons therefor as fol
lows:
Al