Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-01-23
Synopsis Of the Senate Substitute
for the Bill TO Regulate the
Distribution Of the GEN.
eva Award.
The Mississippi LeYeeS--GOvern.
ment Asked to Assume
Their Construction.
WA~HIN.Tly. January ~
CONGRESSIONAL PROUEEDINGs.

;, wrecked Metis, in August last was cor
Il CURED in.
: The petition Of the merchants of Ne,
> Orleans was presented, asking the Gov
a enment 10 assume the construction an
care Of the levees Of the Mississipni
The House bill abOlishing the grade
5 Of admiral and vice-admiral in IN
], navy was passed.
= The bill for the construction of &;
+. sloOps Of war was re erred.
Senator Cragin, from the Naval Com
r mIttee, reported favorSbly the Hous
5 bill to prevent the employment of Off
GERS on the retired list, and the bill /,
promote the securing of efficient seaulel
5 for the navy.
Senator Buckingham, from the Com
2 mlttee on Indian Affairs, reported tb,
I bl!l iI authorize the Secretary of the In
terror to negotiate with the Creek Indi
ans for portions Of the lands occupied b,
them, which passed
Senator Stew art, from the COMMITTEES
on the Pacific Railroad, reported, witt
an amendment, the bill supplemental tC
the oll4 Incorporating the Pacific Rail.
road Company, which passed
Senator West presented the creden.
uals Of Senator Mcmillan, elected bv
expired term of Kellogg, Of Louisiana
and also the credentials Of Raw. elected
! by the Kellogg Legislature. They were
both referred to the Committee on Privi-
leges and Elections.
/ Senator Edmunis, from the Judiciary
Committee, reported a substitute for
Senator Norton's bill 10 regulate the
distribution Of the Geneva award. The
substitute authorizes the President 10
appoint five commissioners, TO be called
/ the Court of Commissioners Of Alabama
| Claims; one Of them to be called the
Bresl1lng Judge. The court to make
aud publish its own rules of procedure,
| conforming as far as possible to the
| rules Of practice in United states Cir
cut Courts; and is To have the same
/ power 70 compel the attendance of wit
I nesSes and the production of testimony.
Special provision is made that books and
| papers deemed material 10 the cousjd-
Grafton of any claim must be
[ produced. Salaries to be as follows:
Judges, SIX thousand dollars each-clerk
to be appointed by the President-three
thousand dollars. Shorthand repOTter
twenty-five hundred dollars. The Presi
dent Is specially authorized to appoint
some person 10 act as Consul for the Uni
tel states before the Commissioners
The siJtings Of the court are to be held
in Washington City,an are to exist one
year from date Of first convening. and
SIX months Longer if the President shall
deem 1t Necessary. It shall be the duty
Of the court TO receive and examine an
claims not excepted hereinafter stated.
directly resulting from damages caused
by the Alabama and Florida and tend
ers, and by the Shenandoah, after her
departure from Melbourne, February Is.
1865, and TO decide on amount and va
Hdity Of claims according to principles
Of law and their merits, and in
conformity with the provisions Of this
bill; and no claim, shall be admissible or
allowed for damages il respect to which
the party injured, hls assignee or le-
ga! representative, shall have received
indemnify from any insurance company
or otherwise, but allowance may be
made for difference between los OIL
the sufferer and insurance received. mol
claims shall be allowed for uncarved
frelghts, gross lots, prospective profits. /
or for officers and seamen's wages for a 1
longer time than one year from the /
breaking up Of any voyage. No claim 1
admissible IN behalf Of any insurance I
company or insurer, neither for selves |
nor assignees, for rights for the parties /
insured unless such claimant shall show (
10 the satisfaction Of the court that
during the late rebellion the sum of /
the loss by war risks exceeded sums Of |
premiums or other gains by reason of
war risks, and any such advance shall |
not be IN excess Of loss. No claim will
be allowed in favor of any insurance
company not lawfully existing
at the time Of the loss under the laws Of
some State in the Union, OF in favor of
any person not at some time entitled to
the protection of the United States i'm
the premises, or ia favor Of any person
WHO ,lid not at all times during the late
war bear true allegiance TO the United
states. In estimating the compensa-
ton 20 claimants, the court must aseer-
tain and certify to the Secretary of
State, with Judgment, the amount and
four per cent. interest on the actual loss
sustained from the respective dates Of
each case by the claimants. Five Der
cent. Of tho total amount Of judgments
is to be retained in the Treasury for the
of the United States for
and the remaining ninety-five
per cent. shall be paid 10 the claimants,
together with the interest, unless the
amount received from England shall
prove insufficient, i'm which case the
claimants viii be paid pro rata.
Senator Ames from the Committee
ln Finance, reported the original bill
four dollars and eighty-six
iixty-hre one hundredths asthe custom
house value Of sOvereigps or pound ,
sterling Of England or exchange bills. !
L also provides that all contracts made {
after the first Of July, 1874, based on as J
umed par Of exchange with England
II pence or - 49 10 the pound ster- {
ing au,i, and il is also provided, that !
he value Of foreign coin as expressed in
be money OF the United States shall be q
hat Of pure metal of such coin Of !
tsHdard value, and the value Of foreign 7
tandard coins in circulation in this .
Ountry shall be estimated annuity and Z
promulgated on the first day of January
" the Secretary Of the Treasury.
At the expiration Of the morning hour
be unfinished business, being the bill to
lrovide for the construction of six new d
loops Of war increased by amendment {
o ten, was resumed, and an amendment c
vas offered by Mr.. sherman providing c
hat neither vessel shall be commenced II
ntllc Omplete specifications for it shall
e proposed, which was agreed 10.
Nj. sherman offered an amendment f
Which would virtually repeal the eight {
our law 50 far as the construction of J
aese vessels were concerned, but he
withdrew his amendment.
Mr.. Morrill, offered an amendment
rOviding that the Board of Survey shall @
ave the power 10 authorize changes in )
De plans of the vessels, and shall eSti-
late tie cost Of such changes, and CON
actors shall be bound by such estimates.
greed to.
Mr.. CasseFly moved TO substitute the
lain points in the House bill for the =
ii from the Committee on Naval At y
irs. Lost
The bill was then passed; yeas 80, :
avs S.
Alr. Ramsey moved TO assign next q
IOnday for the consideration of the
ostal Telegraph bill.
Senator COnkling said he would OBJ
ct to fixing any day for the considera- Il
on OF the bill until some action should el
2 taken to abolish the franking priyi- 0,
&c. b
The senate then resumed the consid- $
alton of the calendar, and several bills, 81
.aDting pensions, were passed. in
The bill TO allow women the right to q
Dte and hold Office in the Territories ii
as indefinitely postponed. ci
On motion OF senator Ramsay, the "
II TO abolish the franking privilege a
as f6ken up. The vote stood Y Yees IS a
aye Is, the following voting il the 81
gange-Ames, Bayard. CARPENTER. v
hamilton Maryland Hui =.