National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-02-17

SENATE.
SATURDAY. FRBRuARY Is Is7a
Mr.. Sherman, from the committee APP
pointed TO wait on the President end Vice
President cloct announced that they had per
formed that duty. The President replied
that DE accepted the ofiicc, and he would en-
deavor in the future, as in the past, to dis
charge his duty to the best Of his ability. The
Vice President-elect also accepted the office,
and said his aim would be to discharge his
duties fairly and faithfully.
The conference report on the consular and
diplomatic appropriation bill was agreed to.
Mr.. Cole, from the Committee on Appro-
priatlons, reported the Post ONCE approprl-
alton bill with amendments.
Mr.. Anthony called up the order limiting
debate on appropriation BILLS and excluding
from such bills oil bills not germane; which
was debated until the expiration Of the morn
ing hour.
Mr.. Thurman moved to take up the two
per cent. bill. Lost by vote Of "a yeas, no
nays. III.
The order limiting debate and excluding
amendIqgnh not germane TO appropriation
was passed by .. vote of yeas "a, nays %. The
resolution IL as follows. =,
Rcsoired, That during the present session IL
shall he In order at any time TO move q recess,
Ahu pehuinR an appropriation bill TO move TO
contne debate on amendments thereto 20 1--WE
minutes by any senator on the pending motion,
and such motions shall he decided without debate;
tive provisions, other than such as directly re-
late 70 the appropriations contained In the blll
shall he received; and no special order shall he
made during this session.
The naval appropriation bill was then
taken M, the question being on the amend
ment Of Mr.. Cragin relative to retired naval
officers, their pay and employment, which
was agreed to-ycas 20, nays IS.
An amendment, providing that the act OF
1889 to promote the efficiency Of the navy
shall not be construed so as to retire any
officer before the age Of ~, was adopted.
Mr.. Nye moved ~ an amendment the bill
guaranteeing 10 the amount OF eight million
dollars the funds Of the International Steam
ship Company and the Western Iron Boat
Building Company, TO enable them to build
dock-yards m the Atlantic and Mississippi.
The Chair ruled the amendment out Of
order.
MIR. eragln moved an amendment placing
servants Of officers In the Marine corps on
the same footing; as regards allowances for
quarters, as the servants Of army officers, but
subsequently wlthdrewk.
Several other amendments were offered and
rejected, and the bill having been considered
by the Committee Of the Whole was reported
10 the Senate when the amendment restoring
the appropriation for certain clerks at the
navy yufuA, WHICH nhu Dccn lett OUT by the
House, were concurred In.
The next question was on concurring In the
amendment of Mr. Cragin relative to retired
naval officers, when Mr. Edmunds moved to
striksfron,itihe provision giving them In
creased pay.
The vote was yeas IL, nays %, which dis
closed the absence Of quorum, and the
Senate then, without further action, at 5;45 p.
M, adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
Mr.. Dawes, from the select committee to
wait upon the President and Vice President
elect and inform them Of their election. re-
duty, and that they were charged to report to
the Senate and House the acceptance Of the
trust by them, respectively.
Mr.. shNnks, from the Committee on Indian
Affair.", reported bill regulating private con-
tracts or Agreements with Indians, which,
among other restrictions, makes II unlawful
for any officer Of the United States 10 cor
tract with any tribe of Indians or any lnLi-
ridual Indian, until said contract has been
approved by the Secretary Of the Interior anu
the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs, and re-
corded In the office Of the latter. Passed.
Mr.. Willard asked unanimous consent to
offer q joint resolution congratulating the
people OF Spain upon the establishment OF q
republican government In that country.
Mr.. Banks. ! object 10 that. object to
that. II Is n proposition to approve Of slavery
In the colonies Of Spain.
The Geneva award bill came up US unhn-
ished business. Several amendments were
proposed, 10 which General Butler replied rs
follows As to that proposed by Mr.. Peters,
he said he had no objection to Il II there was
money left to pay interest after all the claims
had been settled with interest from the date
OF the award To the amendment proposed
by Mr.. Poland he had decided objections. 1t
proposed TO establish q court and bring all In
here 20 make their claims. Every sailor from
Oregon and every mariner from California
would be compelled to come here. II was an
impossibllity. More than that, Il allowed
foreign insurance companlesto come In, even
Laird himself, as claimant for damages done
by the Alabama. He was not willing that
any such claimant should be allowed to pre-
sent claim. But the trouble was that the
proposition was wholly impracticable, and
thousands Of small claimants would be de-
prlyed Of redress.
The next amendment was that proposed by
Mr.. Potter, TO substitute the Insurance COM
panles In place OF the nth class-the payers
Of the war premiums; and here again no dis
tlnctlon was made between foreign aud
American. The theory Of Insurance, he said,
was that the premiums paid the losses. The
fact was that the Losses paid amounted to a
little over Ave millions, and the war pre-
mlums over six millions. The Insurance COM
panies had, he said, made million, and he
believed over two million dollars, and now
were they going to give them five millions
mOrei The idea was preposterous, and he
could orly account for members taklrg that
view by snpposing that they had only heard
one side and listened to the sophistries Of the
learned gentleman, lMr. Eyarts, who was
the paid attorney of the insurance companies
before he became the agent Of the Govern
ment at Geneva, and the paid agent Of the
Insurance companies after his return from
Geneva. The war premiums, he said, were a
dead loss. II the vessel was lost, the In
surers got but the Insurance, and II the YES
sci was not lost they still lost the premium.
Mr.. Bird moved to lay the bill and amend.
ments on the table. Rcjected-yeas54 naysas
Mr.. Monroe's amendment to Include dam.
ages by the Shenandoah before her arrival Of
Melbourne was next rejected.
The yeas and nays were ordered on the
amend, aent proposed by Mr.. Potter, and II
was rejcc ted-yeas 81, nays l5s.
The yeas and nays were also ordered upoI
Mr.. Poland's substitute for the blll and II wa
rejected-yeas s5, nays 1ls
The hill was then passed-yeas l22, nays 81
Mr.. Beatty, from the Committee on Publ,
Printing, submitted q joint resolution In rela
ton TO the publication Of the debates In Con
gress, and directing the public printer to con
tract with William j. hurtagh for the publ
cation Of the same.
Mr.. Beatty explained the different bid
made In speech, which will be found else
TIE SENATE CREDIT MOBILIRR CON-
MuTTER.
Saturdays Proceedings o