Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-01-28
The Central and Union Pacific
Railroads. A New White
HOuse-New Public
Buildings.
The James River and Kanawha
Canal---YOte on the Question
of Refunding the Cot
ton Tax.
The Bankrupt Act Amended--.The
Senate Bill AbOlishing Frank
ing Privilege Passed.
WAsHINGTOH, January "a.
IN TILE SENATE.

IN THE SENATE.
Senator Wilson presented a remon
STRANGE against the repeal of the bank
rupt act.
! Senator Sawyer's Committee on Edu
cation and Labor recommended the in
definite postpOnement of the bill estab
lish a Bureau of Sanitary Science.
Bills were offered by Senator Cottrel
relating to navigable streams, making
it unlawful to construct or maintain
bridges over navigable tide-watel
streams, without the consent of the
United States, excepting such bridge:
as were completed on the first of jam,
ary and such as have a clear elevation
of one hundred feet above high water, ,ol
have tive-hundred-foot draw, with
fifty feet elevation. Referred.
BY Senator Cragin: A bill directing
the Postmaster-General to make a con.
tract with the Mediterranean and Ori
entail Steamship Company for carrying
the mails to European ports, and tC
indorse the bonds of said company t.
the amount of thirteen millions of dol
lars. Referred.
By Senator Lewis: 4 bill appropri.
ating two million dollars for the promo
ton of education in the Southern
States.
Senator Chandler, from the Commit
tee on Commerce, reported the Original
bill authorizing the Secretary of War t.
receive from the State of Michigan all
title to the st. Mary's Falls canal, the
bill not to take effect till the tolls re
ceived shall have reimbursed the State
for the expenditures or liabilities in,
CURED on account of the canal.
A bill authorizing the Secretary of the
Treasury to refund defferential dutie:
collected on articles on shipboart o
French vessels destined for the United
States on November 5, 1872, was passed
Senator Stewart offered a resolution
directing the Committee on the Pacific
Railroads to inquire into the condition Of
the accounts between the several Pacific
railroads and the United States, grow
ing out of the provisions of the act oi
1852 requiring that after the completion
of the roads five per cent. of the net
earnings shall be annually applied to
the payment of bonds and interest till
paid. He asked immediate considera-
ton of the resolution, but Senator Ed
munds objected, and it was laid over.
On motion of Senator Conkling the
Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds were instructed to inquire into
theexpediency of making use ofthe
present Executive Mansion than which
it is now devoted to, and of taking
any steps to provide another residence
for the President of the United States.
A bill to require National Banks to
restore capital when impaired, and to
nr 49, -
Passed.
The legislative appropriation bill was
then taken up. The question was on
the amendment offered by Senator Nor
rill, last Friday, SO as to provide that it
shall be the duty of the President to
take such measures, or TO institute
such suits as may be necessary to re-
cover from the Pacific Railroad Com
panies the interest paid by the United
States on bonds issued for the. use of
either of said roads, and five per cent of
the earnings, as provided by law, and
that the Circuit Courts of the United
States shall have jurisdiction to hear
and determine such suits, or object to
appeal cases.
Senator Merrill modified the amend
ment so as to give the trial of such
case the precedence
Senator Edmunds said that he had
received letter from C. P. Huntington,
Vice-PIesident of the Central Pacific
Railroad Company, which, in compli-
aHee with the request of the writer, be
laid before the Senate. The letter was
then read. 1t states that the Central
Pacific Railroad Company entered into
its contract with the Government upon
the construction ofthe statute relating to
freight and postal service which was
acted on by the Government for several
years, and which has received the sane
ton of Congress; and if they had I'M
derstoOd it otherwise they would not
have entered into the contract at all.
But the company is, nevertheless, anx-
iOus to have the disputed question legally
and is willing to accept
Senator Edmunds' amendment looking
to that end.
Senator Sherman said the only ques-
ton between the Government and the
Pacific railroad which he considered to
have been legally determined, wa
the companies were not bound
TO pay interest on their second-mortgage
bonds. He believes they were, and the
United States had guaranteed those
bonds, but the companies were bound to
pay the interest.
Senator Bayard said he would vote for
the amendments.
Senator Casserly was of opinion that
-hese companies were bound to pay the
whole of the interest due ON the bonds,
and made arguments to support that
view.
Senator Morrill, (Maine) withdrew his
for the purpose of having a
vote on Senator Edmunds's amend
nent, which was then adopted, all the
Senators present voting in the affirma-
i've except Morrill,, Sprague, Trumbull
and Hamblin. 1t is as follows:
"And the Secretary of the Treasury is
directed to withhold all payments from
my railroad company or its assigns, on
of freight or transportation of
my kind over their respective roads, to
he amount of the payments made by
he United States of interest on any
United States bonds issued TO such COM
)any, which shall not have been reim-
,ursed, together with five per cent.
# the net earnings, and unapplied
IS provided by law, and any
company may bring suit in the Court
# ClainSs to recover the price of such |
reight and transportation, and in such |
uit the rights of such company to re-
over the same upon the law and facts |
# the case shall be determined, and also |
he rights of the United States upon |
he merits of all points presented by the |
United States in answer to such claim; |
nd either party to such suit may appeal |
0 the Supreme Court, and said court |
hall give such case precedence over all /
thers.N
Senator Morrill, (Vermont), from the
on Public Buildings, report
d favorably the bills appropriating one
hundred and thirty thousand dollars for /
be erection Of government buildings st /
lincoln, Nebraska, and one hundred |
nd thirty thousand dollars for govern
nent buildings at tCovington, Kentueky'i
Senator Morrill, offered an amendment /
D the appropriation bill, providing that
ldgments for claims against the United /
'tates shall not be paid, unless specially
rovided for, till the claimants prove
hat they never rendered aid or comfort
D the rebellion.
Pending further action, the Senate
Tent into executive session, and soon
1journed.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Hereford introduced DILL for the
of the James River and
kanawha canal.
The Senate resolution directing the