Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-12-19
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SESSION.
WASHINGTON. Dee. 10.
SENATE.


The House bill amendatory OF the act to
provide for the better security Of lie ON YES
| sel> propelled by steam was taken up and
passed. The act only applies to towboats,
50 A. to allow them to carry $50 pounds of
| steams to the square inch. Ii did not affect
passenger vessels.
Mr.. Sumner offered resolution which
was agreed to, directing the committee on
pOstOfhceS and post roads TO consider the
expediency of providing further convent
| ences in correspondence known a " letter
writer" with one cent stamp, being new
article of stationary adopted for letter, cir
| cular and newspaper wrappers.
Mr.. Morton introduced bill for prOyid
ing that any national bank association de-
Gliding to reduce its capital stock as proyid-
ed in section Is of the national currency act
shall be entitled TO take up pro rata por-
ton of its bonds upon depOsiting lawful
money OF the United States or returning
its own circulation notes in proportion re-
| quired by law.
HOUSE.
MIR. Dawes offered resolution directing
the postmaster general to inform the house
whether any custom house officers or detec-
tives have been allowed to examine cores
pondence passing through the New York or
Boston mails, and whether any such officials
have opened or otherwise tempered with
such correspondence for the purpose of
aseertaining whether revenue laws have
been violated, or for any purpose, and to
report all the facts to the house. Adopted
Mr. Maynard introduced bill to autho-
rize the organizations Of national banks
without circulation. Referred TO the com
miltee gu banking and currency.
Mr.. Scofield. from naval committee, re
ported bill Increasing enlisted men in the
navy from 8 800 to %. 600. l.na
Messrs. Niblack, Phelps of n. Y, Frye of
Maine and Dawes of Mass, followed Mr.
Roberts Of n. Y. in support of the salary
bill The latter was frequently Interrupted
with questions and his statements criticised.
lie asserted that the salary of the presiden-
tial Office as now fixed, with incidental al
lowanceS, amounted to a hundred thousand
dollars per annum that the time chosen
for increasing the salaries, If any Increase
was necessary was inopportune and I'M
vie, and that il was at a time when for
tho very quarter in which it was done, the
revenmt- 81 the country had fallen off eight
and IA hall million dollars, and expenditures
had increased in about the same proper
ton 10 day We meet with deficit in
the revenues OF the country of three
times that mount and still further
increase IA, the estimates Of expendi-
tnres for lie coming year u more than
three Iim,- thai amount. lie held that no
better iea-,ii- existed Tor raising the
salaries Oi the supreme court and cabinet
and department officers than for congress
sional increase, and that it would be better
for all concerned that the salaries should
be liked at the same rates a. before the
passage OF the act OF 1873.
Mr. Marshall OF Illinois followed Mr..
Dave. also iayoring the repeal.
Mr.. Hale OF Maine, who has charge Of
the bill gave notice that he would move the
prey iJus question at , . clock 10 morrow.
The speaker announced az committee on
the centennial celebration and proposed
national census Of 1875. MessrS Kelley
(Pa), llawiey Comm. g. F. lIoar
MAS } ShGnks (ind }, WOOdi0rd lN. v,
Clayton (Cal) Wells (Mo) Young (Ga),
Harris VA STANFORD (Ky.)
WASHINGTON, Dee. H.
SENATE
Mr.. Anthony moved that the Senate
adjourn to day 10 meet again Monday.
Adopted. fHI
The bill removing the political disabili
ties of Thomas 5. Bocock of Virginia, John
H. Reagan of Texas and Others was passed.
This bill to authorize the organization of
national banks without circulation was
taken up. After some discussion it was
laid over 10 be called up at an early day
At 220 O'Clock the Senate went into execu-
tive session. At $40 p. IN. the doors were
reopened and the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
In the debate on the salary bill, to-day,
Alexander ii. Stephens (Ga.) addressed the
House. lie got ON his feet with some diff
Guilty and not without assistance. Then
he supported himself with o crutch under
his lief. arm. He spoke with a clear. ring
ing voice, which was distinctly audible in
every portion Of the chamber except wheL
he dropped bis tones, as he did very ire
quently at the close Of sentences. His Inan-
ner was nervous and his remarks very d.
gressive, many or his sentences being left
uncompleted. lie was listened to with the
closest interest and attention by members,
officers and audience lie commenced by
saying he would examine the question be-
fore the House first in its moral and then in
its political aspect. lie spoke Of the COM
ments of the public press on the subject. He
would say nothing in derogation Of the
power or useiulnessi of the press; the
position Of journalists 10 this country
was jne Of the highest the fourth
estate did in this age control public senti-
ment but he would in all earnsstness say
to The press and its conductors. that nothing
was more important than that in treating
OF subjects with the masses of the people
they should look well to tie truth and
the correctness and the principle Of what
they addressed to the people. The press
had denounced as thieves and robbers the
members Of the last Congress, and he had
seen one paper which represented the raid on
the treasury very much like the charge of the
six hundred ut Balaklavs. He had thought
the wit ofthat representation more appropri-