Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-16
FORTYTHIRD CONGRESS,
TT sspAy, December Is.

cartoons and curiositiee left by him. Referred
to Committee on Library.
Mr.. Wright presented q voluminous petition
repeal Of the bankrupt law. Referred 70 Com
mittee on Judiciary.
Mr.. Sherman, from Committee on Finance.
reported adversely on bin to authorize payment
of portion of import duties in legal tender
notes, and the bill was indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. Morrill, (Vermontl, from Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds, reported bill
the capitol and the government departments
under Gen. Babcock. Passed.
Mr.. Morrill, (Msine), from Committee on Ap.
proprist.ons, reported House bill appropriating
&i,o0o,0o0 for extraordinary expenses Of the
navy, without amendment, and asked its pres
emit consideration.
Mr.. Morton objected; when Mr.. Morrill, gave
NOTICE that he should insist upon taking Il up
Mr.. Anthony introduced bill appropriating
$500 to repair the monument erected at New
port X; l., TO the memory Of Cheyalier de Tour
commanded the French fleet which, in 17sO,
entered the harbor Of Newport to assist the
colonies in their revolutionary struggle. He
gave an account Of his services to the patriots,
and Of the monument erec nd t. HE memory,
which was placed at Newport in 1888 by the
King Of France, and which was now in Q con-
dition Of decay. The bill was tnen passed
Mr.. Hamilton (Teyas) introduced Bill 10 re-
move disabilities of VIM. Steele. Of Texas. Re.
ferred to Co nmittee on Disabilities.
x.
Mr.. Morten asked to take a his resolution TO
admit to seat in the Senate p. s. b. Pinch
back, Of Louisiana.
Mr.. Ferry lConn.) said that he had no. e,-
the holidays, and he had expected to make
some remarks upon IL. He differed entirely
with the Senator from Indiana in the view that
tins 4 case was one one entirely Of lay and Of fact
be made to force vote upon 1t this week.
Mr.. Fenton stated that tomorrow he wished
to address the Senate upon the subject Of the
Mr.. Salisbury urged that the Pinchback case
be postponed until after the holidays.
Mr.. Stockton wss proceeding to give the rea-
. his the as os
PRED, and the unfinished business being the
resolutions from the Committee on Finance,
Mr.. Sherman said he had no objection to the
unfinished business going over, as 1t was evil
dent that the Senator IRON Indiana (Morton)
desired to address the Senate upon the Lpuir-
lana case this morning, and this was q courtesy
After further discussion, the resolution was
taken mp.
Mr.. Morton then addressed the Senate in
favor of his resolution.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Willard (Vt.) offered q resolution directing the
Committee on the Reform Of the Civil Service
to inq uire: First, if any reduction can be made
officials, and in the compensation paid, without
injury to the efficiency of the vice; and, sec
ond TO inquire into the expcdiency OF providing
that all officials shall receive rs compensation
only such salary as is liked and determined by
law. Adopted.
Mr.. Lutiren (Cal. } asked leave to offer a
resolution reciting that the several Pacific
railroads were in arrears to the government, and
directing the Committee on the Judiciary TO
report q bill authorizing ana equiring the At
torney General to inaugurate the necessary
procef dings to enforce the payment Of the
accrued interest due by said ROADS.
Mr.. Sypher (La.) objected.
The houie then proceeded to the considsra-
ton of the
BILL TO REPEAL THE BANKRUPT ACT.
MIR. TremaiLe IN. ", in speaking upon the
bill. said the Committee of the Judiciary had
agreed that there were serious defects in the
law as it existed, and the only difference OF
absolutely, or whether il should be amended
The majority of the committee decided for re-
peal. He thought the country demanded relic;
fiom this bill. He said other bankrupt Law
YVES 10 odious as this, especially ia its inr0iup-
tary features, which would force a man int
bankruptcy, 10 matter how honest he might be
That such a law should have remained upoi
the statute-bs ok for a period of six wears was q
him an evidence of the forbesrancs Of the
American people. He believed the late finan-
cial panic was in part due to the existence OF
iuptcy made men timid, for his experience had
shown that bankrupt estates were generally
eaten up by costs. He did no. believe creditors
the great State Of New York, he asked that the
House would pass the pending bill before the
holidays, and it would be hailed with Joy by all
in the country, from its center to its circumfer-
ence.
Mr.. Wilson Ind.) opposed the pending bill.
He referred to the failure of Jay Cooke & Go.
in September, and attributed all the nsncial
evils that rad come upon the country to their
failure, owing to the fact that they had made
Investments IN speculative stocks. The i3d
Congress had scarcely met when the lawyers OF
Jay Cooke & Co. came into this body ard asked
for the passage OF the pending bill. He believed
it was all in the interest of spectators. The
title should be changed and the bill should be
called ''s bill to embarIass Justice" Under the
could 60 on with their speculations, and need
not make payment to their creditors. He ad-
mitted that the law had defects, but he thought
the wiseet course was to recOmmit the bill and
to amend 1t SO as 90 make it perfect
Mr.. EldrIdge wis., denied ttat this bill was
brought about by the lawyers of Jay Cooke or
to The bankrupt act from the beginning, be-
cause he believed il was all wrong. No bill
could have been prepared with more care than
tins one was as; He said the very man who pre-
Island) was the very first to avail himself of 1t.
The bankrupt bill was not benefit either 10
debtor or creditor, but 1t has operated
court, and, in many cases, of the judges also. II
did not encourage honesty, and was Of no ad-
vantage to the creditor. Ii was demanded by
Spectators, and its only tendency was to en-
courage speculation. The great mass of the
people never were in favor OF it, He referred to
the fact that the last Congress had, by q two
third vote, repealed the bill, and then there
were no lawyers of Jay Cooke here to urge it.
That firm was then engaged in specul and
perhaps expected to take advantage of this law.
Mr.. Frye (Me.) opposed the pending bill. He
ssrgasd de se the iaS the
but there were dishonest debtors every where,