Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-02-16
Proceedings of the Senate Com
mittee to Investigate the
Credit MObilier Thefts
and Thieying.
The Vice-PreSident-Elect Recalled
Double Rates of Postage
The New Postal Law.
The Report of the Conference
Committee on Government
Buildings at Memphis
Agreed To.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.

CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
| IN THE HOUSE.
! WASHINGTON, February I5.-On mo-
ton of Mr.. Shanks, from the Committee
on Indian Affairs, and after explanation
by him, the bill passed making unlaw-
| full any contract with Indians relative to
land claims entered into prior to the act
of May q, 1872, unless such contract be
in writing and approved by and entered
in-the Department of the Interior.
Mr.. Willard asked leave to introduce
joint resolution cOngratulating the
Cortz and people of Spain on the estab-
lishment of Republic in that country.
The reading of the resolution was in
terrupted by Mr.. Banks, Chairman OF
the Committee on Foreign Affairs, who
said: 81 object. 1t is a proposition to
recognize slavery in the colonies OF
Spain"
Mr.. Willard-Not at all.
Mr.. Enthusiastically it is.
The resolution was not received.
The Speaker laid before the House a
message from the President, calling at
tention TO the condition of things in the
Territory of Utah, and to the danger
likely to arise during the coming recess
of Congress from the threatened conflict
between the Federal and Territorial au-
thorities.
On motion of Mr.. Bingham the mes
sage was referred to the Judiciary Com
mittee, which has already under consid-
Grafton bill on the subject.
On motion of Mr.. Braxton the bill
passed removing political disabilities
Of NTSro-fr,5, 70
iarly known as Extra Billy.n
The House then resumed the bill for
the distribution of the Geneva award.
Mr.. Peters spoke in favor of the amend
ment to make the interest date back to
actual losses, except in case OF insurance
companies, which are to be allowed
interest only from the date of award.
The bill was further advocated by Mr.
Hale and Mr.. Frye. The latter, while
commenting that provision which refers
claimants to courts in their districts
instead of a tribunal to sit in Washing
ton, as proposed in the Senate bill, said
that he was q member of the Commit
tee on Claims, and knew how claimants
were robbed in the den of thieves out
side of Congress by men who watched
them at every corner, and demanded
pay for influence which they professed
to have with members of Congress. He
did not want claimants from his dis
trict to be sent to Washington,
where they would first have to
pay the claim-agent twenty-five per
cent, then pay hundreds of thousands of
dollars TO the claim-agent. As to the
CLAIMS of the insurance companies, they
were entitled, not to money or equity,
but to the law and the bond, and moth
ing but the bond. These insurance
companies had never shown any m, r5y
to the owners of vessels. They had
used their power without mercy, and
should not now come to Congress plead
ing for equity and mercy. They had
made profit of two million dollars on
their war-risks, and there was no equity
in allowing them additional profits.
Mr.. Lynch also supported the bill
with some reservations. He argued
that war risks on cagoes should be made
not to owners of cargoes, but to owners
Of vessels.
Mr.. Myers (Pennsylvania) argued in
favor of the right of insurance compa-
nies to a share in the distribution of the
award.
Mr.. Beck denied that any part of the
money could be paid to make good any
other losses than those inflicted by the
Alabama, Florida and Shenandoah, be-
cause it was for these losses that England
paid money. As to insurance COM
panies, he saw no means of escaping
from the conclusion that they should be
subrogated to the rights of the insured,
but if the courts should find any way
to get clear of that, he should be very
glad. He saw none of the money
could be kept in the Treasury.
He would rather see il sunk
in the ocean than to have it said that
the United States Government had re-
eeived money to pay for damages for
which Great Britain was responsible
and had then paid it for other purposes.
The good faith of the Government was
worth more than all the money. When
the courts had determined the question
the world would be satisfied.
Mr.. Kerr also opposed the bill. He
was not willing to follow his prejudices
or dislikes toward the wealthy
corporations of the country; that
he had entered upon the investi-
CATION of the subject with the settled
and deliberate determination, if possi-
| BILE, on correct, honest grounds, to de-
eide against those corporations, and to
decide in favor of other classes of citi-
zens and of the Treasury; but he would
not do such violence to his Judgment
and conscience as TO give money which
would in his judgment violate settled,
recognized and honorable principles of
law. There was an element of cupidity
! in the bill, and he argued that it should
not be, in its present form, passed. He
greatly preferred the proposition of the
gentleman from Vermont Senator Po-
land, to submit the distribution to the
courts.
Mr.. Voorhees,, a member of the COM
mittee, supported the bill, and replied
TO the arguments of Messrs. Beck and
Kerr. There was in these arguments,
he said, an element of respect to Eng
! land, as well as of respect to the insu-
rance companies. According to them,
the insurance companies must be looked
to with awe; if not, then England must
be looked to with respect. Awe, be-
cause that Government would hold
the United States responsible for not
applying the money paid in the way
| it was intended to be paid. A more de-
grading idea had never entered into the
consideration in regard TO the foreign
policy of this country. The distribution
OF this money was tne business OF the
Americ an Government. a more shame
less and degrading idea had never been
advanced in the House of Representa-
tives as that a foreign power should fol-
low here to tell the Government of the
United States what it should do with its
own people and its own funds. 1t was
not only absurd, but it had to be refuted
by instructions to American agents
at Geneva, not to be committed to any
thing required at their hands by Eng
land, as to what should be done with
single dollar OF money. Whenever he
could see his way plain, in setting up
the dreadful results of the dreadful war,
by standing up against the further ac-
cessions of enormous wealth, against
further speculation on the side Of al
ready bIoated fortunes, and on the side
OF the equities Of the poor, who were not