New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-12
BY TELEG GRAPH.
CONGRESS.
Senate.

Senate.
WASHINGTON. December n-Mr. Car
penter elected President pro TEN. The vote
tor President pro tenn. was, Mr. Carpenter
y, Mr. Thurman l6, blank 9
Mr.. Gordon, of Georgia, introduced bill
to repeal that section of the bill Of March g.
1873, forbidding free transmission OF
periodicals., magazines and newspapers
through the United States mails. and
restoring that privilege. Referred to the
Committee on Postoffice and Post Roads.
The Committee on Transportation to the
seaboard, have authority to hold sessions
during the recess, where they please, with
power to send for persons and papers
The bill removing the political disabili-
ties of Charles s. Bocock, of Virginia, and
John II. Reagan, OF Texas, and others was
passed. Senate adjourned.
Note-This is not the general amnesty
bill which passed the House.
Senator Gordon submitted the following
resolution, which he said he would call up
tomorrow:
WHEREAS, The abolition of the franking
privilege was intended to economize the
expenditures of the governments; and
Whereas, Its abolition prevents the gen.
eral distribution to the people of improved
field and garden seeds, thus defeating in a
measure the benefits which otherwise would
accrue to the agriculture of the country
from the establishment of the agricultural
bureau, and also discourages the distribu.
ton OF public documents, which afford i'm
portant information and are an education
Of the people; and
Whereas, To compensate the people for
these losses there should be an important
reduction of the expenditures in the postal
services Of t1e government; therefore,
Resolced, That the Postm aster General be
requested to report. for the information of
the Senate, what amount of expense, if any,
has been saved the government by the abo-
lition of the fraDking privilege; second,
how many employees in the mail service, if
any, have been discharged, and how much
less, if anything, is charged by railroads
and other carriers for the mail since the
abolition of the franking privilege; third,
how much less appropriation will be re-
quired for the postal service by reason OF
the abolition of the privilege
Mr.. Howe's bill on the subject of liquor
traffic provides for the appointment by the
President, with the consent of the Senate,
of five commissioners to investigate the al
coholic liquor traffic in its economic, GRIM
inal, moral and scientific aspects in connec-
ton with pauperism, crime, social vice, the
public health and the general welfare of the
people, and who shall also inquire
and take testimony as to the prac-
tical results of license, restrictive and
prohibitory legislation for the prevention of
intemperance in the several States of the
Union. The commissioners are to be ap-
pointed from civil life, irrespective Of politi-
cal or partisan considerations, all to hold
office for one year, serve without salary or
other compensation except the payment OF
incidental expenses, and are to make their
report to the President, by whom it shall be
transmitted to Congress.
A survey for ship canal between Lake
Michigan and the Wabash river, has been
ordered. The elections committee has
been instructed to examine and report the
best and most practicable method of elect
ing the President and Vice President, and
providing tribunal to adjust and decide
all contested questions Herewith.
A resolution passed asking the Postmas-
ter General the number of men required
for postal savings banks and government
telegraphs, when in full operation.
The salary bill was resumed without
definite action.
Mr. Alexander H. Stevens, of Georgia,
was the next speaker. He got on his
feet with difficulty, and not without assist
ance; then he supported himself with a
crutch under his left arm. He spoke with a
clear, ringing voice, which was distinctly
audible in every part OF the chamber, ex-
cept when he dropped his tones, as he did
very frequently at the close OF sentences.
His manner was nervous and rapid, and
his remarks very digressive, many Of his
sentences being left uncompleted. He was
listened to with the closest interest and at.
tention by members, officers and audience.
He commenced by saying he would examine
ho hof hn sv, -,
its moral, and then in it's political aspect.
He spoke of the comments of the public
press on the subject. He would
say nothing in deterioration of the
power or usefulness Of the press,
The position Of journalist in this country
was one of the highest. The fourth estate
did in this age control public sentiment, but
he would, in all earnestness, 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 the truth and correct
ness in 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 repre-
sented the raid ON the treasury very much
like the charge of the six hundred at Bala-
klava. He had thought the wit of the rep
resentation more appropriate than the wis
dom. The gentleman from New York (Mr.
Tremain) had spoken yesterday OF dema-
goguism.
He (Stephens) maintained that there could
be no craftsmanship without it. There
never had been a statesman who was not a
demagogue. The word originally meant a
gogue. There were two kinds of dema
gogues-the sham and the genuine. The
genuine demagogue was the man who led
the people-who guided the people; the
sham demagOgue pandered to the errors
and prejudices of the people.
The real statesman was the physician of
humanity. The sham demagogue simply
courted favors in order to get Office and the
spoils of office. He considered Chatham as
the true, the genuine demagogue; and re-
lated an anecdote to the effect that when
the Congress was proposing to the English
Cabinet a new measure Of taxation, in
one member of the Cabinet, and asked for
him by name.
The answer was that it made no differ
ence whether that member was present or
not because he was fool. "That is the
very reason said Chatham, "that want
him here; because the way he thinks about
this thing Is the way that the majority of
the people of England may think about it,
and | want to know the sentiment of the
public" He wanted to know it, not to
Dander to it, but that he might go before
he people and raise them to a sentiment of
The necessity and propriety of the measure.
Recurring to tte consideration of the in.
creased salary bin, Mr.. Stephens said that
10 was very glad to say that that was
measure for which neither political party
was reponsible. His opinion was that the
Democrats, in the proportion of their votes
n Congress, were quite as responsible as
he Republican party.
The gentleman from New York (Mr. Tre-
nainl had admitted yesterday that under
he constitution every Congress had right
% fix it's own compensation. 1t had done
70 from the beginning of the government
It had frequently increased the compensa-