Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-04-14
EVENING STAR.
CO1'GRESSfOr.SL
Cssciu.is. Yesterday Prsoessi~<
sENArE.-After our report cloeed


sENArE.-After our report clossd-
Mr. Carpenter asked that the senate make
The Louisiana bill the special order for % .Say
on which . long debate ensued, after which
conservation Of the territorial railroad bin
MI hAser offered . substitute, giving 20 the
.se stature OF any stste hereafter % be formed
me s,e sAne poser over any railroad constitstea
road corporation OF its own creation. Axrecd
., MT; Pratt moved an amendment. making the
s,ockholders OF the railroads ind viduaIly 1.hle
70 an amount equal 20 the amount OF the stooS
heia by them. Agreed to-yeAs d, nays "a.
, MI hamses moved an amendment that tels-
transportation furnished for the goyerumeut Al
prices not exceeding those paid Sy private par
The bill having been considered In comm,t,.s
of the Whole was reported 90 the Senate.
Mr.. Conk''ng moved - . substitute for tAe
liability" amendment of Mr.. Pratt, witch
had been adopted in committee, that each -tocs
holder In companies formed under tbs act
shall be liable fOr ell the debts OF said corpora
amount equal to the par value VI his stock.
fhe bin Was then passed-yeas %, nays IT,
The Senate then, on motion OF Mr.. sherman.
went TITO executive session, and then al.
journed, the Senate having nrst cOncurred In
the House amendment 60 the bill authors inx
amendment provides that they shall have pre-
viously resided six months In the United States.
HOUSE.-After our report closed
MT Hays offered joint resolution authorlE-
lrg the Commissioner OF Agriculture % send
free through the mails all seeds, cuttings aud
plants 10 any citizen of the nited States, and
moved 20 suspend the rules % pass IL
The vote was-yeas lac, NAYS ~. Two third
was lost.
ON motion Of Mr.. LOughridge, A was made An
order, pending the consideration OF the Indian
appropriation bill, 70 offer AMENDING pre-
hibiting any agent or officer OF the United
States from making any contracts vhateyer
with Indian tribes, and also an amendment 70
abolish the office Of superintendent Of Indian
affairs I'm certain territories.
THE DISTRICT POLICE COURT.
Mr.. Wilson (Ind.) asked leave 20 offer A reso-
luton directing the Committee on the Juiict-
airy TO inquire II the Police Court OF the District
OF Columbia has, under the authority OF the act
establishing said court, the power 20 try persons
for libel and other misdemesnors without a
jury and II any portion OF said act Is CONTRA
yention OF the Constitution OF the United States,
and that said committee report q bill 70 grant
trial by jury In said court.
Mr.. Butler Mass objected.
MAIL CONTRACTe.
Mr.. Stone MOI asked leave 20 offer q pre-
smble and resolution reciting that AZ WAS al
legged that gross abuses and irregularities In the
matter OF mail contracts exist In the Post Offics
department, a. will appear by examination OF
Executive Document No s. OF the Forty-secOnd
Congress. The preamble then recited q large
number OF contracts on different routes, In
which II was alleged that many Of the bids were
of the class known ~ straw bids; that the orig
that they were subseq uently awarded At an ad-
yAnced rate Of many thousands Of dollars.
Among other parties who thus got the contracts
at advanced rates was man named Sawyer, OF
the District OF Columbia, for q large number of
routes, principally on the Pacific coast; and the
preamble concludes with q resolution directing
the Committee on Post Offices and Post ROADS
20 make q thorough examination of the Oper-
atiOns Of the Post Office department, and make
full report of the investigation, and also to
submit the testimony In the case; that the COM
have tO nd ma
openly.
interrupted by Messrs. Packer, Page, StOwell,
and others.
Mr.. Hale Me- objected to It on the ground
that IL was in the nature Of debate, and that
debate was not permissible on motion % sus-
pend the rules.
Mr.. Luttrell said they were all facts, and were
The Speaker said be thought the preamble
was IN an extraordinary form, but he had no
disposition 10 stop the reading.
Mr.. Randall said this was an extraordinary
Mr.. Stowell said the subject was already
before the Post ONCE Committee, and there Was
no necessity OF bringing IL in here.
The HOuse then, by a vote of s. nays 70 %
yeas, refused to second the demand for the pre-
NiOus question.
Mr.. stOwell repeated that the subject was now
before the committee, and that all gentlemen
who desired u should have an opportunity 70 be
heard On the charges.
MIR. Beck said he hoped the Clerk would re-
cord the fact that all the democrats had voted
in the Affirmative, and all the republicans had
voted in the -Iegstive.
Mr.. Packer, chairman of the Post Office Com
mittee, said he had no objection TO the adoption
Of the resolution without the preamble, aud
after goc deal of confusion aud excitement
the resolution was declared adopted.
MI. Luttrell asked 70 have the preamble and
resolution printed.
The Speaker said the gentieman's colleague
objected.
Mr. Luttrell-what gentleman from Cslifor-
mia objects?
Mr.. Page said he objected.
A long and acrimonious discussion enSusd,
after which the House adjourned.