Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-18

tion was referred to the Committee on Mil
itary Affairs, with leave to report at any
time,
Private business vs.. Public.
The subject of the precedence of business
drew remark from the Speaker that more
time had been devoted to private bills this
session than at any session for fifteen years
past, and he suggested that the rule of set
ting Friday and Saturday of each week for
private bills ought to be changed, as the
practical effect Of il was to take two-fifths
OF the time OF the House from public busi-
I.es5 and give it to private business.
Mr.. Dawes asked leave to offer a resolu-
tion setting apart Saturday only for private
business until otherwise ordered.
Mr.. Randall objected unless the resolu-
tion was referred to the Committee on
Rules.
The upshot of the discussion was that
the House refused to 60 either into Com
mittee of the Whole on the private calendar
or Committee Of the Whole on the state of
the Union, and instead proceeded to the
business of the morning hour, which was
the call of committees for reports of a pri-
vate character.
The House having refused to go into the
committee of the whele on the private cal
lendar, went into committee OF
The whole on. the state OF the
Union, Mr. Woodford in the chair on the
Legislative Executive and Judicial Appro-
priation bill, the question being on the
amendment offered by Mr.. Butter of Massa-
chusetts, that after the March, 1875, the
publication of the laws in newspapers shall
not cease
The Chair ruled the amendment out of
order, from which ruling Mr.. Butler ap-
pealed and the ruling was sustained.
.Franking.
The item appropriating $4,000 for pos
tage stamps fer the State Department, re-
opened the subject of franking.
Mr.. Butler of Massachusetts proposed
TO appropriate only $1,000 for furnishing
postage stamps at the cost Of manufacture,
and Mr.. Ward proposed to have official
documents sent Though mails free.
Mr.. Garfield opposed both propositions
and advocated the propriety Of each depart
ment paying its own postage.
Mr.. Butler stated that the PoStOtfice De-
partment had portion OF its business esr-
ried through the mails free, and Mr..
Dawes cOrroborated that statement, by the
assertion that large boxes of postal cards
were sent every day from Springfield, Mass
sachusetts, TO all parts Of the country free
through the mails.
Mr.. Willard, of Vermont, offered an
amendment to make the item read ''for fur
nishing official postage stampst to an amount
not exceeding $4,000"
Mr.. Garfield appealed to the committee
either to restore thefranking privilege OPEN
ly and squarely or else to take the opposite
course and let the Postoffice Department
sell its stamps to all eomers at their face
value,
After considerable discussion Mr.. vii
lard's amendment was adopted.
Treasury Extravagance.
A long discussion occurred in reference
10 the clerical force III the Treasury De.
partment, Mr.. Garfield making an elabo-
rate explanation of the bill in that respect,
and Mr.. Beck attacking the administration
for extravaganza in its conduct Of the pub
lie business.
Mr. Ward suggested an amendment, pro-
Tiding that no more should be given to
male employees than to female employees,
for like service; while Mr.. Niblack sug-
gested that female employees should be
classified as other clerks.
All that was accomplished after a long
discussion was a reduction of the salary of
the chief clerk and seven other principal
clerks of the Treasury Department from
5000 to $1,000.
The committee then, after getting
through one page of the bill, rose, and the
House adjourned.