Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-06-07
CONGRESSIONAL.
The Senate Not In SessiOn--PrOceedIngs
Of the House Of Representatives.
The Salaries Of Official RepOrters-Fhe
Mails-Expenses Of the Depart
msnt OF Justiee-Etc.

WASHINGTON, June GA number oi
bills, considered yesterday In commit
tee of the whole, were takeL up and
passed; also a bill before the house
Al adjournment last night for the sale OF
the Kansas Indian lands. The house,
also, on motion of Mr.. Wells, passed a
bill removing the political disabilities of
George S. SehryOck, of st. Louis, and
then proceeded to the consideration OF
the senate amendments to the defcien-
cy bill.
The President has signed the West
Point military academy and naval ap-
preparation bills.
A long discussion resulted on the item
in regard to official reporters. Mr.. Hol-
man made speech In favor OF econo-
my aud against the salaries fixed for the
reporters, arraigning the Republican
party for extra vigilance in raising sal
aries.
Mr.. Garfield replied that Mr.. Holman
must have extraordinary cheek to make
such a charge in the face of the fact that
this deficiency bill appropriates only
| three millions as agains. eleven millions
| last year; and against an amount three
or four times land in one instance seven
times) a. great as in previous years; and
| in fact of reduction of expenses to the
I
amount Of thirty million dollars.
Mr.. Holman again got the floor in con-
nection with another item, and read
lesson to his own side of the house for
its apathy, and for its willingness to vote
with the majority in all questions Of ex-
trs vagaries. The discussion having
drifted into a reference TO the river and
harbor appropriation bill.
Mr.. COnger reminded Mr.. Holman
that the biggest item in that bill was
one million two hundred and fifty thou |
sand dollars to pay an old debt on the |
Louisville and Portland canal, and that |
Mr.. Holman, because the matter inter-
ested his own State and district, had |
worked for that item, and had importun-
ed the members to support it.
Mr.. Cox followed with a characteristic /
speech, and at last the discussion was
closed, and the various amendments
were disposed of, and a conference COM
mittee ordered.
The house then took up the bill re-
ported from the com mittee on the Mis-
sissippi levees, providing for a commits
sion of engineers, which was passed, af-
ter the substitute offered by Mr.. Willard
[Vt. had been rejected.
Mr.. Cannon, from the pOstoffice COM
ment of postage on printed matter.
After a speech by MIR. Cannon in expla-
nation and advocacy of the bill, he
moved the previous question, which cut
off all amendments and debate. The
bill was then passed-yeas los, nays 73.
Mr.. Packer Pa. from the pOstoffice
committee, reported a bill to prevent
what are termed "straw bids" for carry
ing the mails. He also reported a bill
for adjusting the salaries OF postmasters,
and it fixes the salary Of the New York
postmaster at six thousand dJllars, and
dividea all others Into four classes:
Those whose salaries are not more than
four thousand dollars nor less than three
thousand; not more than three thousand
nor less than two thousand; not more
than two thousand nor less than one
thousand; and those whose annual COM
pensation is less than one thousand dol
lars. POstmasteTs of the first three
classes are TO be appointed OF removed !
with the consent of the senate; those of |
the fourth class are to he appointed or
by the postmsster-general. {
The bill was passed.
Nj. Senor, from the committee on ex- /
in the department of justice,
made report in regard to the expenses,
and general management
Of the west judicial DISTRICT of Arkansas ;
since its reorganization in 1871. The
testin.o .ony taken covers three hundred
printed pages. The committee finds
that the expenditures have heen extraor-
iinarily large, and are not, in all cases,
by appropriate vouchers. For
the year ending June 80, 1871, the dis !
Dursements Of Marshal VIM. A. Britton
were $l37, ,958; next year, Logan A.
Roots being marshal, they reached the
figure of 1921 ,653; and :
next year, Bfitton being made marshal !
or most OF the terra, they fell to .. .
s264, ,447, making a total of S724, ,059 for l
.hree years; or, including payments to
Jerks, district sttorneys and cOnmis-
ioners, about three quarters Of mil = =
ion of dollars. The committee had not !
,een able to discover any sufti- Z
.ient explanation for those very
arge expenditures, and agreed that
here was a most lsmentable state of 6
noFals among the court officials in that 8
district. AS 60 the Judge OF the district, t
Fm. Story, the committee says that
he records Of his court show that parties b
ave been bailed after conviction for a
apital offences, and while awaiting SEN
ence, and while motions were pending c
or new tEiais, Bhieh we're never acted 4
n; that notwithstanding the require I
nent of the law that he shall examine
nd approve accounts current of the .
aarehRl before allowing the same, he N
as signed, at least IN dne INSTANCE, Il
lank account current, which was filled
p by the marshal for $50 600, the same RI
eing allowed and paid at the treasury a
lis explanation beiOle the committee is la
haTgcteriEed as lame, disconnected, and
nsatisfac69ry. The Judgment OF the
Ommittee Is that the great measure of
efOrm needed for the western dis
rict of Arkansas is the abolition ~
( the district itself and its annexation
D the eaatsfn district, ~ that there
hall be but one district and one Judge
u the territory now embraced in both
istricts, and in order TO form 8 iudg-
lent as to the expenditures the COM n
littee, contrasts themiwith the judicial v
expenses of the whole State before the al
,ar, which were, 10 1855, S25, 600; in Il
359, Si9, 600, and in 1850, only Sl6, 600 oi
he committee reported that with the Ie
bOlition of the district, and such legis- OF
.tion as they recommend for the proper d,
recordstion and transmits In
on OF the acts, in the other judicial dis II
lets of the United States every door to pC
aud will be closed, aud the administra- ss
on of justice can be more successfully sa
aintained in the territory now COM hi
Using the western district than at III
esent. They therefore unhesitatingly of
the abolishment of the west th
n district, and the annexation of its al
rritoTy and transfer Of its business to ti'
@ eastern district; and that the whole th
strict as thus reformed shall be known gs
Id called the district of Arkansas, with IN
e Judge, one district attorney and one in
srsh8l. The house soon afterwsrd pc
journed. to
th
FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDY. de
re
Il