Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-04
Mississippi River,

Mississippi River,
if it could be shown that such canal would
stand, but he would not vote one million
for it till it could be shown by competent
engineers that the plan was feasible one.
He referred to the bill introduced by him.
self some time ago for Congress to charter
a company to construct a railroad from the
East to the West. He hoped that before
adjournment the bill would be passed.
Pending discussion the Senate went into
executive session and soon after adjourned.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, d. c., June 3.-Mr. Orth,
chairman of the Committee on Foreign AT
fairs, reported joint resolution providing
for the termination of the treaty of 1858
between the United States and Belgium,
which proves detrimental TO American COM
merce. Passed.
The Army Bill.
Mr.. Wheeler, from the Committee on
| Appropriations, reported back the Senate
amendments to the army appropriation bill,
and the House proceeded TO take action
thereon. The first amendment was to add
a provision limiting the number of enlisted
men to 25,00O, with the words, "including
Indian scouts" was cOncurTed in, with an
addition that the provision shall not be
| construed to diminish the Signal Service
Corps, and that the Signal Corps shall be
maintained, as now organized, under the
authority of the Secretary of War.
The next important amendment was to |
insert in the paragraph which forbids the |
payment of money for transportation to rail- |
roads which received grants on condition |
that they should be a public highway for |
the use Of the Government, free from toll |
or other charge, the words cor upon any |
conditions for the use of such roads," the |
object being to avoid any technical limita- |
ton that might be put on the definition. |
The amendment was concuned in withOHt |
objection.
All the amendments affecting decisions |
by the various Bureaus of the War Depart |
ment of claims for Quartermasters' stores, |
] ETC., were not concurred in.
The bill was then sent to a conference |
committee.
Mr.. Hale, of Maine, presented the con-
ference report on the navy appropriation
bill. Agreed to.
On motion of Mr.. Rusk, the Senate |
amendments to the House bill to amend |
| the pension acts and increase the pensions |
| of totally disabled men, was taken from |
the Speakers table and sent 10 committee |
of reference.
Southern Claims.
Mr.. Lawrence, from the Committee Oh |
War Claims, reported bill extending to |
the Sd Of March, 1915, the time for pre-
sentin. petitions forithe allowance of claims |
| 10 the Commissioners of Claims in all cases |
where a sufficient reason is shown for their |
non-preSentatiOn within the time prescrib- |
al nv lou ffar a in so-, 4
| of the bill by Mr.. Lawrence, an amendment
offered by him for the appointment of two
| additional commissioners, was adopted.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Cobb, Of |
North Carolina, TO allow claims for build |
| ingS and grounds occupied by the army or |
navy in the Southern States was rejected
Yeas Ill, nays Ill.
Another amendment offered by Mr.. Cobb, |
of North Carolina, providing that submis,,
sion to the &c iacto authority OF a State in |
rebellion, or sersice in the enrolled militia,
or in the Confederate army shall not be re-
garded as conclusive proof of dislOyalty.
Lost.
Mr.. Maynard moved to lay the bill on
the table. Lost-Yeas IS, nays 1873.
Mr.. Maynard then moved to recommit
the bill to the Committee on War Claims |
Agreed to and the bill was recommitted.
Opposed to Reciprocity.
Mr.. Kelley asked leave to offer the fol- |
lowing:
Whereas, by section Z, article l, of the
Constitution, it is provided that all bills
for raising revenue shall originate in the
| House Of Representatives, and by section |
of said article it is further provided that
Congress shall have power to lay and col
lect taxes, duties, impOsts and excuses, and
to regulate commerce with foreign nations;
| therefore, be it
Resolved, that the President Of the |
United States be, and he is hereby, re-
quested to inform this House whether the |
Executive Department Of the Government |
is at this time engaged in considering the |
terms of a treaty by which commerce be-
tween the United States and the British |
Provinces of North America is to be regUI-
lated, and by which Congress will be de- |
prived of its constitutional right to control |
the important subjects thus specially con
fided to it by the express terms of the Con- |
stitution.
Mr.. Cox objected, saying that the resOlu- |
tion was
A Reflection on the Administration,
and that he would rather encourage the |
Administration in this matter. He wanted |
reciprocity.
The resolution was not received.
Ead's Jetties.
Mr.. Hurlbut, from the Committee on |
Railways and Canals, called up the bill for 1
the improvement of the mouth of the Mis-
sisSippi river, and proceeded to explain and |
advocate it. The bill authorizes James b.
Fades and associates to proceed in the
work of deepening the channel of one of
the outlets or passes of the Mississippi |
river into the Gulf of Mexico, to be selected |
by himself, by permanent jetties, etc.-the
privileges of the bill to be revoked unless
within 80 months three feet is secured, and
they may subsequently, be revoked unless
two additional feet of water is secured each
year until 26 feet are secured, and two adj
ditional feet within two years thereafter,
when a channel of % feet in depth can be
maintained with clear surface-the width
to be not less than 600 feet, so that ships
drawing % feet can be safely navigated,
and so two ships can pass each other in
safety. The Government is to pay to Fades
or his legal representatives S2,O0O,000, and
for each additional depth of two feet an adj
ditional million dollars. The whole sum
is not to exceed S5,0O0,000. Commission
eIs are to be appointed by the President to
examine the work, and the payments are
to be made on their report, and when they
report that channel of % feet has been
permanently established, an additional six
millions of dollars is TO be paid at yearly
intervals.
Mr.. McCTary, chairman of the commit
tee, opposed the bill in that for-l, as being
too much like the SanbOrn contracts, and
contended that the engineering problems
should be studied and solved by the United
States Engineer Corps, and that whatever
work may be decided upon, shall be exc
cuted directly by the Government.
At the close of McCrary's speech the
House took recess, the evening session
to be for debate only.