Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-02-19

for murder shall be Imprisonment for life.
Mr.. Frye declined, and the bill was
passed.
Mr.. Frye, from the same committee, report
ed a bill makingthe punishment ofextortion
by officers on persons acting under authOri
ty Of the United States, fine not exceed
ing $500 and Imprisonment not exceeding
three years. Passed.
Also, bill providing that no person shall
be prosecuted, tried or punished in any
United States court for any offence not
capital, or for any fine or forfeiture under
any penal statue unless indicted or in
formation shall be found or instituted
within five years, except in cases Of persons
fleeing from justice. Passed.
Also bin providing that where an oc-
cupant of public land having color Of
title, has made valuable Improvements
thereon, and his title is found afterwards
not to be good, he shall be entitled,to all
rights and remedies as provided in such
cases IN their respective State or territory.
Passed.
For the Benefit of Howard:
Frye also reported bill providing that
in the trial of all indictments, informations,
complaints or other proceedings in United
States courts the person charged shall, at his
own requent, but not otherwise, be COM
petent witness, the law to apply to all pros
ecutions now pending.
On motion GOOch the bill was made to
apply to court martial and courts of in
quiry.
After discussion the bill was passed.
Alcoholic.
Mr.. Poland, from the judiciary Com
mi.tee, reported bill to provide for acom-
mission on the subject of the alcoholic
liquor traffic, the committee 10 consist of
| five persons, who are TO serve without pay
for two years, but to be allowed all neces-
sary incidental expenses, and Secretary at
$1,000 a year. Referred TO Committee of
the Whole.
Also bill to provide for deducting all
debt due the United States from any judg-
ment against the United States by such
debtor. Passed.
Mr.. Butler Of Massachusetts,, from the
same Committee, made an adverse report
on the memorial for an acknowledgement
of Almighty God and the Christian reli-
gion in the Constitution Of the United
States. Laid on the table.
Renewing the Frankins Privilege un-
der a New Form.
The bill reported by the POst-Office Com
mittee in regard to the distribution of pub
lie documents. came up as the special order
and Mr.. WOOdford raised the question OF
consideration, remarking that he wanted to
have action on the subject of the S44,0O0,-
900 reserve, and that it was a question of
public printing on one side, and national
finances on the other.
The House decided by a very decided
majority to proceed with the bill to provide
for the distribution of documents printed
| by authority of Congress, and seeds furn-
ished by agricultural department, exchanges
between publishers, and the free transmits
siou of weekly newspapers by mail within
the county where published.
Nh. Hale of New ork, asked Mr.. Pack
or who reported the bill to allow him to Of
fer substitute, repeating the law which
abolished the frankling privilege.
Mr.. Packer declined.
Mr.. Garfield raised the point Of order
whether the bill should not be first cOnsid-
cred in Committee of the Whole, for il
certainly involved an expenditure Of
money.
The Speaker replied that the point would
have been good had not the House by a
suspension Of the rules oyeTuled that
point.
Mr.. Packer went on to speak in support
of the bill. He stated that there were now
| in the document rooms of the House and
| Senate some 100000 volumes of valuable
public documents ready and folded for
| transportation, besides pamphlets. The
postage on the books and documents would
be about $4,000, but if not distributed
free through the mails, they would be sent
by express. The bill only applied to Con-
sFess the same principle under which the va
riOus Executive documents were ROW al
| lowed postage, by l.aying special stamps
| furnished them, and which We're
| furnished up to September :, 1873, to a
| nominal value Of Sl.990,47S. In the
| Treasury department the special stamp,
were furnished to GIS persons all over The
country, and he thought it safe to say that
they were Usued by
Ten Times that Number.
Mr.. Parson asked Mr.. Packard whether
there had been any addition of expense in
| the transportation Ofthe mails since the alb
olition Of the franking privilege.
| Mr. Packard said lie believed not.
| Mr.. KaSsOn explained that new contracts
| for the transportation Of mails had been
made since that time.
Mr.. Packard said the cost of mail trans
pOrtation preceding the abolishing Of the
/ franking privilege was nearly two millions
| less than the estimated expenses for the
current year, and nearly three millions less
than the estimate for the next fiscal year,
Some thought the increase was attributable
to the extension Of the postal routes, but il
was clear that nothing had been saved by
the adoption II the ffanking privilege.
| Mr.. Shannon, 4 member Of the POStOfice
| Committee, addressed the House in advO-
cacy of the bill. He believed its provisions
were right, and believing so, be had back
bone enough to advocate it at the risk Of
incurring newspaper criticism. He had
been informed that iiye-siXths of the mail
matter of the country consisted of newspa-
pers and periodicals.
| Without action the House took a recess
to T:30-the evening session to be for the
consideration Of tie bill to revise the
! statutes.
PHILADELPHIA