Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-05-06
CONVERSATIONAL PROUEEDIsGs.

The senate discussed the question of
increasing the appropriation for the relief
of the sufferers by the overflow Of the
lower Mississippi and tributaries, during
which Senator Alcorn warned the SEN
ate against improper appropriation OF
the funds of the government, and direct
ed attention TO the publication OF a
telegram in the Washington papers yes
terday msrning stating that the negroes
around Memphis refused work, alleging
that the government would clothe and
feed them. Senator AlcOrn was also
very severe upon the management of the
levee system in Mississippi and Louisi-
ana, stating that since the war the
former State had expended ten million
and the latter twelve million dollars
upon the levees, when five million dol
lars properly applied would have secured
for both States ample protection from
the highest overfiows. He urged that
the levee system should be taken charge
of by the government, and placed under
the direction Of the secretary Of war,
etc. During the senator's reflections
upon the management Of the
Ievee system in Mississippi,
senator asked who was president Of the
board of levee commissioners in Missis-
sippi. TO which Senator Alcorn replied
promptly, an. F. AlcOrn, my sou, and
stated that his son had accepted the po-
sition to prevent fraud in its maEage-
ment, and charged that Governor Ames
had removed honest men from positions
on the levee board, and placed men in
their stead who had been guilty Of de-
frsuding the government, thus laying the
charges Of mismanagement of the levee
system al the governors door. During
the discussion the old story of recon-
struction, and the traditional ironclad
oath, were resurrected. The bill was re-
committed. In the house, the centen-
nial appropriation was up, and during
its performance, our Butler Tenn took
a bold stand in favor of the three-mil-
lion-dollars appropriation. He did not
get far into his peroration on the merits
of the centennial show, when men,
ber referred to the fact that Mr..
E.utler, as q southern representative,
favored three millions for the show, and
opposed the donation OF more than the
pittaDce Of ninety thousand dollars for
the relief Of the sufferers by the overflow
/. DrrH1 hot
ninety thousand dollars was all chat was
asked, and il was sufficient. 1t was
suggested in an audible whisper that Mr..
Butler lived in the mountains of Tennes-
see. The discussion on the bill was ex-
tended but resulted in nothing definite.
The session of the house was adjourned
to seven O'Clock in the evening for the
consideration of the appropriation bill.
The senate finance committee yesteT-
day took further action IOn the house
currency bill, and by majority agreed
to recommend the incorporation in it
OF the following provisions: "The
maximum greenback circulation 10 be
three hundred and eighty-twO million
dollars; new national bank notes be is
sued to the amount Of one hundred and
sixty-four million dollars; provided,
that for each million of such new notes
issued there shall be five hundred thou
sand dollars Of greenbaeks retired until
the greenback circulation shall have /.
been reduced to three million dollars"
The committee voted to fix January l,
1877, as the date at which specie pay I
ment should be resumed, but did not ar
rive at a conclusion as to what system
should be employed for that purpose,
whether Of interchangeable bonds OF by
means of any other plans proposed.