The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-03-21
FOrtj Third COngress-First Session.
SENATE.

clfic Mail Steamship Company were presented
and referred; also resolutions of the same Leg
lslature instructng California congressman to
use their influence to have the Chinese treaty
modified so as to discourage Chinese emigra-
| ton to California.
| Mr.. Hagar supported the latter in short
| speech
bill relieving Dabney H. Maury of polit
caldlsabi.ities wac referred.
Tbe bill granting aid to the Atlantic and
| Great Western Canal was reported on adverse
| ~ aud the Public Lands Committee were dis
charged from its further consideration.
r ne Dill increasing the pension of the widow
| Committee
Inc pill equalizing the circulation of Nation
al Danks was agreed upon as a special order
for next Monday.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the
appropriation bill, the pending question being
an amendment comforting jurisdiction upon
court OF claims; to hear all claims arising from
the late rebellion and abolishing the Southern
Claims Commission.
ment be laid on the table, which was agreed to.
Inc Dill having been considered as in Commit
zee or the Whole, was reported to the Senate
and the amendment of the committee was
agreed to-
The bill being before the Senate for further
amendment, Mr.. Merrimon moved to strike
out the appropriation of $4,000 for the preser-
vation OF clothing and equipage from moth and
lmalldew, and insert $4,000. Lost yeas II, nays
The same gentleman moved an amendment
authorizing the Secretary of War to sell the
clothing and supplies on hand not actually re
quiied for the use of the army, and the gross
proceeds of such sale to be paid into the
treasury.
Mr.. West explained it had been law for sew
eral years to allow supplies to he kept on hand,
Tor instance, the supply of cloth was kept on
hand and issued for clothing as needed. The
9mandmQnf W. C1ocf
Mr.. Hamilton of Texas moved to strike out
the proviso in the section appropriating $780,
900 for any contingencies, declaring none of the
money so appropriated should be expended d.
rectly or indirectly for any use not strictly ne
cessary
Mr.. Logan moved to strka out..the provision
in the section appropriating 100000 for the ex-
penses of recruiting and transportation of re-
eruits, declaring that no money appropriated
by the act should be paid for recruiting the
army beyong the number of $4,000 enlisted
men, including the Indian scouts. Mr.. Logan
said that any attempt to rednce the number of
soldiers would indirectly dsorsanize the army.
1t was not proposed to reduce the number Of
did not create a great expense 1t was the
transportation of army ordnance, stores, the
pay of officers, etc, and not the mere pittance
paid the soldiers. Congress sometimes got in
an economical humor and made grand raid on
some department., discharge about rs clerks
and then thought it had done something won
wonderful. In week or two afterwards the
employment of double the number of Temporal
ry clerks was authorized in some department,
and that was called economy.
Mr.. West said that over 100000 were
saved by this bill and an army Of $4,000 was
large enough
Mr.. Carpenter said he would support the
amendment; 1t was well known the most
vicious kind of legislation was that of crafty
ing general legislation on appropriation bills.
Besides, the Committee on Appropriations
had no authority on this subject. 1t was reor::
gan;zing the army and properly belonged to
the Military Committee.
West-No we do not propose to reor-
ganize the army.
Carpenter-Well, according to the gentle
mans theory he might abolish the whole of the
line and leave the officers, and the army would
be recognized.
West-Suppose the gentleman goes into a
company OF 30 and comes out with 8 or 10;
Would his company be reorganized?
Logan-well, it would be pretty badly disor-
ganized.
Mr. Morrill, of Maine said that no troeps
were required in the South now and therefore
there was no necessity for large army. The
/ place where soldiers ale needed is on the from
tier and thousand soldiers now in the harbor
of New Ork might be sent there.
Mr.. Hamilton of Texas opposed any reduc-
ton of the army. Indian depredations were
always going on and troops were required to
keep down the Indians. The people of his
State were now preparing to put two thousand
soldiers into the State service to protect them
from Indian hostlities.
Mr.. West said there was 5000 non-combat-
tants in the army and the object in making tho
reduction was to rorce them to go into the field.
The amendment of Mr.. Hamilton was rejected
by 25 nays and IS nays
Mr.. Logan said as economy was to be the
order of the day and the men of the army to be
reduced in number, he moved an amendment
providing that the Secretary of War shall! con
cN1I IN fhn err,nnr 80
ter out supernumerary officers anfter such con-
solidation and after the examination by board
OF officers to be appointed by him. Rejected,
yeas 10. nays q.
the fortifcaiiou appropriation bill was taken
up and he explained its provisions. The total
amount appropriated by the bill for the next
fiscal year as reported by the committee is
$500, 600. The amount appropriated for the
present fiscal year was ST ,S47 900 The esti-
mates for the present year were $3,376OO0
The revised estimates are 81 ,407 900. The am
cunt appropriated for the next fiscal year is
less than half that appropriated for the pres
ent one.
The bill having been read, Mr. Hitchcock
moved ian amendment appropriating $4,000
for military post on the North Fork of the
Lamp River, Neb., and submitted a letter
from the Secretary Of War, as to the necessity
of the post.
Mr.. Davis objected to the amendment as it
properly belonged to the army appropriation
bill.
Mr.. Sherman moved to reconsider the vote by
which the army bill was passed SO as to allow
the amendment of the gentleman from Ne
braska to be offered. Agreed to. The amend
ment was then offered to that bill and was
agreed to. The army bill was passed as amend
ed
The fertilization bill was then amended to
provide that appropriations therein made
should be for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1875, and the bill was passed.
Adjourned
Mr. Dawes of Mass, Chairman of the WAYS
and Means Committee, gave notice that on
Monday next he would ask the privilege of
bringing before the House the consideration of
what is generally termed the four hundred
million bill with the understanding that the
amendment reducing the amount be admitted.
He should himself introduce an amendment to
limit the issue to 1856, O00,00
The House then proceeded to the considera-
ton of the Georgia contested election case.
After discussing the bill till 2 o'clock the
election case went over till tomorrow.
The House then proceeded to the considera-
ton of business in relation to the District of
Columbia,
The bill appropriating s25OOOO for an iron
and masonry bridge across the Eastern branch
of the Potomac was lost.
The bill to provide for the payment of school
teachers in the District gave rise to discussion
The bill appropriates $97, 900 for the pay of
school teachers from the LIST of September,
1873, to the LIST eff March, 1874, the money to be
regarded as an advance to be deducted from the
moneys which Congress may hereafter appro-
pirate for expenditure in the District,
Messrs. Geo. f. Hoar and Frye advocated
the bill 80 - ~
The latter stated there were few cities in the
United States that had school superior to the
Franklin school where he sent his own chill
dren. Other members of Congress and gov
eminent employees sent their children to public
schools and yet they had paid no taxes for the
support of the schools. The teachers had not
had dollar for I'll
Mr. Willard of VT. argued against the idea
that members of Congress- and government
employees did not pay taxes in the District.
Mr.. Speer of Penn, opposed, and Mr.. Ed
ridge of Wis, advocated the bill.
On motion of MI Cottod OF Iowa, the provi-