Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-05-29


In the Senate. on Wednesday, Mr. Hager
Dem, Cal called up the bill authorizing
the city and county Of San Francisco to use
the Presidio Reservation as park.
Mr.. Edmuuds said he did not see why tie
government should give twelve hundred
acres of land to ,he city of san Francisco.
Fit was Of no u.s. rs jhe government, let it
he sold and Do; given away. AIr EdmundS
sub-equcu is offered a resolution which
was aerrtd To-. directing the Secretary Of
Var 10 report to the Senate, as soon as
may be. all fact, in hi possession in re-
gard To tie Preside Reservation.
In a debate on tie appropriation bill.
Commissioner Watts, Of the Department Of
Agriculture. vse rather merciles>ly hand
led land the action Of the Senate shows What
would be called in the British Parliament a
." want Of confidence" in him.
In view Of the fact that Mr.. Watts lives,
with his family, in rooms appropriated TO
hi department Mr.. Morrill, of VI. offered a
sarcastic amendment To- the clause forbid
din civil officers using the Government :
property tor their own private use, - a. To
except the Commissioner OF Agriculture
IRON TIE operation of the section.
Alter discussion, Mr.. Morrill, withdrew
biz amendment.
Mr.. FreinghuySCn submitted an amend
ment providing that that section should
not be construed to prevent the Commis-
Sioner Of Agriculture from residing in the
aepartment. and said he offered the amend
mrnt in good faith.
MIR. Edmund, said the fact of the Com
missioner residing in the Department had
heen a reproach IN the eyes OF the people ut
the country for years
Mr. Pratt inquired if the rooms in the
building occupied by the Commissioner A.
bis residence were necessary Tor the public
service
Mr.. Eluuud- said that tue government
was raSiag from 100000 to 500 600 an
uuully Tor Iuc REM of buildings in this city.
and II these rooms were not needed Tor the
Agricultural Department they could be used
by tie Interior Department
Mr.. Cameron defended Jude Watts,
while Mr. salisbury denounced the Agrlcul-
tural Department as useless Mr.. Frellns-
huy>en's amendment was lost. the Senate
thus deciding that Commissioner Watts
Should pay for BIZ lodgings ike other poo
pie.
The House devoted the entire day To the
consideration Of the notifies bill Ellis II.
Roberts, who bad charge of the bill, stated
its purposes. The blll repeals the laws FOR
the seizure of hooks and paper, which was
enacted in 1865 as q war measure. The COM
mit,ec, while not pronouncing the provision
Unconstitutional. regard it as a pow
erful remedy for a dangerous disease. Mr.
Roberts showed that the Republican parry
was not responsible for the moiety system,
but that it had its origin in Democratic
days, and was then practi>ed, with this
difference, that the Democrats had the
moieties distributed by the collectors of
customs, without making any record Of
them in the treasury, and that the public
had 10 record how they were distributed,
but that it was notorious that they were
distributed from favoritism and from
political purposes. He drew a contrast
between the methods Of the Democratic
party and the Republican party in this
regard. showing that the Republican party
Investigated It's own abuses and corrected
them: and because it was strong enough 20
do this it was strong enough to live.