Port Royal commercial and Beaufort County Republican. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1873-1874, 1874-02-05
XLIIId CONGRESS.
SENATE.

SENATE.
The Judiciary Committee Of the Senate, re
ported back the House Bankruptcy bill, witt
| amendments.
Mr.. Bogy addressed the Senate on the finan
cial question favoring an imitation OF the cur
rency. He thought there had been an unequa
distribution Of the currency. The six New
England States had received S110,00O,0O0
when they were entitled to but SS9. 900, 900
the Middle States had received an excess oi
| S9, 600, ,000 while the Southern States We're
deficient in their portion S51 900 900, and the
| Western States SCI ZOO, 900. He advocated the
reissue of the ga, ,000. 900 legal tender reserve
an additional issue of $50 600, 900 in legal tend
| ers, and an issue of S25 .000, 900 in national
bank notes to Western banks
petition of citizens of Pennsylvania was
presented asking for the appointment Of 9
commission to regulate the sale Of alcoholic
liquor.
During the salary bill debate, Mr.. Flanagan,
Ct Texas, said if there was guilt pertaining to
any Senator who advocated the passage Of the
bill increasing salaries he was guilty. He
favored the passage and voted for It out Of the
purest motives, as he believed Congress had q
right to enact said law. He thought 81 500
not an excessive salary, and had remarked
when the bill passed that it should have been
$40, 900. Since then he has not changed his
opinion. He had drawn the money (producing
the greenbacks from his pocket); "Here they
are, sir; this is my pay; am going. to fight
for it till the last" (Laughter.) II have not
stolen that pay; have done nothing that
preys upon my conscience; have endeavored
Of Wisconsin, said he had spent the back pay
drawn last session faithfully and thoroughly,
and he knew of no power under the Constitu-
ton to get it back. It would be question be-
tween the Government and his creditors, and
he would leave them to fight 1t out" Iaugh-
ter.)
Mr. Sumner presented petition Of S5.17s
persons Of Ohio against the proposed theo-
logical amendment to the Constitution Of the
United States. He said the total length Of tho
petition Was 953 feet. Referred to the Com
mittee on Judiciary. i-EGE.stsa
Mr.. Pratts amendment to the Salary bill
which provides that the pay for the balance Of
this Congress shall be such amount as to make
the total, with that already received (S10, ,00O,
5000 for each year, was rejected by As nays
to IA yeas.
HOUSE.
Over 100 bills were presented on the open
ing day Of the House.
Mr.. Dawes offered resolution directing the
Surgeon General Of the army to detail one or
more medical officers Of the army to visit the
towns at which cholera prevailed during 1873,
or such Of them as the Surgeon General may
deem necessary, and confer with the health
authorities and the resident physicians of such
towns and collect all facts Of importance with
reference to such epidemic, and to make de-
tailed report on or before January. 1875. He
stated that his attention and that Of the Sur
geon General had been called to the great i'm
portance Of tho subject by letters from Mr..
r Drootnr Kpotf Efnr,nar1v Renraeanta va
from Kentucky. The resolution was adopted.
Mr.. Wheeler from the Committee on Appro-
priations, reported the Army Appropriation bill,
appropriating S28, 40 ,9l6, which was made a
special order. The original estimate called for
S34, ,S81, ,61S. The Secretary of War, on the re-
vision ordered by the House, reduced them to
S32, ,76S,716. The Committee on Appropri-
alton has further reduced them by the sum Of
"a, 31S,799.
Mr.. Stephens made long speech on the
civil service bill, in which he admitted that his
opposition sprung from no prejudice on ac-
count of color.
The House Committee on Railroads and
Canals agreed to q bill regulating charges by
railroads for transporting passengers and
freight.
The Military Committee is about equally
divided as to the course to be pursued in the
case of Gen. Howard.
The Civil Service Committee have begun an
investigation to determine whether the busi-
ness of the Government cannot be managed
more economically.
Mr.. Sypher, of La, asked leave to introduce
Joint resolution, which he said had the ap-
proval of the President It recited that well
authenticated reports specifically brought to
the capital by Bishop Wilmer. of Louisiana,
show that in certain localities Of the South the
people are destitute and in a condition of
starvation owing to the failure Of the crops,
and it directs the Secretary Of War to issue
army rations in such quantities as may be re-
ouired to alleviate the immediate suffering Of
the inhabitants of those destitute communi-
ties.
Mr.. Butler of Massachusetts spoke in favor
Of the supplementary Civil Rights bill, closing
the debate; the bill was recommitted, with
leave to report at any time.
The resolution for the relief of destitution in
the South was reported upon adversely.
A bill appointing Asa Gray, j. d. Dana,
Henry Coppee, john Mclean, and Peter Parker,
regents Of the Smithsonian Institution was
passed.
In discussing the House appropriation bill,
Mr.. Archer, OF Maryland, said the difficulties
with Spain had not passed by. There had been
probability that the relations with Spain
might remain peaceful while CASTELAR, was at
the head of the Spanish. Government, for Cas-
telar was known to be friend of the American
republic But that very friendship had caused
his deposition, and in his place is now the
bloody Serrano who had nothing but hatred
and dislike to the United States and yet the
proposition was that the navy should stand,
not on the usual peace basis, but one-fourth
below the usual peace basis. No greater mis-
take can be made than in cutting down the
navy in the cry of economy. The true econo-
my was to keep up strong navy In order that
until war comes, and then launch out into wild
expenditure.