The Portland daily press., 1874-04-08
F0rtJ Third COngress-First Session.
SENATE.
WASHINCT,

WASHINGTON. April z.
Several financial bills were reported and the
committee was discharged from their further
consideration,
Mr. Morrill, of VT, from the Finance Commit
said that he regretted TO report unfav0rably on
the Senate bill providing for the resumption of
specie payment, and for free banking. He had
no right to disclose what took place in the COM
mittee, but it was well known that the commit
tees we're made up of odd numbers, and in one
of seven members, where three favored the
bill and three opposed it, with the seventh one
little mixed, the report had to be unfavora-
BILE. The bill was placed on the calendar with
the adverse report
A bill refunding internal revenue taxes erro-
neously collected, was reported unfavorably,
and p aced on the calendar with the adverse re-
port.
A bill for the relief of the heirs of Ashbury
Dickens was passed. Yeas 27; nays 23
Mr. Howe entered a motion to reconsider and
the House proceeded to the consideration of the
calendar
Objection was made by Mr.. Frel inshuysen
to the bill for the relief Of Thomas B. Wallace,
of Lexington, Mo-, as it involved the whole
question of war claims now in the hands of the
committee on claims. By vote of 18 to 81 it
Mr.. Clayton introduced bill to reestablish
the boundary line between Arkansas and the
Indian country. Referred to Committee on In
dian Affairs.
Mr.. Ogesby presented the concurrent resolu-
ldtion to freight and passage on the Union Pa
cific Railroad and its branches. Referred to
Judiciary Committee.
Several private bills were passed, as also the
Senate bill for the relief of certain officers of the
navy who were dropped, furloughed, or retired
under act of Feb s, 1855.
The Senate bill for the relief Of certain con.
tractors for the construction of vessels of war
and steam machinery was read. 1t provides
that claims for building vessels for war. and
ctpon m ms n ,nprv rQfarrod 20
3D. 1867, for the relief Of certain contractors,
| shall be referred to the Court of Claims which,
| Court is by the bill vested with authority and
| jurisdiction to hear and determine them upon
claims to be presented to the Court within Q ne
year after the passage of the act.
Mr.. Cragin explained the bill
Mr. Morrill, of Vt, opposed the. passage Of
the bill aud said it was Of that class of cases
which Congress had before it for the last twelve
years.
Mr.. Edmunds moved that the bill be laid
over for the present Agreed to.
| The House bill providing for the assignment
| of judges in the territories was discussed, but
before reaching vote, Mr.. Cameron moved an
executive session.
Mr.. Hamlin introduced bill to relieve vessels
from compulsory pilot fees in certain cases. Re
ferred to Committee on Commerce. 1t pro-
vides that no owner. agent, master or consignee
| of any vessel duly registered or enrolled, shall
by virtue of the laws of any State be compelled
to take, employ, or pay pilot not voluntarily
| employed on entering or departing from port
or harbor, passing through or leaving any chan
| mel, passage or strait within the harbors OF Tue
United States; and no owner, agent, coIslgnee
or master of any vessel shall be compelled 70
pay piotage or pilot fees, by virtue of the Jaws
of any State. The Senate then went into exec
utive session, and after a short time adjourned
HOUSE
| Various bills of minor importance were re-
| ported.
The House resumed the consideration OF the
| currency act
Speeches were made by Messrs. Platt Of Va,
Orth of Ind, Packard Of Md Hereford of W.
Va, Monroe of o., and Cox of N. Y.
Mr.. Cox argued at length against an IN
| crease OF the currency which he said in tine
face of the great abundance of money, and low
rates OF interest, and prices greatly inflated 3
to add to the difficulties now resting upon tne
nation. What the country and people want Is
cheap productions to enable them to compete
successfully on our exchanges with the woriu.
Al the money paid out by the Treasury aTter @
the recent panic went said Mr.. Cox, to new
YORK, and 1T has not to this day been OF any
I service to the legitimate business of the coun
try Banks are daily pressing their loans upon
Wall street, so little are the mercantile interests
| in want of money, or rather. so few are the
collaterals to deposit for the same
What good will this new issue do? Will it
add one dollar to the collaterals in the pocket
books of the merchants so that they can obtain
any additional money? viii not Wall street
and the Produce Exchange swallow the whole
of it up il a 10, 20 or 80 per cent. advance in
| prizes? What the country is demanding through
its chambers of commerce and its boards OF
trade from one end to the other, and what the
laboring classes are demanding, as yet in feeble
tones, is not the quantity but quality, not the
| bulk but kind,
| calculated last fall that taking the imports
for the past four years and the average prices