The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-04-23
IT, U. 5. GRAZ
Forty Third C0ngress-First Session.
SENATE.


ciV,l service report was ordered printed.
several memorials were presented, including
tenn. ~ ~
The Mennonite bill was taken up and amend
be allowed to hold.
opposed it.
=. The morning hour expired and the Louisiana
Dill was taken up.
woulG present the report of the Committee on
on transportation, and ask the indulgence of
the Senate for some remarks.
Mr. Buckingham introduced bill to enable
Indians to become citizens of the United States.
Referred to Committee on Indian Affairs
Mr.. B utwell presented memorial of the
citizens of Boston, praying for the abolition of
compulsory pilotage. Referred to the Commit
tee on Commerce.
Mr.. Cragin, from the Committee on Naval
Affairs reported wit amendment the bill intro
duced few days since for the better govern
ment of the Navy. Placed on the calendar
also bill amendatopy Of the act of July II
1862, for the better government of the Navy
Placed on the calendar.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the
Louisiana bill. and Mr.. Stockton yielded to Mr.
salisbury, who spoke at some, length opposi
ton to the action of the President
At 20 minutes past o'clock Gen. Babcock,
private Secretary to the President, appeared AT
the bar of the Senate and announced from the
President the vetoing of the financial bill.
At the request of Mr.. Conkling the message
was read, when the chair announced that the
message was now before the Senate, and the
question was, shall it pass Notwithstanding the
objection of President Grant,
MIR. Conklirg said that it was desirable to
have 1t considered at an early day. but he sup
posed the Senators wanted to see the message
IN print and examine it. He therefore moved
1t be printed and lay on the table. Agreed to.
Ind 81 L
louisiana bill. after which the bill was laid
aside informally, with the understanding it
comes up as unfinished business tomorrow,
and the Senate proceeded to the consideration
OF bills on the calendar, and several were pass
Mr.. Morton suggested Tuesday next for the
consideration OF the veto message, but at the
instance OF MIR. Conkling, who promised to call
ituP at the proper time, no day was fixed.
The Chair submitted the message from the
1freslaent, ENCLOSING communication from the
Secretary OF State, and accompanying report
upon Navigator's Island. Deferred to the For
eigB Committee.
At4.3O the Senate went into exeetiye session
and soon adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr. Bromberg OF Ala, asked leave to have
passed bill to relieve the political disabilities
Chairs desk and had read petition of Semmes
for relief. dated Jan. &c. 1874
Mr.. Merriam and others objected,
Mr.. Bromberg wished TO make an appeal to
the House, but Mr.. Hale of Me-, thought the
matter might at least wait until after the dis
tribution of the Geneva award The bill was
not received.
Mr. E. R. Hoar of Mass, from the Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs, reported bill to carry
into execution the provisions of the 14th
amendment concerning citizenship, and to de
fine certain rights of citizens of the Un tied
States in foreign countries, and certain du ties
of diplomatic and consular officers. He pro-
ceeded to explain and advocate it.
Mr.. X. Hoar OF Mass, replied to Mr..
Cox's objection particularly as to- the section
requiring the registry of American citizens re-
siding abroad The whole object of that pro-
vision " as to ascertain who were American
citizens. There were in most of the States
registration laws for election purposes and his
friend Cox might as we'll go into extaces
over that feudal supervision as to do so in re-
spect to this provision of the bill What was
the harm of it? It's real purpose was simply
that the American Government might have a
simple means of distinguishing who were to be
protected as it's citizens abroad While he vel
coined all Immigrants to this country, he ala
not want to encourage a class of people who in
the language of Sheridan, had renowned
Judaism without embracing Christianity and
were like the blank leaves between the old and
new testaments. He did not want a class of
citizens who had renouuced all American rela
tions and duties, and who had cast in their
lots with foreign govern ments, who passed
their lives and spent their means abroad, and
who considered it great hardship even to no.
t;fy the consulate that they wished to retain
their citizenship. This bill did OF seek to de-
moralize anybody except those who had given
the strongest presumptive evidence that they
intended to denationalize themselves, aud who
were unwilling to admit they were American
citizens.
At the close of the morning hour the bill
went over till tomorrow.
Mr. Randall of pa proooptod a nat;t;oc -
the workmen of the District of Columbia for
payment OF their wages remaining unpaid
Referred to the Joint Investigating Committee.
MI. Garfield of O., proposed to amend one of
the standing rules of the House so that less
than quorum may proceed with the consider
alton OF any REGULAR appropriation bill Re-
ferred to the Committee ON Rules
The House went into Committee of the
Whole on the legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill.
The item of 100000 for the purchase of Off
cial postage stampsfor the Treasury Depart
ment was reduced to $4,000, on motion of Mr..
Dunnell of MIMI, the idea being to let the
small sum go to pay the cost of furnishing
stamps without regard to their face value, and
SO not to charge the Treasury Department with
the payment of postage.
There was no serious conflict in regard to
any other items in the bill until the paragraph
making appropriation for the assay Office at
New York was reached.
Mr.. Poland of VT, moved an amendment to
increase the salaries of officials over those re-
ported in the bill, and making them as they
are at present.
After a long discussion, of which the burden
was that $1,000 salary was not enough for
gentleman to maintain family on in New
York, the amendment was rejected.
The item appropriating $500 dollars for the
assay Office at Charlotte, N, c., was changed to
an appropriation of $1,000 for taking care of the
building.
fourteen pages of the bill, and the House ad-
journed.