The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-01-17
From Washington.
THE SALARY GRAB,

Monday finally came to IA vote on the salary,
bill The members had talked themselves
into quite a muddle on the subject, upon
which Conkiing, who had thus far said moth
ing and kept his head clear, took the floor,
and stating that the subject ought to have
been settled in one day, proposed a substitute
for the bill pending, with all its amendments.
His substitute was adopted by vote Of so &c
IS; twelve senators not voting. 1t provides
for the total repeal of the grablaw, excepting
only the salaries of the President and the
Judges of the Supreme Court; no milage is
allowed to members of the fortythird Con-
gress all Of the increased salary that has been
returned by repcntant members, together
with that which has not been drawn, is
declared to be the property of the United
States.
This action, at once so sweeping yet scnsi,
BILE wa, reported to the house on Tuesday
morning, and Hale Immediately moved the
action OF the senate be concurrred in and de,
mandcd the previous question, which was
ordered. The vote was taken forthwith, and
the senate bill passed, only % votes being
cast in the negative. 1t is now said the Presi-
dent will return it without his signature,
asking that the bill be amended so MS also to
reduce his salary to its former figure
$4,000.
HURLBUT's NATIONAL RAILROAD.
! Mr.. IIurlbut, on Monday, introduced his
long talked of bill for grand through freight
railroad from Omaha to New York, with
branches to Chicago, St Louis, Cincnnati,&c.
1t is to be a double tracker, with steel rails,
and under virtual control of the government.
Its cost is estimated at $l15, 600 000 of which
the government is asked to raise $3O,O0O00e
by guaranteeing bonds to that amount 1t is
hardly supposable that there is any serious
danger of the bill becoming 4 law,
FRAMING PRIVILEGE.
The house committee on post offices have
reported in favor Of partial restoration of
the ranking prlvl!ege,-to the extent Of free
transportation through the mails Of public
documents and newspaper exchanges, and
authorizes members Of congress to place their
frank upon public documents, which, upon
being taken to the post office, will be stamped
by the postmaster There is quite number
Of members who feel sore over the repeal OF
the salary grab in favor Of the full restoration
of the ranking privilege.
EATioNAL FINANCES.
The senate since Monday, has Ucth liSten-
ing daily to a dreary debate On the question
, of currency expansion Or contraction, Shurz,
- Morton, Scott, Fenton, Right, Bogy, Boutwell,,
! and half dozen Of others each having
/ spoke his piece on the great question.
e LOUISIANA ArFATRs.
The President has created the widest con-
p sternati0n among the Kcllogcitcs in Wash
iuujon. and indeed among the carpet-baggers
c generally by a sudden change Of front on the
Louisiana question, having within the last
/, two days, openly declared IN favor OF order
G ing a new election in that state. The an
= nounccmcnt, says the Trib,we correspondent
! cell like thundcrbolt upon the Kellogg
% Committee, and created great CONSERVATION
o in the minds of the Kellogg C0ngressmen,
5 who hold their seats by virtue Of the election
e of 1872. As soon as they heard it they called
y upon the President and begged to know II
\ the rumor was correct. Grant replied, with
$ great circumocution, that il was; that he
!. had come to the opinion tGat ID" last clccuos
\, in Louisiana was a fraud that no proper
n count Of the vot" had eyer been taken; and
S that it ought to be set aside by Congress, ana
> a new election ordered to be held under The
p State laws, but supervised by a Congressional
Y Committee. lie seemed to be immoNabiy set
l in his new opinion, and with out ondcaYor-
! ing to change his opinion, the cresiilIlGn
81 Congressmcn withdrew from his presence.
Il roMEEoY.
i Ex-senator Pomeroy, who Is al Washing
i ton. scouts the idea that he will i'rteit his
bail in Kansas. He has sent on aiii"@Vl
showing that he was detained at Wash'n ton
by Il recornizance as a witness in the way
/ trial and could not be in Topeka at t., inc
It stipulated in his bail bond His cast .' ., &c
II yer to the July term and his bail will p re.
II .auccd to $4,000.
THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL scTF
I Mr. Kasson. of Iowa, on Friday g. .a7j
week made a speech of great power and "ol1-
II ness against the educational bill, taking the
5 Ground that it was a step towards ccn'Ta.i@a
. ton and another assault Of the federal l'o"c.
against the rights of = stale. He also oP}osco
u it on the ground that it was part ana l'ar1''
u of the public land policy Of the r'ouOiis,'h
party for the last twelve years, WlIch ne dI'
n,unced. and to put an end to which, he said,
' was one OF the main objects oil Ule great re-
I form movement now sweeping over the west.
i The speech created quite . sensation as 1t
Il seemed intended as a gage ofdefiauce 10 The
" administration party.
The CHICAGO MAIL II "oSf consolidated
made its first appearance under the double
= .rsr.r.3 ..,,r, ~, III, 1O,b