Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-02-11
HOUSE.
: Tardy Interrogatories.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.-Mr. Knapp Of
fered a resolution directing the Secretary of
the Treasury to report the amount ofcerti-
fed checks for Clearing House certificates
of deposit issued for redemption; what
banks are still doing business that have
suspended payment TO their depositOrs, and
banks that are still IN suspension. Re-
ferred.
Mr. Bradley asks to have put upon its
passage bill extending TO April, 1876, the
time for the completion of the Green Bay
and Sturgeon Bay and Lake Michigan ship
canal. Objection was made, and the bill
was referred to the committee of the
whole.
Mr.. Packer, from the PostOffice Commit
tee, reported a bill amendatoTy of the gen.
eral pOstoffice law, by prescribing an oath
Of office to be taken by Postmasters.
Passed.
Postal Proposition.
Mr.. Banning from the PostOffice Com
mittee made a report on the bill to author
ize the transmission of law manuscript
briefs and reports, ect., in mail at reduced
rates. Laid on the table.
Mr.. Howell from the same committee
made an adverse report on the bill to pro-
vide for the public advertisement of mail
lettings in newspapers published in the
Congressional district where the routes are
located having the largest circulation in the
district. He said that it would increase
the present annual cost of advertising from
$4,000 to S330,000. Laid on the table.
Mr.. Howell, also from the same COM
mittee, reported a bill providing that on
mail matter of the third class the name and
address of the sender may be written, and
Il nd IF. 4Tafa
closed, and there may also be written on
any book or pamphlet sent through the
mail a form of presentation without extra
postage being charged.
Oh motion of Mr.. HOar the bill was
made to apply to matter hereafter sent, and
then passed.
Butler Explains, and Raises the Ghost
of Greeley.
Mr.. Butler rose to a personal explanation.
1t had been represented that the Judiciary
Committee had taken certain action with a
certain improper view. II had also been
represented that the Committee on Ways
and Means had been approached through
him by the Secretary of the Treasury on
questions affecting more or less the proprie-
ty CT administration action. He sent to
the Clerks desk and had read Washing
ton dispatch to a New York paper Satur- |
day last to the effect that the Judiciary Com |
mittee of the House had agreed to report |
the bill of Representative AIorey Of LOui- |
siana. for the establishment of two United |
States Courts in Louisiana, in lieu of Judge |
Durel's present court and that Butler was |
anxious to push the Morey bill before any |
action should be had on the Durell i'm |
peachment articles. Now, said Mr.. Butler, |
there is not in that paragraph one word of |
truth as to the Committee of Ways |
and Means. L desire to have another news |
paper paragraph read here. The Clerk read |
an extract from another New \ ork paper |
stating that Mr.. Butler was hard at work to |
save his friends in Brooklyn whose heads |
were in danger in consequence of the San |
Eorn case; that he had been before the |
Committee on Ways and Means and had |
made an argument in favor Of resembling |
the resolution calling on the Secretary of |
thd Treasury for information about the in
iquito us contract under which SanbOrn |
had been receiving 80 per cent of dues col
lected, etc.
Mr.. Butler declared this paragraph un-
true and continued: have felt it my duty
not 10 defend myself, because am irOn-clad
to these attacks, but TO the House, the
country and newspaper press to make this
explanation. Ii newspaper publishers have
any sense Of honor or prOpriety, they should
know, authoritatively know, the lies they
pay for. Pardon me, will take that back,
the stories that they pay to have put upon
the wires every night. | assume that they
did not know, and, therefore, they pub
lished them, not knowing whether these be
true or false intelligence about Congress.
[ have no words of characterization of these
studied false reports in the great metrOpOli-
tan Journals. | am afraid that if | should
designate them as think they ought to be
designated, should exceed the bounds Of
parliamentary propriety, and then l should
be accused of blaciguardism in the House.
l suppose it is parliamentary for me to use
those words which our instructors OF the
press have told us is press language to
characterize statement, which was used
by one whom they attempted to make
President, and whom they canOnized for
his good qualities, when he replied to a
statement made by Lieut.. Gov. Raymond,
in the Ne35 York Times, "You lie, you viii
lain, you lie,- [Laughter.1
The Army RiII-SOutheFn Claims for
Army stores.
The House then went into Committee
OF the Whole, Mr.. kellogg in the chair, on
the army appropriation bill. The fourth
section of the bill requires that all claims
for stores or supplies taken or furnished du-
ring the rebellion for the use of the army,
including all such claims now pending and
undetermined in any department of the
Government shall be presented before the
1st Of November, 1874, to the Southern
Claims Commissioners, who shall have ex-
elusive jurisdiction to hear and determine
them, All claims not presented before
that Gay are to be barred. The transfer OF
claims from the QuarternasterS Depart
ment is to be considered as presentation
Of claims.
This section gave rise to a long discussion
and many amendments were offered TO II.
The most important amendments that
were adopted were one offered by MI.
Young extending the time from Noy., 1874
to Nov, 1875 and one proposed by Mr. b. X;
ttcar for the appointment of twoadditlonal
an amendment offered by
Mr.. SDeer was also adopted after long
struggle transferring to tie Commissioners
az evidence now on file with the Quarter y