The Portland daily press., 1874-05-12
Forty Third Congress-First Session.
SENATE.

y.
Mr. Anthony introduced resolution direct
ing hereafter that the meeting OF the Senate
shall be at eleven O'Clock a. IN. Agreed to.
Mr.. ConkIing presented memorial of the
Workingmen's Convention that Congress adj
Resolutions to print extra copies of the letter
of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to the
better protection of immigrants on shipboard
Passed.
A resolution was adopted that the Public
Building Committee ascertain if the material
of the unfinished Washington Monument can
be used for Washington Arch and if the
Washington Monument Society will consent to
such an arrangement
A petition of the Northern Pacific Railroad
for modification of the charter, accompanied
by a bill amending the acts of Congress grant,
ing lands to aid the construction of said road,
were referred to the Railroad Committee.
The calendar was considered and actloL tax
en- on several private bills.
At the expiration of the morning hour the
Geneva Award bill came up and Mr.. Thurman
spoke in favor of his motion to strike out the
clause excluding Insurance Companies from
filing claims for losses sustained. These claims
he said, rested upon law as old almost as
commerce itsei, which which was that the in
surer should not only have the premiums but
should also have the right to recover anything
to make good its loss. He thought if there
was anything which shed glory on the Presi-
dent of the United States at that time and the
State Department, it was the infinite skill dis
played by Lincoln and Seward IN keeping this
country al peace with foreign nations during
the late civil war;
Mr. Bayard agreed with Mr.. Thurman and
said the legal right of insurance companies to
a portion of this fund had been clearly de-
monstrated He thought the denial of the
claims of insurance companies nv the govern
ment would be breach of honorable dnty and
one proposed by an individual Instead of a
government, which would not be sustained ny
any court Of equity in the country Had the
United States intended to exclude insurance
companies, it should have said SO when its cit
liens were called upon to present their claims
By not doing so then it was stopped from doing
so now.
After long debate on the BILL it was finally
agreed to take the vote on the Geneva award
bill at o'clock tomorrow. Adjourned.
HOUSE.
Under the call of States bills were introduced
and referred including the follow ing:
By Mr. Butler of Mass, to provide for free
banking and better security to depositors. him
der usury, give elasticity to the currency, pre-
serve its value to the people and to prevent fl
nancial panics by locking up the currency.
By MI Platt of Va. providing that the ORR
gin of wounds. disability or death in the naval
service where a service Of 20 years is shown,
sh II be considered to have been IN the line OF
duty, unless there be positive evidence to the
contrary. ~
BY Mr. Holman, to extend tne tlIae IoT nlinS
claims for additional bounty.
By Mr.. Roberts, relative to arbitration and
an international code; also to fix the term OF
the presidency at SIX years and to prohibit a
reelection; to authorize the commissioners of
Internal Revenue to compromise cases arising
under the internal revenue laws, in which pen
aities and forfeitures may have been incurred
without fraudulent intent; for the election OF
supervisors and collectors of internal revenue
by the people.
The indian appropriation bill was taken up
ard passed
MI, Wheeler of New York, from the Com
mittee on appropriations, moved to suspend the
rules and pass the river and harbor appropria-
ton bill.
A debate ensued. The bill finally passed,
yeas 1877, NAYS S.
Mr. Converse of Neb, moved to suspend the
rules and pass bill declaring subject to local,
State or Territorial taxation, the lands of Pa
cific Railroad Companies, from the time they
become entitled to them, irrespective of the
time at which the patents were issued. Pass
ed.
Mr.. Fort of Illinois, moved to suspend the
| rules and adopt a resolution declaring that il
an increase of taxation be found necessary,
such increase shall commence with the taxa
| ton of persons and corporations on their an
| nual incomes, dividends and salaries. Carried,
| yeas 126, nays g.
Mr.. GARFIELD of Ohio, lat half past two O'Clock
| moved all adjournment as there appeared to be
large majority in favor of the motion. The
yeas and nays were ordered and the Speaker
ntimated to Mr. Garfield that the latter would
not have been recognized if he had understood
he intended to move an adjournment, as the
Speaker had told Mr.. Garfield he had promised
to recognize Mr.. Orr of Iowa. who desired to
have a bill passed.
Mr.. Garfield defended himself from any i'm
putaton of bad faith in making the motion
| which he thereupon withdrew
Mr.. Potter of New York, objected to tn
Speaker telling any member, and particular J
the chairman of an important committee, tina
he had no right to submit a motion to ad
journ
The Speaker replied that he stood by his re
mark. the gentleman from New York to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
Mr.. Garfield said he did not permit any mai
in the House, not even the Speaker, to question
his good faith. :.
The Speaker said he did not question hi
good faith, and would not permit his own good
faith to be questioned by the gentleman iron
New York.
A further coloquy ensued between the Speak
er and Mr.. Potter.
| The Speaker said that the pressure OF bust
| ness was so great Mondays, the only time tina
! members could get the sense of the House o
new business, that it was his purpose to recog
| nize such members as had notified him tina
] they had important measures affecting whole