The Portland daily press., 1874-05-25
FertJ Third Congress-First Se..io.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON. Nav ..

WARRINGTON. May 23
Immediately after the reading of the Jour
nal, the House took up the Senate amendment
to the Legislative Appropriation bill.
Mr.. Garfield of Ohio stated that there were
one hundred and forty seven Senate amend
ments, in forty of which the Committee on
Appropriations recommended concurrence, in
ninety-nine non-concurrence, and in eight
concurrence with amendments.
The Senate amendments striking out of the
bill the provision repeating the law by which
the Congressional printer is made an officer of
the Senate was rejected unanimously.
The amendment creating an Office of third
Assistant Secretary of State at So. 500, and the
amendment for the collection of SIS fee for
passports issued from the State Department.
were discussed some time, and it was stated
that the passport tax would produce $4,000 a
year ana would more than cover the cost of
the increase OF the clerical force proposed in a
group OF amendments relating to that depart
ment.
Without disposing of them the bill went over
in order to receive and consider the reports
from the Committee on Military.
The bill to continue in force until the 23d of
June. 1874, the act of the 23d of June, 1870, to
authorize the settlement of accounts of army
and navy officers, was passed.
A bill donating condemned cannon and can
non balls to various Posts of the Grand Army
of the Republic for monumental purposes
passed,
bill to ameud the act to provide for the
payment of horses and other property lost or
destroyed in military service was passed.
The bill authorizing the Secretary of War to
place retired army officers, on their own appli
cation, on duty at military courts, evacuated
posts ana garrlsons, recruiting service, ETC.. as
it may be for the public interest that they
should perform, and providing that their status
Shall be that of active army officers for the
time being, was passed.
The bill allowing brevet commissions for dis
tlngulshed services in Indian warfare was
passed. IN
The bill to fix the salaries of clerks in the
U. 5. armory at Springfield, Mass, at 1850
instead OF the present pay, quarters, rations,
ETC., was passed.
bill was reported investing general courts
martial with jurisdiction in the State or Terri
tory In which the crime was committed, of the
crimes OF murder, rape, etc., was after debate
referred to the Judiciary.
bill was reported for the sale of Renab
Valley military reservation in Utah. In the
discussion of this measure, an intimat;ou made
by Mr. Dunnell that large number of similar
bills reported to day from the Military Com.
mittee looked very much like job in the IN.
terest OF land SPECTATORS excited the indgna-
ton of the Chairman, (Gen Coburn) who
declared that no honest man or men with honest
instincts would dare make such an insinuation
Everything done by the Committee on Military
Affairs was one thousand leagues in advance
of anything done by the Committee on Public
Lands, of which Mr.. Dunnel is a member.
Mr.. Dunnell said his objection to the pro
posed mode of disposing of these reservations
was that the lands would be practically taken
away from the men who wished to get them
for farms When military reservation ceased
to be needed for military purposes it should
revert to the public domain and be subject to
homestead and presumption laws. The bill
passed.
Mr. Gunckel reported bill allowing a
bounty of SIS 3-S per month for service to sol
diers during the late war and also providing for
grants of land to them.
Mr. Townsend of Pa. made a point of order
that the bill must first be considered in Com
mittee of the Whole.
The Speaker sustained Mr.. Townsends point
OF order and the bill was referred to the Com
mttoe of the Whole.
Mr. Gunckel gave notice that he would on
Monday move to pass it under a suspension of
the rules
Mr.. Coburn of Ind, reported bill to pro-
vide for the gradual reduction of the army re-
ducing cavalry regiments to9, artillery to and
infantry to 90 Referred to the Committee of
the Whole
The Speaker intimated he would recognize
Mr.. Coburn on Monday next to move to sus-
pend rules and consider the bill in the House.
Adjourned