The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-18
WASHING
Burlesque of Business in the
House of Representatives.
OUR LANGUID LEGISLATORS.
Failure to Reach a Decisive Vote on
Any Important Measure.

WASHINGTON, March II, 1874.
Rsp.tition OF the Do-Nothins Farce In
tne House Yesterday-No Quorum
,ne appropriatiou Question-Refusal
IN Reduce Salaries of Capitol Officials.
1.-THE action of the House yesterday and to-day
may be taken a criterion all legislation for this
session of Congress may be said to have ended If
IN fact IL has ever been begun. Three months and
a half OF long session are already passed and
nothing is accomplished. AS stated in these de-
spatches, the session of yesterday was FILTERED
away in idle motions and an adjournment was had
two hours before the usual time. 1t was truly
'bue Monday" But there is no name for to-day
known to the oldest member OF the House. Think
of pody composed OF 292 voting members without
quorum during the discussion OF the Legislative,
Judicial and Executive Appropriate ton bill The
Committee on Mines and Mining occupied the
morning hour, and some time thereafter desultory
legislative measures engaged the attention OF
the House TIL Messrs. Starkweather, OF
the Appropriation Committee, and McCrary, OF
the Committee of Railroads and Canals, had
skirmsn as TO whether the legislative or the
transportation bill had precedence. The former
was declared winner and the House went into Com
mittee OF the Whole. A dozen buncombe five minute
speeches were INDUCED in, going over the history
OF the country rom the settlement OF jamestown
to the speech OF Mr.. Dawes. Some were by repub-
lcans, some by democrats and one by a member
who said he belonged to the party or the future
There were efforts made TO cut down the salaries
of petty officers OF the Senate, which the Senate
would restore, even had the House agreed to the
propositions and, after TWO hours OF diny-dally,
Mr.. Hereford, OF West Virginia, called attention TO
the fact that the amount called for for the salaries OF
the Senate committee clerks was twice as much as
in 1866, ana moved to amend by making the ap-
Mr. Cardold
chairman of the committee, arrived, and assumed
charge OF the bill. He was tired of hearing
this talk about economy, and asked for a vote i'm.
mediately. Tellers were appointed, and, to the
astonIshment Of Mr.. Garfield, majority was in
favor OF Mr. Hereford's amendment; but the Chair
announced that quorum had not voted. "Mem-
bers will please voter" For several minutes
members struggled in and passed by the tellers,
the yeas increasing all the time; and yet, on
pleasant afternoon, as early as halfpast three 14I
Representatives out OF body Of 292, were not dis
posed to transact business and so the committee
rose, the chairman reporting to the House that the
committee had not been able to accomplish any,
thing. 1t was not enough that this day should
have been thrown away; but it was announced
that great steamship belonging to one OF the
lines annually subsidized by Congress was to be
launched tomorrow at Chester, Pa. 1t would take
ali day to go and come. and as many OF the mem
bers probably never saw a ship launched 1t was
unanimously agreed that tomorrow should be de-
weed to debate only, the House surrendertng its
hall to such members as desire to crate on the
interstate transportation question. When it is
stated that at the session last night held for a
similar purpose only nine members were present
the public can judge of the farce enacted to-day.
Another feature OF the performance at the national
theatre to-day was that the blatant Grang-
hal hria nr1v
economy l' since the beginning of the
session to-day, voted sodly against every PROPOSE
ton TO cut down expenses Not more than four re-
publican members voted TO reduce the salaries or
Capitol employees. So passes away the session,
which the Falstaf OF the House to-day declared
would be perpetuated until it became an August
body, which seems just now somewhat distant
consummation. In the evening session tonight
the debate on the bill TO regulate Interstate
railroad commerce was opened by Mr.. Scud-
der, OF New Jersey, who opposed the bill on legal,
constitutional and practical grounds. There were
only eleven members present, including the
Speaker pro tempore, MIR. Sprague, OF Ohio The
debate was continued by Messrs. Holman, of In
diana, and Cotton OF Iowa, in support Of the bill in
Its general features.
Summers Civil Rights BiIl-The Judi
ciary Committee Ready with Fla.
vOrAble Report.
In the Senate to-day Mr. Frelinghuysen said that
some weeks ago, when the Civil Rights bill was
under discussion upon his statement that II the bill
should be referred to the judiciary Committee 1T
would be reported back soon, the late Senator
from Massachusetts, Mr.. Sumner, agreed to the
reference. Mr.. Frelnghuysen desired to state that
the committee had spent two days in perfecting
the bill. II was now ready to be reported to the
Senate, having received the approval OF the ma
jOrity OF the committee but as the author Of the
bill had been taken away he would not report it or
call 1t Up until the chairman of the committee,
Mr.. Edmunds, who favored it, should be present.
30 that he might take part in the debate. The late
Senator from Massachusetts, had consented TO
delay on account of the i'll health OF Mr.. Edmunds.
Probability of the Absence of a Quorum
in the senate To-day.
The example OF the House seems to have infected
Senators, and it is doubtful tonight whether
there Will be a quorum tomorrow ID the Senate
for the transaction Of business Nearly thirty
members, who are tired Of the long winded
harMgues on finance, have determined to
60 on the junketing trip to Chester;
not SO much to see the launch as
10 have good time. The action of the
House has disguised many OF the new members
who say they would have interposed the single
objection which could have compelled the House
to meet tomorrow, even If a cali had to be made,
but that the one daring to do 1t would never get
favorable attention his particular measure
should come up Tor consideration.
The Legal Status OF American Citizens
In Turkey.
Mr.. Cameron, from the Committee on Foreign
Relations, reported lavOrably to the Senate to-day
the bill to authorize the President to accept for
citizens Of the United States the jurisdiction of
certain tribunals in the ottoman dominons and
N Egypt, established or to be established under
he authority OF the Sublime Porte and in the gov
eminent Of Egypt, and it was passed.
Representative Coburn's Bill for the Re-
duction OF the Army-Aboiish mcnt of
Some OF the Regimental and stan
ORces.
Representative Coourn's BILL introduced in the