The Portland daily press., 1874-06-17
Forty Third COngress-Fi Session.
SENATE.

Treasury to suspend work upon the public
| buildings was passed.
places against taxing the sales of coin, bonds,
| &c, were presented and referred
a resolution that the Secretary of State fur
nlsh the reports of the Vienna commissioners
| was passed.
The post route bill was reported by the Post
Of1ce Committee and placed on the calendar
:, Resolutions appropriating $4,000 to enable
the Secretary of War to test a breech loading
| gun was agreed to-
Mr.. Morrill, introduced bill TO paw certain
| persons and corporations for losses sustained
| by the so called st. Adams trial. Referred.
Mr. Ramsey, from the Committee on Post
ofhces reported favorably on the bill to provide
Ior the prepayment OF postage on printed mat
Ter, and asked its immediate consideration, but
| objection being made it was placed on the
| calendar.
Mr.: Bogy called up the House bill making
addltlons to the 10Th section of the act OF July
| Ind, 1864, amendatory of the act to aid in the
construction of a railroad from Missouri river
TO the Pacific ocean. This bill provides that
any ofncer or agent authorized to construct
these roads or engaged in operating either of
Them who shall refuse to operate the road or
telegraph under his control for all purposes of
communication, travel and transportation. so
1ar as the public or Government are concerned.
as In one continuous line, or shall refuse in such
operation and use to afford and secure to each
OF said roads equal advantages and facilities az
|
any discrimination of any kind in favor of or
adverse to the road or business of any or either
OF sad companies, shall be deemed guilty of a
sslsdemeanor and upon conviction thereof be
lined not exceeding $1,000 and be imprisoned
not less than six months. The bill further pro-
yldes that in case of failure or refusal of this
Union Pacific railroad or either of said branches
10 comply.with these requirements of the act
may bring action and be entitled to Judgment
for treble the amount of all excess OF freight
and fines collected by the defendant and for
the treble amount of damage sustained by the
plantlffs by such failure or refusal, and for
every violation of the act new cause for action
shall arise The bill further provides that the
Denver Pacific Railroad Co. >hall be deemed
part of an extension of the Kansas Pacific rail.
road to the point of junction there with the
Union Pacific railroad at Cheyenne.
The bill was then passed without amend
ments as it came from the House.
The Senate then took up the Post-office
appropriation bill; 1t was explained by Mr..
year was 1874, 419.OOO and this year the amount
was $50, 341 ,000-an increase of 81 $4,000
The Post-office appropriation bill was then
read through and the amendments recommend
ed by the Committee onlAppropriations agreed
that postage hereafter be prepaid on ali mail
able matter The amendments agreed to were
as follows: Limiting the free delivery system
to cities OF population exceeding 10000 and
House
which provides that monthly and annual re-
ports of the department. of agriculture shall
pass free through the mails.
Mr.. Allison, from the joint select committee
to investigate the management of the govern
ment of the District of Columbia made a re-
port which he said was unanimous,
He also reported a bill for the government of
the District of Columbia as substitute for the
one reported few days ago. Placed on the
calendar He gave notice that he would call
MIR. Sherman moved an amendment to the
Post office bill, that in all newspaper and peri
odical publications mailed from known office
of publication or news agency and addressed to
regular subscribers or news agents, shall be
charged at the following rates: On newspapers
and periodical publications 4 cents for each
pound or fraction thereof, provided the rate of
postage on newspapers or periodicals not ex-
ceeding two ounces In weight and circulars
when the same are deposited in letter carrier
office for delivery by the Office its carriers
shall be uniform at cent each, but periodicals
weighing more than two ounces shall be subject
to postage of 2 cents each, and these rates
shall be prepaid by stamp; that newspapers
shall go free through the mails to actual sub
scribers in the county where published, but not
be delivered at the letter carriers Office or dis
tributed by the carriers unless the postage be
paid thereon; mail matter of the third class
shall be charged at the rate of cent for each
two ounces
The amendment also authorizes the Postmas-
ter General to require of publishers or newspa-
per agents an affidavit that they will not send
through the mail matter except to regular SUBJ
scrbers without prepayment of postage, and
any refusal to make such affidavit shall be pun
ished by fine not exceeding $1,000 for each re-
fusal. 1t also divides the postmasters into four
classes, whose salaries shall be adjusted by the
Postmaster General with the exception of the
postmaster at New York city, whose salary is
fixed at $4,000.
Mr.. Ramsey moved to amend the amendment
fhn ions. . t,n l. -
prevent and punish straw bids Agreed to.
the a s, SSnklng moyed to amend 50 as to fix
at $4,000 per annum. Agreed to.
The amendment as amended was then agreed
to.
Mr.. Sherman moved to further amend so as
to provide that all public documents printed by
order of Congress ior distribution shall be trans
ported in the mail without prepayment and be
delivered to the person to whom addressed upon
prepayment of the lawful postage thereon.
Mr. FrelInghuysen moved to substitute for
that an amendment so as to dispense with the
requirement for prepayment of postage on pub
lie documents authorized to be issued to mem
bers of Congress- the President of the United
State or heads of departments, and providing
that postage on such documents not exceeding
% cents, to be paid by the person receiving the
same.
lengthy discussion ensued on the abolition
of the franking privilege.
Mr.. Morrill, of Vermont moved to amend by
to documents ordered to be printed previous to
the passage of the BILL
Mr.. Scott from the conference committee on
the bill to amend the custom revenue laws and
to repeal the mOieties, made a report, which
ordered to be printed. He gave notice he
would call it up tomorrow.
Mr.. Stevenson, from the Judiciary Commit
tee reported substitute for the House bill pro
viding for the publication of the Revised Stat
utes. Passed
Messrs. Window, Sargent and Bogy were ap-
pointed committee of conference on the In
dian appropriation bill. r.
The bill to provide for the election of a Con-
gresham at-large for Alabama was passed.
Mr.. Allison gave notice that as soon as the
post Office appropriation bill was disposed of he
would ask the Senate to consider the bill in re-
gard to the government of the District.
The Senate went into executive session and
shortly adjourned
HOUSE.
A bill was passed for the relief of savings
banks doing business solely for the benefit of
depostors.
A bill was passed that no delegate to the
Rouse from any territory unless % years of
age, seven years a citizen of the United States,
and ali inhabitant of the territory shall be- elig-
ible and that he shall be ineligible if guilty of
bgamy or polygamy. This bill does not effect
the present delegates
The report from the election committee that
Mr.. Gupter was entitled to seat in the House
from Arkansas instead of Mr.. Nilsbire was
agreed to and Mr.. Gunter was sworn in.
The House then took up the Senate amend
ments to the Indian appropriation bill.
Most of the thrty-four amendments were
concuTred in, and conference committee was
appointed on those non-concurred in.
A conference committee on the motion of
Mr.. Butler was ordered on the Geneva award
bill.
A bill relating to ocean telegraphy, which
Mr. Cox said was reported unanimously by the
Foreign Committee, and which he said was
general bill affecting no existing rights, assum-
ing no exclusive authority by Congress and
gives equal powers to all companies was pass
ed.
Various special bills on the same subject
were reported adversely and tabled.
A bill was presented extending to the 4th OF
July, 1875, as the time within which petitions
for allowances may be presented to the South
ern Claims commission, and providing for the
appointment of two additional commissioners.
The rules were suspended and the bill passed.
Mr.. Parsons of Ohio, moved to suspend rules
and pass a bill authorizing the lease of the Ma
rine Hospital and grounds at Cleveland, Ohio
to the city of Cleveland. Rejected.
Mr.. Burrows of Mich, moved to suspend the
rules and adopt resolution directing the Com
mittee ON Elections to report next Saturday the
IF = bai puo ha nj