Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-17
HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-AIr. Maynard,
from the Committee on Banking and Cur
rency, reported back adversely the bill TO
amend the internal revenue law, by in
creasing the tax on the circulation Of ma
tional banks from one-twelfth to one-fOurth
of one per cent. per month. Referred.
The House went into Committee of the
Whole, E. II. Roberts in the chair, on the
legislative appropriation bill.
Amendments, with reference to the Ma
tional Asylum of Disabled Soldiers, were
offered and adopted. They reduce the
clerical force in the Second Auditors Blu
reau from forty to thirty-seven clerks OF
class 8; from seventy-nine to seventy-tbree
of class 2. and from sixty to fOrty-fiye OF
class 1. They repeal so much Of the act
of the Sd of March, 1865, incorporating the
asylum, as appropriates to its support all
stoppage, fines, ETC., imposed on soldiers or
officers by courts-martial; all forfeitureS on
account of desertiOn, and all unclaimed
MONEYS due to deceased soldiers and Of
fcers; and they provide for the support of
the asylum By direct Appropriation, that for
the next fiscal year being 100000.
Mr.. Wheeler congratulated The commit
tee on having saved by its action one hum
dred thousand dollars for the next fiscal
wear, on a very moderate computation.
A paragraph for the purchase of postage
stamps for the Treasury Department, gave
rise 10 A discussion, in which the question
ofthe frankingprivilege came up. Mr.. q. +.
Hoar asked Mr.. Garfield whether there had
been any diminution of the pOstoffice de-
felt, by means of the abolition ofthefrank-
inc privilege. Mr.. Garfield said be did not
know, but he believed that were it not fol
that abolition, the postoffice deficit would
have been greater.
Mr.. HOar-DOes not the gentleman
know that the deficit has increased?
Dir. Garfield know that the deficit la:
increased, but believe the repeal OF The
ranking privilege has, to a considerable
extent, increased the revenues of the Post
Office Department. How much. | do no
know. L am compelled, however, to say
| that | do not believe the repeal OF tn
| frankiI.g privilege has been as great I
blessing as believed, at the time, itwoui'
be. Still, l do not think we should civ,
it up without a full trial. 1 do not thinl
that one years trial is enough.
Mr.. Kelley hopedIthe paragraph would
not be struck out and the Thanking priv
/ lcgc TSSJOTeu. I1c udu IL llOt Oh hA0 ~"
science that he had ever voted for It's re
peal, and he had the satisfaction Of know
| ing that whenever his vote implied fave
to its restoration he had given it. de be
lieyed that the free circulation Of the ayr
cultural report in one year more than pal
all the frauds that might have been pra'
tieed under it. The repeal had been oil
tanned by fraud, in the getting
of memorials by order of the Pos
\ master General to his fort
thousand subOrdinates, and there was
further Fl aud on the Postmaster General
official statement that the repeal woul
save five millions year. 1t hadn't save
one million, nor one hundred thousand.
The motion to strike out the items Il
official postage stamps was rejected, Ito Z
After some further consideration OF I'll
bill, the committee rose.
Mr. Butler, Of Massachusetts, from u
Judiciary Committee, reported the supl
mentary Civil Rights bill. Ordered priu
ed and re-committed.
Adjourned.