New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-24
xIJIID CONGRESS- SESSION
REGULAR REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

-o,, vo, .xI,yEsIIGATION INTO DISTRICT or
| COLUMBIA AFFAIRS PRESENTED IN THE skSAih-
| suI RESTORING THE THANKING PRIVILEGE
| rSrpoDuCrp-rHE LOUIsvuLE AND PORTLAND
| c.s.t nrIJ. PAssED-THE POST ROUTE BILL ALSO
| p.ssrD-cossIDRRATIoN or THE WEST ViRGi "A
| CASE IN THR HOUSE
| SENATE .wAsHisGTos. Jan. Is. 1874
The CHAIR laid before the Senate acommlhi-
,o, from Tho secretary Of tho Treasury in answer to
resolution Of that body. giving Information a. 10 'no
On, v,nepces furnished mm grants- Laid on the taoo
| - ..r. PETITIONS AND REiORrs.
| Partitions we're presented a. follows:
pvMr ALLISON rep. Iowa., from citizens OF Du-
buoue. Gregory, Lansing. New-Albion. Clinton ana
| uarpers Ferry Iowa, and Brownsville. MIMI asking
mat tho bridge the Mississippi River at CLINTON
lows be opened 90 all railroads desiring to cross tue
| river on it Referred 10 the Committee ON commerce
BY Mr.. MISUNDERSTANDING OF the Now 81 f9 hs
| Chamber OF Commerce. asking the amendment OF the
law in relation 6nes aud moetles under the Custom
house laws Also petiton OF members OF sng "a ,Ss
B,nkr,ipt law Laid the table. Also. the resoiuuon
National Board OF Trade Tue hnna he
shared by the underwriters Referred 10 Tue Juaicay
Mr. Upton LAB. Rep, NebJ. from the Committee on
Public Lands reported avorably the bill to confirm
title to certain ande psrca,oa on .se ''0 "
| Mr.. SHERMAN (Rep.. Ohio from the Flnaneo ooin
miteo repor fayOraby on the bill To pay tne oonus
| al the Louisville and Portland Canal Placed on tho
| oalerllr. a., .., . .o,;,,o,
|
askjns Congress TO appoint a committee to examine into
the manner which the affairs OF the Governments OF
those of the Board OF Public Works and that tho petit
TONERS allowed to DO present by conse, az suon ,u
ssd it was signed by many respectable people OF the
District Of Columbia, and contained grave oharee'
aganst tho District Government He did not propose,
At this time TO offer any resolution for tho appointments
OF such committee. but he had been ton ina. the sV
dence would submitted tn sustain the CHARGES anu ~
would be time enough then to offer tue resolution no
thought the petition should be printed 80 iSa h ,s pee
| be Land on the table and printed ,. j..
Mr.. CONKLNG Rep r. said ne naa no des'ro ,p W
H. II would DO printed IN the papers here and ~ tne
District OF Columbia Is only seven miles shod moi he
not Of general al, bn S d ahau gS
Mr. THURaAN said that to the foundation Of the
charges ho expressed orS the mo S opnion
| Mr. SALISBURY Dem, Deli said Congress was
called upon every year to pay large sums OF money 70
The Board OF Public Works, aud all Information possible
| should no made public ,, A., ~, ,h,o, :,
right TO print these charges until they should DO sup
norted by testimony. His colleague (hr Thurmanl nad
sad that in due the testimony would DO presented
Then il would be time enough to print thom but IL was
| not right to give thom publicity now $780,, =. .,o
Tho motion to print the petition was reterreu W tno
Mr. WRIGHT Gsep IowsD. from tho Finance Commit
appolntnent OF a committee to investigate as TO traic
and manufacture Of alcoholic liquors tue House DlI 20
accomplish the object having already beeu ropor'cu
| MT WRIGHT from the same Committee, reporecu
| fayorsbly on tho House bill 70 abolish tho once Oh
Deputy Commissioner Of informal Revenue Placed On
'n Mr. 1CONKIING rep N " introduced bill to pro
yido for establishment Of an International Comml5
sion and TO provide for safety In sea travel
| Referred TO tho Committee on Commerce.
| Mr. EDMUNDS rep, VI introduced bill to change
the name Of me ceteo oa
Mr. WRIGHT rep. Iowa. introduced Dlll 70 prOVius
tue Northwest. Referred 20 the Committee on Trans
I'm
ferred 20 Committee PostOfhces and Post Roads
In introducing the bill, MT Freinghuysen SAID no az
the the franking privilege being
abolished caused great inconvenience on account OF the
state Libraries wanting them. His bill contemplated
reduction OF postage 10 - cents per volume anu us
pen sod with prepayment OF postage upon them
rue BILL PoR THg PROTECTION OF rHE PASSES OF rHE
MISSISSIPPI
The bill TO facilitate the execution Of and TO protect
certain public works OF improvement at tho mouth OF
tho Mississippi River was taken up Tho bill directs the
Secretary OF War to full control over the partc
ulsr channel tho mouth OF tho Mississippi River IN
course of excavation. and authorizes that officer To
such regulations respecting the Of pas
sage through such channel ~ he shall deem needfu TO
~rstect th channel facilitate the excavation &C. and
mat any person violating such regulations shall upon
conyictio punished by hno not exceeding 500 or
Iy mprisonnent OF not than six months or both
" Mr. ,'T THURMAN dem. Ohio) said though no
fully OF the Improvement. that he thought
W. the secretary of war or any other officer make
regulations the violation Of which should be punished
by fine and imprisonment. .
Mr. WINDOW rep. Mimi said the object OF the bill
was to remove one OF tine most shameless monopoies
eSisting in United States He had heard OF nothing
| approaching the monopoly which held IN its
grasp the mouth OF tho ., Mississippi River n.
| enamel deepened for tho reason that u was
to interest 10 have vessels stuck IN the mud there
40 they could much per hour during the time
employed in getting them on IN addition 10 the tonnage
fee oocason whom Capt Howell the oficerunder
the War Department IN charge Oh tne oAcavauoh nao
made progress two boats coming up with large
vessel aground across the channel hus blocking IL
and preventing further progress OF the excavation
| for weeks Capt Howell compelled to leave the
south pass account OF distractions put there by
the TOW boat Company aud begin work upon another.
but they followed him there and obstructed that aso
Mr.. THURMAN said he agreed with tho senator from
duty Congress TO make regulations anu prescribe
not TO delegate that power to tho Secretary
Mr.. CARPENTER Rep., wis, Mr.. Anthony in the
chair, s,d he had been NewOrean5 tast and
Endorsed all that had been said by the Senator from
Minnesota Mr windom), but no thought 1t unconstitu
Tna nro Sr 60 the SECRETARY Of War The bill was
void on its and he believed passed no penalties
coud bo recovered under 1t. All wanted TO the i'm
opoyemet Of the referred to. but he would not sit
here and for bill which would DO perfectly useless
a Mr.. CoNKLiNG rep. N. W said he could not see
how the power OF Congress 70 undertake such
punishment for interfering with tho mails &c; but 1t
isd no authority 20 delegate that power to the Post
executive or ministerial officer, anybody else. the
discretion determine what shall and what shall not
constitute felony misdemeanOr and then set Grand
Jures work. Such legislation must rost upon some
reasoning beyond his conception Congress must pre-
scribe the penalties but could not confer upon the Sec
| rotary OF War police powers.
Mr.. THURMAN said tho best thing to do WAS to pass
general protecting all our rivers and harDors from
obstruction any interference with public works
After some further discussion, tho bill reoommit-
| ted t0 the Committee on Commerce.
sPEcIxPAIhKSrs
The regular order tho bill reported b. the Finance
Committee. came up.
Mr. STEWART tRep.. Nev) spoke OF the evils OF de-