The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-02-12
WASHINGTON.

WAsHINGToN, Feb. 1.-The House passed
the Post Office Appropriation bill after reject
ing an amendment for the practical restora-
ton Of the ranking privilege.
| The new tariff bill was discussed during the
| rest Of the days session. Mr.. Dawes, of Mas
sachusetts, the Chairman of the Committee on
| Ways and Means, making speech for it, and
Mr.. Wood, of New York, Democratic men,
Der of that committee, making one against it.
No action.
| The Senate caucused this morning on the
| order OF business. There was to be Joint
ses ,ion caucus Tonight, but failed probably
on account of the bad weather. The South
generally was to have been considered.
The joint caucus of the Republican Senators
and Representatives was held tonight. Owing
to a misunderstanding, the attendance was
small The joint committees OF the caucuses
OF both Houses made report presenting q
bill authorizing the President to suspend the
writ of habeas corpus in certain cases and in
accordance with previous acts, giving him
power to use the army and navy to maintain
peace and suppress disorder; to appoint dep
u'y United States marshals and supervisors Of
elections in Congressional districts, who, in
addition to their other powers, can arrest per-
sons who may attempt to intimidate electors
or otherwise unlawfully interfere with the
conduct of elections.
Provision is made for fair and full regis
tration of the legal voters under prescribed
regulations, and it is made unlawful for any
of the reconstructed States to impose excess
sive poll taxes and to require the prepayment
thereof as a qualification for voting at any
election at which members Of Congress shall
be chosen declares the exhibition or use of
deadly weapons on the day of registration
and election for the purpose of intimidation
or violence criminal offense, punish able by
fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the
court
Representative J. Amber Smith, of Vir-
ginia, moved to strike out the words ere
constructed States" his object being to
destroy the sectional reference, and If the bill
was to be passed to make it applicable to all
the States. He protested against further
Federal interference with the affairs of the
South.
Representatives Dawes, of Massachusetts,,
Cobb, of Kansas, aud Williams, of Michigan,
agreed in the main with the gentleman from
Virginia. But Lawrence, of Ohio, Albright,
of Pennsylvania, and Lynch, of Mississippi,
took the opposite ground, insisting that there
was the greatest need for Federal interference
to protect colored men in the exercise of their
rights.
The caucus was not altogether harmonious,
and without action adjourned until tomorrow
night. Several members stated they thought
their time would be more proftably employed
Friday night in listening to Colfax's lecture ON
the Character of Lincoln"
The proposition to improve the mouth of
the Mississippi River is pending before the
Commerce Committee Of the House.
The Senate Transportation Committee
adopted a proposition to appropriate 81, $780,
600 for this year to build jelties in the South
Pass, and place the work under the charge of
Capt. Eads, at salary of $4,000 year.
This morning Mr.. Sheldon appeared be-
fore the House Committee to oppose the
Senate proposition. He said he would not
create an Office for Capt. Edds or any other
man, and he would not be discourteous to
the engineers department which embraced
men OF great ability and distinguished in
tegrity; besides the appropriation is too small.
The whole sum should be made available at
once as matter of economy and haste in
completing the work
He said that he had not changed his
opinion as to the proper method of i'm
proving the mouth Of the river by means of q
canal, and that his views were expressed in
the last session. There was @ tacit agree
ment on all sides that the report of the COM
mission Of engineers should be treated as
fnality, and he presumed that the expert
ment of jetties must be tried and exploded
before the canal plan would be adopted
He wanted it tried as speedily as possible,
and in case of a failure he did not want the
government TO foot the bill. He wanted the
Secretary OF War empowered to contract with
the lowest responsible bidder to build jetties,
and with an appropriation of money enough
to have the work done speedily and effectualIy
to be paid only in case of success
within limited time, and, III case of failure,
that there should be no claim against the
government, and he wanted the experiment.
made and the hutnbug exploded at the earli-
est possible day without loss to the govern
ment, and if, as he expected, the experiment
proved failure, the canal plan would be
readily adopted.