New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-12
WASHINGTON.

The Jetty Scheme Before the Committees
Their cOmmendation-speech of Con
gressman Sheldon-Where Eads Come,
in-'Let tho Experiment be Made ant
the Humbus Exploded as Soon as Pos
sible.''
WASHINGTON, February 1.-The PROPOSE
| ton to improve the mouth of the Mississippi
| river is pending before the Committee or
Commerce of the House.
The Senate Transportation Committee
adopted a proposition to appropriate
81, 900 tor this year to build jetties in the
South Pass and to place the work under the
| charge of Captain Eads, at salary o1
1000 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 Captain Eads or any other
man, and he would not be discourteOus to
the engineers department, which embraced
men OF great ability and distinguished
too small. The whole sum should be
made available at once as a matter of
economy and haste IN completing the work.
He said that he had not changed his Opin-
ion as to the proper method of improving
the mouth Of the river by means of canal,
and that his views were expressed in the
last session. There was a tacit agreement
on all sides that the report of the commits
sion of engineers should be treated as q
mont 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 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 effectually to be
paid only in case of success within limited
time, and in case of failure that there
should be no claim against the government,
and he wanted the experiment made and
the humbug exploded at the earliest pos
sible day without loss to the government;
and if, as he expected. the experiment
proved failure, the canal plan would be
readily adopted.
Republican Joint Caucus.
The joint caucus of the Republican Sem
atOrs and Representatives was held to.
night. Owing to misunderstanding, the
attendance was small. The joint commit
tees Of the caucuses of both houses made
q report presenting 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 deputy United
States marshals and supervisors at elections
in congressional districts, who, in addition
to their other powers, can arrest persons
who may attempt to iDtimidate electors or
otherwise unlawfully interfere with the
conduct of elections.
Provision is made for fair and full
registration of the legal voters under pre-
scribed regulations, and it is made unlawful
for any Of the reconstructed States to
impose excessive 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, q
criminal cffense, punishable BY fine and
at the discretion of the court.
Representative j. Amber Smith, of Vir-
ginia, moved to strike ont the words
reconstructed 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, and Williams of Michigan,
agreed in the main with the gentleman from
Virginia; but Lawrence of Ohio, Albright
of Pennsylvania, and Lynch, of Mississ ippi,
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 rot altogether harmoni-
GUS, and without action adjourned until to.
night.