The Portland daily press., 1875-02-15
WASHINGTON.
The Alabama Claims Court.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.-The bill introduced
by Representative Cessna to-day amendatory
of the act for the adjudication of the Alabama
claims, contains provision making it the duty
of the court to receive and examine all claims
that NAV be presented to it within three months
from the passage of the BILL caused by the
Shenandoah previous to her departure from
Melbourne, and by the sO-caled insurgent
cruisers Boston, Chickamauga, Georgia, jeff
Davis, Nashville, RetributiOn, Sallie, Sumter
and Tallahassee, respectively. The Dill was re-
ferred to the Committee on Judiciary.
The Louisiana Committee.
The House Committee on Louisiana affairs
returned from New Orleans to-day. The testi-
mony taken there will make 1000 fooscap pages.
The chairman of the Conservative committee
has also reported at Washington.
Death of Congressman Hooper.
Hon. Samuel Hooper, member of Congress
rom Massachusetts, died this evening.
Authentic Version of Speaker BIaine's
Remarks.
There having been some erroneous reports of
Sneaker Blaine'S speech IN the Republican eau
Gus Friday evening last the following is given
as an authentic outline of all he said
The Speaker confined his remarks wholly to
the proposition for general suspension OF the
writ of habeas corpus, and made no reference
whatever to any other subject. He stated he
could see no possible reason for giving the Pres
ident the power to suspend the great writ at
his discretion in Maine and Michigan because
there was disturbed condition of affairs in
Louisiana or Mississippi If there is condi-
ton of affairs to warrant it let the suspension
be confined to the disturbed districts. He could
not see why Southern states like Virginia,
North Carolina and Tennessee that were now
trying to sustain good governments, should be
menaced and excited by suspension OF the
habeas corpus. Moreover the pending PROPOSE
ton was unlimited as to the territory and uu-
limited as to the time. The bill, if it should
become law. would confer upon the President
of the United States for all time to come, who
ever that President might be, the right and
power to suspend the habeas corpus at his sole
and absolute discretion in city, county, district
or state within the Union He felt great respect
for President Grant, and would trust him as
far as he would any executive officer, but he
never would vote to confer this autocratlc pow
er upon any President now or hereafter Even
if no actual harm should come from it for
long period of years, the people would in the
end become too much familiarized with the sus-
pension, and would lose that intense Jealousy
of individual personal liberty which is the great
characteristic of the Anglo Saxon race, and
which all our legislation should stimulate rath-
er than repress.
Various Matters.
The Massachusetts delegation held meeting
to-day and took action concerning the death OF
their late colleague, Samuel Hooper. 1t was
arranged that Judge Hoar should tomorrow
announce his death in the House and ask for
the appointment of a committee to superin-
tend the funeral, which is to take place from
the capitol Tuesday afternoon, at O'Clock. The
remains will be deposited in Oak Hill Cemetery
till the return of the family Of the deceased
from Europe.
The eulogies on the late Senator Buckingham
of Connecticut will be delivered in Congress
next Saturday.
The message of President Grant and accom-
panyiug documents on Arkansas affairs, COM
municated TO the Senate on the 9Th inst, still
lie on the table, several fruitless attempts hav-
ing been made by Senator Clayton to refer them
to the Committee on Privileges and Elections.
The subject is, however, already before that
committee on the memorial OF v. V. Smith,
claiming to be the lawful Governor of the state,
nish but little data not aleady known.
The river and harbor bill, the deficiency bill
and the bill making appropriations foc sundry
civil expenses will be reported ii is week. The
army bill is in committee of the whole. The
Senate has disposed of all the general appro-
tary academy and pension bills. All these bills
are as far advanced as at any previous session.
Bill for equalization of bounties, passed by
the House of Representatives yesterday, is the
third of the kind passed by the House. The
two previous bills in former Congresses failed
the present bill likely to become law, mainly
because while there may not be time for the
Senate to act upon the measure, it would, if
passed into law, take from the treasury at
least as much as the sum proposed to be raised
by the pending tariff bill, the necessity for
which is urged on the ground of pubic necessi-
ty,
The tariff bill meets with objections not only
from the Democrats but from many of the Re-
publican members, and, therefore, doubts are
expressed as to whether it can pass in the pres
ent form.