The Portland daily press., 1876-06-23
Forty Fourth Congress-First Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, d. c., June %
During morning hour several bills of minor
importance passed and the consideration of the
appropriation bill was resumed.
Sargent explained the provisions of the bill
and gave reasons why the amount proposed to
be appropriated had been increased over the
House bill.
Thurman said it was evident to all that the
expenses must be reduced or that additional
taxes must be imposed or money be borrowed
by the government. AS the two latter PROPOSE.
tions were impracticable it was evident re-
duction in expenses must be made. Committee
on appropriations proposed to strike out of the
House b II the clause providing that 100000
of the amount appropria ted for the bureau of
construction and repair shall be used in the
employment of labor to put live oak timber in
the different yards and in wet docks and labor
for that purpose shall be employed during the
months Of July, August or September and
shall be discharged before the first of October,
1876, and during the months of
October and November next, there
Shall not be over 80 persons down on the list as
laborers at any yard at the expense of the gov
eminent.
A long debate followed, during which amend,
ments proposed by committee on appropria-
tions were agreed to as follows: Increasing the
appropriation for the pay of officers, seamen,
ETC., from $780, 900 to $7.200,000; increasing
that for civil establishments of the several
navy yards from $4,000 to 100000 and that
When the amendments increasing appropria-
ton for the equipment of vessels from 1870, 900
to ST. ,250, 900 was reached further discussion &C.
Cured during which Dawes explained the cleo
tion laws of Massachusetts, and said in that
State no man could be taken from one town TO
be a resident of the town in which he offers to
vote at least six months. The people of Massa-
chusetts would not allow any such exercise of
power over their votes from Washington or any
where else. 1t did so happen that more men
are employed in Charleston navy yard in the
fall than usual, but Mr.. Hamscom had ex-
planned to the committee that their employ
ment was necessary.
MIR. Salisbury read from the speech of Mr..
Mills of Texas in the House charging that
100000 OF the public money had been embez-
zled by officers of the government to elect two
gentlemen from Massachusetts who were &C.
ceptable to the administration. He then re-
ferred to the Philadelphia navy yard. and said
men had been employed there about election
time scraping bark from timber with table
knives.
Mr.. Cameron Of Pennsylvania said that if
any wrong was done in Philadelphia within
the last few years it was to put Democrats in
the yard. The majority of all the people in
the philadelphia navy yard were placed there
by Democratic congressman.
Mr. Dawes said that it the object of Hans
com had to be control votes by putting people
to work in the Charestown navy yard it would
have been futile, but such was not his object.
Pending discussion the Senate at O clock,
on motion of Mr.. Frelinghuysen went into ex-
ecutive session, and when the doors were re-
opened the consideration of the naval appro,
priation bill was resumed.
Mr.. Cragin said that the employment of per-
sons in theinavy yards about election time was
no new thing. No doubt there were abuses.
but they originated with Democratic admins
tration.
The amendment to increase the appropria-
ton for equipment of vessels was agreed to
yeas a, nays %, Messrs. Edmunds, Hamilton.
Morrill, OF VT, and ingalls, voting with the
Democrats in the negative.
After discussion Whyta modified his amend
ments so as to provide that both the hospitals
at Washington and Annapolis be kept open
and as modified it was agreed to-yeas 81, nays
IS.
The next amendment of the committee was
to increase the appropriation for the bureau of
construction and repairs from 81 100000 to ST.
100000.
Edmunds moved to make the amount ST.
100000. Agreed to.
Next amend ment being in regard to The in
crease of the force at the yards in October and
crease should be made unless the Secretary of
the Treasury should certify that the public SER
vice requires it, such certificate to be lmmedi-
ately published.
Mr.: Sargent moved an amendment providing
that $Z0,OO0 OF the sum appropriated for the
bureau OF construction and repairs may be used
in the employment of labor to put the live oak
timber in the different yards into wet docks.
Agreed to.
The Committee on Appropriations reported
in favor OF increasing the appropriation for the