The New York herald., 1876-02-04
The Joint Resolution for the Payment
of the 3.65 Bonds.
THE AMENDMENTS BY THE SENATE
Debate on the Diplomatic and
Consular Appropriation.
THE FIRST VETO OF THE SESSION.
SENATE.

being the Dill 10 repeal section 2,5Oo OF tne heNiseu
Statutes OF the United States making restriction in the
disposal OF public lands in the States OF Alabama Nus
sissipp Louisiana Arkansas and Florida 1t being the
unfinished business from the morning hour Of yester
day the pending question being on the amendment OF
Mr. Thurman that the repeal OF said section shall not
have the effect to impair the right complete or in
choate of any homestead settler, and land occupied
by such settler the time this act shall take effect
shall be subject to entry, pre-emption or sale.
INTEREST ON THREE-sIxTY-FIvE BONDS
An extended discussion followed, pending which the
morning hour expired, and the Chair laid before the
Senate the una finished business being the House Joint
resolution directing the Commissioners of the District
OF Columbia pay the interest the bonds issued
pursuance Of the act of Congress approved June 90
1874 out of any funds the United States Treasury
subject the requsition of said Commissioners, the
pending question being on the amendment of Mr.. Ker-
that any further issue Of the 365 bonds under or
by of said act of Congress- approved June 20,
1874 is hereby prohibited. Agreed 20.
Mr. EpMuNDs, Uep.) Vt, submitted an amendment
as iolows:-
there shall be increase in the present amount
the total Indebtedness Ofthe District Of Columbia.
Agreed to-
Mr. HAMILTON, nnd) of Texas, submitted amend
provided further that the paving and grading of
streets and alleys be discontinued until authorized bylaw
Mr. HAMILTON said in the estimates for Improvements
tcms as follows
Repairing concrete pavement. $50 600
For grading. io-ooo
Total. s57s, 600
In all conscience he thought there had been grading
enough done In the city of Washington during the last
few years. Streets have been paved here and they
might as well have been paved with turnps or sweet
potatoes Green timber had been used and the cheap
est material put down.
Notwithstanding all the quibb,es OF lawyers to justify
this work, the plain, common sense people OF the
country were beginning to understand that money.had
been expended here unawiuly-not few dollars, but
millions of dollars In this District there OF
wonderful powers, who were able TO influence all who
in tact with them. II clear TO him that
power here could be clothed with any discre
Senators had been talking about the government
credit being injured n this bill passed He
(Mr Hamiiionl did not believe the credit Of the gov
ernment would be injured to the extent Of single
farthng if the interest should not be paid on these
bonds until after full investigation. He (Mr. Ham
tom understood that Governor Shepherd was selling
many bouses now, principally to contractors and at
good prices II the amendment submitted by him
should be adopted IL would be impossible to pave or
grade street here without the consent of Congress-
Mr. MORRILL, trep of Me-, said II seemed to him
that the Senate was in condition TO vote and was
sick OF this whole thing As the bill had been amended
bonds could be issued and the debt OF the Dis
trict under the amendment of the Senator from Ver
mont (Mr Edmunds could not be increased. He (Mr
MorriID therefore submitted 10 his friend from Texas
(Mr. Hanilton) that II would be an mp0ssibity for
The COMMISSIONERS to involve the District IN additional
debt 10 the extent of a single dollar. He thought II
would be extraordinary for the Congress OF the United
States, having suspended all government in the District
OF Columbia to say TO these commissioners that they
should have power authority expend the taxes
collected here TO improve the streets.
derstand the embarrassment of these Commit ssioners
upon taking charge OF the city, which for years
had been in the hands OF a set Of men who had COM
pleLely changed everything. When the Commission
into power they found city of bitches lii
orally He agreed with the other Senators that the
law creating these Commissioners had been drawn
with sufficient care. He thought a mistake made
by Congress in not limiting in express terms the
amount OF funds TO be issued. II dd not wish by
any vote of his to sanction any bond which had been
issued unlawiully Mr. Salisbury then reviewed the
actO nOfl lhQ HQurd of Pm WorkC nd ca1dna
did not see how Congress could do otherwise
than pay the interest on The bonds is
had been illegally issued he would take his
stand and refuse TO pay interest on such bonds He
OF the Board OF Audit all honest men, but thought
they had been imposed upon The Senator from Cali.
Pubic Works whaieEer glory that senator might de-
sire from praising them he (Ar. Salisbury cheerfuy
conceded but his judgment the Senate OF the United
States had condemned that Board and the people of the
country ndorsed the action OF the Senate That Board
had incurred debt winch rested not only upon the
pie OF the District but the people Of the whole
try In his opinion the Board OF Public Works, in
stead OF having been pubic blessing, II had been
said, we're public curse 10 the whole country.
Mr.. SARGENT said that property in the city, ac-
count Of the improvements made by the Board rose
from twenty five 10 ffty cents per foot TO 81 and
Mr. SALISBURY resuming, said he in favor Of
prohibiting the Commissioners from doing any work
except such absolutely necessary. He did not
want TO have the streets Of the city swept three
day at cost Of 500 600 per annum when thew could
be swept less frequently at . much smaller cost
MI. BooY, (dem.) Of No, inquired who an.
horzed In the District issue any evidence of debt
either IN certificates or bonds which would be binding
upon Congress-
Mr. MORRILL,, of Maine quoted from the act Of Decem
ber 1874 continuing the Board Of Audit organized by
the act OF June 90 1874 until otherwise provided
Mr. BoGY read from the act OF March g. 1875 further
continuing the Board OF Audit and extending time for
filing certain claims until July l. 1873 He argued that
the clause extending the time for fling claims was one
elimination and the powers ofthe Board OF Audit
Mr MosRIIA teplied that the act OF December, 1874
provided that the Board should be continued until
otherwise ordered, and the act OF March 1875 did
not discontinue the Board but only provided that
tain claims should not be ned after July
Mr.. BoGY said he had listened TO the arguments on
this bill with much interest, and especially that OF his
friend from Indiana (Mr Moronl who was always
very clear, but always the wrong side Laughter
He (Mr Bogy) did not think the Board Of Andit had
any power 10 issue certificates after the Of July
The question being on the amendment OF Mr. Hamil-
ton, 10 discontinue the paving and grading Of the
streets, &c Mr. SARGENT said u was too sweeping and
should not be adopted
Mr. MoRRIL, Of Maine said the effect Of 1, would
be stop an repairs here and certainly the Senate
did not want 70 say that the money collected IRON
taxes could not be expended in improving repairing
the streets
The amendment was rejcc,ed-ycas 81 nays 81
Messrs. Hamilton, Clayton, Hitchcock Logan and
Ocesby voting with the democrats IN the Affirmative
Mr. EDMuSDs, ofvermont, submitted an amendment
that officer or person who shall knowingly in
aid abet n increasing such total indebted
shall be deemed guilty OF high msdemeanor and
on conviction thereof shall be punished by mprison-
ment not exceeding years and by 1ne not exceed
ing $40 000 Agreed TO-
hr. STEVENSON, dem OF Ky, submitted an amend
nent providing that the Board OF Audit by the
act for the government OF the District OF Columbia
approved June 20 1874 Is hereby Abolished shall
immediately upon the approval Of this resolution
transmit all the books and property their possession
belonging 10 the District the Commissioners Of the
District OF Columbia and make report OF their pro
eeedings not hitherto made. Agreed to.
Aduitiona amendments were offered and further de-
bate followed and the JOINT resolution then passed.
follows:-
Resolved &c. That Of the District Of
are hereby directed transfer the Treasurer
tne onteu states Tor the payment Of the interest
que aue nissr" me !" ot July 1876. the bonds Of
eaa Dlstnct, issued under the provisions the act
Of Congress- approved June 20 1874 entitled act for
the government Of the Dsct Columbia and for other
purposes the sum necessary pay the from
expended appropriations made by Congress
from any derived by property Of
said Dtrct Of Columbia subject the requson Of said
Commissoners. excluding funds al
pubic schools; provided that anv 6rtbo, ~ 49,.