The Portland daily press., 1876-05-20
Forty Fourth COngress-First Session.
SENATE.

Forty Fourth COngress-First Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 10.
The Senate at 1910 resumed the considera-
ton of articles OF impeachment against W, W.
Belknap, late Secretary of War with closed
doors At 4. 45 the doors were reopened.
After the transaction of some unimportant
legislative business the Senate held brief execu-
tive session and adjourned.
HOUSE.
The chairman of the Ways and Means Com
mittee offered resolution for the final adj
ieurnment of Congress June 18th. Referred TO
the Ways and Means Committee.
The Senate amendments to the bill relieving
Wm' Maury of political disabilities was con-
Cured in.
A resolution permitting subcommittee to
proceed to Brooklyn and New York and make
examinations thereof of matters pertaining to
the Depaptment of Justice was adopted.
Mr.. Baker called attention to the omission
from the Congressional Record of remarks by
Messrs Ballou and Eames of Rhode Island in
the course of speech by Mr.. Singleton a
few days since on the subject of COMPRESSION
al printer; also of the omission of everything
connected with the point of order made on that
occasion by Mr.. Garfield, and of the somewhat
angry dialogue between Messrs. Garfield and
Singleton. He offered resolution tnstructng
the reporters to supply the omissions in the
Record and instructing the Committee on Rules
to report what amendment of the rules is need
ed to have the proceedings of the House print
ed in the Record without any change, aitera-
ton or omission.
Mr.. Randall of Pennsylvania submitted the
point whether this was question of privilege
and the Speaker pro tenn (Cox) ruled that it
was.
Mr.. Singleton explained that no blame was
attached to the reporters, but added one of
them had informed him that a gentleman
who had been engaged in that little controver-
sy did not care to have their remarks appear in
the Congressional Record, and that his (Sn-
gleton'sj response had been that he did not
care about it, He had no objection to the res
toratiOn of the omissions, for he never said
anything that he was not willing to have pub
lished.
Mr.. Garfield of Ohio said that Mr.. Lamar
requested on behalf of Mr.. Singleton that the
latter's speech might be printed without the
Interruptions of Mr.. Garfield and he (Garfed)
had no objections.
Messrs. Ballou and Eames said that reporters
bad made similar requests in behalf of Mr.
Singleton and they had no objections
The House at 80 went into the Committee
of the Whole (Clymer in the chair on the nav
al appropriation bill, and was addressed by
Mr.. Willis of New York on the navy yard sys-
tenn and in favor of abolishing all navy yards
except those of Brooklyn, Norfolk and Mare
Island.
Mr.. Whitthorne of Pa, chairman of the
naval committee. addressed the committee in
favor of the various measures of reform and
economy reported from the committee
Mr.. Blount of Georgia spoke on similar
terms. This bill. he said, made a reduction of
about four and one-luarter millions as COM
pared with the naval appropriations for the
current year and he gave notice that he would
ask still further reduction in the bill.
Mr. freeman of Pa, made speech against
the proposition to abolish the navy yards.
which he alluded to as case of ignorant and
Intentionally insidious legislation.
Mr. Davis of North Carolina addressed the
throughout the country.
The Committee rose and the House at Az
took recess till 7.3O this evening, the session
to be devoted to debate on the naval appropria-
ton bill.
Evening Session.
The evening session was opeued by Mr.. KEEL
ley OF Pa, in opposition to the bill to abolish
the navy yards.
Mr.. Reagan of Texas followed in a speech in
favor of retaining Pensacola as one of the
yards to be used for repairing naval vessels
Mr.. Banks of Massachusetts also spoke on
the question of the navy yards proposed to be
abandoned, opposing that proposition first be-
cause 1t came in an unusual form in general
appropriation bill instead of as an independent
measure. NO such vicious system of political
action was ever devised or proposed as that
giving to the appropriation committee the op-
portunity to engraft on appropriation bills all
legislation it might think proper. He also op-
posed the measure because he regarded it most
unwise and criminal in itself as measure of
administrative policy. He favored letting the
whole subject go to committee to be appoint
ed by the Secretary of the Navy to INQUIRE
whether any or all of these establishments
should be abolished. He particularly opposed
the selling OF these yards. The government
was here not for five, or ten, or one hundred
years. but Tor thousand years. Why should
the government sell its land on the best point
IN Boston harbor, or that military position at
Pensacola? But above all why should it sell
Mare Island on the Pacific coast? What men,
Der OF the committee was wise enough to tell
what the necessities of the government might
be in five, ten or twenty-five years. The part
ing with these key positions on the continent
might be. fatal to the country here
He spoke of the importance of retaining the
Charlestown navy yard which was in the best
part of Boston harbor. There was no water
and no sea that could rival or surpass the ad,
vantages that naval vessels enjoyed there. He
asked was this time for government to come
into the market with acres of the best and
most valuable land and force 1t on an unwilling
people, having no disposition to buy and MOTH
ing to pay with. Why should the government
be required to strike down Marel Island,
Pensacola and Bunker Hill in order to estab,
lIsh rendezv Jus at Tybes or Cocksford Island?
Would they deprive Bunker Hill, Lexington
and Concord of the recognition which the GOV.
eminent in 1900 had given to that section?
mo-" said he. Let Bunker Hill stand let
her try her chances and tesG her destiny in the
coming century. Let her contemplate what
she was and not be made to hang her head
with shame when shs remembers that our
AmericanHouse ofReprerentatives has deprived
her of her honor and position and mementos
to valor. Let those men who are engaged in
hard and steady service at that navy yard and
have in the sight of the flags which floats over
1t perpetual reminder, a glorious Indictment
OF the valor, patriotism and virtue of their
fathers My heart would pour itself out in
tears If believed that while was a member
OF this house, the speaker should be called up
on to append his name to an act. which would
be an act of dishonor to Bunker Hill degrad-
2ng and dishonoring it. And for what? To
get few dollars of irredeemable currency
which may not be worth % cents on the dollar
IN i've or ten years. 1 appeal to this house to
let Bunker Hill stand and if there be an occa-
SION for its dlshonor let US take some other year
than the year 1876 to do that deed. General
applause and clapping of hands on both sides
of the bousa.)
Harris of Massachusetts, member of the
naval committee, read speech in the same
direction although he expressed the belief that
the abolition of the Charleston navy ward
would not be an injury to Boston. He
asserted that the subject had never been
heard of within the doors of the naval con-
mittee till within the last three days that in all
the peregrinations of that committee over the
country no testimony has been taken on the
subject of selling navy yard. He hoped the
proposition would receive no favorin the house.
Wallace of Pennsylvania made speech on
the financial and industrial question-adiourn-
ed.