The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-04-12
FORTy-FouRT.hl ! ! CONGRESS.
WHsHINaToS, April II.
aRNArE.

|
Mr.. Cooper, from the Committee on
Finance, reported favorsbly on House
bill to provide for the expenses of the ad.
mission Of foreign goods to the Centen-
NAL Exhibition. Passed.
Mr.. Howe intfodnceda bill by request,
to provide for cheap transportation of
freight between tide water at or near the
Atlantic Ocean and Ohio and Mississippi
Valley railroads, Referred. rsv~. 4.
Mr.. Stevenson presented o petition
from the tobacco men OF Cincinnati and
Covington, KY, in favor of reduction
OF the tax on tobacco to sixteen cents per
pound. Referred.
Mr.. Edmueds, from the Commit
toe on judiciary, rep,rted adverse
ly on the House bill to protect
witnesses who shah be required
to testify in certain cases, with q written
report, and asked that the bill be placed
on the calendar with the adverse report
So ordered.
| Mr.. Stevenson presented the report o.
the minority of the committee on the
bill, and it was ordered that both reports
be printed.
Mr.. Edmunds submitted a resolution
directing the Secretary of War to inform
the Senate what action, if any, had
been taken uuder the law Of February
9th, 1876, for the settlement with GER
| tain railroad companies and also to furn-
ish detailed insormation concerning the
possession and subsequent REIMBURSEMENT
by the United States of the Western and
Atlantic Railroad of Georgia, its condi-
tien, value, improvements or repairs by
the government and whether the latter
have been fully paid for. Agreed to.
The bill authorizing the improvement
of Pennsylvania avenue, in Washington,
was discussed until l 40 P. NJ, when the
Senate resumed the consideration of un
finished business, being the bill fixing
the rate of postage on third.class mail
matter, and Mr.. Merrimsn spoke in re-
gard thereto.
Pending question being an amend
ment of Merriman TO strike out of first
section the clause allowing in mails all
articles not above the weight prescribed
by law, which are not from their form
or nature liable to destroy, deiace, or
otherwise injure the contents OF mail
bags or person of any one engaged in the
postal service.
Mr.. Merriman modified that amend
ment so as to strike out the clause "of
mail matter, prints. engravIngs.
blanks, flexible patterns, samples,
merchandise sample cards, pho.
tographic paper, letter envelopes,
postal envelopes and wrappers, cards,
plain and ornamental paper, photograph
ic representations, seeds, cuttings, bulbs,
roots and .scions" ,-s.
Mr.. Merriman said the object of this
amendment was to organize fourth class
OF mail matter for merchandise and make
it pay the cost Of transportation. He
gave notice that he would offer an amend
ment TO the second section, to make the
postage two cents on each
two ouneos-ruar fractiona+-part
there of instead of each ounce and if
that should be agreed to he would offer
another section providing for fourth
class mail matter.
Mr. Hsmlin said he thought that
theory of the Senator from North Caro-
lima all wrong
The amendment of Mr. Merriman
was rejected. Yeas IL; nays 20.
Mr.. Merriman said as this amend
ment had been rejected il was no use to
offer that to organize fourth class mail
matter, and he therefore was
ready to support the amendment
submitted by the Senator from Kansas,
THsrvey1 TO return to the old rate OF
postage.
MIR. Dawes, of Massachusetts, favored
the bill reported by the committee,
though he did not agree that it was
perfect.
Mr.. Harvey spoke in favor Of the sub
stitute submitted by him, to restore the
the old rate of postage.
Mr.. Morrill, of Maine, thought the
Committee on Postoffices and Pcstroads
had proposed u most important re-
form, and the bill should be passed.
The newspaper interest should take its
share in public burdens with all other
interests. lie argued that it was uncon-
stitutional to carry merchandise through
the mails. .
Mir. Nithers favored the substitute of
the Senator from Kansas Harvey The
colored people Of the South were espec'-
ally interested in cheap postage on books,
Great efforts were being made TO educate
them. and if the old law should be restor-
cd they could get school books from the
publishers at cheap postage. He believed
newspapers should have every facility,
He believed in free press, and thought
il would I've bad day for this country
when Congress should muzzle the press
by any legislation, directly or indirectly;
Pending discussion Mr.. Morrill,, of
Vermont, called up the bill making an
appropriation to continue the work of
improving the capitol grounds, and the
amendment OF the House reducing the
amount TO $4,000 was agreed to and the
bill passed. 49,. g.
Alter an executive session the Senate
adjourned.
HOUSE
f-o., "A Tnp M on