The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-12
Forty Fourth Cougress-First Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, April IL.
Mr.. Cooper from the Finance Committee re-
ported fayorably on the House bill to provide
for the expenses OF admission of foreign goods
to the centennial. Passed.
The bill fixing the rate of postage on third
class mail matter was taken up and Mr.. Merri-
mon addressed the Senate.
The question was on the amendment of Mr..
Merrimon to strike out of the first section the
clause allowing in the mails all articles not
above the weight prescribed by law and which
are not from their form or nature liable to de-
stroy, deface or otherwise injure the mail bags
or the person of anyone engaged in the postal
service.
Mr.. Merrimon modified that amendment SO
as to strike out of the third clause malt maj
tiers, such as engravings, blanks, flexible pat
terms, samples of merchandise, cards, photo
graphic envelopes, letter envelopes, postal en-
velopes and Wrappers cards, plain and orna-
mental paper, Photographic representations,
seeds, cuttings, bulbs, roots and scions.
Mr. Merrimon said that the object of this
amendment was to organize a fourth class of
mail matter for merchandise and make it pay
the cost of transportation. The amendment
was rejected II against 20.
Mr. Dawes spoke in support of the bill re-
ported by the committee.
Mr.. Harvey spoke in favor of the substitute
submitted By him to restore the old rate of pos
tage.
Mr., Morrill, of Maine said the people of the
United States would not permit merchandise in
the mail when they understood that it was in
the interest of traffic. Newspapers should
have every facility of the mail but they should
pay reasonable compensation for conveyance,
and never in the history of this country YVES
the press better able to do so than now.
Pending the discussion Mr.. Morrill, of VT,
called up the bill making an appropriation
to continue the work of improving the Capital
grounds and the amendment of the House re-
ducing the amount from $25 600 to $4,000 was
agreed to and the bill passed.
The Senate went into executive session and
at o'clock adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Hereford of West Virginia, from the
Commerce Committee, reported adversely on
the bill for the appointment of commission to
enquire as to the terms on which commercial
treaty can be made with Canada, The minori-
ty report was made by Mr.. Ward of New York
and on his motion the bill was made a special
order for the third Tuesday in May.
Mr. Kehr of Missouri, from the same COM
mittee, reported bill to authorize the con-
struction of a bridge across the Missouri river,
at or near Sioux City, Iowa. After an expla.
nation the bill was passed.
Mr.. Dunnell of MIMI, from the same con-
mittee, reported bill to grant American regis
ter to the Canadian steam terryboat Geneva.
He explained that the boat was pleasure boat
built at Kingston, Canada, for American own
ers, but that all of the machinery was made at
New York. Opposition was made to the bill
by Messrs. Cox, Kelley and Townsend, the last
named representing that this was the com.
mencement of movement to transfer Ameri-
can ship building to foreign countries.
After further discussion the bill was passed.
Mr.. Wells OF Missouri, from the appropria-
tion committee, reported the deficiency bill and
said that he would try and get action on it to-
morrow. The bill appropriates 1862, 486.
The House then proceeded to the considera-
ton as special order, of the bill reported by
Mr.. Reagan of Texas, concerning commerce
and navigation, and the regulation of steam
vessels.
The bill was amended in various respects and
passed.
On motion of Mr.. Holman of Indiana, the
Senate bill appropriating $4,000 for the inn
provement of the Capitol grounds was amend
ed by reducing the amount to $4,000 and pass
ed.
Mr.. Randall of Penn, moved that the House
concur in the Senate amendments to the bill t.
supply the deficiency in the printing bureau o.
the Treasury.
Pending action the House at 80 took a re.
cess, the evening session to be for the leglsla'
tive appropriation bill.
Evening Session.
The discussion and action on the legislative
bill were confined to the reduction of special
Treasury agents, who were limited to ten; to a
proposition by Mr.. White of Kentucky to re.
lieve small private distillerieS from taxation,
which was voted down; to a variety of minor
matters connected with the officials of the IN
ternal revenue, their number, compensation,
&c. There was nothing of public interest in
the discussion and there was hardly any prog
ress made, only the 26th page of the bill hav-
ing been reached with 40 more to be disposed
of. House at 10. Is o'clock adjourned,