The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-08-04
History of Seven Days.
The News for the week ending Wednesday
Might. August ed.
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Let us be thankful THAT Congress cannot
much longer remain in session. The Ways
and Means Committee think that it may be
able to adjourn Monday. Until that time the
House Investigating Committees will open
wide the flood-gates of the scandals and SLAM
ders which they have been so industriously
collecting since the first of January from the
disgruntled, the disgraced and discharged en-
ploye, the dead beat and the constitutional
hater of the government. These scandals
will be put before tho country in the form of
reports and circulated as campaign documents.
The report Of the majority of the Naval Com
mittee in the case of Secretary Robson lis one
of the most remarkable OF these scandals. 1t
is deliberate attempt to break him down.
The three leading members of the committee
are ex-rebels. Six months the committee sat
under the injunction of secrecy. All who had
political or personal grievances were invited to
tell their tales Mr.. Robson was not per-
mitted to be present. 1t was an inquisition,
sitting to condemn a man without his being
allowed to face his Eaccusers. All of the filth
and gangrene which six months industry could
collect has been put into report. All of the
testimony on the other side which Robson was
permitted to offer at late day has been lightly
passed over. This report, however, reaches no
conclusion but simply turns the whole matter
over to the JudiciarysC ommittee to consider and
if Robson is guilty.Of Improbable offences to
report at the next session. The independ ent
press of the Icountry generally denounces the
action.
Nearly all the appropriation bills have been
agreed upon between the two houses. The
President in approving of the Sundry Civil
Appropriation bill, sent the House message
to the effect that.scme of the sums voted were
insufficient to carry out the provisions of exist
ing laws.
The impeachment trial of Belknap was con
cluded Tuesday and resulted in the acquittal of
the accused on the ground that the Senate had
no justification because at the time of his i'm
parchment, Belknap was not an officer of the
United States. 1t required two-thirds vote to
convict The following lis the general vote,
Those who voted guilty, were Bayard, Booth,
Cameron of Pennsylvania, Cockerell, Grape
Davis, Dawes, Dennis, Edmunds, Gordon
Hamilton, Harvey, Hitchcock, Kelley, Herman
Key, Morton, McCreery, Mcdonald, Merrimon,
Mitchell, Morrill,, Norwood, Oglesby, Ran
dolph, Ransom, Robertson, Sargent, Sauls-
bury, Sherman, Stevenson, Thurman, Wad.
leigh, Wallace, White, Withers.
Those who voted not guilty on the ground of
lack of justification were Allison, Anthony,
Boutwell,, Bruce, Cameron of Wisconsin
Christancy, Conkling, Conover, Cragin, Dor
sey, Eaton, Ferry, Frelinghupsen. Hamlin,
Howe, ingalls,, Jones of Nevada, Logan. Nc
MILAN, Paddock, Patterson, Spencer, West
Window, Wright.
The report that Avery and others connected
with the whiskey thieves now in prison are to
be pardoned is false.
The President sent the Senate on Tuesday
the information in his possession respecting
the Democratic outrages upon negroes in the,
South, together with letter written to Gov.
Chamberlain pledging his aid to suppress out
RACES in South Carolina
CONGRESS.
Saturday, July 29.-In the House, the bill
passed by both houses, extending the time of
redemption of lands sold for taxes was amend
ed SO as to exclude the possibility of its being
to affect national cemeteries and
passed. The House then discussed the reports
Of the committee on naval affairs. In the
evening large number of speeches were made
on various subjects, that of Mr.. Morrison, of
Illinois, on the tariff bill being the only one OF
public Importance.
Monday July H.-In the Senate a resolution
prohibiting the supplying of metallic cart
ridges to Indians, and bill authorizing the
of the army by the enlistment of
not more than $500 men, were passed. The i'm
parchment case was then taken up, and an or
Ter relative to the votes on the subject
vas amended to permit Senators to give
heir reasons for their votes, and passed.
The House bill continuing until August
10Th the temporary provision for govern
nent expenses, and the House bill in relation
% Indian supplies, were passed. The House
esumed the consideration of the report on ma
al affairs. A resolution generating Secreta-
y Robson from all charges of improper con-
luct was lost, yeas SO, nays 115-a party vote.
resolution referring the case to the judiciary
committee was adopted. A bill appropriating
;159, 900 for Indian supplies until the regular
indian appropriation bill becomes law, and
their purchase in open market, and
! bill continuing the present temporary ar
angement for government expenses until the
9th of August, were passed.
Friday, July 2S.-In the Senate the river and |
arbor appropriation bill was taken up and re-
ommitted, with instructions to report it so
hat the total amount appropriated by it shall |
Tn Al.
Virginia contested election case, Mr.. Goode,
he sitting member, was declared entitled to /
lis seat. Mr.. Abbott of Massachusetts, who |
vas some time since declared entitled to the /
eat held by Mr.. Frost, was sworn in and took |
lis seat. A report was received from the civil |
ervice committee declaring that no brides /
ould have been received by Mr. Putnam, and |
be conference committees report on the mill |
ary academy bill, appropriating $2O9,O65 was |
dopted.
Tuesday. dug. LIN the Senate, message |
vas received from the President transmitting |
he correspondence between himself and Gov |
rnor Chamberlain and other reports in regard /
the Hamburg, S. c., troubles. 4 letter from |
he Secretary of War transmitting report of /
he number of employees in that department |
rom 1859 to 1875, was also received. A new
Conference committee was appointed on the |
consular appropriation bills. A commission was |
appointed to consider the work of reorganizipp
he army. In the House, the majority and
minority reports on the real estate pool were
ubmtted and discussed. and the matter was
eferred to the judiciary committee. Resolu-
ions in five contested election cases were
dopted declaring that the sitting members,
fessrs Hyman Of North Carolina, Chandler |
ieorgia, Lynch of Missippi, Norton of New |
,ork, and Freeman of Pennsylvania, were duly |