The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-03-22
Forty Fourth Congress-First Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Mar. q

De amended Referred 10 Tue ou'io'"iJ Coih-
mittee.
Mr.. Conkling presented 2100 petitions accom-
panied by 100 letters, all from pensioners re-
monstrating against the removal OF the pension
bureau from the Interior to the War Depart
mept Referred to the Committee on Pensions.
Also a petition of Nina III. Granger, widow of
Gordon Granger, asking for pension.
Mr.. Allison, from the Committee on AID
propriations reported back the House military
bill with recommendation that the Senate adj.
here to its amendments, and ask committee
of conference. Agreed to.
MI. English presented joint resolution
providing for the printing of 10000 copies, 1900
copies for the use of the Senate, and 5000 for
the House, of the eulogies pronounced upon the
death of Senator Ferry Referred to the Com
mittee on Printing.
Mr.. Allison called up the Senate bill provid-
ing for an agreement with the Sioux, and
pending its consideration the morning hour ex-
pirei and the Senate resumed the consdera-
ton of the bill to count the vote for President
and Vice President
Question was taken on the amendment pro-
posed by Cooper, viz: To strike out all after the
word ''agree' in the first line and insert the
ately referred to the chief justice of the Su-
preme Court, the president of the Senate, and
Speaker of the House, whose decision shall be
final If the chief justice is absent or unable
to attend, the senior assistant justice of the
Supreme Court present in the Capitol or other
place of meeting shall act in his place."
The amendment was los.-yeaS 20, nays 80.
The question required on the amendment
offered by Mr.J ohnston to the amendment pro-
posed by MIR. Cooper, n amely, to strike out all
after the word s'and'' in the the first line, and
insert ''if the Senate should vote for one certif
cation and the House of Representatives. for
another the joint meeting of the two houses
shall finally determine which shall be counted,
by states, the representation from each state,
including Senators therefrom, having one vote,
but the Representatives of any state shall be
equally divided its vote should not be counted.
This was discussed at some length without
action, and an amendment was offered by Mr.
Maxey providing that the President of the Sen.
ate, acting as presiding officer of the two Hous-
es in joint session shall decide which is the
valid return, etc.
The Senate at 4 OF clock went into executive
session and at 40 adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr. Woodwork of Ohio, corrected the jour
nal of yesterday in which he is reported as not
having voted on Mr.. Atkins bill for the repeal
of the resumption act, and stated that he voted
in favor of the bill.
A resolution nstructing the com mittee on ex-
penditures in the Treasury Department to in
quire into the management ard disposition of
captured and abandoned property, was adopted.
Mr.. Garfield from the same committee re-
ported bill making it a miSdemeanOr for any
person in the employment of the United States
to solicit or contribute to election funds, or
vass in any state, county or district in the Unit
ed States.
Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts,, offered an amend
ment providing that the act should not be con.
strued to prevent voluntary contributions for
the purpose of circulating documents or of pro-
curing public addresses on questions of public
interest. He declared himself willing to assist
in the correction of all election abuses, but he
said the House should be careful not to invade
the constitutional rights of any class of citizens.
He believed public officers should not be ex-
cluded from the exercise of their constitutional
rights and set apart as pariahs, without polti-
cal interests and without the right to exercise
their full share in the management of the gov
eminent. He would vote for the bill, but
thought his amendment should be embodied in
it,
Mr.. Caul6eld of Illinois, said it was the OBJ
ject Of the Judiciary Committee in reporting
the bill to cut off all apologies and excuses and
subterfnges of every character.
Mr.. Blaine-Does the language OF the bill in
clude within its provisions Senators and mem.
bers of Congress?
Mr.. Caulfeld-I do not consider it does be-
cause they are cot officers of the government
Mr.. Blaine-Why not include them?
Mr.. Caulfeld-Iif the gentleman wishes to
include them he may offer an amendment for
that purpose.
Mr.. Blains-I will certainly do so if am
permitted, because my observation has been,
and think the testimony of the country will
be that there has been more corruption funds
contributed in campaigns for Congress, both by
successful and defeated candidates, than by
generation OF government clerks whom this
bill aims at. If you attempt to cut off the S.
or $40 contributions, which the Lord knows
ought to be saved to these poor clerks, and al
low candidate for Congress to pay $4,000, $1O,-
600, 10000 or $4,000 as l have heard of being
done, then it seems to me the bill is mere pre-
tence and does not strike at the evil at all 1
move to insert Senators and Representatives in
Congress.
Mr.. Caulfeld-I refuse to yield any further
Speaker-Does the gentleman from Illinois
yield for the amendment?
Mr. Caul6eld-No, | cannot yield.
MI. Blaine-The gentleman said he would
yield
Mr.. Caulfeld-Well, withdraw what said,
Mr.. Blaine-Then the gentleman declines to
have Senators and Representatives brought I'M
der the same rule as he wishes applied to gov
eminent clerks?
Mr. Caulfeld- members of the Judi
ciary Committee have reports to make, and 1
wish to give them an opportunity, but in reply
to what the gentlemen from Maine has said, I
must say that whatever his experience may De
on the subject of contributions by members of
Congress and of the frauds contributed by them,
know nothing about them. He may speak
from experience; have none on the subject
Mr.. Blaine-I have run for Congress seven
times and have never contributed postage
stamp for any improper purpose whatever, but
L can indicate gentlemen who have run for Con-
Dress who have spent $4,000 in the election.
wish to have test made in this case, and now
move to reconsider the vote by which the main
question was ordered, and it will be for the
House to say on the yeas and nays whether it
will include Senators and members of Congress
in this bill.
A member-And candidates for Congress.
Mr. Blaine-No; that is too Indefinite
The yeas and nays we've ordered on motion to
reconsider.
Mr.. Caulfeld moved to admit the amendment
hJt faa NfTn -.
shouts of regular ORDER" from the Republican
side of the House.
The vote was recousidered, yeas 206, nays 4
Mr. Blaine then offered his proposed amend
ment to the bill prohibiting election contribu-
lions from government clerks. The amend
ment is to include Senators, Representatives
and delegates in Congress, and to add these
words, land the contribution of money or other
valuable thing as is herein prohibited by any
Senator, Representative or delegate in Congress
while he was candidate for Congress, shall in
addition to the penalties herein described ope-
rate as disqualification as to his holding his
seat"
Amendments were also offered by Messrs
Reagan of Texas, Hewitt of Alabama, and
Brown of Kentucky, which are to be consider.
ed when the bill next comes up,
Permission was given the committee investi-
eating the real estate pool to testify before the
| grand jury.
Mr.. Frye of Maine introduced a bill for the
payment Of the Alabama claims iudg ments.
Referred.
Mr.. Preble of New York offered resolut ion
calling for statement of accounts of the Navy
Department with its fiscal agent at London for
every year since 1868. Adopted.
The House at 2 30 went into committee of
the whole, Mr.. Cox in the chair, on the legisla-
tive and judicial appropriation bill Speeches
were made by Mr.. Hubbell of Michigan
against the Morrison tariff, ond by Mr. Foster
| of Ohio, member of the Appropriation Com
| mittee, in criticism of the reductions proposed
| in the legislative appropriation bill, claiming
that they are of so sweeping character as Sc
| riously to impair the effective working of the
| departments of the government.
| Mr.. Holman of Indiana, another member of
| the committee defended the bill and declared
that the committee in preparing it had but one
| object in view-to make all proper and neces-
| sary reductions consistent with efficiency, and
| that no personal or partisan consideration had
been displayed in the action of the committee
| In the course of Mr.. Holma n s remarks the
| question turned on the new rus adopted this
session allowing appropriations to be reported
| at less than the rates fixed by law.
Mr. Blaine gave his opinion that that new
rule would prove the Trojan horse on which,
| under the device of retrenchment all sorts of