The Portland daily press., 1876-03-07
Forty Fourth C0ngress-First Session
SENATE.
WASuINcTON Nor &

WASHINGTON, Mar. 6.
Mr.. Edmunds, from the select committee to
which was referred the resolutions and Mes
sages from the Hodse of Representatives in re.
gard to the impeachment of VIM. w. Belknap,
late Secretary of War, reported preamble and
resolutions declaring the Senate will take order
in the premises according to the standing rule,
aud directing the Secretary to notify the House
of Representatives. Agreed to.
The chair laid before the Senate communi-
cation from the Acting Secretary of War
enclosing telegram from General Howard in
regard to the proposed telegraph line from
gon, stating it to be of great benefit tn COM
merce, etc. Referred to the Military Commit
tee.
Mr.. Conkling presented retolutions to the
New York Chamber of Commerce relative to
the bankrupt law and pointing out certain Sec
tions which could be amended, referred them
to the Judiciary Committee.
Bills were introduced by Mr.. Eaton author
izing the payment of prize money to the Off
GERS of the Farragut fleet for the destruction of
the enemy's vessels in April 1862. Referred to
the Committee on Naval affairs.
Resolutions were offered inquiring of the
Commissioner of Agriculture the extent of the
country adapted to the growth of Sea Island cot
ton, and of the Secretary of the Interior for the
amount of expenditures of the Indian bureau
since its organization, and the number of In
dams provided for in the same time.
Mr.. Boutwell, called up his motion to recon.
slider the vote by which the House bill to pro.
vide for the purchase of material for the contin-
nation of work on building for a custom
house at ST. Louis was passed and it was a.
greed to. He submitted to amendments which
were adopted. Mr.. Hamlin submitted a reso-
luton requesting the Post Master General to
furnish information touching the submission
of straw bids and probable worthless or fraud
ulent bids for conveying mails in states in
which advertisements for mail proposals were
offered Oct. LIST, 1875, and that such informa-
ton and all evidence in his possession be fur
nished before awards shall be made on said
bids. Agreed to. Mr. Morton gave notice
that he would tomorrow ask the Senate to
continue the session until vote was reached
on the Pinchback case
After the expiration of the morning hour,
Mr.. Sherman called up the resolutions of the
New York Chamber of Commerce presented
last week, and spoke in regard thereto.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Sherman's speech
Mr.. Bogy of Mo-. called up a bill introduced
by him early in the session authorizing the pay
ment OF duties on imports in legal tenders and
bank notes.
In reply to question OF Mr.. Morrill, of VT,
Mr.. Bogy said free trade was begotten in Eng
land and it had poisoned the whole world, and
our own people had the hydrophoba worse
than those of any other country. He then
spoke in regard to the tariff and said the pres-
ent tariff, which he believed was known as the
Merrill tariff was injurious to his tBogy's) Sec
tion as it did not impose sufficient duty on
hides and wool.
Mr.. Morrill, of VT, said that the Senator
from Missouri had enumerated on what he was
pleased to call ''the Morrill, tariff That was
merely nickname applied to it for the pur-
fose of killing the bill when it was introduced
in 1861. The tariff bill did increase the duty
on hides and wool more than ever had been
done by any Democratic administration. He
(MorrilD always maintained the idea that the
farmers should be protected
Mr.. Eaton said that unless some Senator
more entitled to public attention should soon
Introduce bill for resumption of specie pay.
ment he would take that liberty himself. He
referred to the act of last year and said the
great laws of nature were outraged by it. 1t
was easy enough to talk about resumption, but
Congress should legislate wisely, taking into
consideration the condition of the country and
the fact that the United States was the great
debtor nation of the world.
The chair laid before the Senate message
from the President of the United States enclos-
ing communication from the acting Secretary
of War in answer to Mr.. Mitchells resolution
of Jan. 7,stating the number of arrests in Alas
ka, the cause thereof, &c. Ordered to be print
ed and laid on the table.
Ihe Senate at $40, on motion Mr.. Robert
SOD, went into executive session and soon af-
forwards adjourned.
HOUSE.
Several bills were introduced and referred.
BY Mr.. Randall of Pennsylvania, to declare
lOT WlbueSStS IOr Inc U llGeQ states.
1t provides that witness shall not be liable to
arrest at any time after he has been subpanaed
or after testifying, and that he shall never be
moested on account of any matter disclosed by
him in his testimony, and that it shall be a
penal offence to intimidate or attempt to intim.
idate by threatening him with prosecution.
By Mr.. Morrison of Illinois, to exempt from
criminal prosecution witnesses testifying before
either House of Congress or any committee of
the same.
After the introduction and reference of seye-
raj Dllls the House went into committee of the
whole on the Hawaiin treaty.
Mr. Wood concluded his speech in fay6
thereof.
Mr.. Morrison, chairman of Committee on
Ways and Means made speech against the
bill as having no free trade in it and no reel.
prosity in it for much was given and little re-
ceIved
Mr.. Mills of Texas also opposed the bill on
the ground that it was gift of 100000 or
$500, 900 to the sugar producers of the Hawaiian
Islands without any benefit in the way of
cheaper sugar to the residents of the Pacific
c )ast.
Mr.. Burcbard of Illinois, spoke in favor of
the bill and Mr.. Kelley of Pennsylvania
against it.
Committe rose without action on the Haw-
allan bill
Mr.. Buckner, Chairman of District Commit
tee, Introduce resolution instructing the Ju-