The Portland daily press., 1876-06-10
Fort. Fourth Congress-FIrst Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, d. c., June O.
The chai7 laid before the senate commune
cation from the secretary of the treasury in
answer 10 senate resolutions on May %, in re-
gard to amount of money required to execute
the provisions of the bill recently passed by the
house and reported to the senate by the COM
!nittee on pensions, amending the laws grant,
ing pensions TO soldiers and sailors of the war
of 1872, and their widows The secretary saws
it is impossible to give detailed estim ate but
after a conference with the commissioner
of pensions he entertains the opinion it will re-
quire $3.50, $40 per annum to pay pensions un-
der the bill. Ordered printed and lie on the
table. The senate then took up the bill of
making appropriation for post office debt for
fiscal year ending June 80, 1885, and other pur-
poses.
Mr.. West presented the Post office
appropriation bill. He said whe
house it proposed to appropriate $33, $50, 100 as
now submitted to senate by the commissioner
on appropriations, it proposed to appropriate
36. SAG $50 an increase of $3.357 al over house
bill. The BILL as it came from the house con-
tanned provisions of general legislative schar-
acter, looking to the reduction of expenses In
the judgement of the on appropriations, it was
not practicable to do SO, aud therefore the COM
mittee recommended non-concurence in the
provisions of house bill, looking to the read
1ustment of salaries and change in compensa-
ton to railroad companies was settled years
ago but the house proposed to open it again
now. ot mne commissioners conn on post
and were of the opinion it was not ad-
mlsslble to do SO. The reduction of appropra-
tons would not be sanctioned by the people. or
its result would be to abolish the system of
railroad post offices and also cause a reduction
OF post mail service throughout the country
The first amendment proposed by the COM
missioner on appropriations was to appropriate
$150,000 for national depredations and special
agents, instead of $4,000 appropriated by the
house bill. After debate the amendment was
agreed to. Appropriations were agreed to as
follows: Providing that sum not exceeding
$1,000 OF the appropriation for special agents
may be expended for fees for U. S. attorneys
marshalls, clerks of courts, and counsel nee
cessarily employed by special agents.
Mr.. Shearman advocated general reduction
in salaries of postmasters in concurrence with
the house, and the senator from Me-, (Hamlin)
some time ago in an able speech said there was
dencIency from carrying the newspapers of
t6e country amounting to $6,9oO,O0O. The
carrying their mail wat 81, 100000.
Lad not the senate courage to deal with the
matter? had newspapers such power over
senators? Was there such terror of them that
the senate could not do what was righl? He
acknowledges the power of newspapers was
great in dissemination of intelligence any re-
spectacle newspaper publisher would consider
himself insulted if told he was a be-
nihclary OF the government in this respect.
aAbCi urn uioCuSSlOu Uy4m6SSrS. damlln,
Herman, West, Withers and Morrill, of Maine
Mr. Sherman said the Postmaster General had
declared he could get along with $4,000 less
than the amount reported by the committee
he moved to amend the amendment OF COM
mittee so to make the amount for compepsa.
ton of postmasters 81, 1890 900 instead of ST. 5OO
OU0, and to provide that reduction of rate COM
pensatlon commence 1st of October next
Agreed to-22 to 10. Mr.. Sherman also gave
notlce ne would move at proper time to in
crease rate OF postage on newspapers to four
cents per pound. He would do so not to pun
1Sh newspapers hut to make them nav some
portion OF transportation through mails Other
amendments proposed by committee Appro-
priations were agreed to-
The Senate poStotfice appropriation bill as
amended was then PASSED, yeas %, nays IA.
Mr.. Sherman offersd the following amend
ment to the bill, but it was sen. to the Postal
Committee as an Independent matter: That on
and after LIST day January, 1877, all newspapers
and periodical publications mailed from
known office of publication or news agency and
addressed to regular subscribers
be charged at following rates: On
newspaper and periodical publications issued
weekly or more frequently than once a week, 4
those issued less frequently than once week
cents for each pound or fraction thereof.
HOUSE.
After considering few bills Cd the nrivate
calender, HuDton made motion to take his
motion disposng of Mr.. Blaine's resolution for
the publication of the Caldwell telegram. The
consumed large part of the session. The
house then resumed its proper business.