The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-10
CONG R E s S.
HOUSE.
WAsnINGToN, February 0.

WARRINGTON, febrnAry9.
Mr.. Banning asked leave to offer re-
solution calling on the Secretary Of War
for information as to the number Of
draught horses and mules in the service
Of the army, their cost, place Of pur'
chase, &C., also as to the cost Of mounting
n regiment OF cavalry.
Mr.. Thornburg objected, saying il
would occupy the whole clerical force oil
the department until the close OF the scs.
sion.
The Speaker then called the commit
tees for report.
Mr.. Parsons, from the Committee on
Private Land Claims, reported bill au.
thorizing the Secretary Of the Treasury
10 sell by private sale such portions Of
the public property at Vincennes, Ind,
rs may be required far tracks, switches,
shops and other purposes, for the Ohio &
Mississippi, the Evansville &Crawfords-
vile and the indianapolis & VincenneS
Railroad Companies, the real estate hav-
ing been acquired by the government for
debt, being commonly known as the steam
mill tract or the Hall-Nelson property.
Mr.. Holman objected to that provision
Of the bill allowing the transfer Of prop.
erty at private sale, and argued that il
should be opened to public competition.
Mr.. Parsons inferred that Holman's
prOpositionwould he unjust to those rail.
road companies which were already using
the property.
Mr.. Holman insisted that at least that
portion OF the property not needed by
the railroad companies should he dis
posed Of by public competition.
The property consists Of about eight Y
acres, Of which the railroad companies
require about One.third.
After considerable discussion the bill
was rejected, yeas ll2; nays ll9.
. The House then went into Committee
of the Whole (Haskins in the chair on
the consular and diplomatic appropria-
ton bill and was addressed by Springer,
Of Illinois, in defence Of the economic
features OF the bill.
Mr.. Springer said that the people in
the election OF 1874 had a deliberate pur-
pose in view. What was it? They had
deliberately made up their minds that
there must be retrenchmcnt, economy
and reform in the Government. They
lad trusted long to the party in power
for it, and had been disappointed, and so
they had gone deliberately 10 work and
sent majority TO the House that would
respect and carry out the wishes OF the
people. In reply 10 Garfeld's encomium
on the State Department last week, he
(SpringGr) undertook to prove that that
department was no exception to the ex-
travagance and peculiarlties OF the other
departments OF the Government. In that
connection he read items showing the
amount OF contingent expenses charged
by Foreign Ministers last year, in
which Washburnc figures at $3.50,
Cushing at $1,000 and Schenck at $4,000,
the latter including S9,l0l in gold for
kilograms for one quarter and SiS1 10
Adam Baleau as bearer Of dispatches to
Madrid. He alsO showed an allowance
Of Sl0,G07 TO Mr.. Baker while Minister
to Turkey for presents made to Turkish
officials. II used to be thought, he said,
that presents, like kisses, we're rcCiprO.
Gated. lie did not know whether il was
90 in this instance, but il seemed that the
Turkish officials had never said turkey
to Baker. l.aughtcr.l Passing on to
criticism on State papers, he ridiculcd
particularly the dispatches OF j. Mere
dith Read, resident Minister to Greece,
in one OF which Mr.. Read described in
grandiloquent phrases ball given at
Athens, in which he had the honor Of
leading a contra dance with the Queen,
and from which lie returned at o'clock,
singing, as he (Springerl supposed that
song which must'havc been Greek in the
ears OF the Athcnians.
ave won't go home ill morning,
Till daylight dOcs appear
What he said must have been delight
iul sensation in the State Department.
When this dispatch was received from
Read some official there should have sent
him dispatch:
"On with the dance, Irt JOY hc uncOnhnrd,
40 rleCp I'll morn, when youth and pleasure met
To chnS' The glowing hours with flying feet
Laughter. lie then pictured Ecad
when hearing Of the abolition OF his
office. and suppose him addressing the
Queen ~
"Maid n Athens, ere We part,
tive, On, give me back my heart
Loud Laughter and then as J. Mere
dith was embarked on the same stately
ship aud saw the Queen standing on shore,
he would doubtless 90 ON with the
song;
Maid Of Athcrs, | am eonr,
Think nt me, sweet when along,
Though NY 10 IstambOnl,
Meaning, he supposed, Philalclphial
Athens holds my heart and soul.
Hear me now before | SO,
Zoe mou, sls asapO
| Loud InuGhtcr.l He would like one OF
the New York mcmcbcrs to pronounce
the lasrlinc in Greek style. Laughter.
NJ Snnlnvn g,tUVnatOl IN SnripVpr tho