The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-02-16
Proceedings Of Congress-.

WASHINGTON, Feb Is, 1876.
senate.
Mr.. White presented a joint rcsolu
ton OF the Maryland Legislature, /
favor of fishery across the Great Fall
or the Potomac. Referred to Commit
tee on Commerce.
Also the petition Of VIM. Devins 1
Co., and other business men of Balti
more, asking for the repeal of the banE,
rupt law. Referred to Judiciary Com
mittee.
Mr.. Sherman, from the Committee ol
District OF Columbia, reported, instruct
ing the committee to inquire into tn,
expediency of paving Pennsylvania ave
.nue from the Capitol to Fifteenth street
the materials to be used, etc, and wha
proportion Of the cost is to be borne b,
the United States. and what by tn,
property holders. Adopted.
Mr.. Hitchcock, from the COMMITTEES
on Territories, reported favorably bill
for the admission OF New Mexico into
the Union.
Mr.. Morrill,, of Maine called up the
pension appropriation bill. The Com
mittee on Appropriations reported
amendments making the appropriation
in bulk. and striking out the separation
OF the different items for army invalids
widows, minors, and dependents of sur
vlvors and widows OF tho war Of 1912, as
provided for by the House.
Mr.. Davis objected to the amendment.
He thought the appropriation should
be left separate, as provided by the
House.
Mr.. Morrill, said the separation OF
items would necessitate the separation
Of accounts.
Mr.. Davis said the accounts were kept
separate now, and were estimated for
separately.
Mr.. Cockrill asked Mr.. Morrill, what
was his objection to keeping the ac-
counts separate.
Mr.. Morrill, said it would involve an
immense amount Of additional labor
keeping separate books for all these ac-
counts. He had a communication read
from the Commissioner Of Pensions,
stating that il the itemized appropria-
tions were left as inserted by the House
it would add very greatly to the labor
and expense OF paying pensions. He
had also letter read from the Commits
sioner OF Pensions explaining certain
discrepancies in the estimate
for pensions as compared with the num-
Der Of pensioners.
Mr.. Davis said the explanation did not
satisfy MIN.
Mr.. Wallace called attention to the
fact that the expenses of the Pension
Office were increasing very largely.
The total amount required to pay pen
siOns was not SO great as several years
since, and yet the force in the Pension
Office here have largely increased and
expenses accordingly. The amount re-
ported by the committee was agreed to.
Mr.. Davis then moved an amendment,
giving the Secretary of the Interior
power over contingent eX-
benscs Of the Pension Office. Adopted.
Mr.. Davis moved q further amend
mcnt, providing that hereafter the Com
missioners Of Pensions shall in his an
lual report, give q statement of the
contingent expenses Of the Pension
Bureau.
Mr.. Sargent, in reply to a statement
If Mr.. Davis that the contingent ex-
)enses apparently amounted to $3,OOO,-
400, said that at least $2,7OO,OOO of said
lmount had gone to the payment of
pensions provided for in hasty legisla-
ion Of Congress.
Mr.. Edmunds stated that the informa-
ion concerning contingent expenses Of
,he pension office had been furnished.
Mr.. Wright said the law now required
he Secretary of the Interior to furnish
\ statement Of the contingent expenses
If every bureau in this department.
After further discussion Mr. Davis
withdrew his amendment. He said that
here ought to be some additional safe
guards thrown around the pension
bureau. He had reasons to believe that
much of the money appropriated for
pensions was improperly expended.
Mr.. Ingalls, said the Committee on
Pensions had considered this subject
md there were already bills on the
able looking to the correction Of the
wills. The bill was then passed and
low goes back to the House for action
IN the amendment.
Mr.. Wright, from the Committee on
he Judiciary, reported House bill to
I'M end section 1911 Of the Revised
Stat utes, with an amendment, which
vas agreed to and the bill passed.
Mr.. Clayton called up the bill remov
ng the restrictions OF the sale Of the
public lands in Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Arkansas and Florida, the
question being on the amendment, that
rom time to time the lands shall be Of
cred at public sale under existing laws.
md shall not be subject to private en-
nv until so offered. The amendment
vas agreed tc.
Mr.. Boutwell, submitted an amend
nent, in the form Of substitute, to his
,ilI to repeal the pre-emption laws, and
% provide for the sale Of timber upon
he public lands Of the United States. Mr..
Boutwell, spoke Of the waste, plunder
md robbery of the public lands.
Mr.. Morrill, Of Maine, from the com
nittee of conference on the District 3-65
)Ond bill. submitted a report. He said