The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-07
Forty Fourth Congress-FIrst Session.
SENATE.

SENATE
WASHINGTON, April 6.
Mr.. Sherman, from the Judiciary Committee
reported with amendments the House bill to
correct an error in the revised statutes in re-
gard to warrants of arrests in extradition
treaties.
The amendments were agreed TO and the bill
passed.
Mr.. Wright from the Judiciary Committee
reported adversely on the Senate bill to abolish
capital punishment, and it was indefinitely
postponed.
Mr.. Edmunds from the same commiite re-
ported bill to further provide for the adminis-
tering of oaths in the Senate. Placed on the
calendar. He said this bill was submitted in
response to an order from the Senate of yester-
day inStructing the committee to inquire into
the expediency of reporting such bill
Mr.. Boutwell, introduced bill making an
appropriation to defray the expenses of the
committee appointed by the Senate to investi-
gate the recent election in Mississippi
After the expiration of the morning hour the
Senate took up the consideration Of the bill fix
ing the rate OF postage on third class malt mat
ter, and Mr.. Harvey offered substitute for
the bill allowing four pound packages in the
mails at rate of postage of one cent for zach
two ounces. He addressed the Senate in favor
of his substitute.
Mr.. Bogy opposed any attempt at this day to
make the Post Office Department self-sustain-
iug, but thought the classification of that mat
ter defective and doubted the policy of reducing
the postage on letters to two cents. The trans
portatlon OF second class mail matter consisting
of newspapers and periodicals was attended
with considerable loss. The second class as
well as the first was intended to carry out the
original idea held in org anizing the department
which was the transmission of intelligence
throughout the continent Newspapers and
periodicals ought to be scattered throughout
the land and if there must be a tax to TRANSPORT
them the people of this country could nor nav
for better more QSAfOI object Ac 10
class matter he thought it all erroneous He
favored an increase OF the rate on merchar disc
supporting Mr.. Harveys amendment. INIT No
increase in the rate on newspapers and periods
calls.
Mr.. Maxey supported the bill and nendino
further discussion Mr. Edmunds called mn the
House bill reported by the judiciary committee
this forenoon TO amend sec. 1044 of the r s in
regard to limitations in prosecutions for crime
The amendments proposed by the COZ, mItte,.
OF q verbal character were agreed to and tho
bill passed.
After further discussion by Messrs. Sanls.
bury, Davis and Melrimon, the latter subrnit.
ted au amendment to strike out of the first
section the following clause inserted after the
articles enumerated as constituting the third
class matter "And all other matter which
may be declared mailable by law and all other
articles not above the weight prescribed BY law
which are not from their form or nature liable
to destroy, deface or otherwise injure the con-
engaged in the postal SERVICE" He then sub
mtted another amendment providing for a
fourth class of mail matter for articles NOT
enumerated in the first, second or third class
Mr.. Hamlin said he would not ask a vote on
the bill to day as several Senators had reunest.
ed him not to do So
Mr.. Morrill, of Vt, read fron paper with
cut mentioning the name thereof, O Washing
ton despatch naming certain Republican sens
tors who voted against the confirmation of r..
II. Dana, Jr., 10 be minister to England. stat.
ing that they were under the lead of General
Butler &c, and asked the senator from North
Carolina (Merrimon) if that was the kind of in
telligence he would allow through the mails at
cheap rates. (Laughter) Resuming Mr.. Nor
ri!l said that the correspondent of that paper
was not present at the executive session, but
he thought the paper worth preserving.
Pending the discussion on the bill fixing the
rate of postage Mr.. Sherman, from the com
miJtee on finance, reported favoraby on the
House bill to provide for deficiency in the en-
craving aud printing bureau OF the Treasury
Department, and gave notice that be would
cal iv up for Consideration GU Monday
Mr.. Wright, from the committee on judicia.
ry, reported adversely on the Senate bill o
make persons chargeabie with crimes and o.
fences competent witnesses in the courts of the
United States, and it was indefinitely POSITION,
ed