New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-26
lBY TELEGRAPH,
CONGRESS.


9enato.
WASHINGTON, April 25.-The bill appro
priating $4,000 to survey the Austin T0po
iovampo Pacific route has been postponed.
The Judiciary Committee repofted favor
ably on tho bill removing the political dis
abilities of William l.. Maury. Francis +.
Nichols, Samuel Jones and n. ii. Juniper.
Calendar
Tho Committee on District Affairs 70
ported unfavorably ON the bill authorixine
vote Of tho people Of the district "whether
Congress shalt establish government for
the district to BE- elected BY the people,"
Mr.. Spencer dissented.. Calendar.
The bill removing the political disabil-
ities Of James e. Slaughter passed.
The Senate insisted upon amondments to
tho deficiency bill and asked . conference
also ON tho diplomats bill.
Nc. Jones resumed his speech.
Mr.: West, OF Louisiana, moved to take up
the Senate bill to survey the Austin Topo-
lOvamp0 Pacific route.
6enerAl Senators objected.
Hr. West said the engineers who wero to
make the survey desired to do the work bo
fofo the lapse Of tho season rendered it i'm :
possible.
Mr.. Edmundr, Of Vermont, said hs saw
no ground for the passage of this bill though
he expected it would be taken mp and dis
The motion to take up the bill was agreed
to.
The Committee on Railroads reported an
amendment to reduce the appropriation
from $25 900 to $4,000.
Mr.. West referred to . report of . survey
of tho route made to General Humphreys,
chief of the engineer corps. by several
members Of that corps, which was in
the route had been recommended BY the
highest official authority.
Mr.. Edmunds inquired where IN officer
of the army got authority to mako the sur
voy. He, for one, desired to enter his pro-
test against this species of Official conduct.
In the present condition of the country
Congress ought00t to spend $4,000 to 70
1t would be great deal better to save the
money.
Mr.. Thurman moved to strike out tA0>
word "nAtional" in the CLAUSE reading ''prao-
ticable route for . national rail highWay.''
He said he knew Of NO saoh thing ~ na-
ti0nal railway.
Tho motion was agreed to.
Mr.. Edmunds moved that the bill be post
poned indefinitely.
Mr.. West said surveys were made under
authority of the War Department year Aftsr
year. The bill now bafOro the Senate was
of NO particular interest to him. He only
asked its consideration - chairman Of the
Committee on Railroads.
Mr.. Logan, of Illinois, asked what was
the ultimate object Of this bill after tho
survey should be made. Would the gov
efnment undertake to build tho road, Or
hand It over to . private corp0rationf
Mr.. West said he believed tho survey was
to be made In tho interest .of parties who
proposed to invest their money in tho enter
prise. Ho could mot toll whether they pro-
posed to call upon the government for aid
hereafter.
Mr.. Logan said it seemed to be tho habit
of Congress to allow tho government to OK
pend money for the benefit Of some corp0-
ration, end the engineer corps of the army
was cften used for that purpose. He was
opposed to any survey BY tho government
for the benefit of individuals. II was the
duty of engineers to examine the rivers and
harbors, build bridges. etc..-not mako sur
veys of railroad routes for individuals.
Mr.. Morton said . great portion of this
route was through Mexico, and in tho pres
ent condition Of that country he did mot
think it advisable to authorize the survey.
Mr.. West said negotiations in regard to
the survey had been in progress with Mex
ico, and that country rather invited it.
A.motion of Mr.. Edmunds to indefinitely
postpone the bill was agreed to.
The Senste went into executive session
and adjourned.
No Southern confirmatiOns.
House.
A contest is progressing - to the prece-
dence of business. The Appropriations
Committee 10 antagonizing eli legislation.
They arc having the y6ss and nays called.
The contest between the Elections and
Appropriations Committees for precedence
was decided BY . vote of liz to 20 in favor
of tho AppropriationG
Tho Navy Committee made report of
testimony. Ordered printed and recon-
mitted.
The legislative appropriation bill was re-
sumed. Amendments giving $4,000 to tho
mint at Charlotte, North Caroline, and
414, 900 for an assay Office in the mint at
New Orleans, were adopted. Six pages Of
the bill have been considered.
The managers presented their replica
ton, which was adopted.
The Hnuaa odfouruad