The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-29
nm TINES IN CONGRESS-.
amin tvD COVFUSTON ON THE
" tiOOR or THE HOTSE.


It,tc IndulVing In Per-onnlitics-
,,.i. Like Bitinc'- PUP" and " hut
-,oa-Ftv" 10 stain the Records The
RI. pi-.n--iug the District Finances.
-. ,,,v.rnv. Jan. - senator Morrill,
a.. from the Committee on Apprppria-
NV .,.or,e,l without amendment the House
,,,,nc 10 the Centennial celebration OF
"" mn i,.,lc. ordcrrc, ard recommended It's
~" r,.eI II the calendar. MI. Morrill,
..,t... mat he would coll II up for action
on Noni " new -, 49,. ,......,,...
p,,,r.,ea sind Elections. rcported back the
,,,l,rrr tot'e claim " j. u. Eustis for
q. senator hum Louisiana with written
-, 40. l,rne that IN the opinion OF the COM
.,,ee thctc ~ no vacancy In the Senate p u.
nt,..L having been elected for the term
,eginning March T. l,'d. tie recommended that
-. he laid ON the table and printed. So
ordered
.,,t uint he believed the committee
.,,,,.t.i.r..l anal reu, rici on a question not
...,...,o tho ,n.o u MIR Eu@tis. The report
',,'7ttt,t s.cn- to De- based upon he idea
a. pinrLbntk Wa. elected. anu ne did not
si,k m Il thar que.iion was before tho COM
H.,e'; tor,on gave notice that on 1hursday Of
mex week ne woa ~ .ne Sen ~" .S pro,eed
- uetnoueit IL should be settled one way
or toe other.
rur interest IN rnr 3.d5 PoNps.
The mornIni hour having expired, The Chair
MI b, trre the SCI ate the unHnishe business,
s"r H., House l.iut resolution erecting the
Scm,ri.sioner4 NJ the District OF Columbia 90
a. The interest On the bonds issued IN pursu-
p"s : the act " June ~. 1874. out Of any funds
n ,he Tnred states treasury. subj ct 20 the
nauisition OF said commissioners and for other
M an son Rep. Iowal, submitted an amend.
mont rr. vidirg trat any issue Of sitd bonds
Seyond the sum " Slj.ocoQo0 Is hereby prohibi-
Mr. sarren; Rep. Cali said that he did not
tAink the amendment II his friend from Iowa
vent far enough. lie therefore submitted the
following as a substitute for that amendment
Ana provided that the certificates here tofurr issued
h9.rd - A0s n I ht,e ns SSen ~ cn '
ufted aud TIE rtacties herclhcr TO be issued by
soi exceed 10 the Aggregate tae sum OF n5oOO.0OO.
M. Allison said the ameniment OF Mr.. Sargent
might Toe added 10 that submitted by him. IL
Mr.. hamilton Gih., Texas inquired whether
The senator from California tNr. SARGENT
thought his amendment would stop the
Issue n 3.G5 oondsY As long a. Congress recog-
nDed these bonds the issue " them would be
continued He would undertake To saw that the
f.ue would 20 on until the amount reached
tNnoGo unless Congress stopped It, There
must ne some limit To this thing.
Mr.. SARGENT said the object Of mis- amendment
70 issue more bonds.
SURPRISED TO HEAR THE TRUTH
Mr sherman liep onto said that the state
mcrt made bS the senator from Iowa mir ALI
forl vest riay. that the District Commissioners
had exceeded the powers conferred upon them
excited surprise. The gentlemen composing
The Board NJ Commissioners were called here
from prN g. NE aud were not residents OF the
District. Ihey we're men Of the highest charac.
", aud on that account were called here to
take tie place 81 local q uvernmcut which had
gwen discomfort to Congress. II there had
been an uy,rissue Of these bonds. the fault
Was with the Board OF Audit, and not with the
Commissioners. The act OF June 20. 1874. con
tempated that the COnmi siuners sh oul g. On
and nllete contr It's already In existence.
The District Commissioners had declined to
carr uu a great quantity Of work. At the last
session They reported To Congress that they r ID
rrJe ted contracts which would have involved
M District Government in an expense of sJ,J,-
on ihey lad been executed. IL was true that
TIE amount involved m these contracts turned
out IN De larger than II was estimated. Vet the
eoLtf cts we're valid, and the Commissioners
we're bound to execute them. lie wodld be
wiling 10 pass law prohibiting the BOaru of
AUDIT from issuing any more certificates As
uc case now stood Congress had made bad
barr AN. ana there was no use to whine about IT,
II the $l5tWOJO would cover the Indebtedness,
Congress ought 10 limit the amount Of 1855 bonds
tc That and repeal the act comforting any power
upon the board OF Audit. He SAID these 3.aj
bends were created by Law OF the United
sSats, they were signed by officers Of the
lilttu states, and the faltn OF the [ nited
sidtes was pledged for their redemption
They were In fac Government bond precisely
hhe every other bond OF the United states, ex-
epi IA this case the taxes must pe levied ON tue
people Of the District Of Columbia and for the
payment Of other bonds the taxes must be
kVicd on the whole peol lie.
JUDGE THURMASs VIEWS.
Mr.. Thurman DEM, ono said he did not
pro- use To- review the action OF the District
Cpmmi ssiouefs. because he mad not had time to
ead their reuurt. It might be asked why were
the powers Of the old Board Of Public Wofh $
vested la these Commissioners. II was for the
very PURPOSE OF enabling them 70 complete i'm
provcments already begun. Work had been
authorized by the old Government, and II Was
necessary that some public functiuuary should
SEE to the com pie ION thereof but that gave the
Commissioners no power u inaugutate great
schemes Of Enforcement. He quoted from the
az. OF June 20, 1874, and argued that The 3Gj
bonds were IN no sense whatever revenue of
Ge District. he second section Of that act pr J-
U1ed that tne cIrrent expenses Of the District.
such ~ support Of the common schools Police
and Fire Departments, should DE paid out Of the
euTen, receipts from Ration, licenses, fines,
a. he issue u the Is uonds was authorized
T. take up all the certificates + Indebtedness
winch Nere then eating around and not worth
Sky cents on the dollar They were not forced
upon con FACTORS or any one else. The mold
tf' ~ these old certificates were given their
ehOire 20 take the j.Gjs or not. Congress-
ought hrst to declare ~hht portion Of the inter-
q anu principal Of these tOnds should be paid
oui 4 the natioDdl Treasury. ana the balance
could tc llected from the people Of the Dis
VIC. Ia conclusion, he said he preferred the
ululNn as II came from the House OF Rep
IT,, natives. and was opposed To the amend
mtni, Proposed by the Senate Committee on
Mn-.4ly further issue If the 36j bonds.
MI SARGENT submitted an addition to his
am udmeut SO a. to provide that when the limit
b. me issue Of 5. id bonds shall ne reached the
b'aiu ut AUDIT o, the District shall be abolished,
~ 10 ulrtr- ii their Possession turned over TO
Lie D.-trct Commissioners.
DEFENDING THE COMMISSIONERS.
Mr. Cunhhng Rep y. " said he could not
eou1t thlt mis- was an extraordinary proceed
w ana 1y that he meant to include all that
laI --ed on this subject In the matter Of
LEA nat tha rod off Ina
bofrlLu no vas being hawked ABOUT, and
"ht contribution was the Senate making to-
uai iNN r. the depreciatiOn or appreciation Of
Nese huudhf a committee Of the two Houses
Of N"u-irss had mt upon plan TO Issue evil
u'hce- Of debt, Tor which the United States
was resp nsi II. lie Mr.. COnklingJ would not
N'p 10 Atgele ABOUT words. he intention was
" Issue bonds tearing 3G5 per cent interest,
am ihe-" .Inds were to be made good in sub
Ndncr and elect by the ulted states.
Mr. u Yves ikrp., Mass) read from the record
bsl"N mat wnen the bill to authorize the Is
tle ~ the bonds WAS before the House Of
kWr,entatyes, Mr.. Wilson # Indiana a mem-
hDtnN. JOB u committed Congress 10 pay the
Mt 'nhkliug, resuming, said the intention be-
~ o. issue evidences Of deDt, care WIS taken
neu' da re seems TO be taken now. TO give
So 81. urtes " black eye, To use the Ian
ku's' ~ ine street. These securities were now
qulrd dt ~ cents; how came they sOf Be
80. ON " 'u'h 20 hang doubt, and then called
e.Thll"u 10 That DOUBT. lie had examined the
sss'tult WIN some care, and saw no reason for
H,Il'lui. made 10y the honorable Senator
m s,gl iowa Nr. Allson) upon the District Com
hlh-lohrrs.
A