The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-06-23
s0RTY-F0URTH CONGRESS.
WAsHIsaoS, June %.
SENATE.


was resumed.
Mr.. Sargent said the Bill reported by
the committee increased the House bill
1865, ,0O6, q decrease compared with the
appropriation bill of the present fiscal
year of $S92,0l6. In nearly every item
in the bill as it came before the Senate
now there was reduction and the COM
mittee had in q majority of cases
assented to the reduction made by the
House OF Representatives., but in some cases
they found it necessary to increase the
amount allowed by the House. The bill,
rs it came from the House, did not pro-
pose to reduce the number Of officers OF
the Navy or their pay. but it sppropri-
ated lnadequately tor their compensation.
For several years past the appropriations
for this purpose had been inadequate, but
the deficiency had been made up from
appropriations for the pay of the Navy
for previous years, as the balances for
that service did not have to be covered
into the treasury at the end Of the fiscal
year. The roll OF officers and seamen
called for an appropriation of $1,000, 900,
and it must be made. He then referred
to the increase in the appropriation for
the bureau Of construction and repairs,
and said that if we would nave navy
sfoat, it must be kept repaired.
Mr.. Thurman said it was admitted on
all hands that the expenses Of the gov
ernmen. must be reduced, additional
taxes levied on the people, or we must do
what no government in time of peace
should do, and that was borrow money
to pay the ordinary expenses Of the gov
ernment. There was falling of in the
revenue this year of nine or ten millions
of dollars, and for the next fiscal
wear it was estimated that the
deficiency would be sic, 100000. He sup
posed not q single Senator would be
willing to borrow money to pay the eI-
penses of the government, and that prop
osition must be abandoned, therefore
Congress must either decrease expenses
or levy additional taxes. Every one
kRew the burden of taxation; 1t wss
patent, because of the depression OF busi
ness all over the land; therefore it was
not practicable to levy additional taxes,
and the expenses must be reduced. He
would not vote to abolish West
Point, but he thought the number of sp
pointments to that institution should be
reduced. The Committee on appropria-
tions proposed to strike out of House bill
the clause providing that $1,000 Of the
amount appropriated for the bureau Of
construction and repairs shall be used in
the employment Of labor to put live oak
timber in the different yards in wet
docks, and the labor for that purpose
shall be employed during the months
of July, August or September, snd shall
be discharged before the first Of October,
1876. and during the months OF Novem
ber next there shall not be over so per-
sons borne on the lists Ms laborers at a'y
ward at the expense OF the Government.
He Thurman was opposed to striking
out that provision. 1t was notorious
tact that the men were taken from the
-nUvy yards on the eve OF
every election when they were
not needed; but they were kept and pay.
ed until after they had voted. 1t was to
remedy this practice, which was detnor-
alizing to the service, that the House had
pu, in this provision. Any one who would
examine the testimony taken by the
committee of the other House OF Congress
would see that hundreds OF men had been
taken into the navy yards upon the eve
of an election, paid out the pubic
funds and discharged ss soon as the
election wss over. He also hoped
that the Senate would not consent to the
amendment Increasing the approprla-
tions for the bureau OF construction and
repairs, yards and docks, and equipment
and recruiting. 1t had been charged
that the House of Representatives had
gone wild on this question OF reduction,
but he thought they had not. The Sen
ate should meet the House half way IN
making reductions. IL there should be
a dead lock of appropriation bills, the
Senate could not flee from responsIoill y
If the SeHate would meet the House oi
Representatives in n spirit of fretrenchment
and economy there would be no dead
lock and the appropriation bills could De
passed before the eEd Of the fiscal yoar'
Mr.. Sargent said i. was his purpose to
.xplain the amendments in the order n
they were reached, but the Ser ator from
Ohio Thurman had called attention TO
the amendment referring to the employ
ment nf a force in the navy yards IN
October and November. he was not
surprised at that. This being political
item, his friend Thurman desired TO
have IT retained iobolster up the fortunes
OF his party.
The amendment proposed by the
Committee on Appropriations lncreasing 9
the appropriation for the pay oi ON
GERS. seamen, &c, from 30, i5OuVo 10
s. 2OO. 600, was agreed TO.
When the amendment increasing the
appropriations for the equipment OF YES
sci. from $4,000 TO sl.loO,OOO was
reached, Mr.. Salisbury opposed it, and
long debate followed.
Pendisy the discussion the Senate
went into executive session, and when
the door. reopened, the consideration oil
the naval appropriation bill was re-
sumed. >,
Alter DISCUSSION, Mr. Sargent called
for the vote on the pending amendment,
being tina, to increase the appropriation
for the equipment ot vessels, and II was
agreed 10. Yeas, -; nays, ~.
The next amendment was 10 increase
the appropriation for the bureau o'
osvy ysrds and docks from $4,000 &c
s7610OO, and it was rejected. Ies', y;
nays, "a. -,
Messr.. Edmunds. Hamilton, Morrill,
ard ingalls,, voted with the Democrats
IN the negative.
Mr.. Sargent moved 10 reconsider the
vote by which the other appropriation.
in the bill had been increased, and SAID
ths, If he could not rely on bis RePuoli.
can friends 10 'tAnd by the bill, be would
accep; the bill as it came from the House
M Edmunds said be had voted
.psins, the last tEo amendments increas.
ing The appropriations becsuse II appear
ea 70 him that IN these small matters
where the appropriation WAS discretion
sry With Congress it vas better 10 iakS
the lowest sum pcssible- When C1nz zres'
should assemble again in December mex
and i, should De tound that the amount
: -, snouv. q deficiency bill coald b