The Portland daily press., 1876-01-29
Forty Fourth Congress-First Session.
SENATE.

w EAohtNolON, an. II.
The President pro tenn. laid before the Senate
the House bill fixing the rate of postage on
third class mail matter, which was read by title
and referred to the Committee on Post-otfces
Mr.. Morrill, of Maine, from the Committee
on Appropriations reported without amend.
ment the House bill relating to the centennial
celebration of American independence and rec
commended its passage Placed on the caIen-
dar. He gave notice he would call it up for
action on Monday next.
Mr. Hitchcock presented memorial from
the legislative assembly of New Mexico asking
to admit that territory into the Union as
state.
Mr.. Morton, from the Committee on Elec-
tons, reported back paper relating to the
claim of j. B. Eustis for his seat as Senator
from Louisiana, which is a written report de-
claring that in the opinion of the committee
there is no vacancy in the Senate, P. b. S.
Pinchback having been elected U. s. Senator
for the term commencing March 4th, 1873 He
recommended that the papers be laid on the
table and printed. 1t was so ordered
Mr.. Salisbury said as member of that COM
mittee he dissented from the conclusion of the
majority. In his Judgment there was a vacan-
cy existing in the Senate at the time of the
election of Eustis and his credentials, although
not regular in form, were all that was necessa-
ry to entlte him to seat, and at the proper
time he Salisbury would state the grounds of
his dissent.
Messrs. Merrimon and Cooper both dissented
from the majority report
Mr.. Morton gave notice that he would call it
up next Wednesday
The Chair stated that Wednesday would be
set aside to pay tribute to the memory Of the
| late Senator from Connecticut, (Ferry.)
Mr.. Morton then said he would call the
Louisiana case upon the following day, 1h urs-
day.
MIR. Howe of Wis, said he was glad to hear
his friend, Morton, give the notice. 1t really
seemed to him that this question was one Of
the highest privilege. 1t not only affected the
right of man to seat, but it affected the
right of state to representation on the floor
The senate should either fill the vacancy or
refuse to 10 so and let the people of Louisiana
send some one else here.
Several bills were introduced and petitions
presented and referred.
The Senate resumed the consideration Of a
bill to pay the interest on 3.65 District of Co.
| lumbia bonds.
Mr.. Allison of Iowa submitted an amend
| ment providing that any issue of said bonds
beyond $15,000,00O is hereby prohibited.
MIR. Sargent of Cal. submitted the following
| as substitute: 'And provided that the certiti,
Gates heretofore issued by the board Of audit
| including those converted into 365 bonds and
| those which have not been SO converted, and
| the certificates hereafter to be issued by the
board of audit or their successors in office,
| shall not exceed in the aggregate the sum of
| $15000000.''
Mr.. Allison said the amendment might be
| added to his. 1t would do no HARM
Mr.. Hamilton of Texas inquired if the sena-
| tor from California thought his amendment
would stop the issue of the 3.65 bonds. As
| long as Congress recognized these bonds the
issue of them would be continued. There
| must be some limit to this thing
MIR. Sargent said the object of his amend
ment was to cut off the power of the commits
| sioners to issue bonds.
| Mr. Sargent didn't consider that there ad
l hpan n vi0latiOp of ha 10, In, ~
these 365 bonds.
Mr.. Sherman said the board of audit was or
| ganized to examine all claims and report upon
their validity. If there had been an over issue
OF these bonds the fault was with the board of
audit and not with the commissioners. He
said the 3,65 bonds were created by law of the
United States. were signed by officers of the
| United States, and the faith of the United
States was pledged for their redemption. There
was an obligation on the part of the govern.
ment to pay the interest on them and estab
fish sinking fund to pay the principal.
| MI. Allison agreed that Congress did intend
to guarantee payment of interest and principal
of these bonds, but he differed from the Sena-
| tor from Ohio as to the construction of the
clause in regard to the power of the commits
| sioners
Mr.. Thurman asked why were the powers Of
the old board of public works vested in these
| commissioners. 1t was for the very purpose OF
enabling them to complete the improvement:
already commenced. Work had been author
| lied by the old government, and it was neces
| sary some public functionary should see to the
| completion thereof, but that gave the commits
| sioners no power to inaugurate great schemes
of improvement. Mr.. Thurman read from the
testimony and report of the joint committee
which Investigated the district affairs in 1870
| showing that the total Indebtedness of the dis
trict then was $20,916.0 0S. He said the float
| ing debt and the estimate of 81, 1926, 900 to com
| p!ete contracts then being executed amounted
to $11, 013, 754, and the 8 Is bonds were author
lied to pay that amount. Now he was told il
was nearly Sl5, 900, 600. He would not say thu
| commissioners had exceeded their authority
but If they had net. the commission and Con
| gress were grossly imposed upon by the late
| government of the District.
The matter was further discussed by Messrs
| Thurman and Sherman.
Mr.. Sargent submitted an addition to the
amendment presented by him to provide that
when the limit in the issue of said bonds shall
be reached the board of audit of the -distrIc
shall be abolished and all papers in their pos
| sioners.
Pending the discussion, several memorials
| and petitions were presented, including one b,
Mr.. Anthony of the Grand Lodge of Coco
Templars of Rhode Island, representing Is, 0Ot
members, asking the appointment for commits
| sioner on the subject of alcoholic liquor traffic
Laid on the table, the bill having passed thu
| Senate.
He also presented a petition of Margare
Hetzel asking the passage of law authorizing
transfer OF her case against the Baltimore &
| Ohio Railroad Co. from the Supreme Court O.
the District of Columbia to the Circuit Cour
| OF the northwestern district of New York. Re
ferred to Judiciary Committee.
| AT $50 message was received from thu
House announcing the death of Mr.. Stark
weather and the action of the House thereon
| On motion OF Mr.. English, Senate as a mark O
respect to the memory of deceased, adjourned
| HOUSE.
The Speaker announced the following select
committee on the real estate pool and the JAY
/ Cooke Indebtedness: Messrs Glover of Nilsson
| ri, New of Indiana Lewis OF Alabama, Pratt
of Iowa. and Smith of Pennsylvania.
| Mr.. Goodwin of Kansas, asked leave to offel
resolution declaring that the people of the
| United States constitute nation to the extern
and for the purpose defined in the federal con
| stitution; that the rights and powers of the
| United States government are defined and linn,
tied by the federal constitution, and cannot bt
| enlarged or diminished except by amendments
| to the constitution, etc.
| Mr.. Hamilton and others objected.
| On motion of Mr.. Whitthorne, chairman o.
the Committee on Naval Affairs, select com.
mittee consisting of Messrs. Whitthorne, Willis
and Danforth, was authorized to take testmo
ny at Norfolk, Va in regard to alleged abuses
and frauds at that navy yard.
MIR. Singleton of Mississippi, from the Com
mittee on Appropriations, reported the consular
and diplomatic appropriation bill, which wa:
made the special order for Wednesday next
1t appropriates $922,847. 1t fixes the nav O
the ministers to Great Britain, France, Ger
many and Russia at $14 900; to Spain, Austria
Brazil, Mexico, Japan and China at $4,000
to Italy $4,000; to Portugal, Switzerland, Bel
| GUM, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden anG
Norway, Turkey, Venezuela and the Hawai-
Islands at $500; to Chill and Bolivia Zone mis-
sion) at $1,000; to Peru, Ecuador and Columbia
| Zone mission) $500; to the Argentine Republic
| Paraguay and Uruguay Zone mission) at $4,000
Guatemala, Costa RIGA, Honduras, Salvador
and Nicaragua Zone missioE) $4,000; to Lbe-
| ria $4,000.
Mr. Springer of Illinois, introduced bills to
| prohibit American citizens from holding slaves
in foreign countries and to regulate elections in
| Utah. Referred
Mr.. Hunton of Virginia, from the Commit
tee on Revolutionary Pensions, reported hill
| to amend the act of March 14th, 1871, pension
| ing soldiers of 1872 and to restore to the pen.
sion rolls those persons whose names are strick.
en- thereirom in consequence of disloyalty Ee
moved to have it put upon its passage.
Mr.. Conger OF Michigan, made the point that
| it must first be considered in committee of the
whole. The point was sustained and the bill
| referred.
The House then went into committee of the
whole on the military appropriation bill The
Clerk read the bill by sections for amendment.
and Mr.. Hamilton moved to amend the clause
bV striking ont the words ssat Sd5n ooob =. Il