The Portland daily press., 1876-07-07


Jno, S. Evans. He testified that he received
it from the public printer as part of the orig
inal papers brought out by the House commit
tee on expenditures in the War Department.
E. L. Bartlett was called and examined by
Manager Mcmahon. He testified he resided
a member of the firm of Bell, Bartlett & Will
son. Know G. p. Marsh; had known him
since 1868 or 1869. Mr.. Marsh came to him,
handed him a memoranda of contract and
requested him to put it into legal shape. Wit
witness identified it, Resuming he testified
he witnessed the execution of the contract.
Was introduced to j. S. Evans by Marsh
when the contract was executed and signed
his name to it as a witness; had never seen
Evans before or since that occasion. The con-
tract was here read and put in as evidence.
Counsel for the defence refused to cross-ex-
anime witness.
Geo. w. Morse was examined by Manager
Mcmahon. The witness is an agent of the
Adams Express Co. in this city. He produced
the books of the company and read from en-
tries therein, showing that package contain
ing $500 was sent to Gen. Belknap by G. p
Marsh of New York, Nov LIST, 1870. Others
containing the same sum were sent by Marsh,
Jan. 18th, 1871, and Nov. 4th, 1873. Ga April
10th, 1874, package containing $1,000 from
package containing $1,000, and Nov.'8th, 1875,
package containing $500 from the same firm
were all sent to Gen. N. W. Belknap May IS,
1876, parcel valued at $4,000, addressed to
Mrs. Belknap, was sent from New York, but
the name of the consignor was not given.
j. S. Dodge, money delivery clerk in Ad
ans express office, went over the entries men
toned by Morse and testified he delivered the
package and had the receipt Of Gen. Belknap.
FL. f. Crosby, chief clerk of the war depart
ment, remembered the letter of Mr. Marsh, re-
questing the appointment of Evans as a post
trod Of hor oh n
letter and testified it was never put upon
the department record. The letter dated New
York, Oct. 8th, 1874, was here read and put in
evidence.
The managers here offered to put 10 evidence
the testimony of Gen. Hazen before the militia
March 22d, 1872, and the order issued by the
Secretary on the 25th of March following.
Mr.. Sherman objected to the testimony of
Gen. Hazen, as evidence at this stage of the
proceedings and the managers withdrew the
offer to submit it.
Gen. Irwin Mcdowell testified that he was
stationed in New York city in 1872. Met in
that city Mr.. Whitelaw Reid, and referred to
some statement he had seen in the Tribune and
other papers about abuses at Fort Sill. Subse.
quently came to Washington and sought the
Secretary of War; called his attention to the
statement and said it was hard thing upon
the people of Fort Sill to have to pay this heavy
tax; that the abuse would be damaging unless
corrected The secretary asked witness to
draw up an order to correct the evil, and he
did so.
The order drawn up by Gen. Mcdowell and
issued by the secretary on the 18th of March,
was read 1t directed the counsel of the adj
ministration to examine the goods of the post
traders, fix the prices and forbid the subetting
or farming out post-traderships.
The Senate sitting as court of impeachment
at $50, on motion of Sherman, adjourned until
IL o'clock tomorrow.
Legislative business was then resumed and
Senate adjourned until IL o'clock tomorrow.
HOUSE.
Ward on behalf of the managers conducting
the impeachment, offered resolution direct
ing the clerk of the House to appear before the
Senate sitting as a court of impeachment with
such papers of the House as managers may re.
quire, and giving permission to members of the
committee on expenditures in the war depart
ment to appear and give. testimony before said
court and to produce such papers as the mana
ger may require. Adopted.
The Geneva award bill was taken up and
passed by vote of 108 to 81.
Bill as passed makes it the duty of the court
OF Alabama claims commissioners to receive
and examine and enter Judgment upon two
classes of claims, which are to be filed within
six months and the court is continued in exist
ence till the I'd of July. 1867. The first class is
to consist of claims directly resulting from dam
age done on the high seas by confederate cruis-
ers during the late rebellion, including vessels
and Cargoes, taken or attacked on the high seas
or pursued therefrom, although destroyed with
IN four miles OF the shore, except as provided
for in the existing laws. The second class is
to consist of claims for payment of premiums
for war risks after the sailing of any confeder-
ate cruiser. In examining the second class of
claims the court is to deduct any sums in any
way received by or paid to claimant, and dimin-
ish the amount paid for any such premium, so
that only the actual loss of the claimant shall
be allowed.
Judgments allowed in the fest class of claims
are to be paid before those entered in the second
class. IT there be not money enough to pay
the whole OF the first class, then the judgment
IN that class shall be paid prOportionately, and
SO also as to judgments in the second class.
Mr.. Randall of Pa, from conference commit
tee on the legislative, executive and judicial
bill, reported that the committee had been una
BILE to agree. He sent up to the clerks desk
and had read the proposition which is to the
effect that inasmuch as anything like an intel
ligent adjustment of the salaries of employees
IN executive departments, must necessarily in
volve critical and loborious examination,
Senate should recede from its amendments in
regard to salaries, and should remit the revision
and adjustment to a joint committee of two
Senators and two Representatives, and that any
changes made by Congress, on the report of
that commission, shall take effect from July
1st, 1876, and that the persons who shall be af-
fected thereby, and who shall continue in the
service, shall be deemed to accept such terms.
Senate could not, however, with regard to its
constitutional rights and duties as coordinate
branch of legislative branch, assent to the ex
listing laws which it believed to be pernicious
as the price for securing the necessary appro-.
prlations to carry on the government. Under ex-
listing laws, on the same lprinciple, Senate does
not demand that the House should vote to APP
propriate money which House feels it it's duty
to refuse. 1t thus leaves to each House abso-
lutte independence in regard to acceding or not
acceding to the new principles of legislation as
they consider it wise or unwise.
Senate conferees further submit that Senate
will recede from its amendment in regar to
the reduction of the clerical force, and will
agree to an amendment that will reduce the
force one-half of the extent proposed.
Randall of Pa, went on to state that the
practical effect OF the proposition of the Senate
conferees was to leave the question open for
controversy by their employees and the govern
the amount of salary as fixed by law and that to
be paid under this bill. House conferees, how
ever, had proposed ito recommend as a substi-
tute for the second section of the bill making
salaries as fixed in the bill. permanent, pro-
vision thats their salaries shall be in full
for the fiscal year, unless Congress shall other
wise provide, and provision for a joint COM
mission to inquire into the requsitel number
and proper salaries of the employees Of the sew
eral executive departments, with a view to
ouo duu pIopoI duJuSlHlcut VI Uu6 same. Sucl
committee to sit during recess and to report to
both Houses on the first Monday of December
next.
The reduction of force that would be effected
by the House bill would bs:about 1900. Senate
had acceded to reduction of 800 and now pro-
posed to accede to further reduction to GOO.
He thought, however, as Senate had given way
on the subject of the compensation of postmas-
tiers, there was no reason why it should not also
give way on this subject.
Mr. Cannon of Illinois suggested that while
the compensation of some 100 postmasters re-
ceiving over $500 had been reduced one-third
that of some 300 postmasters receiving less
than $1,000 had been increased and that conse-
quently instead of a reduction there had been
large increase of expenditure.
MIR. Randall in conclusion argued that as
there was no branch of industry in which the
compensation of labor was not being reduced.
is was not unreasonable that reduction of 10
per cent. should be made in the compensation
of government officials
Mr.. Foster of Ohio, the Republican member
of the conference committee, combatted the
position taken by the Senate conferees. He re-
marked that as to the proposed reduction of
10 per cent. in the pay of senators and mem
bers there was tacit agreement that the re-
duction should be made and that the aggregate
saving in the reduction of clerical salaries was
only $3.50, 900. He stated that never vet in the