The Portland daily press., 1876-08-01
Forty Fourth Congress-First Session.
SENATE,
WASHINGTON, d.


A communication from the Secretary of War
transmitting copy of a despatch from Lieut.
Gen. Sheridan recommending an increase in
the companies of the Sd, 4th, 9Th and 9TH reg-
ments OF cavalry to 100 men each as was done
in the case of the companies serving on the
Rio Grande. and recommending the appropria-
ton of 81 1884 700 to detray the expenses of such
increase, was read in the Senate today
The despatch was accompanied by bill au-
taoriziDg the increase and making the necessa-
ry appropriation.
Mr.. Logan asked present consideration
MI. Sherman favored the bill and said that
he thought that Congress should also authorize
an increase of infantry companies. The
country had right to feel some alarm at the
present condition of Indian affairs, and he
believed that Congress should strengthen the
army.
The bill was passed with the proviso that not
more than $500 men be enlisted.
On taking up the impeachment case the SEN
ate by yeas "a, nays 81, refused to consider the
amendment to the rules for the impeachment
trial. so as to have the deliberations of the Sen
ate in open session, and at 1925 the doors
closed for discussion on the final question in
the case.
During the secret session Mr.. Conkling SUBJ
mitted the following:
Ordered, That when called to vote whether
the articles OF impeachment or either of them
are sustained, any senator who votes in the
negative shall be at liberty to state. if he
chooses, that he rests his vote on the absence
of guilt proved in fact on want of jurisdicti IN
as the case may be, and his vote shall be enter
ed on the journal accordingly.
An amendment to the above permitting sena-
tors to state their reasons for their votes was
adopted and the or der then passed.
The Senate as the court adjourned till tomor-
row.
Mr. Allison reported back the river and har-
Dor appropriation bill with amendments and it
was placed on the calendar.
The House bill to COntnua till Aup 10Th cha
act to provide temporarily for the expenses of
the government and the House bill to furthe r
authorize the Commissioner of Iudian Affairs
| to purchase supplies for the Indian bureau in
open market were taken up and passed without
| amendment
Senate then adjourned till II o'clock tomor-
| row.
| HOUSE.
| The House resumed the consideration of the
| report on naval affairs, and was addressed by
Mr.. Whtthorne in advocacy of the report, and
in reply to the argument made against it last
| Saturday.
| He charged thst during the administration
| of Secretary Robson there had been squar-
dered needlessly in skilled labor $3,000,000, in
unskilled labor So, 100000, in wastage Of timber
81 100000, in loss on contracts without compe-
tition 81. 100000, in loss on purchases without
| competition $4,000, 600, in misdirected and I'M
necessary work and labor $8.000,0O0 and in
unnecessary purchases of timber 100000, ag-
gregating $31,O000O0, sum sufficient for
eighteen ships of 1000 tons, thirty ships of 1000
TONS or sixty ships of 500 tons, SO if the Secre'
| tary had used his funds economically there
might be 108 more new vessels in the navy than
there are vessels altogether on the navy regis
| ter.
He said that he had not time to enumerate
| the many frauds exposed by the committe c, but
| he referred especially to the case of one Cham
| berlain who was borne on the rolls as detect
| i've. while the inference was that there was no
,,1l, 1&I L.
| into the hands OF newspaper correspondent.
A resolution generating Secretary Robson
from all charges ofsimproper conduct was lost,
yeas SO, nays 115-a party vote
A vote was taken on the majority resolution,
which is as follows:
Resolved, That these legal questions, TO-
gether with all the proof taken by this COM
mittee, be referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary, with power to have additional testi-
| mony and argument if they see fit to examine
and report whether such violations of the law
| as referred to therein constitute and are i'm
peachable offences under the constitution, and
| it so then they shall report articles of i'm
parchment against Mr.. Robson, Secretary of
the Navy; but il they shall find that under
| the existing laws such acts and doings of the
said Secretary are are MOI impeachable or 9th
erwse punishable, theu they shall report what
additional legislation in their opinion is neces-
sary to make such laws punitive to protect the
| public service
| LIZ TtSOlullUu WIS duOpt6u. 1tdS LUZ, lays
| "a.
| A large number of bills were introduced.
Mr. Randall of Pa, reported bill appropri-
ating $159000 for Indian supplies until the reg
ular Indian appropriation bill becomes a law,
and authorizing the purchase in open market
| Observation-Disclosures. Passed. Also a bill
extending the appropriations for the several de-
| partments until the 10th of August. Passed.
The Speaker laid before the House message
from the President pointing out some of the
| defects in the sundry civil appropriation bill.
| Mr.. Randall said he had no objection to the
| Presidents putting in as many objections as he
| saw fit if he would only sign the bills reducing
the expenses of the government, and assisting
the House in its great effort in that direction.
Mr.. Couger called for the regular order.
| Mr.. Randall-Better let me be heard.
Mr.. Conger-I guess not.
Mr.. Randall-I want to show
| Mr.. Conger-I ask for the regular order.
| Randall move that the message be referred
the Committee on Appropriations.
| Speaker pro tem-The gentleman from Penn
| sylvania is in order
Randall-Of course l cannot, having heard
the paper read the first time, follow the details
of the Presidents objections with that care
| which time and examination would enable me
to do. One of his objections is that the appro-
| priation for the revenue cutter service is not
sufficient. If the President had examined it
| heswould have seen that the reduction for the
service was very moderate. If we had taken
1
| cutters in junketng and pleasure excursions,
| we might perhaps have reduced it somewhat
further. AS to the signal corps we have in no
| degree impaired its efficiency. The President
exhibits still more his lack of information when
he talks of the insuficiency of the appropria-
ton for minis. He should have known large
| sum is annually appropriated for minis, and is
l this year in the legislative BILL Again, he
he shows lack of information when he tells
us we have not provided sufficiently for light
/ hOucos a oop aptiroIv III To ha atnc
| The President finds fault without any reason
| whatever. For one, l accept the issue present.
| ed by the President, and 1 am willing that the
| people shall have the opportunity of judging
| between his dictum and the action of both
| branches of Congress, after close examina-
| ton.
Mr.. Hale of Maine, defended the action of
| the President in sending his communication.
He had pursued very moderate and guarded
| course, and no fault should be found with him.
| The President was presumed to be seated in a
| serene atmosphere, free from the party inf1u-
eLces which affected either House, and there
was no occasion for dissatisfaction affront to
| be taken.
The communication was referred TO the APP
| preparation Committee.
A communication from the Secretary of the
Treasury in answer to a resolution calling for
the report Of gold coin and bullion in the treas
ury on the Oath inst, showing that the availa-
Bile coin and bullion were $61, 158, 233, and the
matured obligations payable in coin $43, 700 ,O21,
leaving balance of $17 ,37S, 202 Referred.
Mr., Glover chairman of the real estate pool
committee, made an effort to get in his report,
but ord not succeed.
Bills for acommission to take into considera-
ton the relative value of gold and silver were
introduced by Messrs, Hewett, Cox and Gibson,
and referred to Committee ON Banking, Mr..
Cox expressing the hope that the committee
would be able to report tomorrow.
The reading of almost all the bills introduced
was insisted upon by Mr.. Kasson and others in
order to consume the time and prevent any
measure for the repeal of the resumption act
being forced on the House.
Finally, on motion of Mr.. Beech of New
York, the House at o'clock adjourned
nnT TnUNA1