The Portland daily press., 1876-02-16
Forty Fourth COngress-First Session
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, 'Feb 15.
Mr.. Thurman, from the finance committee,
reported adversely on the bill authorizing de-
posits by clerks and other officers of courts
and banks and other designated depositares.
Placed on the calendar
Mr.. Hitchcock from the committee on terri
tories, reported favorably on the bill to enable
New Mexico to form state government and
for the admission of said state into the Union.
Placed on the calendar.
The pension bill was taken up as passed by
the House. 1t made appropriations in part as
follows: Pensions for army invalids 81 100000;
widows, minors and dependent relatives $l4,-
100000; survivors and widows of the war of
1872 SIS, 100000. The committee on appropri-
ations reported amendments striking out the
amounts inserted after each class as above and
inserting the sum total 1923, 100000
During the debate on the pension bill, Mr..
Davis Said the number of pensioners now on
the rolls is 234, ,S21. The amount paid for pen.
sOns in 1875 was $26. .289, ,519 81, and the
amount appropriated $29,500,000, more than
S3,000,000 in excess of the sum paid This S.
100000 was expended in some way, but did not
60 to the pensioners 1t did not go to pay the
expenses of the pension Office here, as that was
provided for IN the legislative appropriation
bill He DaYis) called at the pension office
and had an interview with the commissioner.
Though not entirely satisfactory to himself, it
was that 100000 or 100000 Of the $3,000,000
were applied to the payment of ffty-eight PEN
SIGN agents throughout the country. Still there
remained more than $2000000 not accounted
for. 1t had been said that much of this money
went to pay the increase OF pensions authorized
during the year. He Davis thought the de-
crease resulting from deaths, re-marriages and
minors who became of age should counterbal-
ance the increase, and to prove that the pension
roll for the past year showed decrease Of be-
tween 1000 and 1000 persons.
Mr.. ingalls, said that early in the session he
introduced bill to appoint forty agents to in
vestlgate the frauds uponHthe, pension bureau.
be believed with the Senator from West Vir.
ginia Davis that extensive frauds were pe1pe-
trated, and ofiihe $2O,O0O,000 appropriated at
least 100000 werelfraudulently or Improperly
paid in consequence of Deaths remarriages,
widows and minors becoming of age He hoped
the bill introduced by him would be passed, so
that an end would be put to these glaring
frauds
Mr.. Salisbury favored the bill heretofore in
troduced by the Senator from Kansas Ungalls)
and said that the honest peusioner should be
paid, but the fraudulent claim should be reject
ed.
The bill having been considered as in com
mittee of whole, was reported to the Senate
and the amendments made in the committee
agreed to. 1t was then read third time and
passed. ....
The Senate then took up the bill to repeal
Sec. 1908 of the X. s., making restrictions in
the disposition of public lands in Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Florida.
The pending question being on the amendment
of Mr.. EdmundS that the public lands affected
by this act shall be offered at public sale as
soon as practicablefrom time to time according
to the provisions of the existing law, and shall
not be subject to prive entry until so offered,
this was agreed to.
Mr.. Boutwell, submitted an amendment,
looking he said, to the preservation of the
forests OF the country and not their destruction,
but after discussion it was rejected.
Mr.. Clayton moved TO strike out the second
section of the bill providing that the act shall
take effect 80 days from its passage. Agreed
| to.
The bill having been considered in the COM
mittee of the whole was reported.
Senate amendments made in the committee
were agreed to. 1t was then passed, yeas Al,
nays IL.
Mr.. Morrill, of Maine, from the conference
committee on the disagreeing votes of the two
Houses on the bill to pay the interest on the
3.65 District Of Columbia bonds, made report
which was read, that no further issue of 3 65
bonds should be made; that the commissioners
should make no more expenditures for i'm
provement or repairs of any kind for which
the 3 IS bonds were to be issued, and that the
functions of the board of audit should be sus-
pended except to audit claims and issue GER
tifcateS for work and labor already performed
and materials furnished provided however,
that the amount of 1865 bonds shall in no case
exceed $15,000,000
Bill also includes the amendment of the sena-
tor from Vermont that there shall be no in
The report was ordered printed and its fur
ther consideration laid over till tomorrow.
Senate went into executive session and at
40 o'clock adjourned.
HOUSE
BllsIntroduced since the opening of the ses-
sion number 2129. ---
Mr. Jones of Kentucky, offered a resolution
with long preamble that the act of March 1S,
1869, providing for the payment of interest on
$40 bonds ia coin was unjust, &C., therefore,
Resolved, That the act of the 18th of March
1869, be repealed. Referred to the Banking
Committee.
A resolution was adopted that the Secretary
of the Interior furnish documents showing any
completely of Cherokee delegate Ross in the
Indian frauds of j. W. Wright.
A resolution was adopted calling for the
amount of gold available within ten days for
the resumption of specie payments.
The fortifcation bill was reported. 1t appro-
PIRATES for repairs of Notifications 100000; for
| armament $165,OOO; for torpedoes and harbor
defences, Sc, $50, ,000 total, $315, GOO. The bill
also directs the sale of all obsolete and con-
demned projectiles and heavy ordnance.
Mr.. Wheeler stated that the amount of esti.
mates for the year was in round numbers S.
100000, but the committee had been unit in
believing a reduction might be safely made.
Mr.. Randall of Pennsylvania, said the ap-
propratiens for former years had been too large,
and stated that the committee felt no material
interest would suffer by the reduction. Bill
was passed.
Mr. Tucker of Virginia. from the Ways and
Means Committee, reported bill relating to
the execution of custom house bonds. The bill
| provides that wherever bond is required of a
| firm for the payment of customs on goods inn
| ported for cause, and the bond is executed by
one member of firm in the name of such firm,
it shall be equally binding on all members of
| the firm.
After discussion the bill passed.
| Mr.. Walker from the Education Committee,
reported back bill to apply the proceeds of the
| sales of public lands TO the education of the
neople. Referred to the committee of the