Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-01-27
Passage at Arms Between Garfield and
RandaIl-The Latter Touches Mr.,
BIaine's Chief-Of.Staff on the
Raw, and COmpels q Con-
fessiOn.
Debate in Committee Of the Whole on
the Military Academy ApprOpria-
Spirited Speech Of Hurl-
but-The Pacific Road
in the Senate,


mIltee, calleu up tne blit regulating
postsge on third-class mail matter. It
provides that all mailsble matter OF the
third class referred 70 in sections 1878
and 1911, Of revised statutes, may weigh
not exceeding four pounds for each
package, aud that the postage thereon
shall be one cent for every two ounces
or fraction thereof. Mr.. Clark eX.
planned that this bill proposed to reIeSl
the law which was passed in the last
hours Of the last session, in the form of
an amendment inserted otsourely in the
sundry civil appropriation bill, with the
evident intention of misleading the
house; that the law increased the post
age on third class mail matter from one
cent per two ounces to one cent per
ounce, and from eight cents to sixteen
per pound. This bill proposes to REIN
state the postage on third-clsss mail
matter as it was before to one cent per
| two ounces.
Mr.. Cannon addressed the house in
further explanation and advocacy Of the
bill.
Mr.. Garfield gave history of the leg.
islstion Of the last session, which 1t was
now proposed to repeal. 1t had origi-
mated in the postofiiee department, in
| the shape Of letter to the chairman Of
the senate postoTfice committee, suggest
ing that the rate of postage on merchan-
disc be doubled. The sundry civil sp-
pTopIiation bill came from the senate to
| the house st noon on the morning of the
last day of the session, with over q hum
dred amendments, among which was an
amendment supposed to be in pursu-
ance Of the postmsster-generaPJ recon-
mendatio1, and on that idee 1t had been
unanimously adopted by the committee
on appropriations, of which he was the
chairman. No member Of the commit
tee understood that tie language of the
amendment included anything el. e than
merchandise. After the bill had passed
| it was ascertained that the language Of
the amendment covered not only mer-
chandise, but also transient newspapers
and pamphlets, in that all were sur
! prised, The amendment covered the
Whole of the third cla's instead Of the
I merchandise portion Of it. He deeply
regretted it, for il was against all his no.
tiOns OF proper postal legislation to
double the rate on printed matter. He
had been the.4 and still was in favor OF
the legislation then had in reference to
merchandise. 1t was wrong to say,
however, that it had been smuggled in.
1t had been put in or intended to be put
in openly, on the recommendation OF
| the postoffice department.
Mr.. RandaIl-Why was not that com.
munication sent to the committee on
appropriations OF this houie?
| Mr., Garfield-Because the bill was
| then in the senate.
Mr.. Randall-Why did the postmas-
ter-geaeral wait till the last hour Of the
| 10 sat7fc cf1Of1 offpr thu
try, when he had an entire session to
come to the conclusion about 1t?
Mr.. Garfield cannot answer for the
poetm tmsster-generaPs reasons. l am not
keeper of his discretion, nor in his
| counsel.
Mr.. q arfield then went on to argue
against the propriety of carrying mer.
chandise in MALE, and said that il any
one would show him any logical plsce
to stop st in that business until rail
road car was loaded with goods, and hsC
its sides posted with stamps, he could dc
more than he (Gsrfeld) could. Tht
postoffice department in entering OIL
that business of merchandise transpor
tation was ultimately bound to absorb
the entire freight transportation Of the
country.
M. Clark-Is not merchandise car.
ried in the mails of every other country
Mr.. Garfield-Perhaps, / am not in
formed. The postoffice was established
to transmit intelligence, and anything
else is a departure from the origina
idss.
Mr.. Lawrence advocated the bill, snC
said that the legislation of the last ses
sion, increasing postage on third clas
matter was undoubtedly at the instance
Of the express companies, and to th'
great detriment Of the public interests
He favored this bill because the mail
Iescbed every village In the land, snC
express companies did not, and IL tht
people Of those remote places were Gu
off from the privilege of receiving pack
ages Of seeds and books and merchan
disc by mail they could not receive then
at all. He also favored it because thes
merchandise packages could be carries
without loss to the postoffice depart
ment. Merchandise could be carriet
around the globe at eight cents pount
or less. No merchant in New HoTi
would send hundred-pound package
through the mails and pay eight cents
poun0 for them, because express compa
nies would carry them cheaper. Tha
was an answer TO his colleagues Gar
field) argument.
Mr.. Randall also supported tie bill
and expressed his qualification tha
these who had any connection with tn
, legislation Of lEst year, now to be re
pesled, disavowed it. Even the post
master-general had suggested the repes
of a law which he had clearly bee
found guilty OF having insugurated. l
was remarkable that all the blunder
which were committed in the haste {
legislation at the end of the session
were sure to be for the benefit OF mOnoI
olies and against the interests Of th
people. The results of last session hRv
Been to Inconvenience the people an
to augment the receipts OF express com
psnies quarter million Of dollars.
Mr.. Garfisld asked Mr.. Randall
whether he held the committee OF aI
propTiations OF the last house RESPONSIBLE
for doing guilty or infamous thing i
cont ection with this legislation?
Mr.. Randall replied that ne held tina
the conference committee and commit
tee on appropriations OF the last hous
were gully Of sn omission OF scrutiD
in the matter, and he promised that tn
: committee on appropriations of th
present house would 10. be guilty {
any thing Of the kind.
Mr.. GARFIELD suggested for Mr.. Raj
dsl's consideration the scriptural aC
; vice, "Let not him who putteth on b
t hsrness boast as he who taketh it off,
: Mr.. Randall replied that he had NJ
bOasted, but had simply condemne
wheIe condemnation was called for. 3
did not propose 10 act in the interest
; express companies or in any interes
, except those Of the people.
, TIE bill was then passed without d
vision.
Bills introduced: Mr.. Douglass from
! the committee on patents, reported bi
| to amend section one hundred ar
T ninety, of the revised statutes, in regal
: to prohibiting clerks or employees in al
department Of the government prosecu
: ing claims or applications for ps
= tents; passed Mr.. Hartzell, from Il
5 ssme committee, reported q bill
{ amend section four thoUs and eight hu
died and ninety-eight Of the Eevis.