New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-25

ou-th Of the daily rates.
liberal commission allowed to tAose VINO sen
us Clubs Of FIVE or more.
An Important Days Proceedings.
Ga Monday, the seventeenth instant, tn
Senator and Representatives from Louisl
ana figure largely il the Congressional
Record In the Senate
Mr.. West asked. and by unanimous cen
sent obtained leave 20 Introduce bill TO
the relief Of the reg str.y OF the Circui, Cour
OF the United Starss .or the Fifth Jud;cia
Circuit and District o: Louisiana; v Itch wa
read twice by its title.
Mr.. West-I suggest thai the bill b,
printed and referred to tne Committee OF
Claims, and that the accompanying petition
from the owners Of the bark Grspeshot bt
referred to the same committee.
Mr.. Edmunds-I would like TO hear the
bill read At length.
The President pro teu.-The bill will
lie reported.
The Chief Clerk read as follows
a bill for the relief OF the registry Of the
Circuit Court Of the United States for the
Fifth Judicial Circuit and District Of Lou.
isiana:
Be it enacted, ETC.. That the Secretary OF
the Treasury be and he is hereby author.
lied and directed 70 return to the registry
of the Circuit Court o. the United States
for the Fifth judicial Circuit and District
OF Louisiana the sum OF 81, SCI 81, gold,
the said sum being now on deposit in the
treasury to the credit of said registry, with
six per cent interest per annnm thereon
from July l, 1862, to De by said court dis
tr;outed in accordance with its decree rem
dered in the matter Of the Grapeshot.
Mr.. Edmunds-It strikes me that that
bill ought to 60 to the Committee on the
Judiciary. It involves an inquiry into
judicial proceedings.
Mr.. West-Thar reference will be quite
acceptable to me. 1 move that the bill be
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary,
with the accompanying papers, and be
printed.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. West-I now ask permission to intro,
d1ce bill, which / feel it incumbent upon
me to make some little explanation of, as
its import will scarcely be demonstrated by
its title. 1t is bill amendatory of the sew
eral Pacific railroad acts, the acts of 1862
and 1864, incorporating railroad companies
and granting subsidies Tor the construction
Of Line from the Missouri river to the Pa.
Cifc ocean.
When the recent decision Of the Supreme
Court Of the United States was rendered,
the Congress of the United States and the
interests Of the people were confronted
with the proposition that not only was the
magnificent donation. OF bonds that was
made to those companies involved irretriev-
ably to the loss OF the government, but that
the accruing interest for thirty years would
60 accumulate, according to the admission
OF the companies Themselves, as to leopard
ize and eventually involve entire loss. 1t
you'd Is. seem .a an appropriate occasion, there
eminent should step in and adopt some
measure which would have tendency to
prevent such . result.
l beg leave, therefore, Mr.. President, to
introduce q bill, and will explain its pro.
visions in a few words. The act of 1862
originally stipulated that the entire earn
ings of the roads tor government business
should be reserved ss against the payment
Of interest and the principal of the bonds.
By the subsequent act Of July. 1864, one
half Of that amount that was intended to
be reserved was RENTED, and at present
the companies only derive the one-half Of
their earnings on government business, and
the other half is retained BY the govern.
ment. Under the original provisions Of the
bill Congress was Authorised at any time to
alter or amend its provisions. Under the
subsequent bill also, which granted halt
OF this amount Of transportation, q like
was made on behalf of the
government. Evidently there is to be an
loss, not counting compound
according to the argument of the |
Attorney General OF the United States,
which would make $500, 100000; but, &C.
cording to the admissions of the companies |
States, unless it interp0ses it's power to pro-
tect itself, is to be mulcted in . loss of
8l5O, O00, 900 by these companies. 1t is with
that view and to check somewhat this ire
parable ruin and to protect the government
of the United States that this bill is to be
introduced.
By unanimous consent leave was granted |
to Introduce bill to amend an act entitled |
an act to aid in the construction OF rail- |
road and telegraph line from the Missouri |
river tv the Pacific ocean, and to secure to |
the government the use of the same for |
postal, military and other purposes, ap-
proved July l. 1862, and to amend an act |
amendatory thereof approved July 2, 1864,
which was read twice by it's title.
Mr.. West-I ask that the bill be referred
to the Committee on Railroads.
Mr.. Morrill,, Of Vermont-May ask the
Senator from Louisiana whether there is
any provision in this bill that whatever
amount is saved from these railroads shall
be given to the Southern Pacific!
Mr.. West-I have not heard anything
about the Southern Pacific in connection
with this bill.
Mr.. SARGENT would like to have the
bill read at length.
The President pro tem-The Secretary
will report the bill at length.
The Chief Clerk read az follows:
A bill to amend An act entitled IAN act to
aid in the construction of q railroad and |
telegraph line from the Missouri river to
the Pacific Ocean, and to secure to the |
government the use of the same for pos
tai, military and other purposes" ap-
proved July !, 1852, and to amend an act
:amendasory thereof, approved July 2,
1864.
Be 1t enacted, ETC., That 90 much of Sec
ton i've of the act of which this is amenda-
tory a. provides that only one-half of the
compensation for services rendered for the
government by said companies shall be re-
q uired to be applied to the payment of the
bonds issued by the government IN aid Of