The Portland daily press., 1876-07-18
Forty. Fourth Congress-FIrst Session.
SENATE.


Texas Legislature asking such legislation by
Congress as to protect its frontier against Indi-
ans and Mexicans and also an appropriation to
reimburse the State for moneys expended in de-
Tending the frontier. Referred to the Commit
tee on military Affairs.
Mr.. Anthony from Committee on Naval AZ
fairs reported bill to reimburse Rear Admiral
Charles M. Wilkes of certain money paid by
him and asked its immepi ate consideration but
objection was made by Edmunds and it went
over.
Mr.. Wright introduced bill to amend sec.
ton 1881 of the revised statues, so as to allow
the payment by the Secretary of the Treasury
of tonnage tax where it has been exacted in
violation of the existing treaty. Referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
Impeachment trial was resumed but Evans
being still absent, Senate sitting as Court of
Impeachment adjourned till Wednesday,
Legislative business was resumed and chair
laid before the Senate the unfinished business
being the river and harbor appropriation bill
pending question being on the motion of Mr..
Thurman to recommit the bill to the Commit
tee on Appropriations with instructions to re-
port bill reducing the aggregate amount of
appropriations contained in it to sum not to
exceed $4,000.0O0.
Mr.. Cameron of Pa. moved to lay aside the
unfinished business and take up the bill for re-
lief of Mrs. Jas. x. Polk, widow of ex-Presi-
dent Polk.
Mr.. Edmunds opposed the motion and said he
had received some evidence touching the 10y
atty of Mrs. Polk. This he had placed in the
hands of member of the committee which
reported the bill. He hoped the bill would not
be acted upon till the truth of that evidence
was investigated.
Cameron withdrew his motion.
Logan moved to make the House bill to
eaualize bounties of those who served in its late
war for the Union the special order for to-mor-
row at 1 o'clock. Rejected, yeas q, nays 20.
Two-Jhirds not voting in the affirmative Mr.,
Key voted with the Republicans and in favor
of the motion. Booth, Hamilton and Sargent,
with the Democrats, against it.
Senate then proceeded with the consideration
of the river and harbor hill.
Mr.. Herman opposed the passage of the bill
either as it came from the House or as amend
ed by the Senate. He argued that the bill pro-
posed wasteful expenditure Of money, and
favored the recommittal of the bill with in
structions to have the amount reduced,
Mr.. Edmunds said the bill as it came from
the House was preposterous and extravaganza in
the last degree, and the Senate had made it
about twice as bad as when it came from the
House. To recommit the bill to the committee
on appropriations with instructions to reduce
the amount would present to the committee
barriers which could not be overcome. He IA
vored the substitute submitted by him to ap-
propriate 100000 to be expended on rivers
and harbors under the direction of the Secretary
of War.
ed in by Messrs. Morton, Maxey and Conkling,
the latter said there should be some substitute
for this plan OF approprating for rivers and
harbors. Some change should be made by
which each year specific budget should be
submitted by sworn officers selected to report
the same, and he hoped the bill would be con.
s-dered the occasion for thought to begin and
action follow. He believed that the Senate
had right like the apostle "to do all things
that were right in opposition and stand. He
asked the Senators, especially on the Demo
cratic side, who just now were taking on them
selves such virtue on the subject of economy
how they could reconcile to themselves to take
bill which contained appropriations improper
at any time according to report of the engin-
GERS, how they could make it accord with this
new evangel of economy and retrenchment. II
there was sincerity in the idea that appropria.
tons were to be reduced. he hoped the Senate
would show it in dealing with bill some parts
of which no Senator had attempted to justify.
Mr.. Logan argued that the House had at
tempted to cripple the army and navy and had
cut down the civil service, yet at one fell
swoop it had appropriated millions of dollars
to the benefit Of certain Congressional dis
tricts. He favored the recommittal of the bill
to the Committee on Appropriations with in
should not be agreed to he would vote for the
substitute submitted by the Senator from Ver-
mont.
Mr.. Carpenter favored the House bill.
MIR. Wallace argued that the bill was wrong
apon two grounds 1t appropriated for
improper purposes and was extravagant in the
amount. In this bill there were at least twenty
instances of appropriations for unnavigabe
streams. He could not vote for their improve
ment. lie spoke of the business depre ssion
throughout the country and said that large ap-
preparations aud increased taxation meant suf-
fering, starvation and death in many American
homes.
Mr.. Morton argued that taxes could not be
reduced by tax bills. These reductions in the
appropriations were all for the coming election
and to carry that election in favor Of the DEM
ocratic party. He had no doubt there could be
some reductions, but he believed this great talk
of reduction was not in the interest of econo-
my, but in the interest Of party. The debates
here had been to the effect that the country
was on the verge of bankruptcy. There was
some distress in the country, but it was nothing
like what it had been said to be. The state
ment that the country was on the verge of
bankruptcy was false a nd put out for political
effect.
Mr.. Logan said that it had only been a few
years since appropriations were made to feed
the starving people of the District of Columbia
now there were no such appropriations. That
did not look much like distress.
Mr.. Morton then sent to the clerk desk and
had read an extract from the speech of Senator
Morrill, OF Maine, delivered just before he took
charge of the Treasury Department to the eff
feet that the revenue of the government next
year would be ample for all the expenditure
and in concluding his argument, said if the ap-
preparation should be made according to the
House bills there would be a large surplus to
the people would have as much taxes to pay as
ever.
Mr.. Herman argued that the people would be
relieved by having surplus revenue. Let
there be such surplus and the taxation could
be reduced. Congress must cease to make
such large appropriations if it ever intended to
reduce taxation. He hoped persons would not
be moved by the argument of the senator that
the state of the country and the national treas
ury was such that large appropriations might
be made.
Pending discussion Mr.. Hamlin called up
the House resolution to correct an error in the
enrolment of the ostoffice appropriation bill
in regard to the compensation Of postmasters
and it was agreed to.
Senate at 5.15 went into executive session and
when the doors were reopened adjourned
HOUSE.
Mr.. Poppleton, from the committee on pub
lie buildings and grounds, reported the testi-
Ordered printed.
Bills introduced and REFEREED
BY Mr.. Hopkins, appropriating 800, 900 for
the continuance of the Washington monu-
ment.
By Mr.. Phillips authorizing the President to
accept the services of volunteers from Kansas,
Nebraska, Minnesota, Wyoming, Colorado, Da-
kota and Utah against the Sioux Indians.
By Mr.. Waddell for the erection of an
equestrian statue of General Custer in Wash
ington.
By Mr.. Landers of Indiana, for the immedi-
ate utilization of gold and silver bullion (by
certificate Of value), to encourage the coinage
thereof and to make the standard silver dollar
full legal tender. Referred to the committee
of the whole.
By Mr.. Eames in addition to bill for resump-
ton of specie payment, requiring six per cent
of the amount of outstanding legal tender notes
to be set aside in coin every year until legal
tenders are of equal value with gold.
The resolution offered last Monday by Piper
for the appointment of a committee to proceed
to California after adjournment of Congress to
investigate CONFORMITY with Senate committee
or otherwise) the extent and effect of Chinese
immigration was adopted, yeas 1885, nays IA.
The majority and minority reports in the
Virginia contested election case of Platt and
Goode were ordered printed. Majority report
favored contestant; minority report found that
Goode (sitting member) was legally elected.
Bill to remove the political disabilities of G.
T. Beauregard was passed.
Mr.. McDougall introduced a bill granting a
pension to the heirs of officers and men killed
in Clusters recent battle with the Sioux at in
creased rates proportionate to that of fifty dol
lars month, the legal pension of Lieutenant
Colonel. Referred.