The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-28
con c r E S S.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, January %.
Question of Privilege.

AlneStlon Oh privilege was Cuuseu y.
Mr.. Dunnell in reference to some remarks
made by Mr.. White, Of Kentucky, somt
days ago which were regarded as offensive
to Mr.. Adams, the Clerk Of the House
and which Mr.. White had at the time
agreed to expunge from the report Of hi
speech in the Congressional Record.
Mr.. Dunnell, however, complained tina
portion OF the offensive matter haC
found its way into the report, and he ask
ed that the member from Kentucky
might be allowed to make statement tC
the House rVindicating the clerk. The
House having given its assent, Mr.. Knott
quoted the offensive remark which hat
reference first 10 the vote Of Mr.. Adams
when member Of Congress on what was
designated as the salary grabs, rejecting
upon Mr.. Adams career as Union
soldier.
Mr.. Knott defended Mr.. Adams rec
ord in both these connections, and said
that there never could be any truthful
imputatlon on his (Adam's) patriotism OF
loyalty. After the discussion was partic.
ipated in by Messrs. Hale (of Me- Black.
burn, Dunnell, and Hoar, objections
we're made TO further alteration OF the
Record, and there the matter ended.
OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS.
Mr.. Cannon, from the Committee on
PostoiIices and Post Roads, reported abill
to amend sections 3S93 and 1894, proyid.
ing penalties for the sending OF Obscene
matter through the mails.
The bill having been read, Mr.. Conger
criticized it MS being too general and
sweeping, in this that it would apply 10
newspapers in which an offensive adver.
tisement might be inserted.
Mr.. Cannon defended the bill, claiming
that it was n mere modification Of the
existing law and that it did not apply to
advertisements in newspapers, unless they
were read or published in pursuance Of a
scheme to disseminate this offensive kind
OF literature.
Mr.. Conger, in view of Cannon's cx.
PLANTATION, Withdrew his objections.
Mr.. Hoar, Of Mass, criticized one Of
the descriptions OF the prohibited matter
used in the bill (things adapted for any
indecent or immoral purpose) us being
too broad, and recalled the time when
anti-slavery newspapers were thrown out
OF the mails as immoral publications.
Mr.. Cannon defended the bill from
Mr.. Hoar's criticisms, and claimed that
the whole scope OF the bill was devised
for the purpose Of preventing the circula-
tion Of obscene matter through the mails.
Mr.. Garfield represented that the
House ought to to be very careful in this
class OF legislation and recalled as evi-
dcnce OF its dangerous character the fact
that few years ago the publishers Of q
New York paper were sent to the peni-
Tertiary for three years for publishing
a contribution from Geo. Francis Train
wholly illogical in its character, dividing
the ordinary received notions OF the
trinity, but in which not an obscene or
scurriIous word was used. The Judge,
however, charged the jury that the paper
was blasphemOus in the highest degree,
and the jury found the publisher guilty.
If the language Of the law was liable TO
construction OF that sort so that really
Congress would enter the domain OF theo-
logical opinions and bring down upon
men the odium theologicum which was
worse even than political odium.
Mr.. Chitlenden moved the recommittal
OF the bill, and expressed his desire to go
before the committee that he might show
by recent transactions in Brooklyn the
impropriety OF such law. He pledged
himself to show special case. of oppres-
sion against an honorable and innocent
man that required nm amendment to the
law, but in n very different way from
that proposed.
Mr.. Blaine suggested that such law
would exclude from the mails the news
papers containing reports Of the Beecher
trials.
Mr.. Cannon avowed himself TO be in
favor OF excluding from the mails what
ever newspaper or book that circulated
the reports Of trials OF an obscene char.
acter or OF n character calculated 10 cor
rupt the morals Of the country.
Mr.. Hoar (Nlassachusetts) said that in
his Judgment this bill very clearly cx-
posed the press Of the country 10 dam
ger hundred fold greater than the one
contained in Mr.. Poland's bill, which so
Justly excited the press OF the country re-
Gently. Whenever u jury in any locality
should find that paper contained matter
which might be devoted TO a purpose
which the jury deemed not only indecent
but immoral, that jury might convict the
man who sent it or the men who received
it through the mails, and the Postmaster
might exclude the papers from the mails
II the bill was 10 be recommitted, he de.
sired TO bring out this point in the hear
ing Of the House, so that the new law
might correct the great danger TO which
the press and people were exposed.
The bill was recommitted.
Mr.. Hereford, from the Committee on
Commerce, reported back adversely the
bill TO establish Department OF COM
mercc. Laid on the table.
Mr.. Douglass, from the Committee on
Patents, reported bill to amend section
100 Of the Revised Statutes, prohibiting
officers, clerks or employees in any OF the
offices Of the government from acting as
counsel, attorney or agent, or being in.
terested in any form for prosecuting
either claims or patents, application for
which was pending while they were such
clerks or employees; also, that any gov
ernment officer recognizing such person
in any such application shall be ipJo jaetO
from service.
After discussion, the bill passed.
The House then went into Committee
OF the Whole (Mr, Haskins in the chair
on the Military Academy appropriation
bill.
Mr.. Banning addressed the committee.
lIc spoke Of times being hard, money
scarce and taxes heavy, and said that It
was the duty Of Congress to cut of every
unnecessary expenditure and to exercise
the most rigid economy. In doing this
much aid or assistance might not Be ex-
pected from the other (Republican) side
Of the House, because this (Democratic)
side had taken away the luxury which
the Republicans had enjoyed at the pub
lie expense and had exposed TO the
country their extravaganza and wicked
waste Of public money. He was not sur.
prised that the Republican members
charged the reductions in the bill to the
ignorance on the committee which 70.
ported it, because tho Republican legis-
iators arrogated TO themselves all Wis
dom and regarded the people as ignorant.
Success had crazed thc-brains and turned