The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-07-17
Forty Fourth Congress--First Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., July 10,
The Chair laid before the Senate the resolu-
ton of the Argentine Republic congratulatlng
the American Congress upon the celebration OF
the centennial anniversary.
The bill continuing the Alabama Cllms
Commission till January LIST, 1877, was passed.
The river and harbor approx ration bill was
then taken up. large number OF amend
mentS were acted uDon.
Mr.. Edmuuds said that as the bill came from
the House it appropriated $5,S72,850 The
Committee ON Appropriations reduced that
amount by striking out certain provisions to
the extent of about 100000 and then added
amendments increasing the bill to the extent of
about 600, making an increase of about
1000 as compared with the House bill. The
Senate has deserted the Committee on Appro-
priations by reinstating all the provisions of
the House bill which the committee recon-
mended to strike out, and has added other
amendments which make the sum total of the
bill as it now stands about 81, 100000, and that
was done in view of revised estimates of en-
gineers. The question with him was whether
Congress as guardians of the public treasury,
in spite of the prominent necessity of having
the smallest appropriation possible this year,
should appropriate so much money by this bill.
He submitted the following as substitute for
the bill:
Be 1t enacted, &c, That the sum of $4,000
900 is hereby appropriated for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1877, to be expended for the
repair, extension, preservation and completion
of works for the improvement of rivers and
harbors uuder the direction of the Secretary of
War, provided that the Secretary of War is
hereby authorized to cause such expenditures
to be made so as best to subserve the interest of
commerce, and he is required to report to Con-
gress OF the opening of its December session
all expenditures made under the provisions of
this act up to that time in detail
Pending discussion, Mr.. Edmunds, from the
Judiciary Committee, reported favorably on the
bills to remove the political disabilities of
Thos. Williams of Maryland and Reuben
Davis of Missouri. Placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Hamilton, from the Committee on Privi-
leges, reported faverably on the bill for the
relief of Edw. Rogers at North Adams.
Placed on the calendar.
The Senate at o'clock adjourned till Mon
day.
HOUSE.
Bill was passed granting pension Of $50 per
month to Gen. Clusters widow; also to allow
$50 month to Clusters father and mother.
The bill for the protection of the Texas
frontier was taken up and Messrs. Dunnell and
BANKS opposed the clause allowing the troops
to pursue marauders into Mexico.
Mr.. Smalls of North Carolina, offered an
amendment providing that no troops be With
drawn from South Carolina so long as the
militia OF that state peacefully assembled are
assaulted and dSarmed, taken prisoners and
then massacred in cold blood by lawless bands
Georgia. He then sent to the clerks desk and
read newspaper statement of the Hamburg
massacre of six colored men on the 4th of
July. The statement was printed as cores
pondence in the Washington Republican.
Mr.. Cochrane-Who is the writer.
Mr. Smalls-If the gentlemen desires the
name to be given in order that the writer may
be killed, he will not get it from me, He is a
lawyer in the town Of Aiken.
Mr.. Conger charged that the cutting down of
the army was to prevent troops being sent into
states where lawless men take the lives peace
able citizens, and that the natural and newt
able result. of that reduction would leave the
army so small that with Indian wars the pro-
lection of the Texas frontier, &C., that there
would be no forces to be sent to other parts of
eminently desirable and necessary.
Mr.. Cox of New York, spoke of the anony.
nous letter having been endorsed by the gem
tleman from South Carolina (Smalls)and ASKED
who endorsed the gentleman. (Murmurs of
disapprobaton from the Republican side of the
House.)
Mr.. Rainey-A large constituency.
Mr.. Smalls-A large majority of 13, 0C0
Mr.. Cox-And yet he comes here with all the
prejudices belonging to his race. He will ad-
NIT that much himself.
Mr.. Smalls-I will not admit it.
Mr. CoX-Now wait moment. He comes
here and has an anonymous letter read. This
letter is intended to be shaken IN the face of
the House for bad purposes. Georgia has new
er touched this matter. Georgia is entirely limo.
cent of it, The state of South Carolina is TO-
day Republican state, the worst governed
in the Union, bad all its borders, bad in its
heart, bad on the sea coast, bad in Edgefeld
county, everywhere rotten to the core, so your
own party papers have said. Give South Carolina
Democratic government and fair play as in
Tennessee, New York aud other states that
have been rescued from this administration
aud yon will see that every man white and
black will be cared for under the law. / do
believe that the United States government is to
lock out for every trouble in that state and ap.
ply military power That is new idea In this
country that you have to touch with federal
bayonet every such place. The object is to get
up cry all through this land this fall for bad
purposes, malignant hate spite, and bloody
shirtism.
Mr.. Partridge of Georgia proceeded to defend
his state and said the Hamburg outrage was
deplored by all respectable citizens there. Mr.
Knott eulogized Gen. M. G. Butler.
MIR. Rainey made an earnest appeal on be-
half of his race, and asked what whit, man on
a military parade Oh the 4th of July would
think of a demand of two men driving in a
buggy that thev should break their ranks and
let them pass. lie asked the proud Southern
ers who boastad of their bravery and their
chivalry if they would stand it, and did they
expect negroes to stand it.
Without coming to a vote on the amendment
the committee rose, and the House at 4.45 ad