The New York herald., 1876-12-21
CONGRATULATIONS on THE IRISH NATION.
Interesting Debate on the
Telegram Question.
POWERS OF THE HOUSE ENUNCIATED.
Nr. Hewitts Claim that His Letters were
Opened in the New York Post Office.
SENATE.
wAsuIxoroy. Dec. 20. 1876.

The CHAIR laid before tho Senate communication
from the Secretary OF War; enclosing the report Of
Mayor q. B. Comstock Corps OF Engineers, showing
the condition OF the work Of improving the South
Pass OF The Mississippi River. Ordered 10 be- printed
and lie on the table.
Mr.. MITCHELL, trep) OF Oregon, presented The joint
resolutions o the oregon Legislature, asking appro
priation for geological OF the S,aIc Referred
TO the Committee on Mines and Mining
Mr. WRIGHT trep.l OF Iowa, gave notice that on Fri
day morning, Immediately alter the expiration OF tho
morning hour he would move TO take up for oonsdera-
tion the Senate bill declaring the and
ing of the Union Pacific Railroad acts approved July
!. 1862, July >, 1854 and July 8 1866.
Mr. HrrcncocK trep.) Of Ncb, introduced bill sup-
Elemental TO the act Tor the apportonment OF Repro
scntatves In Congress among the several States
according to the ninth census. Referred to The Com
miitee Privileges and Elections. 1T provides Tor
an additional representation from tho State Of Nc
braska.I
kE WRIGHT OF Iowa, called up the House bin TO i'm
prove the law relation dover in the District OF
Columbia. Passed.
TERRITORY PEMGIyA.
On motion OF Mr. HiTcHcocX, OF Nebraska, the vote
by which the dill TO establish the Territory OF Penn
bna, and to provide temporary government there
for ordered to third reading and passed the
Sih of August last, was reconsidered and the bill be-
lug before inc senate, Ar. hainlin submitted
amendment continuing IN force the present laws of
The Territory OF Dakota out oil portion OF which tho
new Territory Is TO be organized until they shall DO
changed by tue Legislature OF the new Territory
Mr. BoGY, tdemI OF No., objected 10 the name Penn
bna, and said he desired 10 preserve OF the In
dian names IN the new Territories.
Alter some debate, dufing which it was suggested
that the new Territory be called Huron, Algonquin,
or Ogaalla, Mr.. BoGY submitted a motion 10 change
The name Of the Territory from Pembina 10 Huron.
Agreed TO-
The bill thsn read third time and passed.
THE PENSION
Mr.. WINDOW, rep OF Mimi, called up the HOUSE
bill max ng AN Appropriation Tor the pay inenl o nvaid
Lnd other pensions OF the United States tor the uscal
rear ending June 80 ISIS reported from the Commit
lee On Appropriations yesterday without anne ncnt
ur WINDOW explained that the bill contormed
Iclly 10 The estimates submitted by tho department
appropriated 81 000 500 less tnan the bill last year,
oil account OF the decrease IN the number OF pen
sioncrs
ncnt requiring the Commissioner OF Pensions to here
after state in his annual report the total amount paid
Tor additional pensions and also the annual reduction
IN pensions. He quoted from the report OF the Com
missioner OF Pensions and said II was not sufficiently
clear Last year, when tho Pensions bill was beng
scassed, the Chairman OF the Committee on Pen
sions lngalsl stated that, in hls opnon ut least
ssxth oI the amount appropriated Tor pensions was
Improperly paid, on account OF fraudulent claims. He
(Mr DAVIS thought there could not DO much in
formation on this subject Tho annual pension roll
s25. 800 324 90 while the report OF The Comms.
sioner OF PENSIONS showed that the amount paid
last year for pensions SOS, ,35l $50 90. The
penses oil the pension Office IN this city were PAID by
appropriations the legislative BILL and specific
were also appropriated Tor tho salaries oi pension
agents and examining surgeons.
MR. WINDOW sent ~ the clerks desk, and had read
letter iron the Commissioner OF Pensions to the
effect that the ual pension roll was SO s2i g.
representing the pensions ior one year. The amount
paid out SIS, sol, $40 %. nearly $1,000 900 of
which were paid out for arrears on pensions, newly
adJndcatcd cases. and account OF cases previously
suspended or cause. Other paid pen
Sion agents. expenses medical examinations. &c
Mr. DAVIS said he could not understand the dis
crepanccs between the reports from the Pension
Bureau and the Treasury Department For instance,
from 1860 TO 1870 the repors from the Pension Bureau
showed expenditure OF Sl3 000, 900 less Than the
amount reported by the Treasury department. There
should be some explanation OF these matters.
The amendment OF Mr.. Davis was then agreed to
and Tho bill passed.
MR. BOUTWELL,, lrep) OF Mass, gave notice that as
soon the resolution in regard 10 The Oregon elector
should be disposed Of he would ask the Senate TO
der tho House bill to perfect the revision OF the laws
THE oRsGoN KLEcToR.
The Senate then resumed the consideration OF the
unfinished business, being the resolution OF Mr.. Nit
cheil authorizing an investigation as 10 the appoint
mcnt OF Cronin Presidential eector in Oregon.
ARGUMENT
Mr.. Bocy, OF Missouri, resumed his argument from
The point where Nc suspended Yesterday. He con-
tended tnat the action Of Grover was forced
HIM. When the fact became known 20 Grover that
Watts held government office It was not in his
tGrover's) power TO give him certificate Of election.
II. tMr. Bogyl regretted that this case had been
pr,mavlrely decided in tbe Senate The Committee
on Privileges and Elections OF this body had
got be a most important committee.
No could put hs foot into the
senate until he had passed the ordeal OF that commit
tee, and some men had been put IN the Senate who
should not have been put in. No man could be a
senator, whether elected by his Legislature or not,
unless he also elected by the chairman oil the
Committee on Privileges and Elections-the Senator
from luuiana (Mr. Mortonl This committee reminded
lim tMr Bogy) OF what is called modern times
"a returning poard.n The Committee on Privileges
and Elections had got to be the great returning board
oi the Senate These returning boards were new in
yentlon. IL was conceded that Tildcn had popular
majority OF 300 900. but Hayes had three returning
boards so that 10 cipher the thing down, one rciurn
lug board was worth Just loo, 600 votes.
Mr., MITCHELL said II tho returning board in oregon
could carry out It's purpose II would be equal TO
30 uOO, OU0 Of people
Mr.. BoGr, resumng, said returning board would
have been useful thing 10 Robespierre the days OF
tue French Revolution. 1t might have answered tho
oregon matter had happened. IL was most fortunate
thing as had compelled Senators the other side
10 investigate all these questions they should do.
The oregon case bad upset all this argument about
pr,na tacie case. II II mad not happened there would
have been end TO arguments or the other side about
rcuras IRON Louisiana and Florida constituting
fcte case. and Congress could not 90 behind the
nciluu oi the returning boards oil these States Now
"a was PLAN that Congress had right and power to
carry out the sovereign Will OF the people
Nr. hoRroS, trepl OF Ina. said returning boards
were not a new invention. They were old the
constitution OF the United states. There was not
STATE IN this Union which had not authorized one or
more persons TO count the votes and ccruiy who was
cicctod la some States-as in lousianathesc boards
had discretionary and judicial powers. The decision
OF the returning boards IN States by the laws Of
the state made nnaL In Oregon the Governor
had no discretionary power, DO Judicial power He
h,d no power TO count out a fraudulent vote In
LOUISIANA the Returning Board had broad Judicial
power. IL may have made wrong decision; he would
not discuss thai question now but the Governor OF
Oregon exercised powers not given him by the laws o:
the state.
ARGUMENT or SENATOR EATON
Mr.. EafoS, tIcm) oil Conn, referred 10 tho argu-
u.eDt oi the Senator IRON oregon mir. Mnchclll
Lyercd time ago. and said that senator dared
the democratic Senators this door TO speak their
this subject The democrats on this .oor
not To be dared by any BODY They, like the
pie Of this country, dared TO do right; dared what
tney thought was Just
Mr. MITCHELL trep) Of Oregon, inquired IL the
Senator from Connecticut would dare, IN justice to
himself as senator IN justice 10 hts reputation as a
lawyer, say that Jr0niu elected Presidential
elector and that the Governor OF Oregon was right Ia
issuing certificate 10 him
Mr.. EAros said II the Senator tMr Mitchclll would
until he had concluded his argument he would
there would be no necessity Tor the question.
ResumIBg, Mr.. EAroS said be would not count
which be believed be wrong TO
elect the who had uiumphaniy been
elected President by tho American people he did