The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-08-18
THE PRESS.
From the Maine State Press Of Aug. II, 1875.
History Of Seven Days.
The News for the week ending Wednesday
Night. August 10.
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

of the House and its attempts to cripple the
service of the government by cutting down
appropriations, there has been little done. No
act relative to the tariff. nothing to improve
the currency or refund the national debt at
lower rate OF interest has been done. The
House by two-thirds vote adopted the resolu-
tion referring Mr.. Baine's proposed school tax
amendment to the constitution to the states.
In the Senate it was amended and defeated, the
Democrats voting solid against it.
President Grant has sent the House two mes
sages tho past week. The first of these accom-
panied the river and harbor appropriation bill.
He informed the House that if the law made
1t obligatory upon him to expend the money he
should have vetoed it but as it does not he will
only have those sums expended which are ap-
piled to works of national importance and
cave the rest unexpended. He says that many
of the appropriations are only of local inter-
est. This message produced great feeling on
the part of such Democrats as have secured
large sums of money for the improvement of
small rivers and unused harbors in the South.
The Republicans and Mr.. Holman of Indiana
defended the Executive. The second message
was to tell the House that it was prerogative
of the Executive to give orders for the closing
of diplomatic and consular offices and not of
the House which assumed that power by nam
ing in the diplomatic appropriation bill certain
offices of that character which should be
closed.
The Whiskey Trials Committee have been
taking testimony the past week. Gen. Porter and
Special Agent Moore contradicted portions of
Bluford Wilson's testimony. Moore said that
hejwas discharged because Wilson thought he
was going to testify against Yaryan. Senator
Logan also appeared before the Committee and
testified that he knew nothing directly or in.
directly respecting any illicit whiskey distiller
or any agent of the whiskey ring. He never
had any connection with them. He testified
that Bluford Wilson in the presence of his
wife and Supervisor Matthews pronounced the
reported statement that he (Wilson) had made
as to Logsn's connection with the whiskey
ring, was false and slanderous Wilson at that
time told reporter that Logan had no more to
do with the whiskey ring than had Wilson him
self. Col. Matthews was present and confirmed
the truth of Senator Logan's statements. A
newspaper correspondent was called, who testi-
fed that Wilson told him that he expected to
secure the indictment of Logan and was gath
ering evidence to that end. This leaves Mr..
Wilson in rather dubious light and tends to
confirm the declarations heretofore made that
the gentleman has bad memory and powerful
Imagination.
An interview with the President Is published
in which it is stated that he never asked Secre-
tary BristOw to resign but on the contrary had
urged him to continue in that Office and on two
occasions had prevailed upon him to do so.
As for Mr.. Bristow, the President added:
Notwithstanding the doubts and expostula-
lions of my friends, always regarded him with
the fullest confidence, good will and respect,
but my friends laughed at me when gave it
finally as my opinion from facts that informa.
ton brought to my knowledge by persons whom
thought reliable, that there was a conspiracy
on foot in which he took part. pertaining to the
Presidential candidacy, and regret the con-
clusion forced upon me now that there was
more than seeming truth in. the supposition.
Congress during its last hours authorized the
President to fill up the cavalry regiments. 1t
will. require $500 men. 1t was done at the re-
quest of the President and Gen. Sherman.
Speaker Kerr is rapidly failing.
Thei House bill repeating the resumption
act was sent over to the next session of the
Senate.
James G. Hill has been appointed Supervis-
ing Architect.
Among the changes rendered necessary
by the consular and diplomatic bill was that of
reducing the rank of several foreign ministers
to that of charge d. affaires. Gen. Caldwell of
Maine, formerly Minister to Uruguay and
Paraguay, is one of them.
CONGRESS.
Thursday, Aagust 10-In the Senate the re-
port of the conference committee on the river
and harbor bill was agreed to. The resolution
to print 10000 extra copies of the documents
relating to the Hamburg massacre was then
taken up. In the House, great confusion was
occasioned on the Democratic side by the read
ng, by Mr.. Lord, of resolution regarding
the intimidation of voters, and recommending
the prompt, certain and effectual punishment
of all persons guilty of the same, which reso-
luton, after considerable flibustering among
the Democrats, and two calls of the House,
was adopted A conference committee was
appointed on the Pacific steamship bill, and
the bill continuing the temporary government
expenses until Monday next was passed.
Friday. dug. lin the Senate, amendments
to the post route bill, making appropriations
for the.restoration of fast mail trains on differ
ent lines of railroad were agreed to. The House
bill providing for the expenses of the District
of Columbia was amended and passed. Amend
ments to Mr.. Paddock's Thanking bill were
agreed to. Various additional amendments
to the post route bill were agreed to, and the
bill was then passed. In the evening session,
the amendment of the judiciary committee on
the House joint resolution regarding the school
amendment to the constitution was agreed to.
In the House resolution authorizing the mil
itary committee to investigate national homes
for disabled volunteers. was, after short dis
cussion, agreed to. The bill repeating 60 much
OF the army appropriation bill as limits the
number of Indian scouts to 300. and continu.
ing in force the statute authorizing the en-
ployment of 1000 scouts was passed. A joint
resolution in regard to Withholding the pay
ment of Venezuela claims until March 4.h,
1877 was passed. The conference report on
the Pacific Mail Steamship bill was agreed to.
as was the conference report on the Indian
appropriation bill.
Saturday, dag. IL. In the Senate, the
Hawanilan treatry bill was taken up. The
joint resolution concerning the school amend
ment to the constitution was read third time
and placed on the calendar. The report of the
conference committee on the diplomatic ap-
preparation bill was received, laid over and or
dered printed. The bill to print the Belknap
impeachment proceedings was passed. In the
evening session the report of the con-
ference committee on the legislative appro-
priation bill was made and agreed to. as also
was the report on the consular appropriation
bill, The bill appropriation 100000 to pay
Judgments of the court of claims was passed
and the Hawanian treaty consideration was
resumed. In the House report was received
that the conference committee on the diplo-
matte bill had come to an agreement, ard their
report was agreed to. Addition al conference
was ordered on the Indian appropriation bill.
the bill postponing the publication of the army
register was passed, and the conference report
on the artificial limbs bill was agreed to, as
also was the report of the conference commit
tee on the legislative appropriation bill.