The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-10-17
BY TELEGRAPH.
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT.
0 rAE DAILY INTELLIGENcEa
CONGRESS.
SENATE.
WAsHrSaroN, D. c., October l6.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, D. c., October l6.
The Senate met al noon and soon ai
terWards the Clerk Of the House an
nounced the organization Of that body
and also the appointment Of committee
to wait upon the President, with com
mittee on the part Of the House, and no
uiy him that quorum Of the two hOusel
had assembled.
A resolution instructing the Secretary
to notify the House that quorum OF the
Senate was ready for business was agreed
TO.
Mr.. Thurman introduced bill 10
amend the Pacific Railroad acts 40 rs tc
create sinking fund for the liquidation
Of the Indebtedness due the government
BY the Pacific Rlilrond Companies. T..
ierred. Ia explanation he said it was the
same hill reported by the Judiciary Com
miLtee in July, 1876.
A resolution providing that the com.
mittCes existing at the close OF the last
session be continued until further order
Agreed to.
The memorials Of the Missouri Legi4.
lAture, in favor OF the removal Of the
National Capital to the Mississippi Val.
ley, and in relation to the National sys.
TEN OF leVees for the Mississippi river,
were referred.
,ME-Sargeat submitted resolution, re.
questing the President Of the United
States TO tranimit 10 the Senate, il it il
not Incompatible with the public inter.
est, statement Of The appropriations and
expenditures OF the Navy Department
from March 4th, 1889, to June Both, 1876,
was passed with an AmeRdme 1t OF NJ.
Davis, OF West Virginia. to have simi,
lar statement from the War Department.
During the morning large number Of
bills and petitions were presented and re.
ferred. Among the petitions were many
favoring an increase OF compensation for
letter carriers. Among the bills was one
by Mr.. Btck Tor the removal OF all disa.
bilities imposed by the l4th amendment,
referred.
The Senate then took recess.
General bills for relief we're presented.
Mr.. Bailey presented petition Of the
Southern Methodist Publishing House,
OF Nashville, for indemnity for the use
and consumption OF its property in 1861
65. Referred.
Mr.. Ingalls, introduced bill granuag
arrears in pensions. Referred.
A bill 10 establish a territory, Huron,
and provide a temporary government
therefor was referred. Also a bill to
establish branch mint at Omaha.
After recess, Mr.. Anthony, from the
Committee to Wait on the President, re-
ported that the President would commn
nicate with the Senate Immediately in
writing.
Mr.. Howe introduced a bill authotiz.
ing the construction Of pontoon bridge
acrosa the Mississippi from some point in
Buffalo county, Wisconsin, to some point
in Winona county, Minnesota. Referred.
Mr.. Rodgers, Private Secretary to the
President, delivered tile message. 1t was
read at once by Secretary Gorham, order.
ed printed and Referred.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FellO,o. Citi;eHs Of The Senate
s and House Of Representatives
The adjournment OF the last Congress,
without making any appropriations for
the support OF the army for the present
fiscal year, has rendered necessary sas.
pension Of payments to the officers and
men OF the sums due them for services
rendered after the thirtieth day OF June
last. The army exists by virtue OF the
statutes, which prescrlbes its numbers,
regulates its organization and employ.
ment, and which tixes the pay OF its off.
GERS and men, and declare their right 10
receive the same at stated periods.
The statutes, however, do not authorize
the payment Of the troops in the absence
Of a specific appropriation therefor,
The constitution has wisely provided that
no money shall be drawn from the Treas.
ury but in consequence OF appropria-
tiOns made by law; and it has also been
declared by the statutes that no depart
ment Of the government shall expend in
any one fiscal year, any sum in excess Of
the appropriation made by Congress for
that fiscal year. We have, therefore, an
army in service, authorized by law and
entitled 10 be paid, but no funds are
available for that purpose. 1t may also
be said, as an additional incentive 10
prompt action by Congress, that since the
commencement Of the fiscal year the army
though without pay, has been constantly
and actively employed in arduous and
dangerous service, in the performance OF
which both officers and men have dis.
charged their duty with fidelity and cour.
age and without complaint. These cir.
cumstances, in my judgment, constitute
an extraordinary occasion, requiring
Congress 10 be convened in advance Of
the time prescribed by law for your meet.
ing in regular session. The importance
Of speedy action upon this subject on the
part Of Congress is so manifest that
venture to suggest the propriety Of max.
ing the necessary appropriations for the
support OF the army for the current year
at its present maximum numerical
strength Of 5000 men, leaving for future
consideration all questions relating to an
increase or decrease OF the number Oi
enlisted men. In the event OF the reduc.
tion oi the army by subsequent legisla.
tion during the fiscal year the excess Of
the appropriation need not be expended,
and In the event OF its enlargement the
additional sum required for the payment
OF the extra force could be provided in
due time. 1t would be unjust to the troops
now in service and whose pay is already
largely in arrears, il payment TO them
should be further postponed until after
Congress shall have considered all the
questions likely to arise in the effort to
tx the proper limit to the strength Of the
army, Estimates ot,appropriGtions for
the support Of the military establishment
for the fiscal year ending June Both, 1878,
were transmitted to Congress by the form.
er Secretary Of the Treasury at the OPEN
ing of its session in December last. These
estimates, modified by the present secre-
tary so aS to conform to the present re-