National Republican., 1877-02-16
CoNGR REssIONAL RErIEW.

DEMONSTRATING Of Appropriation Bills In
tho Record. Because There Are "No Funds"
to Print Them in the Usual Form.
A large number of private bills were dis
posed OF, and among the pension bills re-
ported fayofably was one for the widow of
Fletcher Webster. and another for the widow.
Of the late General James A. Hardie.
Was there fraud In the awards made by the
United States and Mexican Claims Commits
sionf That is the important question which the
Senate Is called upon TO decide before II passes
bill for the distribution Of the award. When
Mr.. CoNKLISG called the bill up on Wednes-
day. Mr.. SPENCER made the suggestion Of
fraud, and yesterday Mr.. STEVENSON said his
attention had been called TO the matter by q
gentleman from Mobile, who was now In the
city. Mr.. CoSRLING stated that the alleged
fraud referred to by Mr.. SPENCER had been
examined by the Commission, and they had
found nothing in Il, but as the
justice would seem to demand that
the question should be settled before any law
is passed to distribute the large sum of money
involved. The fraud In this case is said to
amount to 100000, which is entirely too
much money TO be thrown away. 1t was very
proper, therefore, to postpone the bill until
the truth can be sscertaiued.
The special commission on the silver
question, which was appointed at the last
session Of Congress, and which was TO report
early this month, was granted leave to post
pope the report until the 24th of February.
The resolution was subsequently, adopted by
the House.
Mr.. SPENCER then succeeded In getting
up the District Of Columbiatax bill, and II was
passed with some amendments, the most i'm
portant Of which were to make the rate of
taxation uniform throughout the District at
$3.50 per 500; striking out the thirty cent
tax for the support of schools, and
exempting school property I'm actual use for
educational purposes, from taxation. The bill
now goes back TO the House for concurrence
or non-concurrence in the amendments.
The consideration of this bill crowded out
the Pacific Railroad bill, which has been pend
ing for several days. The state of the business
before Congress was also incidentally dis
cussed, and It was shown that both Houses
are considerably behind on the appropriation
bills. In fact, only one Of the twelve, VIZ,
the pension bill, has become a law. The ma
jority of the others are pending in the Senate
Committee on Appropriations, and have not
even been printed ,on account Of the exhaustion
of the printing fund. There ore but fourteen
working days more to do all the work In.
House Of Representatives.
As usual yesterday few faithful members
were present in the hall of the House at 10
O'Clock, but there were not enough there to
go on with the public business, and q further
recess had to be taken. A little more time
was gained, and that was all that the Bour-
bons wanted.
At11 o'clock the House went into Commit
tee Of the Whole on the naval appropriation
bill, although there was not quorom pres
ent; then Admiral WPITTHoRNE, of the Ten
nessee navy, indulged 10 another fling at the
management Of the Navy Department, and
asserted, upon what he admitted was mere
| hearsay evidence, that the department had
disposed Of public property at private sale for
the purpose of paying debts which had been
hy "a RI nj hur af ha
department.
Mr.. CoNGEa, in few well-directed
sentences, ridiculed WHITTuoRNE so
badly that he would have been hap
pier If he had not made the
attack. Mr.. TARBox, of Massachusetts,, who
mashed him to apolitical jelly last summer
by some process or other, has had the breath
OF life blown into him again, and came to the
'front.' with newspaper extract to show that
there had been leaven of Republican politics
in the Charleston Navy Yard. And then the
Committee OF the Whole reached point where
they had to consider Admiral WHITTHoRNEs
| proposition for commission TO determine
and report upon the future naval policy Of the
United States. Several points OF order were
at once made against 1t by Mr.. Con-
GER, Mr.. HALE and others points
that would have held good If the Com
mittee had had an unprejudiecd presiding
the Whole was Mr.. MILLS Of Texas, member
OF the Committee on Naval Affairs, which re.
| ported the bill, and an earnest advocate of the
appointment Of the commission. 1t has not
been usual In the past to appoint as chairman
OF the Committee of the Whole, member
tion or amendment that is likely to be made a
part of the subject matter. Mr.. Speaker
RANDALL has done, and suppose will con.
tinue to do, unusual things, and so he.put Mr.
MILLS in the chair, knowing beforehand tina,
the WHTTHoRNE proposition was amena oe
to the point OF order, and that Mr.. MILLS was
committed to the theory that IL was In order
In ruling the amendment in order, therefore
he only ruled in accordance with his convic
tions.
Mr.. HOLMAN, the great economist, voted fol
the amendment, with proviso that there
should be no expense except the regular aud
current salary OF the members of the com
mission. Mr.. HOLMAN certainly could not
have been sincere In tine belief that the work
contemplated by the amendment could OF
would lie performed without the expenditure
of more money than the salaries OF the mem.
bers Of the commission. II he was sincere
he Is as innocent as sucking dove. He
knew very well that 1t could not be done, and
nothing more than the truth was uttered
when he was told that he was misleading the
House, when he said that there would be nc
cost to the Treasury. But perhaps the grea
lnulhDa ecOnomlst was rs ignorant on thii
question as he was on Wednesday night OF
the subject of the reduction Of the observa
tions of the transit of Venus.
The bill passed as amended, with the com
mission and all attached, but 1t is not yer,
probable that the Senate will agree to 1t. Th'
House has now disposed OF all the appro
p,iation bills, as original propositions, excep
the sundry Civil, the Army and the River ant
HaIbor. As at present advised, the Arm,
bill will be the last reported, for the reasol
that the form of the items will depend upoI
the result Of the Presidential contest.
Mr.. ROBERTS, Of Maryland, thinks tina
there have not been Investigations enough
and In the last hours Of the session he pro
posed that the Post Office Committee shoul,
investigate the subject Of mail contracts, bu
Mr.. CANNON, OF Illinois, very properly oh
jected, on tho ground that that subject hat
been investigated TO death already.
Tho bill to satisfy the treaty with the Siou
Indians, for the sale Of the Black Hills, wa
taken up and passed, after which the Hous
went into committee on the bill 10 regulat
tolls over the Omaha bridge, but took q reces
| without disDosipp of the question,