The Portland daily press., 1877-02-09
Forty Fourth Congressional Session.
SENATE.

from Arkansas for six years were filed.
Mr.. West, from the Appropriation Commit
tee, reported back the pOstoffice appropriation
bill with various amendments. Ordered print
ed.
The Eads half million bill was taken I'D and
discussed. Without action it was laid aside
and the Indian appropriation bill resumed
The Committee ON Appropriations reported
back the amendment to the postoffice appro-
priaten bill submitted Saturday last by Mr..
Hamlip, appropriating $500, 600 to continue the
mail steamship service between San Francisco
and japan and China for one year. and author
iziDg the Postmas er General to contract with
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company for such
services, without recommendation
Mr.. Sargent submitted an amendment pro-
viding that the whole number of passengers
of Asiatic birth or descent received on board
the steamers of the said company to be landed
at any place or places on the continent of
America or neighboring islands. shall at no
time exceed one passenger for every fifteen
registered tons and on violation of this provs-
ion that payments from this appropriation shall
cease. Ordered printed.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the
Indian appropriation bill and various amend
ments reported by the Committee on Appro-
pliatiobs were agreed to.
The House of Representatives inserted
clause as follows:
''Ihe President of the United States is hereby d-
reced to prohibit the removal of any portion of said
Sioux Indians to Indian territory unless the same
shall be hereafter authorized by Congress-"
The Senate Committee on Appropriations
reported an amendment striking out that clause
and it was agreed to.
Daring a debate on one of the amendments
Mr.. Ingalls, of Kansas spoke OF the Usage In
dams as being capable of self government.
Mr.. Sargent said it was all nonsense of talk
ing about these Indians being capable of self
government, TO which Mr.. ingalls, retorted that
they were as capable of representing state as
Sargent himself.
The committee rose and passed the bill At
ter taking up the Pacific railroad bill SO
as to make it unfinished business, the Senate
adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr. Buckner introduced bill abolisbing the
board of commissioners of police of the Dis
trict of Columbia. Referred.
A. S. Williams introduced a bill repeating
the statute providing appointments and promo
ton in the staff of the army. Referred.
Mr.. Hale of Maine rose to a privileged ques-
| ton and read a letter which had been addressed
| to him by Wells and Anderson IF Louisiana,
complaining of their quarters. Mr.. Wells was
sick on account of the poisonous air.
| Mr.. Hale offered a resolution that Mr. Wells
| be removed to we'll lighted aud ventilated
room.
Mr. Cox called attention to the fact that it
was the very same cell in which Republican
Congress had incarcerated Stewart and Irwin.
Messrs. McCrary and Wilson spoke in favor
of the resolution. The latter said it was alb
horrent to the feelings of the American people
| that the House should treat with cruelty an old
man over 20 years of age because he had stood
| up for what he knew was right.
| The Speaker said the witnesses were not in
| his charge, but that as he had charge of the
| rooms in the capitol he had ordered the prison-
/ ers to be transferred to the room Of the Com
| mittee on Education, bat that the committee
had objected and the Sergeant-at-Arms had no
| power to do anything but to remove them once
| more to their former quarters
| Mr.. Wood did not wish the House to be re-
| garded by the country as doing an inhuman ac-
| ton, but he thought before acting on the reso-
luton the House should require certificate
| from some doctor stating that the health of the
| prisoners would be impaired or endangered by
| their confinement in that partular room. That
had been the custom always in cases where the
prisoner complained of his accommodations.
| Mr.. Conger of Michigan, Thought there could
be no pretence of right or justice on the side of
any party which should perpetuate such cru
| city as to cOnfine prisoners in room in which
| their health had been undermined, simply be-
cause they refused to produce certain papers
| which it was not in their power to produce.
| mere statement of that to the common Ameri-
can mind would produce a conviction that an
infamous wrong was done by the House, and
/ no one would attempt to justify such conduct,
| which reminded one of the days of tie thumb
| screws and Inquisltion.
Mr.. Clymer of Pennsylvania on behalf of
the Sergeant-at-Arms, said that officer had done
all in his power for the purpose of rendering
Il
cupied was well heated, well lighted and we'll
| ventilated. 1t was the room which had been
used for the same purpose by the preceding
i Congresses. They were allowed to have con-
| versation with their friends.
| Mr. Conger-Many members have sought ac-
| cess to them aud have been denied.
| The Speaker explained that by calling atten-
ton to the tact that the resolution which placed
| the recusant witnesses il custody OF the Ser
| geatat-Arms directed they should be held in
| close custody.
Mr. Banks of Massachusetts,, thought that
| when the House adopted that resolution it had
| not intended an ipquistion should be establish
ed which should compel persons to disclose
| what they did not desire to disclose. He also
| wished to call attention to the fact that the
| prisoners had not been kept in close custody,
as the resolution directed, but had been taken
| before a committee Of the House and compelled
| to give testimony without the order OF the
House allowing them to be brought out of Gus
| tody.
Mr.. Sparks of Illinois, stated that all the
time the prisoners had been before the commit
tee they had been in charge of the Sergeant-at-
Arms.
Mr.. Banks of Massachusetts,, replied that
when witness was testifyng before commit
tee be was free man.
After some further discussion Mr.. Hale call
ed the previous question on the adoption of the
resolution, but the Democrats voting against it
| the previous question was not ordered.
Mr.. Cox of New York. moved to refer the re
| solution to the special committee on the cleo
ton in louisiana, with instructions to report
| speedily to the House whether such state of
affairs does exist as is stated in the commune
| cation of Wells and Anderson.
Mr.. Wood said that the Republican side of
the House was endeavoring to mislead the coun-
| try as to the true state Of affairs, aud to throw
upon the majority of the House the stigma of
inhumanity towards its prisoners. Those pris-
oners had refused to produce papers which
might have settled the Presidential question
| and might have prevented the present lament
| able condition of affairs
Mr.. Cox of New York, thought the action Of
| the minority looked too much like lionizing the
| Louisiana Returning Board and making pre-
tence of humanity in so doing.
The resolution was referred, yeas 49, nays
Mr.. Carr asked leave to offer resolution re-
| citing that the Electoral Commission has refus-
ed to go behind the returns and admit testimo-
| ny taKen in the Southern states by the House
committee, and directing that the members of
! the Louisiana Returning Board be released
| from the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Messrs. Eden, Bland and others objected.
House then went into committee of the whole
| on the deficiency appropriation bill, MIR. Eden
| OF Illinois, in the chair.
Mr.. Foster made a speech, contending that
| the statement of Randall that the House had
reduced expenditures $30,000,000, was not COR
| rect, that they had been reduced only $23, 00O,-
600, and that $6,000000 would have to be ex-
| pended in Aking up for deficiencies, leaving
| only $17, 100000
Randall claimed that his statement was cor
| rect, and that the House would have made still
further reductions if they had not been resisted
by the Senate.
The committee reported the bill to the House
and it went over without action, and the House
at 500 p. m. took recess till tomorrow at 10
| O'clock.
MINOR TELEGRAMS.
| A small band Of Cheyernes are committing
depredations about 50 miles south of Cheyenne.
Alexander H. Stephens was not so we'll last