The Portland daily press., 1877-11-14
XLvth CONGRESS-Extra Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON. Nov. Is.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 10.
Several bills were introduced and referred as
follows:
By Mr.. Eaton to encourage and protect the
shipping interests, &C., to revive American
commerce; also to allow registry to foreiyo
built vessels; also to authorize the establish
meut of mail steamship service between the
United States and foreign countries
Bv Mr.. Conkling, to amend title So of the
Revised Statutes, relating to merchant seamen.
In introducing this bill he said it wa, in sub
stance the same bill which had received favora-
BILE action of the House. though he did not
commit himself to it by introducing it.
By Mr. Paddock, to authorize the commits
sion to visit European countries on forestry and
tree-plautng
Mr. Booth, chairman CT the Committee on
Patents, was at his own request excused from
further service on that committee. He also
submitted resolution calling upon the Presi-
dent to inform the Senate of the cause of the
Nez Perces war, number of soldiers and In
dams engaged therein, number of lives lost,
cost of war and what disposition was made of
Chief Joseph and those who surrendered with
him. Agreed to.
Mr.. Chaffee called up the resolution sub
mitted by him last week in regard to the man
agement of Pacific railroads aud spoke at
length thereto.
MIR. Chaffee arrsigned the Union Pacific
Railroad for not living up to its agreement
with the govern ment, and at great length
endeaVored to show the truth OF his statements
and necessity for remedy.
AT the conclusion of his remarks Mr.. Chatfee
asked the present consideration of the resolu-
ton.
Mr.. Saunders had read telegram from A.
j. Poppleton, attorney for the Union Pacific
the Kansas Pacific, Denver Pacific, and
the Burlington & Missouri River roads
were branches of the Union Pacific, and what
their rights were was now pending before
i - III i
10 few days, and expressing the hope that
there would be no legislation till after that de-
cision is made.
Mr. Saunders desired to address the Senate
| in regard to this resolution, but was not pre-
| pared today.
Mr.. Chaffee said this was simple resolu-
| ton of inquiry, though he would not press it
| today it the senator (Saunders) desired to
| speak.
| The resolution was then laid over for the
present
Mr. Bruce submitted a resolution that the
name of Bruce and Rollins be transposed in
| the Committee on Manufactures, and that Mr.
Rollins be chairman of said committee.
Mr.. Anthony introduced bill fixing the
l site for an equestrian statue of Ma. -Gen. Ma
| thaniel Green at the intersection Of Maryland
| and Massachusetts, avenues in Washington, D.
| G. Referred to the Committee on Public
| Buildings and Grounds.
The House bill making appropriations for
| Committee on Appropriations.
Mr.. Hamlin, from the Committee on For
eignRelations, reported resolution authorizing
| the appointment OF committee to ascertain
/ upon what terms reciprocal treaty of COM
merce with Mexico can be arranged Referred
| to the Committee on Finance.
| In reporting back this resolution, Mr.. Ham,
lin said the committee were impressed with
grave doubts upon the subject. The negotia
| ton of treaties belonged to the executive
| branch of the government. Besides this reso
luton looked to the raising of revenue and
such matters must originate in the House of
| Representatives.
After an executive session the Senate ad-
| journed until tomorrow.
HOUSE.
Bills were introduced and referred as follows:
By Mr.. Banks of Massachusetts, to extend
| facilitate, aid and cheaper land and water
| transportation of freight and passengers, and
to promote labor and industry without further
| appropriation of public property or increase of
| the public debt
structing the Committee on Banking and Cur
| rency to inquire into the expediency of wind
| ing up national banks, Withdrawing their Cir
culaton and substituting in lieu thereof green
| backs and other similar currency.
The House at L. " ent into committee of the
| whole blackburn in the chair) on the deficen-
/ cy bill. The total amount appropriated by the
bill is So, 240,665, of which ST., 44668S is for the
| pay OF the navy; $311, 953 for the payment of
/ the amount due Seigman Brothers of London:
/ $1,000 for miscellaneous claims, and $4,000 for
| the pay of the marine corps. The bill provides
| for the payment of U. S. Judges, and authorizes
the Secretary of the Interior to rent an fire
proof building in Washington until the Interi-
| or Department is repaired.
Mr. Blount of Georgia, the member of the
| Appropriation Committee having charge of the
| bill, opened the discussion. He referred to the
fact that for 1872, 70, IA and rs the estimates
for pay Of the navy amounted to $6 100000, and
| 1876 Sc 100000, but that suddenly, when
| the House became Democratic, the estimate
amounted to $7600000 to pay $500 men, and
that the estimate for 1873 was $1,000 ,000 AT
the beginning of the last Congress sub-com-
mittee on appropriations, consisting of Messrs.
Randall, Hale and himself, called at the Navy
/ Department to ascertain why the estimate for
pay was SO high, and they were informed that
the department could get along with &c. 250, 900
| In that same bill the force of the navy was re-
/ duced 1000, making the number 1900 They
were then told that the appropriation for pay
1 could be reduced million more, and it was re-
duced half million. After the adjournment
/ an order has been issued by the Secretary of
the Navy against the majority side of the
House. At the last session eveyy dollar asked
/ by the department had been voted except $780,
| 600. He was surprised, therefore, that the
present Secretary of the Navy should claim
that the present deficiency belonged to the last
fiscal year. Ii the appropriations were made
up to the absolute requirement of the service
then the Secretary had in violation of the law,
taken from the treasury S. 100000 or $9,000 900.
The appropriations for the different bureaus
| had been used Unfortunately. For instance,
there was deficiency in the pay of the marine
corps, although every dollar needed to pay that
corps had been appropriated, but it had been
used for other purposes. The committee had
/ reported the amount necessary to pay the ma
rne corps, but the fact would not prevent full
investigation into the circumstances. The
House owed it to the people to pursue that in
vestigaton relentlessly, and it would do it.
/ Mr.. Eden inquired whether some means could
/ not be devised to prevent such misappllcation
of funds.
l Mr.. Blount replied that all necessary legisla-
ton for tie purpose already existed. The only
| remedy for the evil was in the moral sense of
the people, who should hold to just accounta-
bility those who had been for years permitting
improper use of funds in the treasury.
| Mr.. Goode, another member of the Appropri-
alton Committee held that it would bs profita-
BILE to make the investigation referred to, and
| hoped it would be prosecuted earnestly and inn
partially, but whatever might be the RESPONSE
1 bllity attaching to Congress or to the depart
l ment in regard to the deficiency the appropria-
ton should be made without delay. The Off
GERS and men of the navy should no longer be
\ left to the tender mercies of money lenders
BE complmented the present Secretary of the
\ Navy on certain portions of his report wherein
1 be says the difficulties have arisen from i'm
proper diversion of funds which have been ap-
4 propilaCe0 TO special ODJeclS ana Oeen USED Tor
l other and different objects.
Mr.. bale of Maine, also a member OF the
Appropriation Committee, spoke of the pressing
| wants of the men in the army and navy and of
the necessity of making immediate provision
for their payment. He criticised the speech of
Mr.. Blount as not containing such information
as the House and the country were entitled to
expect, but as making an attack on the late
Secretary of the Navy. This bill did not legiti-
mately involve any political discussion. The
present Secretary of the Navy had explained
the matter in few brief sentences as follows
"rhe present deficiency in the fund for the pay
| of the navy has been continuing from year to
| year, running back from the time of the late
| war, when both the estimates and apDropria-
tions were necessarily made on vague and unre-
liable information. Consequently it is not
chargeable to any one year, but to series of
years, and bias been occasioned by insufficient
statements and insufficient appropriations, the
latter having been for eight out of nine years
| considerably less than the estimates.
Mr. Hale went on to argue that the fund for
| pay of the navy was not one of those fund.-
which, when unexpended are required to be
turned into the treasury at the end of two
| years, but was a continuing fund.- out of which
L paymaSters had been in the habit of having all