New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-12

lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIECNE.l
WASHINGTON, Dee IA sharp contest occurred
in the House to-day, over two amendments to the
Deficiency Bill, which had been attached to it by the
Senate. the first Of these appropriation Of
$4,000 to make up a deficiency in the pay Of the
postal route agents No class Of men in the public
service are more deserving Of consideration than
these but they perform their duties beyond
the observation Of a majority of the members
of Congress and of their constituents, and their
numbers and influence so small that they are
unable to bring that pressure to bear upon the House
Of Representatives, winch seems to be necessary to
secure proper recognition OF the rights of deserving
officers. This amendment. which simply proposed
to provide for an actual deficiency IN the payment
of Government officers, caused by the failure of the
House to make sufficient appropriations, was de-
feated by vote of I'D in the affirmative to 1874 in
the negative.
The next amendment agreed to in the Senate was
the one apprOprating 100000 for what is called
the Star Service. This includes the country mail
route service carried by stage coaches and horse
back, IN the sparsely settled regions of the
United States. The country Representatives in
the House had been informed in advance OF
the action of the Committee Oh Appro-
pratOns in recommending that the House
uonconcur IN this amendment and they organized
for the purpose Of saving it. The result was that
the committee was defeated by a majority of about
forty. The Representatives from districts in which
the star Service Is performed made common cause
and it will not be their fault if every country road
does not have its mule and pack-saddle mail service
This is only another illustration Of the influences
which govern the vote Of a majority of the members
of Congress. A Representative is pretty sure to
vote the largest sums of money, to be expended in
his own district but gains his reputation for econ
omy by Withholding supplies for far more important
service beyond his own district
The Senate amendment extending the franking
privilege was agreed to by the House wihoutmuchop-
position. CurOusy enough the Senate had overlooked
its own presiding officer but the House extended
the privilege to the Vice-Presdent. Not word
was said in the House to-day about increasing the
weight of the mails and the consequent increase in
railroad mail pay.
The rejection of one amendment by the House
caused considerable surprise. The Senate had pro-
/ posed appropriation for the publication of the
official records of both the Union and Confederate
Armies. These records are exceedingly yOlumluOus,
and are III constant danger of destruction by
fire or otherwise. Their loss would be ire
parable. system has been adopted by
the War Department by winch the original
documents are put in type Tor publication at very
little expense Even with an appropriation, the
work of placing the immense amount of material
i'm the hands of the Government within the reach of
the historian will necessarily be slow but a ma
iorItv of members of the House care very little
Tor history, they refused To make any apprOprla
ton for this work.