Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-03-14
FOKTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON. March IL
SENATE.


Window, from appropriations reported without
the amendment, the House bill making appropris-
tons for Notifications, etc during the fiscal wear
ending June Goth, 1879; Ca lie ndared.
MIR. Matthews called up the motion to refer the
communication to the secretary Of the interior 10
regard to the timber del relations, to the commit
tee on public lands, and have it prin ted 10 the
Record as q matter of justice, as the department ut
from which it emanated was attacked yeste rday in
the Senate.
Mr.. Blaine said he thought it fair that the Sec
rotary Of the interior be heard, but at the same
tune the Senator from Ohio must be aware of the
fact that it was asking an extraordinary privilege
to have this document so printed. He reserved To
himself the right to reply to it because the docu-
ment was 10 reply to what he said in the Senate
upon recent occasion.
After some further debate Matthews read the
reply of the secretary of the interior part Of his
remarks.
After the communication had been read, Mr..
Blaine spoke at length of the action of the
tary of the interior, and during his remarks said
The secretary did not happen to be native OF
this country. He could not help that. and he
(Blaine) didn't mention il as q reproach to him
lie was born in the kingdom of Prussia, which
was Is 900 square miles less in extent than Mon
tana, and the secretary, perhaps, with the instincts
OF his boy hood. applied the land Jaws of Prussia to
Montana, and not the land laws which have been
used in settling the United States.
Mr.. Blaine argued that the secretary of the in
v,
though he was charged with the administration of
that department which should study it carefully,
and that the one dollar per acre exacted by him
from the people Of Montana was excessive.
1t was thing conceded by government that the
hardy pioneer who went forward 10 settle the
country should have the water, the air and the
wood free.
Referring to abolition of the informers' system
IN custom service few yeas ago, he spoke of the
course of the secretary of the interior then u
ms m hoy x.ft he Sapa "A he h yrati,
because each importer was iaterfered with by a
detective, but now the lonely settler iu Montana
would be visited by spies and pimps.
Pending discussion the subject was laid aside,
and the Senate took up the West Point sppropr.a-
ton bill.
Tie bill amend mem, TO the diplomatic bill in.
ciessing the salary of the four principal IN nsters
from $4,000. as provided in the bull, to Sl7 500,
the present salary, was rejected-S8 to ITO.
MIR. Regan by unanimous consent, made ex-
PLANTATION on the subject of th proposed payment
Of mail route contractors 10 the Conf deIate
s. ates, fer services rendered previous to the war
had read an extract from his first report as Post
ma ster General of the Con federacy.
The object of the reading was to show that he
was correct in stating that be as Postmaster Genl
directed the mail contractors to continue their
service under contract with the United States, aud
directed the Postmasters to turn over their post
the control of the service was assumed by the
Confederscy.
He confessed to having forgotten the suisse
quent legislation on the subject. He hoped the
House would not consider that he had been deal
ing unfairly or disiDgenuously with it.
Mr.. Conger replied to Mr.. Reagan that he dis
claimed any intention to reflect upon that gentle
man in the matter of the bill to pay Southern mail
contractors. That gentleman had contradicted
the statement he (Conger) made IS to these con
tractors having been paid by the Confederate
government, and he (Conge) had met him and
overthrown him with his own proclamation. The
gentleman from Texas (Resgan) had also denied
that these cont actors b sd been paid by the Con-
federacy, but his (Congers) colleague (Wiletts)
had produced proof that they had been.
He did not wish to say anything personal about
the gentleman from Texas. He accepted his eX-
PLANTATION for what that gentleman might consider
it worth. Still the charge remained unanswered
that the gents on the other side who were familiar
with the legislation of the Confederate Congress,
and who must know that over $500 900 have been
appropriated BY that Congress to pay these con.
| Il actors, were silent upon that fact.
Mr. Douglass of Va, at this point, rose to ask
question of Mr.. Congor.
Mr.. Copger declined to yield for that purpose
but Mr.. Douglass persisted and refused to take his
seat, rs required by the chairman.
The proceedings were then interrupted until
Mr.. Wood OF New York raised q question of Or
der that the whole discussion irrev alsnt to the
bill before the committee. and was therefore out
Of order.
The CHI airmsn sustained the point.
Mr. Conger then moved formal anne ndment to
the bill, and proceeded again to di.cuss the ques-
ton, when similar point Of order was made by
Mr.. Lnttrell, and again sustained.
Mr.. Atkins chairman OF the appropriation com
mitee, expressed regret that the gentleman from
Michigan had not been allowsd TO go in his own
way. 1t would not have done particle Of harm.
false impr ssion had been given to the country
Here he was interrupted by a like point of or
per BY Mr.. Reed, which was also sustained by the
chsir.]
He thought it very unkind of the gentleman
from Maine to make the point, but he (Atkips)
had way of paying debts and probably would be
able to pay that debt during their iutss course.
Mr.. Reed defended his course in raising the
point Of order. , % -
Mr.. Frye objected to any further discussion of
the question. M~#