The Rock Island Argus., 1878-05-10
CONG RE $40 NAL
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, May 9,-In the considers
ton of the Mexican award bill the discus
sion resulted in the adoption OF the sectio
authorizing the president to examine
within six months, whether the honor O
the country was involved in the paymep
OF these awards, or whether they shall b.
set aside. If bis decision was averse 4
the payment, then awards shall not b.
paid until action is agreed on by both gov
ernments. 1t the president decides favor
ably to the payment, then they shall b.
paid.
The bill was then read the third tim,
and passed.
During the secret session the debate wa
IN regard to information as to claims men
toned before the judiciary committee
which it was said should not be made pub
lie, as it might defeat the ends of Justice
When the doors were opened the presi
dent pro tenn laid before the senate com
munication from the Grand Army of the
Republic, inviting the senate to attend the
memorial services at Arlington cemetery
On Decoration Day. Tabled.
| The joint resolution to print 300, ,OOC
copies OF the report of the commissioner
of agriculture was reported back from the
printing committee with an amendment
making the number 100000, and placed
on the calendar.
Mr.. Beck introduced bill for the relief
of Norman Wizard, authorizing the secre-
tary of the treasury to pay him $235, ,OOO
for work done and cash advanced from
1861 to 1865 under contracts with the war
and navy department.
The senate then resumed consideration
OF the Indian appropriation bill, and the
amendment submitted by Mr.. Hoar yes
terday, authorizing the president to dis
pense with the expenditure of any ap-
prlations in the bill. providing he may
deem them unnecessary, and the consent
OF the tribe shall be first obtained, and
also appropriating $4,000 to be expended
for the benefit of the tribes 10 such man.
ner as the president may, with their con-
sent, approve, was laid on the tabie-yeas
81; nays l6.
The question then being on the amend
ment OF the committee on appropriations
providing that the several appropriations
made for teachers, blacksmiths. and other
employees on reservations, and for various
supplies for Indians, may be diverted to
| other uses for the benefit of the Indians
within the discretion of the president, and
with the consent of the tribes, was agfeed
to, with an amen ment by Mr.. Hoar
striking out the word teachers" 20 that
the fund appropro priated to them should
not be diverted.
Mr.. Allison submitted an amendment
providing that no purchase of supplies
exceeding in th@ aggregate the value of
$500 shall be N ade at any one time with
out advertisement, except in case of emer-
gency, when purchases may be msde in
open market hot exceeding S., 3,O00in value.
Agreed to.
Various unimportant amendments we're
agreed to aud the bill was reported to the
senate. The amendments made in com
mittee were concurred in aud the bill read
the third time and passed.
Mr.. Ferry, from the conference COM
mittee on the bill to regulate the adver-
| tising of mail lettings, submitted a report
and explained it. He said the rates fixed
on by the conference committee were on
the basis for commercial advertising and
for the postofhce department alone. The
report was agreed to and the bill passed.
Mr.. Dorsey said he would call up the
postofhce bill on Monday next, and Mr..
Ferry said he would call up the resump-
tien repeal bill as soon as the bapkrupl
bill was disposed of.
The Senate then took up the bankrupt
repeal bill.
Mr., Thurman said if his amendment
making the repeal take effect Sept. ]
were defeated, then he would make the
time Aug. l. He thought the people
needed preparation for repeal.
Messrs. White aud Beck favored imme-
diate repeal
Mr.. Kernau favored the bill as it came
from the House. =
Mr., Matthews argued that Jan. was
the properitime for the act to take effect.
An earlier time would make it retroactive
He wanted the bankrupt law continued
as it is, but seeing its repeal was fore
gone conslusion, be would vote for making
the act repeating it take effect Sept. as
that was better than immediate repeal.
Motions to adjourn and to adjourn until
Monday were rejected.
Mr.. Maxey opposed all the Senate
amendments and favored passing the bill
at once. He yielded to Mr.. Davis, of
Illinois, on whose motion the Senate ad.
journed
WASHINGTON, May 9.-The house went
into committee of the whole on the tariff
bill.
Mr.. Kelly, from the ways and means
committee, said Mr. Woods most notable
speech was a refusal to explaio the bill.
Nobody asked for a revision of the tariff
amidst all the disasters, bankruptcy, idle
ness and pauperism. The laboring people
appealed to congress for relief, but not for
revision Of the tariff in favor of foreign
producers. The committee had consulted
nobody who understood the tariff or they
would not have returned so ridiculously
abortive bill without specific free test.
The committee manifested malice against
all industries. To borrow simile from a
former Oregon senator, the bill was like "a
mule with no pride of ancestry, nothing
like it ever having gone before. and no
hope of posterity. He declared that some
iron men had been bullied into giving a
reluctant assent to some features of the
DILL The bill was disturber, an an
archist. The wool grower of the west
could get no price for his wool, because the
wool manufacturers of the east did not
know what the tariff was to be, and did
not know that if this tariff was to prevail
MS mill must go with the thousands oi
ldie men now employed. With forges,
furnaces and factories entirely closed, bow
would the working people be fed, and
what army would keep them in order.
Mr.. Harris. of Georgia. favored the bill
after which the committee rose and the