The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-03-14
NATIONAL LAW -GIVERS.
YESTERDAY'S CONGRESSIONAL
PROCEEDINGS.
Timber Depredat ions in the Senate
Mr.. Blsine is Rough on Schurz-
Diplomatic Bill In the HOush-
Passed with A Amendments.
WAsHISGToN, March -.
SENATE,

Mr.. w WlnQom, from the committee or
Appropriations, reported without amend
ment House bill making appropriation:
for Notifications and other works of de.
fense and the armament thereof during
the fcsl year ending June 80, 1879
Placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Merrimon introduced bill tc
provide for and regulate the counting oi
the votes for President and Vice Presi.
dent and the decision of questions
arising thereon. Referred to u special
committee.
Mr.. Merrimon expressed the hope that
the committee would soon be made, as
four months of the session had passed
and action should be had upon the mat
ter at this session of Congress.
Mr.. Kellogg introduced bill to aid
the New Orleans and Pacific Railroad
Company; also to establish q mint at
New Orleans, authorizing the coinage of
gold and silver thereat and making sp.
preparation therefor Referred.
Mr.. Matthews called up the motion
submitted by him yesterday, to refer the
communication of the Secretary Of the
Interior in regard to timber depreda-
tions, 10 the Committee on Public
Lands and have it printed IN the Record.
Mr.. Matthews said he asked to have the
document printed in the Record as a
matter of justice to the department from
which it emansted.
After some debate NJ. Mathews read
the reply ofthe Secretary OF the Interior
as part OF his remarks.
Mr.. Blaine spoke at length Of the ac-
ton of the Secretary OF the Interior. He
said the Secretary did not happen TO be
8 native of this country. He could not
help that, and he Blsinel did not men
tioD it a. reprosch to him. he was
m in the kingdom OF Prussia, which
was 1900 square miles less in extent
than Montana, and the Secretary perhaps
with the instinct of mis- boyhood applied
the land laws of Prussia to Montana, and
not the land laws which have been
used in settling in the United States.
Mr.. Blaine argued that the Secretary
OF the Interior forgot the magnitude Of
our country, although he WAS charged
ment which should study 1t carefully,
and that the one dollar per acre stump.
age exscted by him from the people of
Montsns was excessive. The woodland
within sight of the spire of Trinity
Church, New York City, would not bring
the stumpsge which the Secretary OF the
Interior demanded OF the people OF Mon
tsns. 1t was thing conceded by the
government that the hardy pioneer
who went forward TO settle the country
should have the water, air and wood free.
Referring to the abolition of intormers,
system in the custom service abolished
a few years ago, he spoke OF the course
of the Secretary of the Interior, then a
mem Der of the Senate, and said he wsxed
wroth because the rich importer was in
teriered with by the detectives; but now
the lonely settler IN Montana could be
visited by spies and pimps.
Pending the discussion OF the subject
it was laid aside, sRd the West Point ap-
preparation bill was taken up.
The bill was then reported to the Sem
ate, the amendments made in Committee
of the Whole agreed to, and it was read
a third time and passed.
Mr.. Paddock called up Senate bill sup
Elementary TO the act in relation to the
Hot Springs reservation in Arkansas. 1t
continues the commission appointed by
that act to hear the cases OF claimants,
&c, TIL the lst OF October, 1878, and pro-
vldes that they shall each receive COM
pensation st the rate of $1,000 per an.
mum.
Mr.. Dorsey moved to amend the bill
so as TO continue the commission TILL
February !, '79, instead OF October |, '1o.
Agreed to. He also submitted an additional
section authorizing the superintendent
OF the reservation to lease the sites, with
the privileges for furnishing baths, &c f,
to the Hot Springs Mountain Wster
Company, giving said company the right
10 construct a reservoir on Hot Spring.
moutain, to supply the reservation with
water, sc. Agreed to.
The bill was then read the third time
and passed.
Mr.. Conxling called up the House bill
to make persons charged with crimes
and ofenses competent witnesses in the
United States and Territorial Courts.
Passed.
Mr.. Thurman called up the Pacific
railroad sinking fund bill, that 1t might
be unfinished business tomorrow, and
the Senate, =! 4:3O P. N, adjourned.