The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-02-22
CONGRESSIONAL.
Passage Of the Silver Bill by the
House.
II Now Goes to the President
What viii He Doa Who Knows 2
SENATE.
MAsnNeros. D. G. Feb. q.

By Mr.. Matthews, by request-To au.
thorize the payment OF the balance du,
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.
Mr.. Window presented memorial o.
the Board Of Commissioners appointed
by Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and Hin
ois to look after the Improvement Of th'
Ohio river and It's tributaries, and ask
ing Congress to consider without delay
the question Of the Improvement Of the
Ohio river and its tributaries not as i
mere local question as heretofore, but as
one Of great national importance, &c
Referred.
The Senate, after agreeing from the
close OF the session to-day to adjourn
over till Monday, went into executive
session.
The President sent to the Senate to day
the reports OF the General OF the army
Quartermaster and Commissary. The
Generals was rel.ti TO the cost OF the
late war with the Sioux Indians and
number Of soldiers killed in that war
The reports show that the estimated cost
Of the war Is 1921, 900, and the whole
number Of persons killed was lG officers
and 267 enlisted men. There were ofli
GERS and l2S enlisted men wounded.
Mr.. Chaffee submitted an amendment
to the bill heretofore introduced by him
declaratory OF the meaning OF the 10th
section Of the Pacific Railroad act oi
July /, 1862, 20 as to authorize the Pres
ident oi the United States to appoint, by
and with the consent OF the Senate, = per.
son skilled 10 the management Of rail
roads, 10 be styled "Pacific Railroad
Commissioner" whose duty it shalt be to
establish rules and regulations, subject to
approval by tho Secretary Of the Inferior
to govern the operations and use OF the
several railroads OF the Union Pacific
Railroad Company and branch companies
and 10 secure TO the public and the gov
ernment all the advantages OF communi
cation, travel and transportation defined
in the several acts Of Congress relating
to the operation and use Of said roads as
one connected and continuous line.
Mr.. Chaffee called up the House bills
making an appropriation TO purchase
law libraries Tor the Territories OF Dakoia
and Wyoming. Passed.
Mr.. Gordon reported with the amend
ment from the Committee on Commerce
House bill to authorize the granting ot
the American Register TO foreign built
shipa for the purpose of the Woodruff
scientific expedition around the world
Placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Mcmillan announced that he aud
Mr.. Spencer iissanted from the majority
Of the committee on reporting this bill
favorably.
When ihe doors reopened adjourned i'll
Monday.
Mr.. Mills offered resolution calling
for correspondence with Spain in rela
ton to the seizure Of the Virginius
Adopted.
Mr.. Sparks made short personal ex
planation, in which he said that in hi
opinion not only Wells and Anderson ant
the rest Of the returning board were sci
Of unmitigated scoundrels, but that every
thing connected with the Presidential
count was swiudle and a fraud.
The regular order being demanded the
Speaker called on the committees fol
reports.
Al the expiration Of the morning hou,
Mr.. Bland moved TO proceed to bushes.
on the Speakers table, and it was SO or
dered.
The silver bill having been reached
Mr.. Springer raised the point Of order
that the bill must go to the committee o.
the whole, and debate upon that point
took place.
The Speaker-The Chair has carefully
listened TO everything said on the subject
and in making his decision he is far from
any public feeling or political bia', and
is not actuated by any idea Of advantage
or OF disadvantage 10 the pending bill
The rule TO which reference has beeT
made is a House rule made TO govern the
House 10 the conduct OF It's business
There IL no rule that gives 10 single
member the right TO make technical oh
lection against the Senate amendment
even though such an amendment may
contain an appropriation. In the absence
OF any such rule, directory OIL the Chair
in that respect, The Chair IL remitted to
practice which has been uniform through.
out.
The Chair reco)iec.a no instance where
question was raised against Senate
proposition incorporated in q House bill
under similar circumstances. The his-
tory OF the present ease Is that the bill az
It passed the House required the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury to do certain things
The Senate, seeing the omission OF ar
appropriation TO carry out the object oI
the bill, inserted an appropriation
There Ia an equitable view OF this matter
1t would be u great hardship II any one
member could OF his own volition and in
the absence Of u rule retsrd legislation
As an example OF the evil that might
follow II such power were recognized Ia
one member, u point Of order might be
raised by a single member on the lasl
day Of the session which would send a
general appropriation bill to the Com,
mittee OF the Whole, where II wonld have
to fail, and thus necessitate called
session.
The Chair, therefore, thinks that in the
absence Of rule which recognizes the
right Of single member 10 raise tech.
nical objection TO a Senate amendment
the pointof order must be overrnled, thus
recognizing the right Of the majority to
control legislation over the right Of sin
gle member to obstruct It.
The Speaker finally oyerruled the point
OF order, and Mr.. Cox Of New York, ap-
pealed from the decision Of the Chair,
The appeal was laid on the table by d
vote Of % TO %.
Mr.. Stevens then moved 10 concur in
all the Senate amendments, and adyoca'
ted his motion.
Mr.. Ewing said that this bill, as II
came from the Senate, said that only S24,,
100000 should be coined or left !. in the
discretion Of the Secretary Of the Treas
ury, the most inyeterate enemy Of the
silver dollar on the continent. To pass
Il 10 It's present form would be to commit
an absurdity by declaring that the debts
should be paid in silver, and by the very
same act, practically, stripping the coun.
try OF two.thirds Of the silver with which
to pay those debts. That absurdity would
be crowned by authorizing the President
IN aand n nommiaaion al Oold.man Ia