The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1878-04-11

to hear Mr.. Edmunds refer to the friends q
these great and powerful corporations q
being present on the floor, in the lobbie
and in the galleries. Whatever grain @
reality there may be in all this, Senator
should be careful how such insinuations ar
made, unless they have specific charges i
| present. He next referred to the remark
Of Mr.. Christiancy, who said he had mad
what was not law appear most Ink,
law, and that he had, in citing au
thorities. skipped at the point wher,
it suited his views, and omitted that which
fully reviewed the ritual and had no cor.
rections to make. As to the arrangement,
that can be arrived at between the Govern.
ment and these companies, he was induced
TO believe that Whatever they could be in.
duced to pay, he was DESTROYS they should
pay. He stood here, to day, Impressed
with the responsibility Of what he said, and
if the Government had to lose all, it had
better do 80 than give its assent to this
bill, which, in effect upset the decision of
the Supreme Court, which determines the
situation between these parties.
At the conclusion, Mr.. MATTHEWS
said he would withdraw the bill OF the
Railroad Committee which he had offered
as substitute, in order that there might be
a direct vote on the judiciary Committees
bill.
Mr.. DORSEY offered resolution re-
questing the House to return the bill rela-
ting to the Hot Springs, the resolution
which passed the Senate on March Sd.
Mr.. EDMUNDS asked the object of the
recall.
Mr.. DORSEY explained that the amend
ments adopted in the Senate were objected
to by the committee of the House, and his
object was to move to strike them out and
let the bill go to the House As reported from
the Senate committee.
Mr.. EDMCNDS thought this an uni. ual
manner of transacting business, but would
not object in this case.
The resolution was then agreed to.
Mr.. BAIARD was recognized As being
entitled to the floor, but gave way to Mr..
White, who introduced a bill granting a
ste to the city Of Baltimore for dry docks.
Referred.
Mr.. THURMAN, in reply to questions
by Messrs. White and Blaine, proceeded to
argue that the right to alter and amend, re-
served in the acts, was valid and operative
at this time; that the decision Of the Su-
preme Court applied to the law as it stood
1t the time the decision was rendered, and |
that it had no bearing upon law that
night thereafter be enacted.
Mr.. BLAINE asked at what point the |
,ower to amend stopped in the opinion of
he Senator.
Mr.. THURMAN said he would not
tand here to answer hypothecal questions.
life was too short to stand up here and be
atachized like the ancient Dialectians,
eady to answer all and any questions that
night be presented. He was a plain, prac-
ical man, and was ready to defend a meas
ire he had introduced. He would put
question to the Senator from Maine, and
re could take until tomorrow to answer it.
Did he deny the right Of Congress to re-
uire these corporations to provide sink
ng fund to meet their obligations
D the Government? The Su-
RENE Court had, he said, at this session
nd while they had been talking about it,
ecided that this reserved right to amend
las voted in case where the legislature of
is own State had under this reserved right,
educed the rates on railroad one-third.
Mr.. HILL said the distinction which he
Insisted on, was the contract Of the corpora-
on and subsequent contract on what there
as consideration, and this principle, he
laimed, had been settled in the Supreme
curt. In reply 10 question BY Mr.. Ker-
an, he said there was no legislative power
, compel a railroad to pay its debts The
.ilroad was not incorporated to pay its
ebts, but TO carry freights and passengers
he courts were proper authorities 10 compel