The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-02-06
for ten years was reported and commit

kSAs
Memorials from Boston and New Yorl
asking Congress TO adopt some measur
Of relief for the sufferers by the famin
in Northern China, were referred.
A bill 10 allow the construction Of
bridge across the Mississippi river q
Memphis was referred 10 the Committe
OF the Whole.
Mr.. Shelley offered resolution callin
on the Secretary Of the Treasury for
detailed statement Of the expenses Of th
Southern Claims Commission. Referred
Mr.. Hewitt, OF New York, presente
two petitions, one from New York an
one from Boston, asking Congress I
adopt appropriate measures to mitigat
the hardships Of the famine now ragtn
in China. He Understood the balance Q
the Chinese indemnity fund, now in th
State Department. amounted to over
million dollars. To this money the pee
pie OF this country had no just claim, anr
Il should have been returned to Chin
long ago. II should now be returnet
without condition in the most graciou
and efficacious manner possible. Thei
memorials were referred to the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs.
Mr.. Wright made plea in behalf o
the unemployed laborers in this country
The bill to authorize the construction
OF a bridge across the Mississippi river a
Memphis was taken up, briefly discusset
and referred 10 a Committee Of the Who'll,
on the State OF the Union.
Mr.. Knott, from the Judiciary Com
mittee, reported back the bill introduced
yesterday by Mr.. Hooker, authorizing
the holding Of u special term Of the Unitet
States Circuit Court for the Southern
District Of Mississippi, at Scranton, Jack
son county, on the second Monday o
March, for the trial OF causes arising ou
Of the alleged depredations on govern
ment lands and the cutting Of logs ant
timber thereon. He explained that th'
object OF the bill was to afford the &C
cused parties a speedy, convenient ant
cheap trial, which they could not other
wise have. II objection were made tha
this trial Of the cases in the immediate
Vicinity oi the accused would lead to tht
empannelling Of public juries whose sym
pathies would be with the defendants, th'
answer to that was that the court nigh
direct the summoning Of jurors from
other districts.
Mr.. Hooker described the utter pros
tration OF business which had attended
the seizure OF the lumber mills in tina
region, the aggregate business Of whict
amounts to some 100000. They hac
all been stopped through the action o
the government, and vessels engaged il
the carrying trade there had been idle oil
had gone into other business.
Mr.. Frye advocated the bill.
Mr.. Foster opposed the bill as being il
the interest OF the timber thieves. They
we're no better than any other kind o
thieves. 1t might IS well be proposed &c
have the courts for the trial Of whisky
thieves removed TO distilleries. Their,
was Just as much sense in one proposition
as in the other.
Mr. Stevens suggested that the officer
Of the government could not possibly com
plain Of the bill. They could ask nothing
else than speedy and fair trial and jus
tice.
Mr.. Reed asked Mr.. Knott il it was
not a universal principle Of law to re-
move trials from places where excite
ments exist, and II this bill did not il
defiance of that principle propose to sent
these cases for trial to the very plac'
where disturbing influences existed.
Mr.. Knott said the U. S. Circuit Cour
had u right to remove criminal case
nearer 10 the vicinity Of the crime anC
that in several Circuit Courts the SAINT
right was vested as to civil cases.
Finally the bill passed-yeas lSs, nay'
102.
Mr. Stephens, chairman Of the Commit
Tee on Coinage, Weights and Measures
the testimony taken before that
committee on the proposed goloid coin
age, etc, and asked to have it printed
So ordered.
Mr.. Springer gave notice that he would
tomorrow call up the California contest.
ed election case OF Wiggenton vs. Pacheco
The House went into Committee OF the
Whole, Mr.. Blackburn in the chair, and
resumed the consideration Of the military
academy appropriation bill.
On motion Of Mr.. Durham the item ol
$1,000 for additional pay OF professors
for length OF service was struck out.
Mr.. Mayham moved 10 strike out the
item OF 5000 for pay Of one instructor
in practical military engineering in ad'
dition to his pay as lst Lieutenant
Mr.. Riddle moved as substitute for
amendment, a provision that
rations or quarters shall be furnished
and no Communication for the same.
Mr.. Hewett, Of N. Y, said no officer ol
the army was furnished with rations and
that as to quarters for professors at Yves,
Point quarters were furnished by the
and he wanted to- know
1t was proposed that the Gov
ernment should charge rent. He sug-
yested that such proposition must have
originated in ignorance Of the law and
ignorance OF practice.
Mr.. Riddle retorted by saying that ig.
norance seemed to be in the gentleman
from New York.
Mr.. Hewett, in further opposition to
Messrs. Mayhew's and Riddles notions
spoke OF the importance Of instruction
in practical military engineering.
Mr.. Clymer intimated that there were
far too many professors at West Point,
There were 81 Of them one, to every five
and one.half students, and their pay ex.
elusive ot quarters, &c, amounted to S9,'
900 more than the cost Of supporting the
3lO cadets. There was something radi:
caIIy wrong in that. The Committee on
h ad not wished TO recon-
mend a reduction Of the number Of pro
iessors, lest they might be accused o.
absorbing too much liquidation, but HI
the subject TO the Committed
on Military Affairs. Without disposing o
the pending amendment the committed
rose and the House adj jonrned.
High Waters.