National Republican., 1878-04-25
FORTY.FIFTH CONGRESS.
[ tCOniinuod from Iirst Pug.

Referred TO the Committee OIL Expenditures Of
| the Department Of Justice.
| Bill to amend sections 373O to 37i2 inclu-
sive) Of the Revised Statutes in relation to
Ccngressmen becoming surotics on contracts.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Bill authorizing the President 10 make GER.
tain negotiations with the Ute Indians In Col
orado. Passed
Bill TO amend the Revised Statutes relating
to cultivation Of timber on the public domain.
Referred to the Committee on Public Lands.
Bill for relief Of Josiah II. Pillsbury. Referred
| to the Committee on Claims.
Bill authorizing REIMBURSEMENT Of portions
| OF the Fort Fetterman military reservation
in Wyoming Territory. Referred to the Mill
tary Committee.
Bill for relief of certain soldiers of the Third
Arkansas Cavalry. Referred to the Military
Committee.
The bill to amend the Pacific Railroad act,
commonly known as the THURMAN funding
bill was then taken up and read at length.
Mr. BUTLER made the point of order that
til is was a bill really appropriating money,
and II must therefore have its first consdera-
tiOn In Committee Of the Whole. II appropri.
ates money that belongs to the Treasury of
the United States.
Mr.. CARLISLE asked whether any money
was appropriated from the Treasury.
Mr. BUTLER said IL did not directly, but
IT diverted fund that would otherwise go
into the Treasury, and 1t proposed to create
sinking fund to be used TO purchase mort.
gage which at the end of twenty years might
uot be worth anything.
The SPEAKER ovcrruled tho point Of order
on tle ground that the bill did not propose a
direct appropriation Of public money.
MIR. FRYE said that ut meeting OF the
Committee or judiciary this morning, nine
members being present, a majority directed
him TO move, If the opportunity was pre-.
scented, 10 refer the bill to that committee. He
would add that the other two members Of the
comh'ttee who were absent would have voted
against the reference.
Messrs. McNahOn, Hartridge, Knott, aud
StenRcr, of the Judiciary Committee, wanted
the bill passed without reference.
Mcssrs. LAPIIAM and CONGER said they
were in favor Of bill of this character, but
they thought II had better be referred and
considered by committee.
Mr.. cox (N. " addressed the House In
favor Of the bill.
Mr.. GARFIELD believed that some sort Of
n sinking fund was right, but he desired to
know If this bill had been so carefully framed
that 1t would stand the pressure of the courts.
Mr.. COX said the best lawyers in the Sen.
ate, including an cN-judge of the Supreme
Court, had examined the work and believed it
would hold water.
Mr.. PRICE said that IL the bill was forced
to vote in its present shape. he would he COM
PEELED to vote for it, but he would prefer to
have II referred in order that 1t might be per-
ieCtcd. He predicted that the fourth and fifth
sections would lead TO endless litigation, for
they were capable of double construction.
Mr.. BUTLER wanted the bill referred, IN
order that the committee might perfect it. He
said 1t contained direction to the judiciary,
and If he were judge he would deny the
right of Congress to say by legislation how
they should decide u case. Unless the acts Of
last winter had debased the Supreme
Bench more than he supposed they would net
obey the instructions In the bill. lie objected
to this hasty legislation. The House had Ia.
bored all day yesterday In discussing bill
that was passed-in kicking "A dead horse, as it
wcre-and yet II won't give time to the con-
sidcratiUn of n vital measure. lie did not be-
lievc members knew what they were voting
on. Not one in ten of them had ever read the
bill as 1t came from the Senate. lie was ready
to be stoned by all the men in the House who
had read and carefully dgcstcd the bill, and
then he would be the safest man in the
House. He was willing TO pass funding
bill within certain limits, but lie wanted ii
carefully guarded and considered. lie did not
want II bill that would be upset in the courts.
He also objected 10 the liruhu ,aking a bill for
granted because the Senate had considered II
for weeks. Where was tho old Democratic doc.
trine of the House being independent Of the
Se nate IN its actionH The Senate sent bills
over here and the House gulped them down.
As to the Pacific Railroad, IL was built as n
great war measure, to keep the country united.
While the United States was con-
ducting great war with one hand, il
was but doing this great work with the other
to show TO the South its power and strength.
Was 1t because this great road was war meas
ure that the men from the South opposed II ?
lie believed in some such legislation but he
wanted the bill made dnality and not one
that would not hold water. He objected to
this sort OF snap judgment.
Mr.. COX denied that there was any snap
judgment in it.
Mr.. CHALMERS advocated the bill, and he
approved of that clause which gave direction
to the Supreme Court. 1t was made Gear and
explicit, SO that lawyers, like the gentleman
from Massachusetts,, should not take advantage
of any technicalties.
Mr.. MCMAHON argued that the bill was
good one, and that 1t would hold water.
The question was then taken on the passage
of the bill, and IL was passed by vote of 2i3
yeas to ? nays The latter were Mcssrs. But
ler and Lyndc.
The next bill on the table was the bill to re-
peal the bankrupt act, and an effort was made
to pass it.
The SPEAKER, in reply to u question, said
that if the House adjourned or took u recess
now the bill would come up US unfinished bust.
ness tomorrow.
The House then at 4:i5, took recess until |
7:3O, the evening session to be for debate only |
EVENING SESSION.
The House met for debate only, Mr. VANCE |
presiding. There were not dozen members |
present. |
Mr.. MILLS fired off speech on tariff reform |
to the vacant seats.
Mr.. SOUTIARD expressed his opinion that |
Secretary Shermans resumption plan was u |
fraud and u humbug. |
Mr.. WILLIS (Ky.) advocated an immediate |
and unconditional repeal Of the bankrupt |
law
Mr.. ROBBINS was in favor of the repeal of |
the bankrupt act, but not in favor Of the Sen
ate bill. He did not wish the repeal to takc
effect until January l, 1879. BY that time
Secretary Sherman's resumption plan would
have worked all the ruin II was capable of. In
the meantime the people should have some
means of relief aud protection, even if they
had to resort to the bankrupt law.
Mr.. MULDROW gave the House tho bene-
ft OF his views on the tariff Us it related to
the agricultural interests of the country.
Mr., TOWNSEND (OhioJ advocated a pro-
tective tariff,
Mr.. WILLIAMS lOregon) made speech in
favor of the extension of the Northern Pacific
Railroad.
Mr.. nEDDIE advocated the establishment of
department OF commerce.
Remarks on various subjects were made by
Mcssrs. HUMPHREY, BELL, and Others,