The Portland daily press., 1878-05-14
ALVth COngress-ReguIar Session.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON. May 10.

HOUSE.
WASHINGTON May 49,
Mr.. Johnston Of Virginia introduced bill for use
of the Moatt bell punch in the district of Columbia
MI. MorIil of Vermont presented a petition
signed by five or six mechanics OF Boston favoring
the repeal of the eight hour law. They declare It
unjust to pay workmen employed by the government
as much for eight hours as other workmen
receive for ten hours work. Referred.
Mr.. Conover from the committee on post offices
reported an amendment to the postofice appropria-
ton bill authorizing the postmaster general adver-
tise for conveying mai between San Francisco and
Hong Kong to touch at Honolulu, aud pay these not
exceeding $50 per mile with amendment similar
to that recently reported by the committee pro.
vidng for mail steamship service between New York,
New Orleans and Brazil. Referred.
Mr.. COnover's amendment also provides for mail
steamship service between San Francisco and Sydney
Australia, touching at Sandwich Islands and New
Zealand at not exceeding $50 Ter mile.
At the expiration of the morning hour Senate.took
up the post office appropriation bill
The president protempore laid before the Senate a
communication from the Secretary of War inclosing
letter from the second auditor of the Treasury
department calling attention to the fact that the
discharged soldiers will cease the 3Oth OF June uu-
less money be appropriated to continue suca pay
ments. Referred to the committee on itafy
affairs.
MIR. Dorsey in explanation of the bill said that the
amount appropriated by it as it came from the
House of Representative WAS $3l.140,O0O. The
bill approor tie in aggregate $33 800 900 which Was
$243l.G short of estimates and $09.OuO less than
the amount APPROPRIATED for the service last year.
The most important change by tie Senate COM
mlttee was in regard to CONDENSATION to railroads
for transportation of mails which had been increased
$5S5Ooo. In the matter df letter carriers the
mittee had increased the amount $135.00O to extend
that branch OF the service. The letter carriers
branch in the post Office department. was abont the
paa surplus OF soo paad Se% o
Boston $1,000, and San Francisco SIS 900 In other
cities there were deficiencies leaving profit of $780,
COO. The letter carrier service had not been ex-
tended to any cities during the last three years.
The committee also recommended an increase in the
appropriation for pos al cards of about $50,UcO He
move the five minutes rule be applied to debate
upon the amendments to the bill.
Mr. Beck said an amen iment in regard to the Bra
lillian mail subsidy would be submitted and he OBJ
jected to the five minutes rule beng applied to that
amendment.
1t was agreed that it should be exempted from that
RUE.
Amendments reported by the Committee on Ap-
prOpriations were reed to as fellows:
Increasing the appropriation for the preparation
and publication of posotice maps from $4,000 10
$4,000; providing that postmasters who make false
returns shall be imprisoned for term not exceeding
one year or punished by both fine and Imprisonment
IN the discretion Of the COURT blouse provided for
the punt .hment OF such offence by a fine not less
than $50 nor more than $500; increasing the appro
from 49, 900 TO So $4,000: that for the PAYMENT Of
letter carriers from sS50OO to So 100000 and that
for the TRANSFORMATION Of mails by railroad from So
loo, 600 to $9,685 600.
lengthy discussion took place upon an amend
ment in regard to the compensation of Supernten-
den Of Pos al Railway Service. The House of Rep
resentatives provided that he should receive S2500
year with an allowance for TRAVELLING and incidental
expenses while actually travelling in the SERVICE of
not exceeding s. per day, and the Senate Committee
on Appropriations submitted an amendment so as to
read "whiie actually employed in the SERVICE" in
stead of '.whe actually travelling in the service"
The amendment OF the committee Was agreed to-
yeas 81, nays 10.
The Senate committee on appropriations reported
an amendment to strike out Of the House bin the
clause directing the Postmaster General 10 readiust
the compensation to be paid to railroads for trans
portation of mails af er the first of July next by re
duclng the compensation OF all railroad companies
ior such service i've per cent. per annum. Agreed
The next amendment of the committee increasing
the appropriation tor compensation to railroad post
once clerks from I'll 2:5 QUO to 81 325000 agreed
TO- Also the amendment striking out of the House
bill the clause providing that postal clerks route
agents and mail route MESSENGERS shall not be re-
CURED to wear uniforms other than cap or badge.
The other amendments of the committee increasing
the app opriation from 81 020U00 to 81 600 O. and
treasury from 81 81 t to su 1%I VI fbe
should the revenubs of the Posofice De-
partment be insufficient to meet all expenditures
were agreed to.
The amendments of the committee having been
disposed OF, Maxey, from the committee postofices
and post-roads, submitted an amendment providing
Tor seml-mouthy mail steamship service between
the United States and Brazil, line of steamers to
leave New Orleans once every two weeks and the
1IHer 10 leave new YOrk once every two, beng the
amendment eported by the committee on postofices
and post-roads few days ago and published in full
1t that time.
MIR. Edmunds raised point of order that this
amendment was contrary to the 18th Iule of the
senate which provided that no amendment proposing
general legislation should be received to general
appropriation bill nor should any amendment not
,ermane or relevant to the subject matter contained
the bill be received and questions of relevancy of
submitted TO the Senate.
Amer further discussion aud pendin decision of
MI. Edmunds' point Of order the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
On motion of Mr.. Reagan the House reconsidered
he vote by which the main question was ordered on
he bill to regulate interstate commerce. and the bill
vent over until tomorrow.
The following bills were introduced and referred
BY Mr.. Grape, to provide for ocean mail steamship
ervlce between the United States and Portugal: to
husetts.
By Mr.. Lapham, a joint resolution recitine the
anger 10 Wnlch the country may be subjected by |
threatened i'rupon of Sitting Bull BY raids across
he excan border and by instructions in the sew
raj states such as occurred last year, authoriz-
ng the President to increase the army during the
ecess of Congress by the enlistment of Volunteers |
lot to exceed 1880 men.
Mr. Potter rose and as question of privilege pre-
anted the following preamble aud resolution:
Whereas. the State of Maryland has by its legis-
lture, formally declared that due effect was not
III of December, 1876. by reason of the fraudulent
turns in the electoral votes from the states of Flor
la and Louisiana, and
Whereas, statement made by Sam'l B. McIin
hartman OF the board of state of Florida
tue election held in that state in November 1873
# electors of President and Vice President, has
zen made pubic, alleging false and fraudulent re-
lrns Tor votes tor such election, whereby the choice
the people of that stare was annulled and re-
'rsed, and that the action of the state board of
nvassers was influenced by the conuuct and prom
es OF the Hon. Edward F. Noyes, now mini ster to
rance, and
Whereas, it is alleged that conspiracy existed in
Louisiana whereby Re
all the precincts of the parish OF East Feliciana
I'd in some precincts of West Feliciana pur-
e exclusion BY the Returning Board OF that state
the vote cast wGhn those precincts tor electors of
resident and Vice President, and that James E.
nderson, the supervisor of registration of East
,liciani, and d. A. Weber. supervisor OF registra-
IN in parish OF West Felicina, in that state, in
rtherance Of that conspiracy falsely protested that
e election IN such precincts had not been fair and
ee and that the State Returning Board thereon
sey and fraudulently excluded the votes of the
id precincts and by means thereof and other false
id fraudulent actions by the said Returning Board
e choice of the people of the state was annulled
ID reversed and that the action of Weber and An
rson was induced and encouraged by assurances
the Hon. John Sherman, Secretary of the Treas
y Of the United States, and
whereas the motive of these charges and evidence
ION which they are reported to be based and the Off
Il dignity and position of the persons named in con-
ction with the said frauds, make it proper that the
me should be enquired into to the end that the
nor OF the nation may be indicated and the truth
TO the election be made known, therefore be it
ReSotUed, That select committee consisting of :
wen members OF the House, be appointed to in
ire into the aforesaid elections to the conduct of
rsons in office aforesaid in respect OF said election
TO the alleged false and fraudulent casvass and
urn Oh V3teS oy state, county, parish and precinct
lceTs IN the states OF Louisiana and Florida and
% all the facts which in the Judgment of said COM
lee are connected with or pertinent thereCo, and
said committee for the pun of executing this
olution, shall have power to send for persons and
pers, TO administer oaths and take testimony and
their di cretlon to detail subcommittee with [
f,1la hnrifvo of sold ,,.s4.
uIar, and with power TO sit in Florida and Louis
Ia. which sub committees shall be committees of I
S House, and the chairman thereof shall be au- [
rized to administer iths and employ stenograph-
and be attended each by deputy sergeant at [
rs, and may sit duing the session of this House [
ring vacation, and sad committee shall pro eed In L
8 in mi and shall have leave to rennrt of nnu