Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-22
Another Day Spent by the Senate In the
Fruitless Attempt to Place Generals
Shields and Grant on the Re-
tired List Financial
Matters.
The Proposition to Bridge the Mississip.
pl at Memphis Reported Adversely
by the Senate Committee ON Com
merce-The Southern Pacific
Bill up for To-Day.
In the House.

In the House.
WASHINGTON, May 2l.-The house, at
half-past eleven o'clock, went into committee
of the whole, Mr.. Springer in the chair, on
the army appropriation bill.
Mr.. Hewitt gave notice that at the con-
clusion of to-day's session he would move to
close all general debate on the bill.
Mr.. Sparks, a member of the appropriation
committee, supported the army bill. The at
tempt to reorganize the army had been met
with sensational rumo-s about an Indian up
rising. There was no foundation for these
rumors. Coming down to the question of the
use of the army in suppressing domestic vio-
lence, he had read the portion of the report
of the secretary of war in which he declared
that the army should be to the United States
what local police Is to city. If the secre-
tary meant that riots should be suppressed
by the regular army, he would most emphati-
cally dissent from that. 1t was in contraven-
ton of the republican theory of government.
The great middle mass of the people would
protect the country from riots. A money mo-
nopoly could Cypress labor, and could bring
about state OF things which it was manhood
TO resist. Then the middle mass might SYM
pathize with labor, but when labor got be-
yond the bounds of what it could legitimately
demand, when it became communistic and
incendiary, then the great body of quiet mid
dlemen would put Its hand upon it and crush
it out.
Mr.. Phillips said that the appropriation
committee had come forward with almost a
revolutionary measure, with an attempt to
cut down the standing army. Referring to
the danger of Indian hostilities, he said the
army was needed to preserve the peace of the
frontier and to give the settlers security,
which had never been given them. Within
fifteen months past two of the most terrible
wars known to the history of the country had
taken place, and the gentleman from New
York Hewitt had told the house that there
would be- no more Indian wars. That gen.
tlemen seemed to have been reading about
the millennium, and thought that the swords
were to beaten into plowshares and the
spears into pruning hooks.
Mr.. Banning, chairman of the committee
on military affairs, spoke in advocacy of the
bill. He referred to General Sherman's New
York speech last summer, to;the effect that
without the regular army the nation would
be mob, and to the report of the secretary
of war as to the necessity of an army in
maintaining peace and suppressing riots, and
he expressed his decided dissent from those
doctrines, which would result, he said, in
converting what is government of the peo-
pie into government of force. He referred
to the charge of dishonesty made against him
by what he called Jay Gould's newspaper,
and said that there were in this country two
kinds of communists, one composed of those
who want to steal food and raiment, and the
other composed of those who, sitting in COM
Portable arm-chairs, steal railroads. This last
class wanted the army to enable them TO
keep their i'll gotten gains; 1t was necessary,
perhaps, for them. Communism came from
bad administration. The credit mobilier,
the Pacific Mail subsidy, the salary grab,
and, above all, the theft of the Presidency,
had made men believe that there was no hon
esty left in the administration of the affairs
of these big communists, who needed large
army to protect them. For his part he was
In favor of a change in conducting the ship
of state; in bringing the administration of
the government back to the days of the
fathers and honesty. In conclusion he ap-
pealed to the house to pass the bill, as it
would give the country better, more efficient
and less expensive army.
Mr.. Caldwell said the bill before the house
met his sincere approval; not merely because
it would work a reduction of the army, but
because it would effect a reduction of the
burdens of the people. He dlssented entlre-
ly from some of the views expressed In the
debate In regard to strikes and riots, and he
held that when the strikes and riots of last
summer occurred it was the duty of Presi-
dent Hayes to respond as he did to the calls
of the governors of West Virginia, Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland. He then drifted off to
the question of the river and harbor bill,
which he said he voted against; to the south
ern war claims, which he wished to see go
down with all the passions and bitterness of
war; and to the question of subsidlzIng the
Texas Pacific railroad, to which he also de-
clared himself opposed. He thought that
there were now enough of railroads in the
country, and that it would be good policy
on the part of the government to turn its at
tention more to the promotion OF foreign
commerce. Referring incidentally to the
N Il ka1 kl,okk L..
pie of the south were grateful to President
Hayes, and that no southern representatives
were in favor of disturbing his title.
After a speech by Mr.. Boone, in favor of
the transfer of the Indian bureau TO the war
department, the committee rose.
The general debate on the army appropri-
alton bill was ordered to be terminated with
to-night's session, and the house took re-
cess.
Senator Ferry said he was instructed by
the majority Of the committee on finance to
report back the house bill to forbid the fur
Their retirement of United States legal-ten-
der notes without amendment, and to recon-
mend its passage. He gave notice that he
would call it up for consideration tomorrow.
1t was placed on the calendar.
Senator Conkling, from the committee on
commerce, reported adversely on the senate
bill to authorize the construction of bridge
across the Mississippi river at Memphis, and
it was indefinitely postponed.
Senator Paddock, from the committee on
public lands. reported back the house bill for
the relief of settlers on public lands under the
pre-emption laws. Placed on the calendar.
Senator Window, from the conference
committee on the military academy appropri-
alton bill, reported that the committee had
been unable to agree. In explanation of the
report he said the principal items of differ
ence between the committees of the two
houses were upon the appropriations for q
hospital building, to increase the water sup
ply, and in regard to the dismissal of grad.
yates who do not receive appointments in the
army. The senate increased the appropria-
tons for hospital building and for water
supply, and struck out of the house bill the
clause providing for the dismissal of gradu-
ates. He moved that the senate insist upor
its amendments, and grant the new confer.
ence asked for by the house. He also ex'
pressed the hope that there would be yea
and nay vote upon the motion, so that the
committee would know the views of the sen.
ate in regard to adhering to its amendments
Agreed to by a unanimous vote-yeas, So
and Senators Window, Blaine and Witherl
were appointed a committee on the part o
the senate.
Senator Davis HUI from the committee OF
the Judiciary, reported favorably on the sen
ate bill to provide for the appointment of {
district judge for the western district of Ten
nessee. Placed on the calendar.
On motion of Senator Paddock the senat,
non-concurred in the house amendments t.
the bill to amend section 2464 of the revlset
statutes, relating to the cultivation of timbe
on the public domain, and a committee o
conference. was ordered Senators Paddock
Plumb and Grover were appointed a com
| mittee on the part of the senate
Senator Mathews said that week ago b