Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-23
A Long Debate on the Army ApprOpri.
alton Bill, Resulting in its Final
AdOptiOn-SenatOr Lamar's
Speech on the Texas
and Pacific Rail-
way Bill.
In the House.

WASHINGTON, May 22.-Mr. Harris, from
the committee on judiciary, reported bill
for the holding of term of the United
States court at Quincy, Illinois. Passed.
Mr.. Beebe offered a resolution calling for
| information as to the number of Presidential
pardons of criminals since March, 1877.
Adopted.
The senate bill for the relief of settlers on
public lands was passed.
Mr.. Ha,r isou offered the following as a
question of privilege:
WHEREAS, A select committee of this
house has been appointed to inquire into GER
tain frauds alleged to have been committed
in Florida and Louisiana, in November, 1876,
in connection with the returns of the vote
for electors for President and Vice President;
and whereas, 1T Is charged that frauds of a
like character were committed at the same
time in the st ties of Oregon and South Car
DINA; therefore, be it
ResoIUed. That said committee be and IS
hereby empowered to inquire into the same,
If, in its opinion, any testimony thereon of
a substantial character shall be presented to
it; and be it further
ReSOlUed That the senate and house of rep
resentatives of the forty fourth congress,
having counted the electoral votes for Presi-
dent and Vice President, and it having been
declared that Rutherford B. Hayes had re-
ceived the highest number of votes for Pres
ident, and William A. Wheeler the highest
number of votes for Vice. President, it is not
now in the power of congress, nor is it the
purpose of this house, through said investi-
cation, to annul, or to attempt to annul, the
action Of the forty-fourth congress In the
premises.
The point having been presented as to
whether the resolution involved question of
privilege, Speaker (pro tenn Sayler submit
ted the question to the house. On standing
vote both sides manifested disincination
70 fob oi6o tba TO
was taken by yeas and nays, and resulted
yeas, IL; nays, so. But few Republicans
voted, and not near all the Democrats; The
members of the select committee who voted
at all-Messrs. Potter, Cobb, Cox 70. !, Nor
rson, and Stenger voted in the affirmative.
The objection being made that no quorum
had voted, Mr.. Harrison, amid storms of
calls to order, withdrew the resolution, stating
that he was not desIrous of obstructing the
business.
Mr.. Wilson then offered a resolution au-
thorizing the select committee to investigate
electoral frauds in any State where it has a
probable cause to believe that such frauds
were practiced.
Mr.. Cox IN. Y. moved to refer the
resolution to a select committee and demand
ed the previous question, which was seconded,
and then apparently from hint from Mr..
Potter offered to withdraw his motion. This,
however, was objected to on the Republican
side. The motion to refer was defeated
yeas SO, nays, lis. The resolution was then
adopted without division.
Mr.. Springer, chairman of the committee
on expenditures in the state depaI tment, sub
mitted report which he stated set forth ten
articles of impeachment against o. B. Brad
ford, late vlce-consul general at Shanghai
China, and concluded with resolution that
he be impeached at the bar of the senate
lnasmuch as two members of the committee
Dunnell and Bundy had grave doubts as to
whether Bradford was an Improbable officer,
the committee recommended that the whole
subject be referred to the committee on judi
ciary. So ordered.
The following are the principal articles of
impeachment:
First-That Bradford become interested
and promoted officially the railway from
WCosung to Shanghai, in violation of the
treaty obligations and acts of congress.
Second-That he csnspired for pecuniary
gain to deceive the Chinese authorities by
procuring consent to build carriage road
and afterward constructing railway from
Woosung to Shanghai.
Third-That he was guilty Of injustice,
tyranny, and extortion asjudge of the consular
court. There are five specifications under
this article.
Fourth and ffth.-That as postal agent of
the United States he distracted letters from
the mails, and opened them for the purpose
of prying into the business and secrets of
the persons writing the letters.
Slxth-That he took a voucher In one in
stance for eighty dollars, and paid in person
only sixty dollars, retaining twenty.
Seventh-That as postal agent at Shang-
hal he received Mexican dollars, which were
at premium over gold and currency; that
he paid the expenses in like coin, but charged
the government premium, as If he had pur-
chased such coin, thereby defrauding the
government out of large sums.
Eighth-That he embezzled fees due the
government.
Ninth-That he embezzled two thousond
six hundred dollars of government funds.
The house then went into committee OF the
whole, Mr.. Springer an the chair, on the army
appropriation bill, all general debate to close
in one hour.
Mr.. Schleicher opposed the bill, because he
did not think it provided sufficient force for
the protection of the Texas frontier. 1t had
been said that the Mexicans promised to keep
peace upon the border, but every one who
had any experience with the neighbors on the
Rio Grande knew their promises went for
nothing. He cited outrages-some of them
quite recent-and said that the frontier resi-
dents of Texas were beng murdered, robbed
and impoverished without even the poor boon
of pity from their countrymen, who were
making laws for the whole country. He had
been accused of being fillibuster. On the
contrary, he would say God forbid that this
country should be any larger. Its Is far too
large now tor the minds and hearts of its
Legislators. Laughter aud applause on the
Republican side. He opposed the principle
of cutting down the army by single man.
He had been puzzled to understand the
arithmetical problem laid down by the gen.
tleman from New York, that there could be
more men brought into the field with an
army of twenty thousand than with an army
of twenty-five thousand men. He had tried
to understand that problem, but unsuccess-
fully. He gave it up. Laughter.
Mr.. Hewitt said that the gentleman fall
ure to understand the proposition was not his
Hewitt's fault.
Mr.. Schleicher-No, it's my weakness;
never was abe to learn the game of "thim
blerig." Laughter.
Mr.. Hewitt intimated that the figuring
was not his, but had been done in the adiu-
tant-general's Office.
Mr.. Schleicher-But figuring does not pro-
tect our people. Laughter All the arIth-
metic which he could bring to bear on the
question was contained in a simple question
by the rule of three; as twenty-five thousand
men Is the actual number in the field, so
Is twenty thousand to be the actual number in
the field, and the result was certainly re-
duction. He pleaded for the exposed people
of that frontier against the jeers of the gem