The Portland daily press., 1878-03-06
XLVth COngress-Regular Session.

ucHt OAy Va Wv i6os PASiOAAoo " phO NV
ernor.
XLVth COngress-ReguIar Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON. Mar. s.
Mr.. Spencer of Alabama, frcm the Committee on
Military Affairs, reported tavorably on the House
bill for the relief OF VIM. A. Hammond late Surgeon
General of the Army. Caendared.
Mr.. Thurman introduced a bill to prohibit mem
beers Of Congress from becoming slreties on certain
bonds. Referred to the Judiciary Committee.
great part of the morning hour was occupied in
reporting and considering unimportant bills.
business, being unavoidablyaabsent, the long bond
bill passed with the understanding iG should
retain its place unfinished business
Mr.. Mcmillan called up the bill to authorize, the
Worthington g. Sioux Falls r. r. Co. to extend its
road into the territory of Dakota to the village of
Sioux Falls. Discussed and laid aside.
Mr.. Spencer, from the Military Committee, re-
ported adversely on the Senate bill extending the
lime for the presenting of claims for collecting drill
lug organizing volunteers for the war of The re-
bellioD and it was Indefinitely postponed. He also
reported from the same committee fayorably on the
House joint resolution providing for the issuing Of
arms and ammunition to the Territory of Idaho,
under act of July 81, 1876 Passed.
Mr.. Coke introduced bill to aid the construction
the military headquarters at San Antonio. Texas to
the Rio Grande at or near Laredo. Referred to the
Committee on Military Affairs;
claring expedent to levy and collect taxes for the
maintenance Of the sinking fund and spoke at length
in favor of it.
Mr.. Beck said he was opposed to all subsidies
Competitio ions must be encouraged and combinations
discountenanced. He favored free ships and stores
and the removal of all taxation on ships and their
supplies. He favored the imposition Of tax on in
comes, to raise $23 900 per annum, and said
the refusal of Congress to levy taxes for the $37
05404 for the sinking fund would be of great benefit
to the poor people, he quoted from speeches of Mr.:
Morrill,, chairman of the Finance Committee, and
ME-. Dawes, member of that committee, and said
he feared they would control the committee and
defeat his resolution. He also argted that the
Treasury Department should be divided, that there
should be two secretaries, collect the revenue
and the other to disburse it, each one being check
the other. In conclusion he said that the resolu-
tion brought forward by him was not intended to
weaken the public credit which he hoped would ever
be maintained but something must be done to revive
the commerce Of the country.
Mr.. Morrill, said he was quite ready to 60 as far
the Senator from Kentucky, or any other Senator
to properly relieve the country from taxation. 1t
was a little singular that the Senator should bring
forward this resolution embracing SO wide scope,
and ask its passage without reference to the COM
mittee on finance. 1t was q little remarkable that
the Senotor coming from Kentucky, the home of
Henry Clay, should deal OUT opprobrious epiIhets
about our navigation and tatiff laws, when it was
known that our navigation laws now were just the
same as they were IN 1851. He denied that our
the rich, and argued that in all tariff legislation the
rich were Disseminated against. No people on the
American people, and that proved they were not
oppressed by taxation. He favored the reference of
the resolution to the committee on finance, and said
he hoped there would not be an effort to have a
snap judgment upon it unless this was one of the
series OF measures to be passed under the whip and
would be the effect of this resolution the public
credit? Would it be good or bad? The removal of
taxes was very pleasant duty, but their imposition
sometimes was patriotic necessity. The reference
of this resolution to the committee on finance was
imperatively required, aud he moved that it be SO
referred,
Motion WOO aoroad to uuifhout diu;c;op
Senate went into executive session, and when
doors were reopened adjourned.
HOUSE,
Mr.. Mash offered resolution reciting that The
Union and Central Pacific Railroad Com panies owe
the United States $28,O00,000 accrued interest on
bonds guaranteed by the United States and that the
earnings OF said companies are consumed by divid-
ends declared capital stock in violation of their
charters, and directing the Judiciary Committee to
report whether it is expedien to enact such laws as
will prohibit the payment of dividends on ST. ok un-
til the Indebtedness is liquidated. Referred.
Mr.. Grape from committee. on foreign affairs
reported bill supplementary to act to carry into
effect the convention between the United States and
China concluded in 1885, and to give the court claims
jurisdiction in certain cases. Bill authorizes any
person or persons having any claim against the
balance OF the fund designated as the Chinese in
demnity fund for losses sustained by plumber of the
bark Caldera in 1854 to commence within twelve
months from passage of this act proceedings in the
Mr.. Garfield asked whether this bill made any dis
position of the balance of the fund.
Mr.. Garfield said he always believed as matter of
good faith that the United States ought to paw the
balance back to China. He felt ashamed every time
he remembered there were several hundred thousand
dollars in the State Department that did not belong
to this country.
Mr.. Cox said the subject was being thoroughly CON-
sidered by the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
He agreed with Mr.. Garfield and said this bill
would remove known claims against that fund.
Mr. Riddle, from the committee on territories, re-
ported back adversely the bill to establish the terri
tory Of Pembina. Laid on the table.
At the conclusion of the morning hour a half hour
discussion arose as to the business to be next con-
sidered. Alter great deal of amusement and while
Speaker announced that discussion was entirely ont
of order and it seemed to him that public business
should be proceeded with: which called forth re-
mark from Mr.. Townsend that he did not want the
Chair to lecture him in public.
The Chair-The Chair will lecture the gentleman
in private.
Townsend-You had better. I do not want any
public lecture and further, will not submit to it.
(Great laughter)
The House then went into the committee of the
bill appropriates 100000 for the protection of for.
tfcatons and other works of defence for the
armament OF fortiheations 35O,00O for torpedo and
The bill was read and without amendment was
laid aside to be reported to the House.
Committee then took up for consideration the bill
authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to employ
temporary clerks and making an appropriation for
the same; also making appropriations for detecting
market public lands IN certain states.
Mr.. Durham addressed the House, and in the
course of his remarks had read a letter from the
Secretary of the Treasury, stating that 95 clerks in
his departments will have to be discharged if an an
preparation is not made tor them.
MIR. Frye suggested that the clerks there were two
senators and half dozen Representatives insisting
on the appointment of other clerks, and that there
would be no remedy for such state of things until
members OF Congress were prevented from spending
their time with assistant secretaries of the depar
ments demanding that their claims be acceded to.
Mr.. Eden-Cut OF the money and that will be pre-
vented.
Mr.. Ellsworth wanted to know whether the tenn
pcrary clerks who had been discharged had not been
engaged on useful work and work that ought to be
Mr.. Durham replied that there was no immediate
necessity for the work being done.
MIR. Ellsworth enquiIed whether it was not better
to be done now than ten years hence.
Mr. Durham inquired in reply whether Mr. Els
worth would buy this year an oyercoat that he would
Mr.. Ellsworth suggested that the work should be
done now when the people are suffering.
Mr. Durham then proceed to explain the portion
OF the bill relating to the prosecution of depredators
on government timber lands.
Mr.. Kelly of Pennsylvania by unanimous consent
proceeded to make speech on the resumption cues
ton. 4
Mr.; Kely's speech was in reply to Garaeld's some
At the conclusion Mr.. Garfield rose to replv and 10
to have, an hour for that purpose when the Honse
again goes into the committee of the whole on the
The committee rose and Mr. Fort of Illinois intro
duced bill to authorize the preparation of fneior
standard silver bars of $4,000 the deposit Of the
same in the U. s. Treasury, and the issue of certi
Gates thereon Referred to the committee on bank
ing and currency. Adjourned.
A Vigorous Letter from Madison Wells.
NEW YORK, March 5.-Ex-Gov. Wells of /
Louisiana says he is satisfied with his recently |
published letter 1t has been Published in /
pamphlet form and circulated in New Orleans |
de says: "When. my case is called will |
appear and tell Judges Whitaker and Ogden !
hat they are a pair of contemplate villains,
and tell the jury that they are set of perjured
'coundrels, and defy them to do their worst. /
published a letter so that my children, when /
u years to come they read the abuse hsaped /
upon me by their gang, can also read my 1
opinion OF the miserable devils who have been |
abusing me-
Funeral Of the Late Senator Wade,
CLEvELAND, March 5.-The funeral of the
late senator Wade of Jefferson, Ohio. TODAY
was largely attended. The exercises at his late |
residence consisted of readings from the Scrip
'ures and brief address by Rev. DR.. DicIip-
ION, pastor of the Congregational church of the
'illage, and short prayer by Rev. G. T. Shin.
nan of the Girsrd Pennsylvania Unitarian.