National Republican., 1878-06-07

Mr.. BLAINE moved to reconsider the vote
OH Mr.. BuRNsIDE's amendment, and offered
| an amendment prepared by Mr.. THURMAN,
providing that the commission shall consist of
two members Of the Military Committee and
one OF the Indian Committee Of each House.
| MIR. WINDOW did not favor tho transfer
| and opposed the proposed commission, which
prcsupposed the transfer necessary, designating
Tour military men and but two members Of the
| indian Committee, and then, to make the trans
Ter certain, they added three military officers
| 10 show the crudeness Of the House provi.
sion, he said strict construction Of the first
paragraph transferred the entire functions of
the Secretary Of the Interior TO tho Secretary
OF War-some Of the Senators around him sug-
gested that would be an improvement-for IL
| provided that from and after the LIST of JRnu-
| ary 1879, the Secretary of War shall exercise
the supervisory and appellate powers and pos
scss the jurisdiction now exercised and pos
sessed by the Secretary Of the Interior in rela-
| tiUn to all acts Of the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs, Board Of Indian Commissioners, or
| otherwise"
| Again, there was land division In the In
dian Bureau, which was connected with the
| Interior DEPARTMENT, and could not be sepa-
rated from the Land.Oflicc. lie opposed the
transfer and opposed q commission, unless 1t
could be fairly constituted. lie was not will
| ling to turn back tho hands on the dial of civ
| ilization and go back to the old system of war;
fare against the Indians.
| Mr.. WINDOW advocated and defended the
peace policy adopted by President Grant nine
years ago.
Mr.. THURMAN said he had always under.
stood that the term was used to cover up re-
| form that never existed.
| Mr.. WINDOW read statistics to show the
great increase In churches and schools among
the Indians, which had been established since
the Inauguration of that policy. lie also
showed the great increase In agricultural pro-
ductions, and said our experience In army
transportation and supplies had not been such
| as to commend u over tho Indian service, for
higher prices had been paid for tho army than
| Tor the Indian department. He admitted there
| were evils, and great evils, in the Indian SER
| vice, put It was no way to remedy 1t to turn 1t
| over to the army.
Mr.. BLAINE admitted that tho commission
would be somewhat military in its organiza.
ton, and suggested that when the commission
came to consider the Indian question, two
civilians, to be named by the Secretary of the
Interior, he added to it,
Mr.. BECK expressed his surprise that
member of the committee had disregarded the
instructions of his committee, and give away
his bill, accepting a substitute for the section
without consulting tho members Of his COM
mittec. He should propose u motion to ad.
journ or go into executive session, In order
the Committee of Appropriations tomorrow
morning.
Mr. BLAINE said In view Of the overwhem-
ing manifestation to refer to the commission
he did not feel called upon to obstruct the ac-
tion of the Senate by insisting upon what
could not be accomplished.
Mr.. SARGENT agreed with Mr.. BECK that
the Committee on Appropriations might per-
haps look the matter over again In the morn
ing, and that an adjournment now might well
be had
Mr.. BLAINE could see no good reason to
adjourn when the bill was so nearly finished.
Mr.. SARGENT said he would like time to
consider whether 1t would not he better to pro-
vide special committee on the Indian qucs-
tion.
Mr.. BECK said he had not cared to give his
reasons why he desired postponcment.
There were men who were not on either COM
mittec who knew more Of Indian affairs than
any man on either of those committees. He
would name the Senator from California, who
had made Indian matters study for several
years, and knew more about the Indians than
any man Mt either end of the Capitol.
Mr.. ALLISON offered an amendment to the
resolution that 1t be referred, with view to
secure n policy whereby the several Indian
tribes may become seli-sustaining. He earn
cstly protested against u transfer of the bu-
reau. He submitted that, il there was q Com
courtesy of at least reference Of tho subject
to them.
If the Indian system is to be examined it
should not be confined to the history for the
past ten years They should 20 back into the
musty records and they would find records of
gross frauds and charges of corruption were
made and investigated repeatedly when the
bureau was under the War Department.
The CHAIR announced as members Of the
conference committee on the Post. Office ap.
preparation bill Messrs. DORSEY, SARGENT,
aud WIrHEs
On motion of Mr.. SARGENT, the Senate,
ut 5:40 p. NJ, went into executive session, and
when the doors were opened, few minutes
later, adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
On motion of Mr.. WHITTHORNE, Tuesday
evening next was assigned for the consdcra-
tion of reports from the Committee on Naval
Affairs.
Mr.. WILLIAMS (Mich.) asked that next
Monday after two o'clock, be assigned to the
Committee on the District of Columbia on the
same terms and regulations as under the third
Monday. The committee had many matters
he said, which should be reported.
Mr. PAGE saw no reason why the District of
Columbia should have precedence over other
business and he objected.
Mr. PAGE subsequently, withdrew his OBJ
lection on condition that the time be fixed at
three o'clock, but Mr. THOMPSON and other
gentlemen objected.
Mr.. FULLER, from the Committee on Pub
lie Lands, reported back the bill to forfeit
certain public lands granted to aid in the con.
strnctiOn Of certain railroad aud tclegra ph
lines. Ordered printed and recommittcd.
Mr. TIPrON introduced u bill to authorize
the States Of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to
enter and prosecute certain suits against the
United States in the Supreme Court of the |
United States. Referred.
On motion of Mr. LAPHAM the Speaker |
was authorized to appoint a committee of five |
members to act with u corresponding commit |
tee of the Senate to receive the centennial safe |
on the 22d of February, 1879.
Mr.. SINGLETON, from the Committee on |
Printing, reported back the Senate bill author.
izing the publication for sale of an edition of
the narrative of the Polaris expedition. Passed
Also, from the same committee reported back |
the Senate resolution for the printing of the
Agricultural Report for 1877 and of 5000 copies
Of the Colonial charters and constitutions. The
committee recommend non. concurrence In the
part of the bill relating to the Colonial char
ters.
The recommendation of tho committee was
disagreed to-yeas, 1922; nays, 1l5-and tho
bill passed as II came from the Senate.
Mr.. SMITH (Pa.) submitted the report Of