The Portland daily press., 1878-03-22
XLVth COngress-Regular Session.
SENATE.


the catalogue of the National Medical Library.
Referred to the printing committee.
The President sent to the Senate his answer to the
resolution OF Mi. Blaine in regard to the fishery
question. Mr.. Garland from the committee on
territories reported favorably the Senate bill to
annul the act of the legislature of New Mexico
passed over the governors vote to incorporate the
the society OF Jesuit Fathers of New Mexico.
Calendared.
Mr.. Hereford submitted resolution declaring
that the House bill to repeal specie resumption
having been referred to the finance committee of the
Senate the 18th Of November last, therefore
report said bill to the Senate within one week
together with their action thereon any shall have
been made.
He asked for the present consideration of the
and it went over. a
territory OF Lincoln and provide temporary govern
ment therefor which was discussed until the ex-
piration Of the morning hour, when the Senate
ing fund bill, and Mr.. Teller spoke. He concluded
his remarks in favor of sinking fund bill reported by
the committee on railroads at o'clock, and the bill
then laid aside not to lose its place unfinished
business
Senate resumed the bill to employ temporary
Treasury clerks and to bring into the market public
lands, ETC. Debate in regard to timber depredations
was continued
Mr.. Jones of Florida criticised the action Of the
Secretary of the Interior.
Mr.. Morgan also opposed the second section of the
bill, censurng the course of the Secretary of the
Interior as evasive and not candid. He started out
never conferred upon him. and when be was advised
that his agents exceeded their authority he shut bis
eyes to all review of their conduct In his Norgan)
state one Hester whose name was a synonS m for
infamy was now preparing an additional raid upon
the people Of Florida. He (Morgan) knew of
instances in the South where men owning saw mills
thousands of dollars lost. The government could
rely upon the support of the people in the various
hired pimps and spies sent from this city.
Mr.. Matthews argued that the government owned
the land together with the timber thereon, and any
person engaged in cutting the timber became tres
passer. Mr.. Matthews read from report of Special
Agent j. Hester to the Secretary of the Interior
as to the timber shipped from Pensacola and stating
that much of it came from the public lands.
Mr.. Jones OF Florida said far as the timber was
concerned Pensacola was an outlet OF Alabama. 1t
and the facilities existed there for the shipping Of
timber which do not exist elsewhere, and it was
brought from Alabama as well as ports of Florida.
If this man Hester implied that all this timber came
from the neighborho0d of Pensacola he uttered
libel against the people of that section. Again he
said $500 stevedores. were employed at Pensacola.
There never was such an exaggeration on the floor
OF the Senate. Mr.. Jones favored the appointment
OF local agents to look after the timber men, in
whom the people had confidence and not the raving
agents who had no interests in common with the
people of the state.
Pending discussion the Vice President submitted
message from the President in answer to resolu-
ton of Senate enclosing report of the Secretary
OF the State and the accompanying papers in regard
to the appointment of Nj. Delfosse as the third
X
ton. Ordered to be printed and lie On the table,
Mr.. Davis of Illinois introduced bill to confirm
r c to the o. MITE Of land
HOUSE.
Mr.. Roberts, from the Committee on Commerce,
reported bill for the reorganization of the lite saw.
ing service. Ordered printed aud recommitted.
Offices and Post Roads, reported bill to establish a
postal savings depository as branch of the POST
Office Department and to aid in refunding the inter
0f fha Init
dered printed and recommitted. 1t authorizes the
establishment at Washington of the chief Office to
es ane nnar and the opening
1or the receipt and withdrawal of deposits interest
to be allowed at per cent The deposits are to be
paid into the treasury and the interest credited to
the "Posal Savings Depository account at the rate
of per cent. Depositors to the amount Of over S0
may have per cent bonds issued to them, redeem
able after 80 years. aud only transferable by
ization Of the Secretary of the Treasury The bill
also provides for certificates of deposit of the enom-
at 3e5 per cent for one year only and to be convert
ible into per cent bonds.
The Speaker appointed as a conference committee
on the part Of the House on the military academy
bill, Messrs. Durham, Clymer and Smith Of Pennsyl-
vania.
Mr.. Chalmers introduced bill providing for the
organization Of the Mississippi Improvement Com
mission Referred.
The House at 1885 went into committee of the
whole on the naval appropriation bill.
The amount appropriated is $14,048,684, of which
$3698 100 is for the pay of officers of the navy 81
100000 for the pay of the and $6i5400 for the
pay OF the retired list. The bill provides that there
shall be no appointments made from civil life of Sec
reares or clerks to commanders of vessels but that
line officer not above the grade of Lieutenant shall
be detailed to perform the duties of such S ecre-
tares.
Mr.; Clymer explained the provisions of the bill as
it had been agreed to unanimously by the Committee
on Appropriations. The appropriation recommend
ed by was ST 900 less than last year Gncludng
the deficiency and s2,oooooo less than the estimates
Tor the fiscal year
The clerk read the bill by SECTIONS
The provision in the bill prohibiting appointments
from civil life of secretaries clerks to commanders
OF squadrons or to commanders OF vesssls and au-
thorlzing the detail of subatern officers for such
purpose was discussed and agreed to.
to nstnte Hold eu n tb OIL tne Navy
civil establishments of different bureaus of the navy
yards to the end that the civil force employed there
was discussed and agreed to.
The provision of the bill appropriating $500 900
Ior the preservation OF vessels on the stocks in
ordinary, having been reached, Mr. Dauford moved
70 increase the amount to $2,500,000 The navy had
none TOO many vessels now. There were but
seven vessels in the Asiatic squadron, while England
nau about forty. The United States attempting
to introduce trade with South America and vet
had but three vessels there. If it desired to open up
commerce with the South American States it must
be represented in those countries by the power of the
general government.
Mr.. Clymer opposed the amendment. The bureau
OF construction and repair and bureau of steam en-
neering have been very badly managed during the
past eight years. Nearly half of the amount ap-
propriated last year tor the bureau of construction
and repairs, has been applied to the purchase of
lumber, which was not needed, and which was to-
day rotting in the different navy yards. An out
rage and wrong have been committed by some one,
Ior some purpose. but he would not name either the
man or the purpose He was not in favor of finish
ing the iron-clads upon the stocks. The future
sells which should be so lightly armed that they could
strike blow or show their heels if necessary. In
case Of trouble with England these fast clipper ships
could prey npon the commerce of that country. and
it was well known that England could be brought to
terms quicker by that means than by the sinking of
her whole iron-clad navy. He called attention to
which was to be the greatest iron-cad in the world
when put into the water sunk within foot or two of
water level and the only remedy would be TO cut her
in two SO as to tighten her tonnage.
Mr.. Clymer said that during the last eight years
there had been appropriated for the bureau of con-
of steam engineering $I4 600, 900.
Mr. Calkins-What have we got to show for it now?
Mr.. Clymer-We have got a few hulks scattered
through all oceans that are discreditable to us as
nation.
Mr.. Harris of Massachusetts, said the iron-clads
now on the stocks were originally wooden vessels
pleted they would be new vessels, and would be the
only large formidable vessels for coast defence the
n line had fifteen
Mr.. Banks said one great cause for the EXPENSIVE
ness of the navy was the multiplication of bureaus
in various navy yards. He had known of the speech
made by the gentleman Ciymer for more than thirty
years. 1t had always been made by the party out Of
power and the condition OF things had always been
defended by the party in power.
Mr.. Whitthorne concurred with Mr.. Banks as to
The expensiveness of the bureau systems in the navy
yards and said he had introduced bill looking d.
rectly to that end, but there remained the patent
TACT of immense sums (over $60,O000O0 spent in the
navy since 1869, besides an immense amount of ma
5eral disposed Of by barter and exchange He ar
gued that the House should make only the appro-
protions absolutely necessary until after FULL fair
honest review of the condition OF the navy. He be-
ieved in maintaining the navy in as efficient con-
lltion as the honor and interest Of the country de-
handed.
Mr.. Banks said the time was not far distant when
he navy would be Obliged to defend on the the
,ountrys flag and its maritime rights and it should be
prepared to do so. The APPROPRIATION of $1,5OO,OOO
vas not enough.
Mr.. Harris declared that if the navy was in bad
condition it was the fault of Congress.
After further discussion Mr.. Danford's amend
nent was rejected.
The committee and reported the bill without
Jingle amendment and it was Immediately passed by
he House.
Mr.. Hewitt Of Alabama moved to set aside the
ocular order OF the District government bill in order
o take up the Mexican pension bill.
Rejected-yeas 81, nays l1S.
Adjourned.
AND COMMERCIAL