Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-01-30
From 81 Haa,:if.s0ei.
ESPECIAL TO THE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
WASHINGTON, d. &. Jaa 80
SENATE.

SENATE.
lu be Senate, to day, : p,ti ion WAS IRE
senled asking for the CT, c:ioo It a custom house,
postofice, &C., at Newbsrn, N. {.
Memorials and petitions were pr,s:nied
against auy reduction 10 the tariff; against tie
passage Of the Silver bill; against r1;mposl
ton cf the tax on tea and c,G:o; against the
remova! of Judge Peck from his present circuit
10 Wyoming, &c.
Mr.. Wtbers, Of Va, presented a petition Of
80 laborers at Liberty, Va, against the raim-
position Of the War tax on tea and coffee.
Dir. Hoar presented communication from
the Pension Bureau com placing that the force
in the bureau is 80 small that the business is
greatly retarded to the dctrimcnt Of the claim.
ants.
The communication called forth remarks from
Mcssrs. tloar. Ingalls. E1munds and Hamlin
all condemning the penuriousnesS of the
powers that make the appropriations, the
force being now so small, especially 10 tho
Surgeon Generals Office, as to require nearly
sixteen months to obtain Information from the
Department of claims. unless the routine Of
business is greatly obstruoted.
MIR. Bayard defended tho democratic party
from any imputalion of penuriousness.
MIR. Ingalls said he did not charge the re-
sponsibility upon tho democrats. but that 80
glariug has been the delays to claimants that it
amounts TO e:imc. He said that this COM
plant had been greater since the advent of
"the apostles of REFORM" At this time there
were between 900 and 1000 uuadjusted claims
pending in the Pension Department, and the
committee Of the Senate or the Bureau could
not be held responsible.
Mr. Withers, of Va, defended the demo
cratic party from the imputation thatth demo
Gratis were responsible for the condition Of affairs
in the Pension Bureau. He explained why the
claims wero acoumulatiug, and why the delay.
There bad been 20 cutting down in the Surgeon
Generals Office under democrat auspicies
MIR. Edmunds said that all the departments
had been cut down and thus no details. as for.
merry, could be made for the Pension Bureau.
Mr.. Withers repeated that there had been
no reduction 10 the force Of tho Sugeon Gen.
erals Office.
Mr.. Voorhees, reiterated the complaints of
delay by applicants, amounting almost to dc.
NAL. The grievance was 80 great that the
whole subject should bs investigated, to see
whether the Bureau did its duty, or there
was az actual deficit in the force.
Mr.. Burnside charged that tho delays were
occasioned ty want of cericll force. He
thought that both parties wero willing to re-
lieve the disabled soldiers.
Mr.. Window defended the Committee on
Appropriations from any neglect on their part.
The cutting down in all the departments had
caused the trouble, because their could be no
details.
MIR, Davis, of West Va, charged that clerks
in the Pension Bureau had been engaged to run
the Republican Executive Committee. while
Others under the pretext of ferriting out fraud
ulent claims took months 10 the summer for
recreation.
Mr.. Edmonds did not doubt that clerks were
used for political purposes, but said that the
example was set by the democrats who used to
use the whole bureau for their purposes but
this was no excuse for starving disabled sol.
dicrs.
MIR. Window explained the mode of reduc.
ton in all the departments. He thought that
the~questiOn having been brought to the atten'
ton of Congress, there would DO no difficulty
10 having sufficient appropriation next time.
No action was taken.
Mr.. Voorhees, presented petition 10 refer.
ence to the lands owed by the Indians.
Bills were reported to authorize the Postmaster
General to contract for ocean mail service; max
ing az additional appropriation Of $4,000 for
the capitol grounds; for mint at Indianapolis;
to purchase the property Of tho Freedmen's
Saving and Trust Company. 10 Washington
city, at cost of not over 1925 900, with IS ,0G0
for fitting up the bank building for the use of
the Court of Claims; to establish an additional
naval observatory, 90.
The silver bill was then taken up. and MIR.
Christiancy offered an amendment, making the
silver dollar 434 grains. and then addressed the
Senate in opposition to the Bland bill.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
In the House of Representatives, a petition
from thirty thousand women, preying for TOM
perance legislation. was presented by Mr.. Frye,
of Maine, aod referred
Tie whiskey bill OF Mr.. Tucker, permitting
the retention in bonded warehouses of whiskey
till July IS was considered in COMMITTEE CT the
Whole.
Messrs Tucker and Cabel, of Va, spoke in
favcr Of the bill.
An amendment declaring it intxpedept to
reduce the tax Oh whiskey was carried-l34 to
95, the republicans voting solid for the amend
ment, while the democrats were divided or ab
sent.
NOTES.
There was marked absence OF visitors, lob
byiss and such on the floor Of the House to-
day. Indeed there were scarcely any outsiders
at all thore. The galleries, however, We full.
The order in the House was scarcely better
than usual.
10 the House OF Representatives, yesterday,
MIR. Hunton presented tho papers relating to
the claim Of Ellen G. Slaymaker, which wero
referred to the Committee ou War Claims.
10 the executive session Of the Senate yes.
tcrday the nomination Of II. W. Hilliard, Of
Georgia, for minister to Brazil, was reported
favorably from the Committee on Foreign Re.
Iations.
The Cab;oet has decided that the coinage Of
the trade dollar should be resumed at the Phil
adelphia mint.
The Banking and Currency Committee of
the U. 8. House OF Representatives has adopt.
ed resolution providing for stopping the coin
age of the silver twenty cent piece.
10 the u. s. Senate yesterday 40 amend
nent TO The Silver bill was reported from the
Finance Committee so aS to provide that the