The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-14
FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
THE PREsIDENTIAL INVESTIGATION
OPENED IN THE HOUSE ny A
RESOLUTION OFFERED
ny MIR. POTTER.
The Postefiice Appropriation Bill in the
Senate.


Finance. :.
The usual number of memorials and peti..
tiOns were introduced and referred. Most OF
them had reference to the tariff
Mr. COnover, from the Committee on Post
office and Post Roads, reported an amend
ment to the postoffice appropriation, author
izing the Postmaster General 70 contract Tor
ocean mail service between the United States,
China and Japan, at rate not exceeding
thirty dollars per mile per annum, for term
of ten years. Laid on the table.
Mr.. Morrill, presented o memorial signed
the repeal Of the eight-hour law, or else that
the 20 per cent paid through its effect to me-
ehanics in the employ Of the government be
taken from the salaries Of members OF Con-
gress. Referred to the Committee on Educa-
ton and Labor.
On motion Of Mr.. Sargent q bill for the re-
lief OF certain settlers on public lands, and to
provide for repayment OF certain fees and
commissions paid on void entries of public
lands, was taken up and passed
On motion of Mr.. Morgan resolution in
troduced by him touching the relations of the
United States with the Republic Of Mexico,
was taken up and made the special order for
Several bills of private nature were taken
up and passed.
The morning hour having expired the Sen
ate took up the PostOffice appropriation bill.
Mr.. Dorsey, who reported the bill, briefly
explained th8 action Of the committee. The
bill, as 1t came from the House, appropriated
$685. lac, 900. and the committee had increased
this amount to $33996,000 which was 50, 49,
600 less than the estimates and 100000 less
than the appropriation of last year. The
most important amendment proposed was
in relation to compensation to railroads, which
had been increased $53,5oO In the matter OF
letter carriers the committee had added $780,
900, making the amount the same as 1t was
three years ago. This he said, was about
the only bureau Of the postO1ice department
that was self-sustaining. The surplus offour
cities was $4,000, which covered the def
ciences and lett surplus of 100000. The
letter-carriers' system had not been extended
to any new cities for the past three years
The committee also recommended an increase
OF $50, 600 for railway postal clerks, which was
less than the department thought it could get
along with.
The bill was then read by paragraphs. and
the amendments prep sed by the committee
were agreed TO, until the railroad mail ser
vice allowing the superintendent SIS per day
while actively employed in the service was
reached. After short discussion all OF the
commuters amendments were agreed to.
Mr.. Maxey offered an amendment to the
bill authorizing the POstmaster-Gcneral to
establish q direct mail communication semi
monthly between the United States and Bra
I'll by means of two monthly lines, one be-
tween New York and Rio JanerO via Calves
ton, and the other between New Orleans and
Rio Janeiro via Galveston, The compensa,,
ton Is limited to $50 per mile per annuln, and
the distance shall not be computed to exceed
5000 miles. The steamships .are required to
be of not less Than 5000 tons burden, Ameri-
can built and owned, and constructed OF iron.
capable of making thirteen nautical miles per
hour, and 50 constructed as to be adapted to
the armed naval service Of the United States
in case. of war. The steamships employed in
this service are to be exempt from all port
charges and custom-house dues, provided
similar immunity is granted by the govern
ment Of Brazil.
Mr.. Edmunds made a point Of order that
the twenty-ninth rule prohibited the reception
of an amendment which proposes, general
legislation to any appropriation bill.
Pending further discussion on the point OF
order, the Senate, on motion of Mr.. Dorsey
at :05 y. m. adjourned.
The House.
The Speaker announced the first business
in order to be the unfinished business Of Sat
urday, which was the bill to regulate inter
State commerce, and upon which the main
question was ordered.
Mr.. Reagan moved TO reconsider the vote
ordering the main question.
The Speaker felt 1t his duty to advise the
House that III the motion to reconsider pre-
vailed, the bill would lose its special charac-
ter and go over until tomorrow.
The motion to reconsider prevailed, and the
bill went over.
Mr.. Conger, Of Michigan, inquired if it
would be In order to strike out the enacting
clause.
The Speaker said it would not now.
Under the regular Mondays call Of States,
the following, among other bills, were intro
duced and referred:
Ry Mr.. Tapham OF New York: Authorizing
the President, IL he deems it necessary, to in
crease the effective force of the army during
the recess of Congress by the enlistment OF
$4,000 volunteers, to be Used In case OF hostili-
ties on the part OF Sitting Bull.
By Mr. Makey, of Pennsylvania: A Joint
resolution OF the Pennsylvania Legislature,
in favor OF the passage OF the Texas Pacific
Railroad bill
By Mr.. Acklen, of Louisiana: Authorizing
accept medal and decoration from the
President OF the French republic.
By Mr.. Whitthorne, of Tennessee: Author
izing the retention on the pay-rols OF en-
ployees in United States navy yards who
may have become sick, or met with an accl-
dent while in the discharge of their duty.
By Mr.. Harris, Of Illinois: To authorize
and require the heads of executive depart
ments Of the government to attend sessions
of the House; to have seats arranged for
them on the floor, and to participate in de-
bates on matters affecting their respective
departments.
BY Mr.. Morgan of Illinois: To prevent the
introduction OF Texan and Mexican cattle In
the States of Missouri and Nebraska during
the summer mouths.
BY Mr.. Williams OF Illinois: To organize
the National Labor Association OF the United
States.
The morning nour having eSpiled, WI l.
Stephens, of Georgia, moved to suspend the
rules and pass bill to retire the five and
three cent silver coins now In use, and making
subsidiary silver coins a legal tender to the
amount of $40. The rules were suspended
and the bill passed.
THE FLORIDA INVESTIGATION.
MIR. Potter, of New York, rose to q ques
ton of privilege, and presented ,prea'nbl,
and resolution based upon the resolutions d
the Legislature of the State of Maryland
in relation to the presidential title. The, pre-
amble recites that the State Of Maryland
through her Legislature, has declared tha
vote of that State by reason of fraudulen
votes cast in Florida and Louisiana; that thu
affidavit of L.. d. McLin, lately published
showed gross frauds in the State OF Florid'
State, and E. +. No,es, now United States
Minister TO France, was party to said al
legged fraudulent RET urns. It recites further