The Portland daily press., 1878-02-28
XLVth Congress-Regular Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, RED ~.
A petition of the citizens of Cape Cod enonstrat-
ing against the passage of the bill to organize coast
guard and life saving service was tabled.
MIR. Sargent said the reports of life saving service
emanat1ng from the Treasury Department showed a
dgracefu state of ineficency in the service 1t is
well known that in instances where officers and
of the present life saving service were in sight
Of vessels needing relief they afraid to man The
boats and other persons had come forward and per-
formed the service. Persons were appointed now to
pie ase political friends and not account of their
fitness for the work. He thouhht sailors accustomed
to the sea and used to military discipline would i'm
prove the service.
MIR. Dawes, from the Committee on Public Build
ings, reported bill for continuing the work of i'm
proving the Capitol grounds and asked its present
consideration
1t led to some discussion during which Mr.. Conk-
ling spoke of the repeated changes made in improv-
ing the Capitol grounds and said the late board of
public works in Washngton-that stalking horse for
vtuperation which he had heard denounced often
had done what he had done in the vicinity of
this building, his impression that the country
would not be big enough to hold the noise.
The bill was passed.
The President pro tenn submitted communi,a-
ton from the Secretary of War in reply to Senate
Major George X. Warren Of the engineer corps, in
regard to the improvement of the Providence river
and Narragansett bay railway. Referred to the
The Chair laid before the Senate the House bill to
amend Sect 77s OF the Revised Statutes. which pro-
vides that whenever vacancy in the office of pen
sion agent occurs by DEATH resignation OF delay in
qualifying after appointment, the President may. if
he deems it necessary, appoint some person to per-
form the duties OF pension agent for sixty days
until the vacancy be filled in the regular way
Inexplanation Of the bill Mr. Ingalls, said the PEN
| sion agency at New York city became vacant and
Gen. Coster had been appointed, but was unable to
give bond OF $25OOoO The payment of pensions at
New York should commence Monday next, and the
object Of the bill was to allow porary appoint
| Messrs. Conkling and Edmunds objected to the
passage Of the bill on the ground that it virtually
placed in the hands of the President of the United
States the appointment of pension agents throughout
the country without the advise and consent Of the
/ Senate.
After some discussion the bill was laid aside and
the Senate resumed the bill authorizing long bond
After taking up the long bond bill Mr.. Wallace
said this bill does not change the form of funded
in the bill, one to provide fund for the Investment
Of the earnings of the poorer classes The argument
for this is the insolvency OF savings banks recent
| use ofour public debt a fund for that purpose.
Pending the discussion the bill was laid aside tenn
porariy and the bill in regard to the payment Of
pensions in New york city was again considered
Mr.. ingalls, to obviate the objections made by the
senator from Vermont Edmunds) and others moved
| the following as a substitute for the House BILL
That whenever during session of the Senate a
vacancy shall occur in the office of pension agent by
reason of resignation, death removal or expira-
lawfully appointed shall have failed to qualify and
assume the duties of such office, the President may,
| when the pnblic exjgency requires, designate any
officer of the United States to perform the duties
SAID ONCE but such designation shall not be for
longer time than twenty days: Any such officer SO
designated shall give bond if required by the Pres.
ident for the faithful discharge of said Duties The
foregoing provisions shall apply to any vacancy
| existing.
Mr.. Sargent submitted the following as an amend
/ ment:
And the Secretary of the Interior shall allow in
the settlement of the accounts of such officer the
necessary expenses incurred by him in the discharge
of his duties under this act.
After short discussion the amendment of Mr.
Sargent was agreed to and the bill read third
| time and passed, yeas 48, nays 8, as f0llOwS
Yeas-Allison, Bailey, Barnum, Bayard. Beck
Booth Cameron OF Wis, Christiancy, Coke, Davi:
of W. Va.,. Dennis, Edmunds Eustis, Ferry, Gar
land, Gordon, Grover, Harris, Hereford, Hill, Hoar
Howe, ingalls,, Johnston, Kellogg, Herman: Kirk
wood, Lamar, McCreery, Mcdonald, Mcmillan, NC
Morrill,, Paddock, Plumb Randolph, Rollins, sar
gent, Salisbury, Saunders, voorhees,, Wallace
Whyte and Withers-4s.
NdyS-Blaine, Chaffee. Conkling, Dorsey, Eaton,
Mitchell, Spencer and Teller-S
Mr.. Edmunds called up the House bill to author
ze special term of the Circuit Court of the United
States for the southern district of Mississippi to be
held at Scranton, jackson county, with the under
standing that it be considered Tomorrow, subject to
the call for the regular order, being bill to author
ize long bond which remains as unfinished bust
| ness.
The Senate then adjourned.
HOUSE.
The Senate bill J aRshaBBRs Of the Revised Statutes
Mr.. Crittenden Of Missouri offered resolution di-
recting the Judiciary Committee to inquire whether
| the Union Pacific Railroad Company has invested
it's funds in stocks bonds or other evidences of the
debt of any other corporation, and if SO in what cor
| poration, and whether said Union Pacific road has
| violated its charter by so doing. Referred.
| Mr.. Banning of Ohio, chairman of the committee
on military affairs reported bill authorizing the
| Secretary of War tosell number of arsenals. Re-
ferred to the Committee of the Whole.
| MIR. Strout OF Minnesota from the same committee
reported back the bill granting right of way to the
| Western Railroad Company OF Minnesota over the
Fort Ripley military reservation. Referred to Com
| mittee of the Whole.
The bill pensioning the soldiers of the Mexican war
| was taken up.
sSMessrs. Brogden and Davis of North Carolina ad-
vocated the bill and the latter denied that it would
place the name of JEFF Davis on the pension rolls.
Mr. Scales criticized the speech made last Monday
by Mr.. Joyce Of Vermont and declared that he him
self reoiced that such sentiments did come from
native born son of America.
MIR. Sinnickson opposed the bill. He was in favor
of pensions to invalid soldiers for those were debts
OF honor but to all others would be insult to Of
ter So month for having fought for the country If
this bill were to pass he would offer an amendment
granting pensions to all soldiers who fought on the
Union side during the rebellion, so as to make no
discrimination between the soldiers of the country
MIR. Burchard opposed the bill, not because the
men who had been disoyal during the late war would
receive its benefits but because he did not think i'm
the present condition of the country Congress should
grant pensions to persons who did not need aid from
the government.
Without action committe rose and the House adj