The Leavenworth weekly times., 1878-03-07
House..

WASHINGTON, February 21-The bill
authorizing the President to review thel
court martial proceedings oi 1854 in the
case OF ex Surgeon, Grneral Hammond. To
annul the same and place DR.. Hammond
on the retired list as surgeon general, but
| without giving him any rights 10 past
present or iulure pay or allowances, passed
| without debate.
| Mr.. .CRlIIENDON Offered a resolution
directing the Judiciary comm,le TO inquire
whether the Eiou Pacih Railroad Com
pany has invested its funds in stocks, bonds
or other evidence OF debt Of any other cor
poration, and if so, in what corporation and
| whether said Union Pacific has violated its
charter by So doing Referred.
Mr.. RAINING, chairman Of the COM
mittee on military affairs, rep r,ed the bill
authorizing the 5 cr,lsTy OF War To sell the
following ordnance establishments: Water
vile arsenal, n. y; Washington arsenal,
District of Columbia; AlIeghany arsenal.
Pennsylvania; rikesyille, Maryiani, and
Nateriown arsenal Mrs. Referred
The bill pen.iUning soldiers Of the N,xi-
can war was then taken up,
Messrs. BRDGDEN aud DAVIS. OF
North Caroliga, advocated the bill, and the
tit bilt Tie
name of JEFF Davis on the pension rolls.
Mr.. SCALES criticised The speech made
last Monday 6y MIR. Joyce, and declared
himself reioiced that such sentiments did
not come IRON a native born son OF Ameri-
ca.
Mr.. SINNICkSON opposed the bill.
He was in favor of pensions to invalid sol
diers, for those were debts oi honor, but to
II l.. 30
a month for having ionght for their coun-
try. Ii this bill were to pas. he would offer
an amendment granting pensions
10 all soi'ii-rs VINO fought on
the Union side during the rebellion, so as
To make DO discrimination between soldier.
0f the country.
MIR. BURCHARD opposed the bill, not
because the man who had been disloyal
during the late war would receive its bene-
his. but b,caUse he Gid not think that in
me present condition Of the country Congress
should grant pensions to persons who did
not need ali from the government.
Mr. MCGOWAN made speech against
the bill, and then, without action, the COM
mittee ruse aud the House adjourned.
WASHINGTON, February sS.-At lao the |
SPEAKER Laid the veto message before |
the Hcuse, and 7 rfect order having been |
eiit cted, ;i,e clerk read il. The Pr. sident |
saws it has been his earnest desire TO concur |
with Congress in the adoption OF measures
to in, rease the silver coinage of the coun- |
try, but so as not to impair the obliga-
tons OF contracts, either public or private, |
nor injuriously affect the public credit. 1t |
was only on the conviction that this bill did !!
moi rne,t fha, essential requirement that he /
felt it his duty to withhold from it his ap |
proval. The message further states that |
the capital detect OF the bill
is that it contains no provision |,
protecting from Its operation, pre-existing
debts in case the coinage which it creates
shall continue Of less value than that which |
was the sole legal tender when they were
created. In the judgment OF mankind il
would be an act OF bad faith. The standard \
of value should no; be changed without the
consent Of both parties to the contract The
national promises should be kept with un-
Ainching fidelity. He could not sign bill