The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-03-08
HOUSE.

Mr.. Hsrtridge, from the Judiciary
Committee, reported back the bill remov-
ing the political disabilities Of Robert ii.
Chiffon, of Georgia. Passed.
The House then considered the def
cheney appropriation bill, the pending
amendment being one offered yesterday
by MIR. Hanna, increasing the number OF
temporary clerks authorized to be EN-.
ployed ia the Treasury Department,
from 20 to So, aud making proper
tionste increase in the amount appropri-
sted for the pay Of such clerks. A dis
cussron ensued as to the relative merits OF
Republican and Democratic Houses in the
matter OF economy.
The amendment offered By Mr. Hanna
was rejected.
Mr.. Baker. of Indiana, offered an
amendment requiring the cIerkships in
all the departments to be distributed
among the citizens of the various States
and Territories in proportion to the pop
ulstion, but on the objection of Mr.. Dur
ham, it was ruled out of order.
Mr.. Cox, of New York, twitted the
Republican side of the House with It's
oppositions 10 reform and economy, and
said that in the first session of the last
Congress there had been reduction OF
$30000,0O0, and in the second session a
reduction OF Sl0,000O00.
Mr.. Foster asserted that the books
showed only q reduction of SlS,OOO,pOO
in the first Congress, and that against
these there was q deficiency OF
S6,0O0,0O0. One item OF $4,000,
for clerks detailed TO investigate
fraudulent land entries and trespasses
on public lands and cases of official mis-
conduct, wa. the subject OF considerable
discussion in connection with the timber
frauds.
After speeches in opposition by Messrs.
Page, Patterson and Hooker, Mr.. Town
send, of New York, ellcidsted the whole
subject by an snecdote OF colored man
in North Carolina who offered very
nicely dressed chicken TO traveller. The
traveller asked him where be got the
chicken. "Are you Northern MANI"
as ked the dsrkey. Yes" "Are you a
friend Of the colored MANI" ayes" "
"WeIl, then, you never ask that question
again" Laughter. So 1t was with
these gentlemen and their constituents.
The Secretary o: the Interior should
never ask them again where they got
their timber. Laughter
Mr.. Foster returned To the question
relative TO the merits of Republican and
Democratic Houses in the matter OF
economy, and asserted that the reductions
made at the second session Of the last
Congress did not exceed Sl2,0O0OOO, in
stead OF the $30000,000 claimed by Mr..
Cox, of New York.
Mr.. Randall Speaker asserted that
the figures given by him IN the last Con-
gress as chairman OF the Committee on
Appropriations, and from which Mr.,
Cox had quoted to-day, were exactly cor
rect, and that the House had succeeded.
notwithstanding the opposition of the
Republican side of the House and Sem
ate, in cutting down the annual appro-
pristions S30,000,000. The Secretary OF
the Treasury himself confessed in his
recent report 10 Congress that the House
was right in that reduction, and claimed
the merit of having, in the clerical ex
penses o! his Department. kept under
the appropriation. The secretary had
also warned the House that il must keep
in that line of economy or else 1t would
be necessary to raise $ll 100000 addition
al from taxation. He hoped the gentle
man from Ohio FOSTER would stand BY
his fellow citizen, the secretary of the
Treasury. There never WAS time
when economy was more necessary In
public expenditures as well as in indi-
vidusl than the present time, when
there was so much distress in the country.
[ Applause.
Alter some further discussion on this
point by Messrs. Randall, Foster
and Cox, the consideration OF
the bill was proceeded with and
finally the committee rose and
reported the bill and it was passed. 1t
appropristes $500 for temporary clerk
in the Treasury; $4,000 for clerks 70 in
vesti gate the fraudulent land entries, &c
$4,000 for clerks in the general land
Office. TO bring into the market public
lands in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi
Alabama and Florida, and $4,000 fol
the heating ard gas Of the pension office