The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-03-15
CoNGnEssIoN.L PROCEEDINGS.


| WAsHrNnroN March IA number of memo.
| rial- were lrtsrntea at,l referred
Mr., Dnvis. Of Ellnois introduced bill for 'he
| better ADMINISTRATION Of justice In the district
| OF Columbia. Referred
and passed number. ."f pension bills
Al ,he suggestion Of Mi Withais, Mr.. Ingalte
| rallad9 NJ the bill granting pension to VIM. B.
Whitieg.
Mr.. Snrpent said that If this rassed n would
| be the first instance in which a pension was
| given to an officer who was already drawing
pay from The government on the retired list
Mr.. Withers maintained that uuder the pro.
visions OF the exis ting law Com. Whiting was
entitled TO tension
Pending further consideration the morning
hour expired.
Mr. voorhees introduced bill to provide for
due anh payable in legal tender notes EXCEPT ia
eases where otherwise specified on The face OF
the contrast Referred
Mr. Matthews then addressed the Senate in
advocacy uf bis substitute for MIR. Dorsey's
Pacific railrpad funding bill. reported by him
On Tuesday. He said thal The bill reported by
Committee on Railroads cover The same ground
end It would be necessary for the Senate to
proposed before taking his seat to move that the
bill of the Railroad Committee be suhstituted
for se ate bill No. IT, the bill from the Judiciary
Mr. aia'thews hen went on to explain the
provisions ut The bill reported by him, and the
effect of the same In relation to previous gis-
laion. He expressed 1t Ms his firm conviction
that The pyts ing contracts with ruals could not
be violated without the consent of The other
party 10 the contract. and the legislation of 1861
and 1854 could not be ahrngated by subsequent
lpgisati n. Thefhll of the J1dieinty Commit
tea, he claimed. was not as wei calou at,l to
promote harmony as hat of the Railroad Com
mittee. or 10 secure y final and equitable settle
ment Of the claims Of the government
Lie maintained that the sinking, fund created
by the Judiciary Committees bill would. at tho
maturity of the bonds. be subject to the prior
len OF the first morteage ,n,s. while the sink
ing iuni proposed by the Rail Dad Committee
ii Iu tlfiti lttstt
the United b atra. The nee essity uf some busi-
ness provision for the future bud been time and
again urged upon the attention & G mgr ss.
anH that an arrangement should ba made on
terms mu ual agf eeab to both parties In in
tersst The lalroad Committee's bill. be held,
was the most likely to secure mutual co opera
ton, and the best to protect the ine esis Of the
government The money to be paid was not to
come out OF the properly of the road. that was
was to come out Of the daily en- Mugs of the
road. derived from the business Of the country.
In other woi ds 1t was a tax levied by Congress-
on the commerce of the country passing over
these roads.
Ii lage and frequent payments were de-
mpnded the roads must increase their charges
upon transportation, thus throwing the burden
upon tue people Was this true po'ic,2 He
thought not, aud said If 1t wore possible for The
benens 70 accrue 20 the proper parties, it
woul be better for the government to abandon
its claim
Mr. Matthews recited numerous authorities to
show tbat power WIS not iuvBstt1ti In tt15 gov
ernment TO annu any portion Of an original
n'ract without the consent of tho companies.
The act Of 1879. authorizing tho Secretary of ths
Treasury TO withhold dues to the com paDy wHs
On attempt TO after the original contract. he
Supreme Coutt had decided that The govern
msnt had not the pOwert to do SO.
Mr. Thurman claimed that the net OF 1878 was
simply an act to make " Gu O to test tho correct
ntRs OF tho construction q tho acts Of 1862 and
1854 In relation to The Withholding OF one. half
of the amount due from ths government 10 the
roads; it was understood to bs test measure
and not an attempt to alter or amend the
orig innl acts, and It wns so state by the court
Mr. Matthews said he was not responsible tor
the opinions entertained by individuals In Con
gress, nor wa he .un,nindtnl OF the language
used by the court, for he had read It, but the act
was legal or iltg i. The Supreme Court had
q ded that the act ordered to be done was not
lawful.
nj. Gordon introduced bill for the construc-
ton Of railroad from Bismarck to the Black
Hills. Referred
that when tho Senate adIourns to-day 1t be to
meet on Monday
Mr.. Rollins asked that the bill to amend the
act for the SUPPORT of the government Of The
District of Columbia tor the year ending June
30, 1879, In relation 10 assessments. be taken up
but objection was made by Messrs. Davis OF
West Virginia, Cock rell Hnd others.
Several senators endeavored to have the bill
TAX en- no, but objection WAS mate.
Mr.. Ogesby moved to take MP The House bill
built ship. for the Woodruff .isntific expedi-
tion around the world, Agreed to.
M IN ad ,has ths tha 1ubtute report
Commerce. and there were FEATURES in the bill
that ought to be discussed. He desired t. make
some remarks on the bill. ant hoped that 1t
would be allowed to 20 over to Monday
After soue opposition to tn. proposition, on
account OF lis conflicting with tie railroad bill,
the senate, at 4:30 y. M, adjourned.
The HOuse.
Mr.. O'Neii. of Pennsylvania. introduced
resolution, which WAS referred to the Commit
T. Q on Public Buildings and Grounds directieg
that committee 10 inquire and report upon the
expedieney Of purchasing Iani for the extern
sion Of the United States mint building In Phil