The Portland daily press., 1878-06-03
XLVth C C0ngress.ReguIar Sess ion
SENATE.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, June /.
On motion of Mr. Hamlin, the Senate took up the
concurrent resolution regarding the final adjourn.
ment of Congress, and after discussion the amend
ment Of the House fixing June 18th as the date Of
final adjournment was concurred in yeas 38 nays II.
MIR. Anthony moved to lay it on the table until
next week. A lengthy debate followed until the ex-
piration of the morning hour. when the unfinished
to the fishery award was taken up and motion OF
Mr. Edmunds it was laid the table for the present
that the adjournment resolution might beconsdered
| Mr.. Voorhees, moved to amend so as to fix the
date June 25th. 1t was rejected yeas IT, nays 38.
Mr.. Thurman argued that if the award had beer
reasonable we should have heard no question as to
whether two or three commissioners agreed to it
He referred to the Geneva tribunal and said by its
rulings it defined classes of losses to be paid with
absolute certainty. 1t now turned out that the
amount OF damage did not reach fifteen and a hall
millions dollars by seven million dollars and all
claims had been paid 1t seemed to him we ought
not to be very particular in looking into amounts
He rather thought the true course was to do what
Great Britain did with us-without comment she
paid the amount of the Geneva awards aud it would
be more consistent for to pay this amount without
questioning the award that was the most dgnifed
course for great nation like the United States and
when the time arrived to extent fishery provision of
treaty the United States could say this award was
no precedent for payment of five and half m iion
dollars, and that if England insisted upon that sum
money grudgingy like begging Great Britain to give
up part of it did not seem to him consistent With
the dignity and character Of great nation. He
agreed that the Halifax award was wrong-that it
was grossly wrong in amount, but Great Britain no
doubt thought the Geneva award wrong in amount
ask us to throw Of little.
Mr.: Edmunds said for the time being he would
withdraw the amendment submitted by him yester-
day in regard to termination of the fishery privilege
Mr.. Merrimon said if by advertence the Geneva
tribunal had paid too much money to the United
States he for one would vote to return it. He did
not concur in what was said by the Senator from
Ohio (Thurman.) He was not prepared to say that
too much money had been paid. There was large
number of claimants for this money which the legis
ation of Congress had far excluded, and if they
should be admitted he was not SO sure there would
it proper for legislative department Of this
government to declare it was not satisfied with the
award.
Mr.. Blaine said he would support the report made
by the committee on foreign relations though he
would be glad ii some amendment were made to it
and he hoped to be able to show that in the treaty
Washington was treaty of a singularly onesided
character, aud Great Britain gained decided ad-
yyasntagss BY it. He referred to the three rules
before the Geneva tribunal in regard to neutrality
privateers &C., and said that up to this time Great
Britain had refused to join with the United States in
asking g other , maritime powers to agree to those
support him he proposed to have official information
as to what had passed between this government and
Britain never paid fifteen and half million dollars
| in so good an investment as that awarded by the
Geneva tribunal. By the payment she gained
practically in all her contest with European powers.
The Russians were spied now if the ylOaded the
coast OF Maine or if they bought vessels in New York
SO that in case OF war between Great Britain and
Russian, instead of Great Britain doing the watch-
ing we would have to do it.
MIR. Hoar spoke OF the honor attaching to all
engaged in the negotiation OF the treaty OF Washing
ton which established the great prime iple of arbra-
ton and the mistake of few million dollars in the
fishery award was trifing matter compared with
the great principle of arbitration between nations
The Senate in dealing with this question should do
arbitration should be preserved and not be dis
future.
Mr.. Howe had no doubt that the award was ex-
travagant but he would not make face about pay
ing 1t because 1t was large. If it the judgement
Of the tIitgnal according to law, he would submit
according to law, he would stand by the law.
Mr. Conkling said that one of the great products of
modern civilization was the treaty of Washington.
By it group Of questions raised from the TO-
rum OF force to be settled by reason. Referring to
the fishery question he said the two nations agreed
submit that oarbitration and act had been done
called an award. If that was an award it was not
worth while to make wryfaces about its paymeut it
was not award if it void for want of concur
renee, fit was jursdctionally wrong, and utterly
null, he would say 30.
Mr.. Edmunds (sotto voce)-That is it,; that states
it exactly.
Continuing his remarks Mr.. Conkling said that
although this might be an award in form, if it
exor6ltant So grossly and garingy so, as to Imply
properly and we were to pay it, let us pay it in
manner in which great nation should discharge an
obligation. Other things could be done afterwards
but he would deal with them by themselves. He
would not make tender to Great Britain and say
there is the money, but 1t You take it we will not
abide by the treaty. Such action would be simply to
brandish in the face of Great Britain the intention
upon our part upon her receipt of this money to do
thing we could not do now: Should this resolu-
ton reported by the committee on foreign relations
never pass the Senate, he was not prepared to saw
any harm would come oft. The resolution did not
appropriate the money.It was mere manifesto and
OF 1CSel1 nal no DldCtcal eject. He WOuld
the resolution.
The debate was continued at some length.
, Mr Hamlin said it was not his intention to call up
the bill appropriating money to pay the award
Immediately upon the disposal of The concurrent
resolution now under consideration, but thought it
would be called up in a few d ays.
The motion of Mr.. HamIin to amend the amend
ment OF MIR. Edmunds SO as to refer the subject to
the judiciary ittee, was agreed to.
The amendment of Mr.. Edmunds, as amended by
Mr.: Hambn, was rejected-yeas II, nays 28.
. Mr. Merrimon submitted an amendment in the ma
the government of the United States is not satisfied
with the award purI oring to have b. made by the
Halifax commission, and respectfully dissents from
and excepts to the same, on the ground that said
award was not duly made, not being Joined in BY
Commissioner Kellogg; that the sum Of money SO
awarded is grossly exorbtant and greatly beyond
any sum anticipated by the government of Great
Britain or the United States in Submitting the mat
@ ter 70 "a Ssrbitraon and further requesting the Pres-
dent OF the United States to bring the question to the
attention of the British government and invoke due
consideration of the same.
AFTER Drlel depate, and at the request of several
Senators, Nr. MerrimOn withdrew his amendment
Mr.. Edmunds submitted an amendment, .sThat in
the judgment OF the two Houses the provisions of ar
ticles IL and 81 Of the treaty between the United
States and the government Of Great Britain, con-
cuded the 9Th day of May 1871, ought to be termn-
ated at the earliest day consistent with the provision
OF article 33 of said treaty.
In explanation of the amendment, Mr. Edmunds
said that the eighteenth article gave us right of in
shore fishing, and the other article gave Her
Majestys subjects right bring fish into the United
States free OF duty.
Mr.. Oglesby opposed the amendment, and during
his remarks SAID he had hoped Canada would at
some time peacefully become part of the United
States but this award business would sow the seeds
OF hate and the result would be that Canada would
become part OF the United States by force. He
characterized the award as outrage and said the
british people knew to-day that il was an outrage
he argued that the Geneva award was less than we
should have received; that England perpetrated
damages upon us to the extent of hundred million
dollars dollars during the war. She prolonged the war
msied nrs aud deceived the South and pilfered and
psh i; Empire as she deals with Russia. Deal with
,i igisI people as their equals in power and civiiza-
Canada Se!a, Ine right of civilization the Dominion of
" Ia peiongs under the protection and under cover
OF the american flag. He predicted that troube
dseng was TO grow out Of this matter.
Edmunds was adopted and Concurrent resolution an.
proving the recommendations of the committee that
the President be authorized to nav fbe award attar
further correspondence with Great Britain If he shall
deem that national honor demands it, ir was agreed
to as amended by Mr.. Edmunds. Senate at six
thirty adjourned.
HOUSE.
Bill passed giving circuit courts jurisdiction in
writs of error in all criminal cases tried before dis
rict courts when the penalty in confinement in the
penitentary or Jail and when the fine exceeds S.
000 VIZ
Bill to divide Colorado into three judicial districts
passed.
Geneva award bill was made special order for the
nfst Wednesday of next term
Ihe Dill amending the internal revenue law5 was
sections the House adjourned.