The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-04-24
MvTH CONGRESs--secondS Session

NGRESS--SecOndS Session.
WASHINGTON, April 90, 1878.
SENATE.
1[r. Wallace, OF Pennsylvania, presented
two petitions from citizens OF Pennsylva-
MIA fayoring Government aid in the con-
struction of the Texas Pacific railroad. Re-
ferred to the Committee on Railroads.
Mr.. Johnston, Of Virginia, presented
resolution Of the Richmond Chamber OF
Commerce favoriDg a uniform tax on I'M
ported sugar and molasses. Referred to
Committee of Finance.
Also resolutions OF the Norfolk and
Portsmouth Cotton Exchange favoring the
acknowledgment buoy. Referred to same
committee.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The protest which Mr.. Cox, of New York,
presented on Monday against the passage OF
the river and harbor appropriation bill
under 4 suspension OF the rules occupied
the whole of to-day's session, and gave rise
to one Of the noisiest and most tumultuous
scenes that the House has ever witnessed.
There was no ill-feeling manifested on the
part OF anyone, but the proceedings were
Very disorderv.
Mr.. Reagan, OF Texas, chairman OF the
Committee OH Commerce, defended the ac-
ton Of that committee in the course IL had
pursued in reference to the bill. He showed
that every river and harbor bill passed in
the House in the last sixteen or eighteen
wears had been passed under suspension
of the rules. He denied that there had been
anv log-rolling resorted to, and asserted
that many who had signed the protest had
done so because the committee had not re-
commended for their own districts as large
amounts as they had demanded.
A call was made on Mr.. Reagan for the
names of the members referred to, but he
defined to give them.
Mr.. Ellis, of Louisiana, however, an.
nounccd himself rs one OF the members
alluded to, but denied that in his opposition
to the bill he was act,lated by any SUCH mo-
tiycs. AS an instance OF the reckless man
ner in which the bill provided for internal
improvements, he referred to two rivers IN
Pennsylvania which were so inconslderable
that the Speaker, a native of that State, had
never heard of them.
This allusion brought out Mr.. White, OF
PENNSYLVANIA. on whose suggestion these
rivers had been put in the bill, and who de-
scribed these rivers rs important links IN
the navigation. OF the Allegheny and Ohio
rivers; and, on the other side, MeSsrs.
Wright and Bridges, OF the same State, who
ridlculed them as trout-streams in the Ale
ghany mountains.
The Speaker, not being willing to be
placed in wrong position, corrected Mr..
Ellis, and said that his remark had been
that the streams were not navigable.
Mr.. Cox spoke of Kentucky river, pro-
vided for 10 the bill, as one which could
only be made thoroughfare by being mac
adamized, and alluded to other rivers as
streams that {" could not afford dam by a
mill-site, and could not afford mill by a
damn sight" :,
Finally, after fve-hours' session, the
House by vote OF $50 to 60 refused to en-
terrain the protest as a question OF privl-
lege.
On motion OF Mr.. Hunton, Of Virginia,
the bill removing the political disabilities Of
Thomas L. Moore, OF Virginia, was passed.
Mr.. Durham, Of Kentucky, reported that
the Conference Committee on the deficiency
bin for additional clerks In the Treasury
Department had agreed upon compromise,
and their report was accepted.