The Portland daily press., 1878-06-18
XLVth Congress-Regular Session
SENATE.

The bill to amend the statutes In relation to pat
ents was postponed till next session.
Mr.. Thurman introduced bill to repeal sections
800 and SO of the Revised Statutes in regard to
challenging jurors in the United States courts who
have taken up arms against the government and
providing that jurors in such courts should toke the
iron clad oath. Referred to the judiciary committee
Mr.. Conkng. from the judiciary committee, re-
ported an amendment to the sundry civil bill ap-
propriatng 100000 to defray the expenses of the
u. 3. courts.
The Senate after brief discussion passed without
amendment the bill to reorganize the lite saving
service and it now goes to the President for his sig
nature.
Senate by yeas "a, nays 30, refused to reconsider
the vote by which the joint resolution in regard to
the eight hour law was postponed until next session.
Mr.. Cameron of Pennsylvania submitted the fol-
lowing:
Resolved, That the committee on education and
labor be instructed to enquire into the industrial
condition OF the country the extent, nature and
causes OF the depression of business and enforced
idleness of labor and what remedies. if any, be
provided by national legislation, and also into the
expediency of providing permanent bureau in one
OF the executive departments for the purpose of
gathering and publishing statistics of national in
dustries, and the committee report by bill other
wise. Agreed to.
Mr. Herman called up the motion entered Satur-
day by Mr.. Conkng reconsider the vote by which
the bill legalizing the collection Of certain head
moneys was passed, which led to lengthy debate.
The question laid aside and the Senate took up
the sundry civil appropriation bill, which approprl-
ates total of So $50, 62O.34.
Mr.. Gordon desired the indulgence of the Senate to
pass several bills to remove political disabilities,
some of which have not yet been reported from the
judiciary committee, but he said there was no OBJ
Mr. Davis of Illinois opposed the consideration of
any bill not yet reported from the committee, and
duiing his remarks said he was willing to vote for
general law removing the political disabilities from
everybody i'll the South.
The Senate refused to consider the bills yet pend
| ing before the judiciary committee.
Mr.. Window reported the sundry civil appropra-
ton BILL and the Senate Immediately proceededwth
| its consideration. Mr.. Window said the total
amount appropriated by the bill as it passed the
House Of Representatives was SIG s47 ,275. The
priaions was s4Sls making the total as the
| bill now stood $20S66 $780, 80. The total amount
appropr1aatted BY the suadry civil bill for 1873
| year were $27, 937, 1885, The Senate committee had
added $1,000 for public works and $1573,964 for
various deficiencies $,000,O0O of which required
for the postofce department. He had read letter
| from the Postmaster General recommending the
| appropriation. There was another deficiency of
for the contingent expenses of the House and Senate.
Another item appropriated $13 800 to indemnify the
late war; and another appropriated $4,000 for the
| deficiency in the Indian service. Tor the public
| buildings at Boston, Philadelphia, Cincinnati st.
Louis and Chicago the committee had added 100000
for each city to the 100000 for each city appropri
| ated in the House bill. The committee had also
recommended an appropriation Of $275,OOo to pur-
chase the Freedmen's bank building in the city of
Washington. and $450,O00 for the north wing of the
new War, Navy. and State DEPARTMENT building,
/ believing it to be better to complete that building
| than to pay for other buildings. The government
was paying now $l27,OOo for rent of buildings in
Washington. Of the other amendments added by
| the committee were the following: $15o,OO0 for
League Island navy yard; $780, 900 for The dry dock
at California; $4,000 for light houses and $751; GOO
for Rock Island arsenal
The various amendments reported by the commit
| mittee on appropriations were then agreed to.
The committee on appropriations reported an
| amendment for the expenses and compensation OF
the commission appointed by the President to go to
Louisiana, $4,000 or so much thereof may be nee
| essary.
Mr. Spencer said he was astonished and surprised
that the committee on appropriations should recon-
nnnhar n,rtof of lie hn Obi Of
| this commission was to overturn the legal govern
| ment of Louisiana.
mended by the President OF the United States, and
also by the Secretary of the Treasury 1t was also
stated there precedents for such appropriation.
The committee had therefore agreed to report it to
the Senate for such light as the senator from Ala
bama or any other senator could throw upon it.
Mr.. Spencer then sent to the clerks desk and had
| read published statement of the expenses of the
| Il, uisiana commission.
| Mr.. Hereford inquired of the chairman of the
committee on appropriations if he approved these
items.
| Mr.. Window replied he never saw the statement
The committee could not examine all these docu-
bill. : ~ ' ~ ~e-->-'- ''''- '''''
Mr.. Hereford inquired if the senator (Windom> was
willing to pay that amount for putting Packard out
and Nichols in.
Mr.. Window replied he would not pay cent 1t
very worthless job. Didn't the senator (Here-
ford consider that the results accomplished were of
| some value to the Democratic party?
MerefOrdMo tda in that way ;s ytho oomtt
1
any law under which this so-called commission went
| out.
Mr.. Window replied there were a good many ap-
preparations in the bill not expressly authorized by
| law.
:, Mr.. Conkling demanded the yeas and nays on the
the amendment and said he would vote no. In
Louisiana the condition of things existed which &C.
cordng othe tution and statutes passed in pur-
| suance thereof summoned the President of the
United States TO answer one question, and that was
whether Packard was or was not the legal governor
of that commonwealth. He (Conkling) would not
IN thorr ba
himself Of the tourists visitors to answer that
question: The commission sent to Louisiana was
dressed the President Il was told to wes un
on other grounds and in other ways. This so-calied
dongs in violation of law. If anybody borrows
| from national bank or any other bank, money to
embark in this enterprise it was not the business OF
the Senate to insert provision in the appropriation
bill to do that which would hereafter be claimed to
legallze it. He hoped the orevty with which he had
doubted right of the President to decide whether
troops should be employed in Louisiana or not but
he did say to the Senate that the sending of the five
tourists or visitors to Louisiana and allowing them
to remain there to consummate that which they did
was in his Judgment not only behind the law but be-
| side the law and in violation of the law. =
MI Thurman commended it was the duty of the
President at the time to find out what government
he was to recognize, it being in the vocation of Con-
| gress.
| Debate was continued by Messrs Mcmillan.
| Eustis, Kellogg and others over the condition Of
affairs in Louisiana at the time the commission
Finally Mr., Window endeavored to withdraw the
| amendment, several Senators objected and Mr.
Anthony, in the chair, ruled that the amendment
could not be withdrawn except by unanimous con-
! sent.
Mr. Blaine said he did not think the President had
any right to send five men to New Orleans to toll off
enough men from the lawful legislature to recognize
| Mr. Nichols as governor He (Baine) made use of
remark in the Senate three days after Mr.. Hayes
was inaugurated which had become historical to the
effect that if the President was elected Packard was
| elected, and there was one to throw a doubt on
Gov. Packard's title except Hayes himself There
was no effort at all made by the commission to get
| legislature to recognize Packard Now there was
demand that the men who threw into chaos the
affairs Of Louisiana, the who were the authors
OF all the mischief enacted since should be paid for
| it. He for one would not vote for such an amend
ment.
After further discussion Mr.. Sargent moved to lay
| the amendment the table, and it was agreed to-
| yeas 32. nays %, as follows:
| Yeas-Messrs. Allison, Barnum, Beck Booth,
Baine Conkling. Davis of ILL.,, Dorsey, Eaton,
Eustis, Hereford, ingalls,, Jones of Florida Johns
M a. meos tc MeGe MGrr Me9an M6sPherson
Plumb, Randolp, Rollins, Sargent, Spencer, Teller,
| White, Window and Wlthers.
Nays-Messrs. Anthony Armstrong, Bailey, Bay
ard, Burnside Butler, Chrstiancy, Coke,
Dawes, Gordon, Harris, Hill. Hoar, Lamar,
| Saunders, VOORHEES,, and Wallace,
| Messrs Thurman and Grover announced they
were paired on all political questions with Edmunds
and Chaffee and this being regarded as political
| question they did not vote The other amendments
| OF the committee were agreed to.
| Mr.. Ferry from the conference committee on the
revenue item in the post route bill urned the
House reported that the committee had been unable
to agree and new conference was ordered.
! Senate went into executive session and sub
| sequenty took a recess till O'Clock.