Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-18
CONGRESSIONAL.
The Legislative Appropriation Bill In
the HOuse Again-A Mississippi River
Improvement Bill Passed-The
Political Assessment Bill the
Theme Of the House,
The Military Academy Bill Occupies the
Attention Of the Senate, with Little
Progress Made-A Proposition to
Tunnel Detroit River Favor
ably Reported upon.

WASHINGTON, June 17.-Mr. Atkins re-
ported back tie legislative Apr opristion bill
and senate amendments thereto, with report
recommending concurrence IN some and non.
concurrence in others. Report agreed to.
The judicial expense bill WAS received from
the senate and referred to the com mittee on
appropriations.
Mr., Aoklep, from the committee on com
merce, reported a joint resolution authorizing
a survey of the Mississippi river near Lake
Concordia, Louisiana, in order to protect the
harbors of Natchez and Vidalia. Passed.
Mr. Atkins submitted the report of the
conference committee on the JOINT resolution
repeating certain clauses OF the sundry civil
appropriation bills, approved Marchs3, 1879
The report was agreed to.
The house then resumed the consideration,
in the morning hour, OF the bill prohibiting
political assessments.
Mr.. Conger opposed the bull as an infa-
NOUS political proposition. 1t was the most
Infamous attack ever made au any political
party in the house. In conclusion he ex-
pressed the hope (ssreasiically) that he had
said pothing In the least offensive to the
other side. Laughter.
Mr.. Aeklen-EyerythIng you say Is gener-
ally offensive.
Mr.. Conger (contemptuously)-A the
gentleman from Louisiana has expressed an
opinion of my remarks.
maintain it.
Mr.. CoDger-I am very grateful to the
gentleman for disagreeing with me; 1T will
raise me in the estimation of my constituents
and of all northern gentlemen.
Mr.. M Lane replied to Mr.. Conger and
said that if ne had ever been disposed to
have any respect for the political professions
of the gentleman from Michigan, or of his
political associates, he might be somewhat
surprised at the manner in which this bill had
been received by him lCongerI and them.
Whatever of political prestige and
power the Republican party had arose
from the very corruption which 1t had fas-
tened upon the country from Illicit and i'm
proper use and abuse OF Federal patronage,
ton made to the bill. If it had not been for
the political abuses practIced by the Repub-
lican party In that direction, It would not
to-day have possession OF the executive OF
the country, and yet the gentleman from
Michigan turned his face to the Democratic
side of the house, and talked about infamous
propositions. If he 'Lanel could find in
the whole political lite of the President of
the United States $50 calleG), as the gentle
men were II the habit of styling him, a po-
litical trait more honorable than another, it
was his protested desire to reform public SER
vice, He had listened in Management to the
claim of political virtue made on the other
party in the country SO far removed beyond
the right to make such claim great In
euormlty beyond the fraud OF the electoral
commission -(monstrous as that fraud was)
was the hahitual political corruption which
the Republicans had forced upon the country.
Mr.. Couger said that he had endeavored
to express his idea of this caucus bill as the
most Infamous measure ever presented by a
polical party.
Mr.. Hostetter-It is not caucus bill.
Mr.. ConRer Cncredulously)- sir, not
Democrat in this house has ever dared to
breathe without Q caucus permission. Ao
Democrat goes 10 or out, eats, drinks, or
sleels llaughterl without permission OF the
caucus. the country knows 1t, and he Is a
| bold man who dares deny it.
Mr.. HOstetter-l deny it.
Mr.. Conger-Then the gentleman is bold
man. Laughter That this is an infamous
| measure is not denied, and dare not be denied
| by any man who circles around the point oil
sanity laughter ]. and pretends to be within
| its influence. What does the bill do? Ii
prevents any free American citiaep, who
holds any Office under the government, from
contributing In any way, by money, by labor,
| or by stump speech, to carry out his political
views. Is not that infamous9 There are one
hundred and twenty thousand disabled SOL
| diers, claimants for pensions, to whom this
| law would apply, and who would be prohib
tied even from circulating posters for pc.
l1tical meeting. l call it 'infamous!
IF l could think of word more
damning [laughterl, l would use it,
but no such word occurs to me. Jeers OF
the Democratic sidel. Do the gen tlemea OF
that side CRY Bah? Have l found the los
sheep9 [Laughterl. Do you think that you
can fetter the free people of the north By
such an infamous law as thisP Do you thini
that such a law could be enforced in north
ern State? 1t is an infamous law agains
the rights of the people. When the gentle
man from Maryland 'Lanel attacks tn
Republican party he does US in the northern
States benefit that he wots not of. We ar
grateful to him for it. He and other mem
bers on that side who represent the ''soli,
SOUTH are ding more than they know of t
make north SO solid, so invincible, so un
yielding, that when the ides of NoVembe
come again for an ELECTION for the house tn
supporters of southern rebellion and south
ern secession will be ID a hopeless minorit
here, and the people shall again rule. an
justice shall again return to these halls, an
no more SUCH infamous bills as this will b
reported. tApplause on the ReDublical
sidel.
Mr.. M'Lane said the gentleman fror
Michigan made a great mistake about tb
bill. It In nowise invaded the rights of tn
people, north or south. 1t was intended
deal with one great source of political COZ
ruption.
Mr.. DunnelI-When the Democratic part
was In power did 1t ever propose to pass sue
bill?
MIR. M'Lane-When we get into powe
again
Mr.. DunnelI-That is too far in the future
Laughter on the Republican side.l
Mr.. MLane-When we get into powe
again, if you put this law on the statute
book we will be obliged to follow 1t.
Mr.. Dunnell-You will repeal it at th
| first session.
Mr.. M'Lane proceeded to argue that u
greater source of corruption existed In tn
country than that of the assessment
office holders. Il was the meanest vice b
eyer heard Of in IporSls to tag office holder
lConger and every other man who entere
public life ought to take out of his ow
pocket. He asserted that FIVE thousand do
lars had been sent into the State of Michlgs
by the National Republican executive con-
mittee. How much had gone into the di
trict of the gentleman from Michigan [Col
!; gerIP
MIR. Conger-Not a cent.
Mr.. M Lane thought that perhaps the gel
tleman dare not avow it, because he kne
that no man ought to hold a seat where
money had been used in procuring 1t. (
o | explained, in answer to questions, that Il
|. bill did not intend to apply to, and d
a | not apply 10 pensioners or tie COVER
3 ment, but did apply to all the great Co
: tractors with the government who hi
been assessed for the past fifteen veal
The gentleman must have done himst
great injustice when he talked about the i
Y reference with something that he wanted
Y do. Though he [M'Lanel had never Civ
i the slightest consideration to professions
y political rectitude and morality, yet this "
}. the first time he had ever heard a man Rlor
o ing in his own shame and intamY. A
plause on the Democratic side Never /
fore had he heard either a Republican OIL
st Democrat stand up and avow himself
d champion and defender of political corfu
ss ton and vice. He had never known a m