Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-01-28
FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WAsHISeToS, January %.
Senate.
Second Session.

A large number of bills were introduced
and referred.
James Shields, senator from Missouri, took
the oath of office.
Mr.. Coke presented the petition of the cit.
liens of Texas and other States, favoring the
passage of law comforting authority upon
the court of claims to hear claims of persons
| interested in the fourteen million dollars now
| in the treasury from the sale of captured and
abandoned property in the South during the
war.
Referred to the judiciary committee
Mr.. Sargent called up the bill to abolish
volunteers in the navy of the United States,
and in explanation said its passage would save
considerable sum annually.
Tabled.
Mr.. COnkling submitted a resolution in
structing the committee on revision of laws
to inquire into the expediency of making pro-
vision for publishing the revision of statutes
adopted since the date of the existing re-
vision.
Agreed to-
MIR. Ferry submitted an amendment to the
post office appropriation bill, providing that
persons in railway mail service be divided in
to five classes, to receive compensation $500
$500, $1,000, $1,000, and Sl400 each.
Referred.
4'ii' A'"' gym 'uiitN up inc Dill reported
from the committee on naval affairs, Thurs
day last to abolish volunteers in the United
States navy, and in explanation thereof said
the passage of that bill would save consid-
cradle sum of money annually. 1t would
dispense with the services of number of
medical officers.
The bill passed without discussion
Mr.. Burnside called up the Senate bill ap-
proprlating Sl25,0OO to enable the Secretary
of the Treasury to purchase the land adjacent
to the Custom House in Providence.
Passed.
The Senate took up the bill to pay Warren
Mitchell Sl2S, 692, the proceeds of cotton be-
longing to him, captared by the United States
at Savannah.
The bill having been reported adversely
from the committee on claims, led to a
lengthy discussion. Finally, Mr.. Edmunds
moved it be indefinitely postponed
Rejected.
Mr.. Hill made an eloquent non-partizan
speech, opposing the bill, because he opposed
the payment of all war claims. Government
could not pay all claims without bankruptcy
1t would therefore be unjust to pay any The
republicans said Mitchell was disloyal and
should not be paid, while democrats said the
reverse.
He defined the meaning of loyalty at some
length, saving he knew thousands of men i'm
the South who proclaimed fidelity to the In
ion To the last moment, who fought secession
until it became Il reality, and then submitted
to disunion as they submitted to the death of
their son. The only thing they could do was
to go with them The people of this country
ought to wake up to the conviction that the
late war was an honest war, fought on ac-
count of the conviction that they were right
This perpetual talk about rebels and fidelity
to the Union, did not come from a magnani-
nous spirit. The war is over, union is re-
stored, and it is time we left the passions of
war behind. The married Southern soldier
would never ask Congress for pension, nei-
thcr would his widow or orphan.
They accepted their losses as the penalty
for a failure AS brave men should do. The
sooner the people of the South were taught to
repair their losses by work, by frugalty and
industry, the better it would be for them and
the country. Let the losses of war 90, and
if the people desire to avoid such losses in
the futu.e they must avoid war.
Mr.. Hill said the democratic party was now
about to return full ficdged to power because
the people believe the republican party no
longer deserve to be in power. There are
four things which the democratic party ought
to proclaim to the world and adhere to with
fidelity:
First-He would not pay any war claim
whether the parties were loyal or disloyal.
Sccond-Iie would vote no more public
money or lands to build us railway corpora
tons.
Third-IIc would in good faith pay every
dollar of the public debt, principal and inter-
est in good money of standard value.
FOurth-Ile would live by the constitution
of the country and honesty in its admnistra-
ton.
DO these things, and in his judgment the
child was not born who would witness the
termination of democratic rule in this coun-
try
Mr. Beck in reply defended the claim of
Mr.. MITCHELL and had read the Crttenden
resolutions adopted in 1861, to show war was
not waged for conquest but to preserve the
Union.
Mr. lIamlen moved an executive session.
Agreed to after discussion, the Mitchell
bill to be unfinished business.
On reopening the doors "A message was re-
ccivcd from the house transmitting the testi-
mony taken before the committee of that
body regarding Stanley Matthews.
1t was not laid before the senate by the
Vice President to-day.
\ communication from the postmaster gen.
eral asking for appropriations to supply de-
htltHCics III Ills uePaitHlcht, was laiu DeIoTc
the senate.
Adjourned.
House.
Various bills were referred, including the
following:
Repeating duty on qunine; providing for
treaty with Mexico; proposing constitutional
amendment; providing that term of judges
supreme and inferior courts of United States
be limited to twelve years, and that offices of
those who have now served twelve years be
vacated.
A bill was introduced by Mr. Wright for a
loan of $1,000 by government to any person
desiring to take advantage of the provisions
of the homestead act.
Rejected.
Mr.. Haskell moved to suspend the rules
and pass bill authorizing the secretary of
war to erect headstones over the graves of
Union soldiers inferred in private village or
city cemeteries.
The bill was agreed to.
Adjourned