The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-23
CONGRESSIONAL.
THE SENATE DISCUSSING THE TELE'
GRAPH BILL.
Animated Discussion I'm the House over
the Repeal of the Resumption Act.

No business OF Importance was transacted |
during the morning hour.
The army appropriation bill was taken up,. |
and the Senate, by q vote Of 45 yeas to IL
nays. refused TO consider the army reor- |
ganizatiOn clause. A.,
burnside made explicit denial OF the news |
paper statement that be is Interested, Oh !
rectly or indirectly, In any arms manufactory |
or any iobbery for securing the government
patronage through the adjustment oil the
Springfield Armory.
On motion TO strike Oug tne seconu sec
tion. relative to the presence Of Federal troops
at election polls, the vote was, yeas 10, nays
30. There was q separate vote on the Com
mittee OF Appropriations proposition to strike
out the section giving arms to colleges, which
was disagreed to.yeas AZ, nays ao; o,.4
Mr. Howe moved to amend the clause relat-
ing to telegraph lines by adding, which
shall fill the written acceptance of the re-
strictions and obligations imposed on tele-
graph companies by title 70, REVISED stat
was intended to give the government the
right to purchase, IL SO disposed, telegraph
lines operated by the railroads, as 1t now mas
those operated by the telegraph companies
Mr. Jones had no objection to the amend
m LIT II that was all it meant. 1t was simply
intended to bring these railroad companies
under the provisions OF the act OF 1866;
Thurman was willing to accept any legisla-
tion that would break down the monop0lies.
While the charges OF the Western Union
Company were generally reasonable, they
were, In some cases, 0nerOus, and this COM
pany encouraged another monopoly extreme
iy pernicious and Injurious to large portion
Of people, especially those engaged in the
publication OF newspapers, journals and the
like, ard therefore he was strongly In favor OIL
any proposition which would prevent the
business OF telegraphing from depressing the
public.
Mr.. Jones said this was not the first legisla-
tion In regard to telegraphing II tantedated the
constitution and he argued to show that the
government had alwat 8 regarded all means
for the transmitting OF intelligence as within
its particular jurisdiction to CONTROL and
would have SO regarded the telegraph ii then
known Since telegraphs had come into use
all the companies had been swamped or ab-
sorbed by the Western Union, and the most
valuable means known for the rapid transmits
sion OF intelligence Is now in the hands OF
single corporation. Under the provisions
Of the act of 1866 this corporation could go
into any State in defiance Of State laws, and
wherever there were railroads carrying mails
put lines and operate them, and by sucn
legislation Congress had practically made
their institution national one and gives 1t q
vast and valuable power. The Supreme
Court had decided that Congress had power
over telegraph companies under the constitu-
tton, and this law Of 1866 asserted and rem
dered effective that jurisdiction.
Mr.. Jones was interrupted by proposition
from Mr.. Thurman to take vote on this bill
and amendments at .. IN. Monday:
executive session had been defeated, that un-
derstanding was had, and at p. IN. the Sem
ate went into executive session.
1t is understood that, besides Mr.. Jones,
will speak on the telegraph question, and
Mr.. Conkling has amendments to offer to
other sections
At 40 .. m. the Senate adjourned.
THE HOUSE.
On motion OF Mr.. Cook, OF Georgia, the bill
of the Senate authorizing the sale OF the
building now used as the postoffice and Gus
tOm-hOuSe In Cincinnati was taken up and
pa sed.
Mr.. Willis, OF Kentucky, asked to take up
the Chinese immigration bill and concur In
the Senate amendments.
Mr. James, OF New York, objected.
The regular order was demanded, and Mr.
Hale moved to go into committee on the ap-
preparation bill.
Mr.. Tucker said that it was exceedingly I'M
portant that the House should go to the
Speakers table and get mp the bill to amend
the laws relating to internal revenue. he
therefore hoped that the motion TO go into
committee would not be agreed to, but that
the House would have morning hour and
then 90 to business on the Speakers table.
The vote ON Mr.. Hae's motion WAS taken
by tellers, and all who were In favor OF going
| to the Speakers table voted to grant the mo-
| tion. The tellers reported ITO yeas aud l09
nays, whereupon Speaker Randall Voted In
| Mr.. Hale wanted the yeas and nays. This
motion was defeated by lit yeas to 139 nays.
| The House then, as regular order, proceeded
with the business OF the morning hour, the
Claims Committee, for the relief OF Henry T.
German and others, OF Mississippi
| Mr.. Bragg, Of Wisconsin, moved to lay the
relief bill on the table. Carried-yeas 1877,
| nays GA.
| Mr.. Springer, OF Illinois, from the Commit
| tee on Expenditures Of the State Department,
submitted report and resolution authorlz-
ing the Speaker to issue his warrant for the
arrest OF Geo. f. Seward, and said he would
call it up on Monday.
| The House then proceeded to the business
| on the Speakers table. The first thing on
the table was House bill to amend customs
laws in relation to moieties. The Senate
amendments were agreed to and the bill
passed.
The next bill was the House bill to repeal
the third section of the resumption act wi b
Senate amendment thereto. TheSenate amend
ment provides, that afteI October l., 1879
| United States notes shall be receivable the
same as coin for duties or imports.
Mr. Ewing, OF Ohio moved to concur in the
Senate amendment which he proceeded to
explain. He said that on the twenty-third OF
November, 1877, the House passed bill to re-
peal the resumption act. 1t went to the
Senate; that body amended 1t by striking out
all about the repeal and sent it back with the
single proviso that the notes should
be receivable for custom duties
after October |, 1878 The amendment which
| he now proposed was on behalf OF the Cum
mittee on Banking and Currency. The first
proposition was merely formal and struck
out the date, October /, 1873, which was.
passed, and then proposed that from and
after the passage Of this act United States
notes shall be receivable the same as coin ln
payment OF 4 per cent bonds now authorized
by law to be issued, and for duties on i'm
ports providing that the money hereafter re-
ceived for bonds shall be applied only to the
redemption of other bonds bearing yearly
rate of interest and subject to a call. The III
terest is to cease in thirty days from the datt
of such call.
i It Is also required that all the United States
notes shall be reissued aud kept in circula
tion, and it is made unlawful to issue lega
tenders notes Of larger denominations thai
$1,000.
Mr.. Ewing reviewed the resumption schem
and argued that it was not success. ID
favored receiving greenbaeks in pat ment 0
I It,t,re h..r "a