The New York herald., 1879-03-04

department on the impoachment OF George f. Sew
ard. Several efforts lin the way of points of order
and nterposition OF other subiects) were made on
the republican side to prevent action but they were
unavaing. and the yeas and nays were taken on the
question OF consideration. The vote resulted yeas
132 nays 100 strict party vote) the House voted
TO proceed with the consideration Of the subject
Mr.. BAKER, (rep) of Ind, at O'Clock made
report from the conference committee on the Forti-
fication bill. He explained that the bill agreed
passed the House, with the exception OF a slight
verbal change striking out the words "Gatling and
others 80 as to make the clause read ''for machine
guns" The report was agreed to.
Mr.. CoNGER, trep) OF Mich, tried to interpose
motion to refer the Seward impeachment to the
Judiciary Committee, but the Speaker refused TO
recognize him, ruling that Mr.. Springer of Illinois,
entitled to the door.
The report of the majority OF the Committee on
Expenditures in the State Department then read.
1t presents seventeen articles of impeachment
against George f. Seward and concludes with reso-
lutions directing that said Seward be mpeached for
high crimes and msdemeanors while in office; pro-
Wiling for the appointment OF seven members to
proceed Immediately to the bar OF the Senate and
there mpcach said Seward in the name of the House
and the people of the United States. and for the
pointment of seven managers to maintain and sup
port the impeachment proceedings in the Senate.
MINORITY REPORT
The views of the minority were then read. They
recte the difficulties of the position Of the Shanghai
Consulate the early years of Mr.. Stewards admin.
isration Of the office (when he young and mex
periencedl: the inadequacy of the clerical assistance
furnished him, and his appropriation OF certain
Consular fees to pay for sdditional clerical work.
While the minority do not mean to approve that
method they say that it had been known to and re-
ceived the unqualified approval OF the government.
They recommend that the whole subject be referred
to the Judiciary COMMITTEES.
The reading Of the two papers occupied an hour
and half.
Mr.. BIr,pY (rep.) Of N. T., by whom the minority
report was prepared addressed the House in advocacy
OF IL.
THE sUNDRY CIVIL BILL.
He yielded the floor to Mr.. ATKINS ldem.) Of Tenn.
who. at forty-ave minutes past two r. NJ. presented
the conference report ON the sundry Civil Appropri
which only referred to the various amendments by
their numbers. was read.
Mr.. ATKINS. (dem) of Tenn then proceeded to give
some information on the subject lie said that the
total estimates for the items the bill about
$32, O0D; that the bill 1t passed the House appro
priated about 000 and that the Senate had
added about 81 500 000 making the amount Of the
bill now about s1s.5oooo0 The like bill Of last year
Mr.. HOOKER dem) of Miss, inquired whether the
bill contained any appropriation for paying deputy
marshals.
Mr.. ATKINS replied in the negative
Mr.: REAGAN. tdem.) of Texas. inquired as to the
provisions for the District Of Columbia
Mr. ATKINS replied that the Senate amendment ap-
propriating $1.l55,53 for the interest and sinking
He himself had not favored it, but he had been
ruled by the majority of the House conferces.
and of course by the majority of the Senate
conferees. He was not willing to defeat tho
bill simply because of that feature in it.
In regard to some details of the bill he said that
| 3l75.00O had been appropriated for the Custom
House and Post Office ut Chicago; $4,000 for . new
iron roof for the Nashville Custom House; $4,000
for new lighthouses lof which $4,000 was for one
the OF Lousiana); $4,000 for repairs of the
New York Post Office; S9G 200 for claim of Bati-
more city against the government for money fur
city, $4,000 for new telegraph lines in Texas, Mon
tana and Dakota $4,000 for arsenals; 100000
Of duo tho TO M s the
Sates) s32 for the purpose of the public survey;
$4,000 each to the Hayden, Powell and Wheeler
veys Ito close up the business and $25o,0 to build
museum for the care of property given TO the gov
ernment by the various nations in 1876 the close
of the Centennial Exposition. The question Of sur
veys had been left in the bill precisely it had
passed the House. except that the provision for pub
lcation had becn stricken opt.
Mr.. BLAcKyunS (dem.) Of KY, called attention to
and opposed the provision for q sinking fund for
the 365 bonds, contcnding that to Ss.0o0.OoO Of
these bonds they had been Issued in defiance OF law
and without consideration and that these bonds lin
the hands Of purchasers with notice) not only
ment. He asserted also that the provision had been
inserted at the instance Of the First National Bank
bonds.
This intimaton repeed by Mr.. Atkins and
Mr.. Hale, Of Maine, both OF whom denied the
istence of any influence within their observation
cept hostile to the provisions; and the other
eertions Of Mr. Blackburn were combated by Mr..
Hewitt. of New York; Mr.. Mayhnm, Of New York;
Mr.. Henry. of Maryland and Mr.. Buckner, Of Mis-
souri,.
Finally the House proceeded to vote on the adop-
ton of the report and it agreed to-yeas 14S.
nays l07 ltho negative vote mostly coming from tho
democratic side).
THE SEWARD MATTER AGAIN.
Tho consideration Of the Seward Impeachment case
again lat halfpast four z. NJ came up. but was in
terrupted by report from the Judiciary Committee,
which Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts. prepared to
make the subject OF Mr. Sewards withholding
certain books of his Consulate.
Mr.. SPRINaEn dem. Of H.. insisted that the mat
ter before the House being question of privilege
should not thus be set aside and the Speaker sus
Arguments on the point were made by Messrs.
Butler of Massachusetts and Banks. OF AIassach
claiming that the question involved in the report
Was House.
was therefore, of the highest order of precedence.
Mr. BurLHs stated that as the organ of the Judi
ciary Committee ito which the subject had been
ferred) he had been instructed to report that Mr..
Seward justified in retaining those books, and yet
the fact of his retaining them had been made the
ground for one of the articles of impeachment.
Mr.. SPRINGER, OF Illinois. said he had been in
structed to withdraw that article.
Mr.. HANNA lrep.) OF Ind suggested that the gen.
tlenan from Illinois could not withdraw it, 1t was
before the House as a report from his committee.
II he could withdraw it, then the prosecution
by Mr. Springer. not by his committee.
Mr.. BANKS, rep.l of Mass.-This is charge of vio-
lation Of the privileges of the House, and such
question Will interrupt any other II will take
any member OFF tho floor. 1t Is q question OF tho
highest privilege.
The spEAKEn--Does the gentleman say that it can
interrupt the question of the impeachment OF pub
lie officer?
Mr.. BANxs-I say it unreservedly and unqucstion-
ably because it concerns the privileges OF the House
and the liberty of the citizen.
Mr.. GARFIELD (rcp.l OF Ohto-Herc is 4 proceeding
begun. In the first place, to bring party before the
House for contempt He is under arrest He is logi-
cally technically in our custody, Our hand IL upon
him. He Is, by us, restrained of his liberty.
While that restraint is still him proposition is
made TO impeach him. First. it is question OF per-
sona liberty, and then question OF Judicial pro-
cecdings against him. The personal liberty" fca-
turc is the higher privileges; 1t ought to be heard
frst. The man ought to be free when proceed TO
impcach him; TO put him in chains; to strike him
when be Is in chains; TO say that we will follow tho
law of Rhadsmanthus. Punish and then hear is not
American LAWS not American liberty.
Mr.. SPARKS. dcm) of ILLS the man restrained
OF his liberty?
Dir. GARfIEID-Ycs.
Mr.. SpAnks-I sec him sitting In the diplomatic
gallery yondcr. II looks free.
DECISION THE SPEAKER.
After further discussion Of tho point. in which
the practices of courts Of law referred to- the
SPEAKER said -
The Chair does not propose ~ discuss court prac
tice in such proceedings have beon cited. The
duty of the Chair Is to administer the rules only.
IL left TO his voliton the Chi1r would prefer to
60 at onco to the decision of question that dcains
citizen in custody. but the House has decided to