National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-04-14
F0RTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.
Consideration of the Legislative Bill
Continued.
Proposed Invasion of State Sovercignty-The
Federal Government to Buy Diseased
Cattle-Hnppy Escape of the States
The Matter Refcrred-Ef-
forts to Adjourn over
Promises Kept.
SENITE.
SATURDAY. April ~ 1870.
The Senate was not In session to-day.
SENtTE.
SATURDAY, April ~ 1870
The Senate was not IN session to-day.
HOUSE or REnR 1sEN7ATIVES.

The Senate was not In session to-day
HOUSE or REgR EsENTATIVEs.
Mr. STEPHENS asked leave to present memorial
Of the American Pathological Association, asking
for the appointment of commission to report how
far changes IN photography may be introduced
into public documents and accepted in civil SER
vice examination.
Mr.. CoNGgR objected
The House then lat l2l5) went into Committee Of
the Whole tAIr Blackburn in the chair on the leg
islaliyo appropriation bill, the pending amendment
being that offered by Mr.. ITunton increasing from
$4,000 To s150OO the appropriation for Graduating
contagious diseases among dOmcstcated animals.
Mr.. REAGAN offered an amendment providing
That the sum appropriated shall be expended by
the Secretary Of the Interior under such rulesas he
may prescribe, and making IL his duty to report
his action to Congress showing the amount of
money expended and for what purposes.
Mr.. CANNON (In) moved TO amend MIR. Reagan's
amendment 50 MS TO authorize the Secretary of the
Interior 10 prescribe rules under which cattle
afflicted with pleuTo pneumonia may be seized
appraised, aud slaughtered, and payment therefor
made out of the money hereby appropriated
Agreed TO.
Mr. ROBINSON said that he fully appreciated the
gravity of the subject under consideration but II
was very grave question In his mind whether Con-
Ercss had the power TO deal with IL. At any rate
Congress should not attempt to do so on nm appro
praton bill, but should refer the whole subject TO
committee
Mr. LomNd expressed himself rs entirely in favor
ofclothing some Federal officer with the power to
an end TO II, whether II came from the seaboard or
from Territories ON the other side of the continent
lie hoped that no consideration of State authority
or Of so.cnlcd economy would In any way prevent
sOmc officer of the Government from being clothed
with the authority to protect the agricultural por.
ton of the country. II the Government officers had
had thar authority when the disease had made its
appearance IN Massachusetts that Commonwealth
would have been saved $4,000. and its farmers
would have been saved ncalculablc mischief
Mr.. HAwLEY agped with Mr.. Robinson that II
was constitutional question whether Congress
could go into the States and condemn, kill, and pay
for diseased cattle. The matter should be referred
Ia n committee, which could prepare n BILL vcsting
In Federal officers I'LL the powers they might prop
erly exercise.
Mr., lIuSToN argued in favor of his amendment.
il would be of lille avail for the State of Virginia
TO stamp out within It's limits the disease of plnro.
pneumonia among cattle, because II would inn
mcdaiely be brought In again from the District OF
Columbia II the disease was not promptly eradi.
Gated II would In II few years cost the country
more than the late war had done
W. WRIGHT advocated theamendment. lie would
Willingly vote TO appropriate S50O0O0 for the pur.
pose of stamping out the cattle disease.
Mr.. HILL opposed MIR. Rcagan's amendment. II
IL were given out thai the Government would buy
every sick COW, no matter what would be the matter
with II, would have Tho pleuro.pneumona, dis.
ease about which the farmers knew little and
Mr.. CARLISLE argued in regard TO the unconstitu
uonality of Mr.. Rcugan's amendment, If 1t were
adopted every effort to resist the authority of Fed
eral officers iii killing diseased cattle would he sue
cessiully made. That was power belonging ex'
clusively TO the State.
Mr. Brace also opposed the amendment He
was surprised TO find Representatives who had, q
few weeks ago, opposed n bill for n national quar-.
antine become so affected by Il sick COW or Two In
their districts as 10 call OH Federal doctors to her
them. The grand pan0cea, the great balsam fol
NE cattle disease was TO be an immense appropria
ton out OF the Federal Treasury, TO be distributed
among men who knew nothing at al'abOut the
matter.
Mr.. HAYES and Mr. YouNG (of Tcnn) desired
prompt action In the matter, and for that reason
they favored the whole subject being presented IN
separate BILL as the present appropriation bill
might not pass for some months.
Mr.. STEPHENS opposed Mr.. RCagan's amendment
II involved great question of constitutional law
and should have the careful consideration of some
committee.
Mr.. HAwLEY offered rs q substitute for the whole
subject uhe original proposition in the bill, TO
scthcr with the amendments of Messrs. Hunter
ana Reagan therctol q recommendation to the
House that 1t direct the Committee on Agriculture
10 take into consideration the whole subject'matte
and report promptly by bill or otherwise. The
substitute was agreed to-ayes, 1875; noes, no
counted.
on motion Of Mr. Haskell. the appropriation fol
investigating the habits Of the cotton worm ant
other injurious insects was placed under the con
irol OF the United States chronological Commits
sion.
The political portion OF the bill having beer
reached it. was passed over for the present.
Mr.. You've Tcnnl offered all amendment pro
viding that the agents investigating under III,
southern Claims Commission shall give notice I,
claimants whose claimsi is proposed to investi
gatc, of the place and time oil taking testimony
who shall have right TO cross examine witnesses
the agents also TO examine any witnesses who ma.
be presented by the claimants
Mr. House stated TINT he had acted as an investi
eating agent, and he knew of Instances where IN
had been misled by e. pGHe statements, and hnt
reported against claims which should have bCel
allowed. The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. BRAGG moved 10 strike out all provision
for the Southern Claims Commission and to inscr
clause repeating the law creating that commits
sion.
The consideration Of the amendment was pos,
poncd till Tuesday next, Mr.. Bragg stating that
cns prny 70 prpn which M
be properly discussed under the fiye-minute rule
because he prop, sed TO show that the Government
had been paying these claims ms u mere grntuitl
and he thought that where gratuity was TO he be
slowed 1t should be personal matter, and thu
Congress should not vote TO give away what bl
longcd TO the people ut large.
The committee then rose, and the chairman II
ported back the recommendation 20 refer the paru
graph in regard TO the pleurO.pncumOnia cattle {
the Committee on Agriculture, with instructions
rcport.theTeon forthwith, Agreed TO.
Mr.. HARRIS (Nn.) offered resolution instructin
the Committee on Accounts 10 report what cOmm
tees are entitled to clerks. Adopted.
Mr., lluRD moved That when the House ndlOur
to-day II be Till Tuesday. As the motion was III
dcrstOOd TO be made for the purpose Of eXCludin
the Introduction Of financial and other bills O
Monday, the yeas and nays were ordered, aud tn
motion was rclcCtcd-yc0s, l05 nays, los. Al IN
Republicans voted IN the affirmative and In III
negative all the Greenbackers voted, and all bl
the following eleven Democrats: McssTs. BicknCl
Bluunt, Clymcr, Cooke, Covert DcuScT Hammond
of GooIPia Ilurd, Johnson, Morse, aud Talbot
Among other pairs announced was that OF III
Speaker with q Republican, Mr. Kelley vote
with the GreenbaCkcTs.
The House then, at four o'clock, adjourned
yeas, III nays 9l,