The Portland daily press., 1879-01-22
xLyTH CONGREss-sECOND SESSION.
SENATE.
MIR. Blaine submits Several Amendments
to the Naval Bill.

SENATE.
MIR. Blaine submits Several Amendments
to the Naval Bill.
WASHINGTON, Jan, 81.
Mr. Morrill, of Vt, from the finance committee, re-
ported without amendment the House bill to facili-
tate the refunding of the national debt. CaleHdared
This bill the bill which passed the House the 18th
inst and it is understood the bill received the unan
imcus approval of the committee on finance,
The bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior
to deposit certain funds held by him as trustee for
the Indians in the treasury of the United States, in
lieu OF investment, led to lengthy discussion.
The naval appropriation bill was taken up.
Mr.. Blaine wished to address the Senate on the
bill, but was not prepared today.
The bill was laid aside till Wednesday. He gave
notice he would offer the following amendments:
That a board of three naval officers be appointed
by the President whose duty it shall be to consider
and report to the next session Of Congress the
Der OF officers of the line staff and warrant needed
for the navy with rs men, and that until hereafter
rscted by law, promotion in the navy above the
grade of ensign shall cease, and further, that the
same board shall consider and report whether any of
the present navy yards may be dispensed WITH and
whether in any other way the expenses of the naval
establishment may be decreased without impairng
its efficiency.
Also, that after July, 1883, only such number of
graduates of the naval academy in year be eni-
| tied to appointment as midshpmen, as required
to ill vacancies to be determined by the academic
board on basi, of their standing in the class, and
| if the number Of midshpmen shall not have been
previously fixed and limited by law, it shall be the
duty of the Secretary to fix and limit it before
| july 1888. Ordered printed.
Among the bills laid over under objection were the
| following:
Senate bill amending the Revised Statutes so as TO
| appropriate $10O0,OOO annually for aiming and
| equipping the whole body Of militia of the United
States; Senate bill appropratng $4,000 to authorize
| and equip an expedition to the Arctic seas.
MIR. Maxcy, from the committee on military affairs
| reported bill making an appropriation OF $40 900
for the purchase of necessary ground and the
| ton thereon of military post at Ell Paso. Placed
| on the calendar.
The Senate went into executive session, and when
| doors Ie-opened, adjourned.
| ROUSE.
| The Potter Committee Authorized to In
vestixnte the Cipher Dispatches.
After unimpor tant proceedings the House took up
Potter's resolution to enquire into the cipher des-
patches and appropriating SIC, 900 for expenses.
| Mr.. Potter after some explanatory remarks said
that previous to being called before the joint com
mission in the Democratic caucus be was absolutely
ignorant that he had been selected to conduct the
| investigation and emphatically denied having any
| bargain of any kind with Gov. Tilden or anybody
else; that he served on the committee sill ply be-
| cause he invited to do so by a Joint commit
tee of the caucus and because he had visited Louis
| lana in 1875 as a member of the committee of The
| House and had very profound conviction both OF
the danger and wrongs of the returning boards ac-
| tion. He challenged any body familiar with the
record to prove the investigation had not been con-
Quoted with absolute impartiality and fairness. In
closing Mr. Potter said he introduced the resolution
simply because he had been instructed to do SO and
| tor no other reason.
MIR. Butler opposed the resolution on the ground
that Congress had jurisdiction over the private
| correspondence of anybody and Tiden was a
private man who held position. Besides Congress
should not take part in the SANDER of any public
man to satisfy the curiosity of any body ia the
House or out of it. Butter continued at leugth his
| opposition to the reso' luton.
Mr. Hale followed in support of the resolution and
said: snow that the machine has been started and
set in motion, let it roll and make investigation
Into both sides OF the question. He had sympa-
thy for that simple hearted old gentleman in New
| York who had been taken from his privacy and
| thrust upon the country Presidential candidate
| who had become an apostle of reform and who had
remained in his closet awaiting the verdict of the
| American people, taking no hand or part in the
notable campaign. He had been surrounded by
eonfederates and copartners and nephews daughter
who had attempted to purchase electoral colleges,
and The simple hearted old man should have an Cd.
portunity to come before Congress and protect his
| character from close around him who had at
| tempted to besmirch it.
/ Mr. Of FL oyrod,
in which he made sarcastic illusions to the cipher
dispatches referring them as scIipural kilograms
| signed by Moses, Aaron, and the rest.
| Mr.. Hewitt supported the resolution. He called
| the attention of the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Buter to the TACT that there something higher
| than Judge or member Of Congress. 1t was when
| sense of manhood struck to the human heart. He
stood here in that spirit of manhood to invite the
fullest investigation of the cipher kilograms those
| which had been published and those which had not
Justice to Samuel j. Tiden demanded that an inyes-
tigation be made; justice to the great Democratic
party demanded it; justice to the American people
who elected him to the highest office in their gift.
| demanded it. Let Mr.. TIlden have an opportunity
to confront his accusers and traducers and show the
world that at least of the candidates of the late
presidential election was not miserable trckster
willing to bargain for the highest office in the gift of
| the people.
The hour allowed for discussion having closed, Mr.
| Garfield moved to reconsider the ordering of the
| main question.
Mr.. Atkins moved to lay that motion on the table
| and it was so ordered.
The resolution was adopted without division.
Mr. Waddell, from the postoffice committee re-
| rorted the post route bill.
Mr.. Robbins, from the ways and means commit
tee, reported bill to regulate the duties on sugar
and asked that it be made special order for Satur
| day.
Mr.. Ward Of Pennsylvania objected and the bill
| was ordered printed and recommitted
| Adjourned.