National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-02-05
Congress Yesterday.

The interest in the House proceedings yes
terday centred in the debate upon the report
of the Committee on Rules, and at times the
discussion became quite personal in its char
acter. An inuoCent amendment offered by
Mr.. Money 10 that part of the report defining
the jurisdiction of the Committee on Post .
offices and Post Roads, directing that that
committee should hereafter have the report.
ing of the general appropriation bill for the
support of postollices, provoked tho contro-
vcIsy. Mr.. Blackburn, for the Committee on
Appropriations, assaulted Mr.. Moneys amend
mont very vigorously, charging that tue Com
mittee on POstoilices and PostR Roads was tho
most dangerous committee in the House to
which to intrust an appropriation. Mr..
Bount also attacked Mr.. Moneys amendment,
making some very personal and pointed ro.
marks against the Committee on PostOiices
and Post Roads.
Mr. Valentine, q member of that committee,
took part in this contest, aud charged that he
had called upon tho chairman of the sub-com-
mitteo Of the Committee Oh Appropriations
having charge Of the Star service deficiency
bill to report the same, aud WAS told that the
Committee on Appropriations had SO much to
attend to that they could not and would not
do so until they got ready.
Mr.. Blackburn considered this TO he per-
sonal attack upon himself, and almost lost his
temper but his roply was cut of on account
OF tho debate Dcng limited.
Tho amendment of Mr. Money WAS finally
defeated by Il vote of 80 to 81.
Mr.. Harris, of Massachusetts,, renewed Mr..
Moneys amendment giving tho Postoftice and
Post Roads Committee authority to report
the appropriation bill for that service, aud
STIMULATING that it afterward be referred to the
Committee on Appropriations. This amond'
ment was also defeated by q vote Of 81 10 96.
The tenor of this debate ON the report from
Ns.atN nal
personal character that It Is almost impossible
for an amendment TO be offered to the COM
mittee's work without provoking an unpleas.
Hntness between the parties Offering the
amendment and the committee having charge
of the measure.
Beside this spirited debate, tho only other
thing of Importance IN tho House WAS the
passage Of resolution reported by Mr.. Nor.
ton, of Now York, from the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, approprlating 100000 to en-
able the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries
! to represent tho Uuited States Mt tho Inter
national Fish Exhibition, TO be held IN Ber-
| lin in April next.
Mr.. Mcmillan, Of Tennessee, one Of the
hayseed Congressman who object to every
! thing requiring the expenditure of money,
demanded tho yeas aud nays on the measure,
but il WAS adopted by n vote Of 1863 to B5.
The Senate was in session but short time
Yesterday, and little business of Importance
was transacted. A long and uninteresting de-
bate took place as to The reference of reliei
bill introduced by Mr.. Maxey, Of Texas 1t
appears that tho bill was for the relief of some
parties at Galveston, Texas, and that it had
| bGou introduced by one Texas Senator aud re'
rerred to another committee, Of which the
other Texas Senator was member aud by him
ropoI ted favorable.
Mr.. Conkling thought that it should have
boen referred to the Committee of Claims. lic
believed that il should beIeierred to tho Court
of Claims and ofIorod an amendment to that
cAGct, which, after eugrhy debate, was
adopted by yoto of 81 to 22, aud The bill, a.
thus amended, was passed, and the claim goes
TO tho Court of Claims for settlement
The Senate also passed II bill authorizing the
conversion OF National gold hanks into Ma
tional banks, 1t then went into executive
session, aud shortly slterward adj)urued unit
! TODAY,