Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-04-14

WAsHTNeroS, April II.
\ Mr.. Bayard, from the finance committee
reported with amendments the Senate bill
providing for commission to investigate the
question of tariffs. Placed on the calendar.
| The Senate resumed the Geneva award
bill.
Mr.. Garland yielded the floor to Mr.. Davis
of Illinois, who expressed surprise that the
senator from Massachusetts, (Hoar, who
recognized the right of subrogation, should
deny that underwriters are entitled to subro-
cation to the rights of insured owners of YES
sells DESTROYED by the inculpated cruisers.
| Mr.. Hear moved to strike out the clause
repeating SO much of the act Of 1874 as ex-
cludes claims for losses by insurance COM
panies.
Mr.. Blaine said that some days ago Mr..
Thurman had stated that the American COM
mercial marine had lost nothing by being
obliged to pay war premiums, ''they charged
it in" To correct the impression produced
by this assertion, Mr.. Blaine quoted Richard
Golden, speaking to the House of Commons,
in 1864: ''You have been carrying on hos
tilities against the people of the United
States" said Golden. ''You have been in
flicting an amount of damage on that country
greater than will be produced by many ordi-
nary wars. 1t is estimated that the loss sus-
tanned by the capture and burning of Ameri-
can vessels has been about l,OoO, 900, but
that is small part of the injury inflicted on
the American marine. The foreign trade Of
New York for the quarter ending June 30th,
1850. was 81, DOC, 900 tons, of which sixty-two
millions were carried in American bottoms
and thirty million tons were in foreign
bottoms. This state of things rapidly
changed as the war continued. For the quar-
for an1ipu y,,un tha tnt, ~
foreign trade of New York was $4,000, 900
tons, of which only &c, OOO, 600 were carried in
American vessels" The whole of that loss,
continued Mr.. Blaine, fell directly on Ameri-
can shipmasters and owners. He thought
the doctrine of subrogation had been strained
in support of this bill. If q man lost ship
and his uncle should send him $4,000 as a
present to set him on his feet again, it is as
sensible for the insurers Of q vessel to claim
that $50, 900 as part of the proceeds result
ing from loss Of the ship, As it is for them to
claim subrOgatiOn as in this bill. Mr.. Blaine
was not we'll enough to extend his remarks
to-day, but hoped vote might be taken on
the bill.
Mr.. Thurman said to strike out the clause re-
imbursing underwriters would be to defeat the
principal object of the bill. He hoped there
fore vote on that motion would be reserved
close debate in support of the bill.
After long continued debate, in which a
lively colloquy occurred between Messrs.
Blaine and Carpenter, the Senate adjourned
without action on the bill.
House.
The army appropriation bill was taken up
Mr.. Ewing made speech. He claimed
the amendment was practically republican
proposition, and responded to remarks made
by republican members on the subject.
Mr.. Ewing made a long speech, and after
considerable confusion, the question re-
Cured upon the passage Of the bill and.
amendments.
The amendment relative to troops at the
polls was adopted by strict party vote. The
bill then passed. Yeas, lls; nays, 95.
The conference report on the census bill
was then agreed to.
The Indian appropriation bill was reported
and referred to the Committee on the Whole
The bill granting pension to the widow of
Maj. Gen. Curtis of Iowa, was passed.
The House took recess until 7.30, when
an evening session was held for the con-
sideration of pension bills.