The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-04-01

4
for the purpose. ana pay them good
salaries, to enable them to devote their
whole time to it.
Edmunds favored the object OF tie
bill, but desired more time to examine
| il.
The morning hour having expired,
the bill went over till Tomorrow, and
the Senate Their resumed the consider
alton of the Geneva award bill.
Thurman moved To amend tue House
Substitutes by striking out the clause
authorizing the commissioner TO con-
slider aud allow the claims for the pay
ment of the premIums for war risks.
Said war ptemiums were expressly ex-
| cluded by the Geneva tribunal. They
were not Insisted upon by our govern
ment, and not penny was lever
awarded to the United States for en-
HANGED premiums.
lie was followed by Blsine in oppo-
sition TO the amendment, and, after q
running debate, the bill was laid aside,
owing 10 Mr.. Tnurmen's being attacked
| by rush of blood to the head, which
compelled him to retire from the Sen.
ate Chamber.
The House joint resolution for the
| appointment of board to survey and
to report on the advisability of COM
pletIng the four doubie-turreted moni
tors now under contract vas taken up.
Mcpherson delivered speech, charg-
ing gross extravaganza and corruption
on the part of the late naval admins
| tration in connection with these YES
sels. The resolution was then passed,
and the Senate, after an executive ses-
sion, adjourned.
HOusE.-The morning hour Uas dis
pensed with and the House went into
committee of the whole on the coLsu-
lar and diplomatic appropriation bill.
| Pending the amendment striking out
the clause appropristing $50, 600 for
Charge d'Affsrs and diplomatic Off
GERS abroad, was defeated.
! Bisckburn's amendment proposing to
deduct fifty per cent of salary of rep
resentatiYes abroad are absent from
duty four months In one year, was de-
feated.
His amendment to stop pay il alb
sent more than thirty days, was also
defeated.
His amendment to reduce the salary
of the Secretary of the Legation to
China from $5, 900 to $500 was also
defeated.
Blackburn then offered an amend
ment providing, that no diplomatic
officer not mentioned in this bill, shall
be entitled to any salary or compensa.
ton of shy kind whatsoever, and re-
pealing the laws authorizing the pay
ment OF any salary or compensation to
such officers. In the course OF short
debate, Aiken OF South Carolina. Gre
ated good. deal of amusement. by
stating that he had made calculation
and has discovered that twenty-elght
members consumed II per cent. of all
the time of the House; of the remain
ing time, per cent. was consumed by
Southern men; 10 per cent. by one
man from Michigan, (slluding to Con-
ger) and the balance by Northern
Democrats. The amendment was re-
Jectcd.
Cox of New York. replying to the
speech of Blount on Saturday, defined
his position on the consular question.
He would strike down the salaries of
men whose only business seemed to be
to dine at cafes, listen to the gossip of
men who were not in sympathy with
republican institutions, and return
home at pleasure when not galleYant-
ing through Europe. Several tits
took place between Singleton and
Blackburn, in which Blackburn assert
ed that Singleton did not understand
his own bill, and singleton retorted
by pointing out two blunders which
Blackburn had made in his Saturdays
speech within the space OF line and
a half. Adjourned:
WASHINGTON, March 29.-Mr. Cock
rell introduced bill in the Senate to-
day to provide for opening direct trade
between the states of the Mississippi
valley aud Brazil. 1t authorizes the
Postmaster General to contract with the
Mississippi Valley and Brazil Steam
ship Company of St. Louis for semi
monthly mail service from New Orleans
to Havana, Kingston, Jamaica, the
ports of Spain, Trinidad, Para, Msran-
ham, Pernambucto, Bahia and Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, the contract to be for
ten years and the compensation $25 per
annum per nautical mile Of the estima-
ted distance from port to port over the
route traverseG. 1t also authorizes the
carrying of express packages of goods
not weighing over twenty pounds, and
exempts its steamers from port charges
and customs duty at New Orleans;
makes the vessels OF Europe and Bra
iii only liable to such port charges and
restrictions in the ports of the United
States as steamers employed in tie
United States mail service are now or
may be subjected to in the ports of
Brazil.
Houston, March 29-The city was
full of excitement all day, and there
was grand display of bunting, etc.
The cannon intended for the salute was
spiked last night by an unknown per-
son, and three hundred dollars reward
ia offered for his apprehension. Ex-
Marshal Erickson repaired the guns In
| time.
Gen. Grant and party arrived at 4
o'clock this afternoon on o special train
from San Antonio, and Was met at the
depot by committee of seven promi-
nent citizens. The Light Guards, Old
Guads, Bayou City Rifles, and other
associations of the city, escorted them
through the streets, which were
thronged by thousands of people.
Great enthusiasm prevailed, and the
crowd loudly cheered, and the General
waved his hat and handkerchief.
Arriving at the Hutchins House the
reception commenced at $50 in the
parlors-a monotonous Misunderstanding
scene for nearly two hours.
Grant looks aged and tired, but was
all smiles and talked pleasantly to the
committee, and also to the ladies in
trojuced. An entertainment was ex-
tended to him by Mrs. Jordan's ams-
teur opera company, at Pillott's opera
house tonight. Tickets all sold.
After the entertainment, a grand
banquet was given at the Hutchins
House.
Tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock
Grant will be escorted TO Morgan's
steamer Harlem, at Clinton by COM
mittee OF fifteen citizens, and will
steam down the bayou; thence TO New
| Orleans direct.
Col. Fred Grant and Gen. Sheridan.
accompanied by their wives, separated
from the Grant party on Friday morn
ing, and passed up the international
the same day, bound North.
NEW YORK, March 29.-The ice
companies are reported to have conf
bined, and it is announced that the
cost OF ice to consumers will be one
cent per pound hereafter, or over
| TWENTY-FIVE dollars per ton, although