Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-12-16
FORTY.sIxrH CONGREss-sECOND
SESSION.
SENATE.

SENATE
WASHINGTON. December IA
| Bills introduced and referred: For retire.
ment of small legal tender notes. to regulate
the civil service; to prohibit assessments or
contributions for political purposes.
Resolution TO Inquire into alleged abuse oil
power by L. :. courts. was tabled
A bill was passed granting pension o;
SlnO month to tile widow of President Tyler.
Consideration of bill devoting part of the
proceeds of the ssle of public lands TO public
education. and TO provide for more complete
endowment and support of National colleges
for advancement Of scientific and industrial
education, was resumed.
Mr.. Burnside spoke briefly in support of
the bill and was followed by Brown of
Georgia, who strongly favored the measure
in the interests OF the blacks at the South.
vote is expected to BE- reached ON the
bill Tomorrow
Bill for relief OF Samuel A. Lowe was
takenup, on motion of Mr.. Coekrell. dem.
Mr.. ingalls,, rep, said loves claim was
for unauthorized completion of bogus
statutes, or slave code OF Kansas. which he
denounced in strong language. stating the
code was based ON laws of Missouri
Mr.. Vest. dem. of Missouri. vigorously
repudiated the latter charge and said the peo-
pie sent out by Plymouth church and other
pillars of God and morality, headed by that old
scoundrel John Brown, who at;erward Justly
expiated his crimes on the srafiold. were
responsible for mach of the violence of that
unfortunate time.
Messrs. Ingalls, and Edmunds defended
John Brown, and after Mr.. Cockrell vanly
enieavored to obtain vote on the hill the
Senate
Adjourned,
iIoUSF.
Bill declaring all roads between ali lie
saving stations post roads. was referred.
Bill for retirement of small legal tender
notes. was referred.
The House went into committee of the
whole.
Mr.. Reed of Me-, in anticipating an
amendment from the Military committee in
creasing the appropriation for protection,
preservation and repair of Notifications and
other works of defence from 100000 To
S5o0,oo0, said the condition of our sea-coast
defences iisgraceful in the extreme. In
the present financial condition of the country
Congress conlJ afford To look the matter
fairly in the face. The sea-coast from one
end TO another could not be defended against
the navies of second or third class European
powers. To-day the best harbors in the
country could be entered by war ships of
Europe with safety Ia themselves and with
the utmost injury TO those harbors. As the
country was obliged to meet the possibility
of war happening i'll the lifetime of persons
now living, it was worth while for Congress
meet it, though the chance of war he nut one
out of fifty. \ navy was not the best thing
To meet it with \ conclusive reason for this
was that the country had no navy at the
present time, and for the future it would cost
more to build such a navy as would be
reeded than to construct Notifications.
Beside no navy could be ubiquitous. There
was but one way in which TO meet the danger,
and that was bv force of modern science in
the matter of Notifications, which has kept
pace with modern science in the matter of
ordnance To-day forts could he built inn
previous TO every ordnance brought to bear
against them.
The fertilization bill was then read for
amendments and the amendment referred to
by Mr.. Reed was submitted.
Mr.. Randall. dem, of Pennsylvania made
a long speech against it. on the score of
economy.
Mr.. Reed remarked that economy should
not become parsimony and penury. He be-
lievcd hostile iron-clad could enter the
port OF New York and in few hours levy 4
contribution ten times greater than the
amount asked for in the amendment. The
money England had expended on her navy
and coast defences. had been well spent in
the protection she had en- Dyed. The gentle
man Randall) could see no speck of war in
the clouds. but were there to be no lightning
rods put up until lightning was flashing:
The very object and necessity of coast
dciences was to have them there before war
came. Gentlemen had talked about hasty
earthw orks, but he would like TO see earth
works thrown up in Maine in December.
After further discussion The amendment
was rejected.
The bill was then reported TO the House
and passed
Bill appropriating 81. soo.o 600 for improve
ment of Mississippi river was ordered printed
and recommitted.
Adjourned.