The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-12-23
NvIth CONGREsS-sD SESSION.
GENATE.

SENATE.
A day was devoted in the National Senate 70
the bill for the restoration of Fitz-John Porter
to the army.
Of Congress to revoke the sentence OF court
martial, or reinstate the army persons who had
been expelled Mcdonald and Hereford took
the ground that Congress had plenary
Rosef the army. Te incidentally, Carpenter stated
that he should vote against any
bilr to make Grant Captain General. Inc
debate was continued at considerable length,
half dozen leading Senators taking part, but
no conclusion WAS reached.
The Fritz John Porter debate was resumed.
substitute was agreed to giving the President
authority to reinstate Porter at bus discretion
within eighteen months, provided that no COM
pensation be allowed for the time intervening
since his dismissal, and that he be given no
higher rank in the army than Colonel. Ihe
bill as amended was then read third time, and
passed by strict party vote, except that Davis,
of Illinois, voted with the Republicans against
it. In the debate Gen. Logan declared that
Jeff Davis was much entitled to clemency as
Porter.
A speech by ex-Gov Brown, the new Senator
| from Georgia, on the bill to devote part of the
proceeds of the sales of public lands to public
education commanded close attention. 1t took
| emphatic ground in favor of the education of
| the masses, and declared that the South had
| special reasons for supporting the bill. Two
| new bills were introduced by Mr.. Pendleton
one prohibiting political assessments and the
other providing for civil service examinations
| A debate over private claim from Kansas in
| troduped the name Of John Brown. who was
| made the subject of some rather heated re-
marks.
| Respecting the Education Bill, Mr.. Vest, Of
| Missouri. took grounds against the proposed
| legislation as inimical to the rights Of the
States. He was opposed on this point by Mr.
| Hill, of Georgia.
| Mr. Hubbell from the Committee on Appro-
| priation, reported the Pension on Appropria-
| tion Bill Ordered printed and recommitted.
| Ut appropriates S48, 400, 900 for payment of
| army pensions, 81, 600 for navy pensions,
| $3.50, 900 for payment OF fees to examining
surgeons, and $3.50, 900 for payment Of salaries,
&c) A lproviding for a line of mail steamers
| between the United States and South America
was reported which was ordered printed and
recommitted to the Committee. The report
was adopted by the Committee at the last ses-
sion of Congress, and published at that time
| 1t is the intention of the Committee to report
the bill finally to the House at an early day,
and urge its passage.
In the House the principal episode was the
| objection of Frank Hurd to the admission OF
Judge E. B. Taylor to seat from Garfield s
district ON the ground that the district in which
|
| not the district in which Garfield was elected
the old Nineteenth. Mr.. Hurd found no one
on his own side to support him, and finally
withdrew his objection and Judge Taylor took
his seat. Mr.. Cooper, of Massachusetts, IN
troduced a resolution declaring the construction
of an inter-oceanic canal by foreign capital to
be in violation of the Monroe doctrine and
hostile to the established policy Of the United
States, and that this government would assert
and maintain its rights. After some debate
4 4 Ia. o@Qn %
ferred to the Foreign Affairs Committee. A
long list of bills and resolutions of all grades Of
importance was introduced under the call OF
States, among them one asking for information
as to how much money had been paid Gen
Grant for services by the United States since
his admission to West Point; another to reduce
letter postage to two cents; another to repea
the tax on tobacco: another extending sympathy
to the suffering Irish. Debate on the Electoral
count resolution was then taken up and LASTED
| till adjournment.
Fernando Wood from the Ways and Mean
Committee made a report on the refundint
bonds at per cent. Several substitutes wer
offered and ordered printed. A debate fol
lowed upon the subject, in which Warner, o
| Ohio, made an exhaustive speech advocating
the substitution of Treasury notes for nationa
bank notes, and the payment of bonds in silve
as well as gold.
Much interest was manifested in debate OF
the necessity of better coast defenses, which
followed the Introduction of the fortifcatiol
bill. An amendment raising the amount fo
the repair of Notifications from 800, 600 t
S5OO,000 called forth several lively speeches
Mr.. Ellis, of Louisiana, urged that there wa
nothing to prevent man-of-war from Europ
from entering New York hal Dor at any time
and levying an enormous contribution upon tn
city. Speaker Randall preferred diplomacy t
coast defenses. Mr.. Hill, of Ohio, thought tn
genius and patriotism of The people would NEE
, any emergency. The amendment was defeated
and the bill passed. Among the bills introduces
was one for the retirement of small legal tende
notes, and one appropriating 1900, 900 for tn
Improvement of the Mississippi.
Mr.. Bland, of Missouri, asked and obtaine
cave to have printed on the record the substi
} tute which he proposed to offer for the Fund
ing Bill. Mr.. Martin, of West Virginia, offere
resolution directing the Committee on Pacifi
Railroad to inquire into the alleged mortgag
and sale of unearned land grants by the North
! ern Pacific and Atlantic and Pacific Raroa
Companies, and to report what examination
necessary to preserve the interests of the cour
try. Ordered printed in Record. Mr.. Hui
bell explained the bill for appropriating $50
600, 900 for the payment Of pensions, and
warm discussion, that took up the time of th
House, followed upon the act for the paymen
OF arrears for pensions. The Bill was passed
Gen. Grant visited both houses during th
day.