Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-11
FOrty-Sixth Congress.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.

WASHINGTON, FeD. lU.
 SENArE.-In the morning hour Senator Cor don spoke on the proposition looking toward denying him special committee to consider interoceanic canals. The immediate objection stated was the expenses of clerk. MT. Cor don attacked this reason as unworthy and silly parsimony in the face of the fact that the whole world was regarding this work with keen interest.
 Mir. Edmunds asked that the doors be closed
 MT. Gordon agreed to the propriety of such a precaution but the whole matter was at this iuncturs postponed by MT. McDonald's insist ing, at the expiration of the morning hour on the regular order of business.
 Mir. Plumb, from the Committee on Public Lands, submitted report setting forth that the Government of the United States in re- ceiving the Western and Southern States into the Union stipulated in their several acts of admission to pay them per cent upon sales of public lands situated therein. The consid- eration for per cent. so reserved is substan- tially the same in each, enabling the acts of said States, that is to say, Ohio and Indiana, to stipulate that public lands therein shall be exempt from all tax whatever for five years from the date of sale. The committee propose to amend the bill so as to exclude from consider ation hereafter the question of compensation for these two classes of lands and make the acceptance of compensation provided for by this act a waiver of claim on account of the
 
 and under the homestead law.
 MT. Edmunds insisted that Congress had no right to dispose of public lands for the benefit of States that is to pay certain States five per cent of the net proceeds derived from the sale of said lands. He did not believe in replenishing the Treasury of eighteen States at the expense of the Government to tho ex- cIusion of other States.
 Mr. Plumb said that when it is considered that the general Government and eighteen States claiming relief under the bill entered into solemn compact partaking Of the na- ture of 8 legal contract, that the.States in or der to secure five per cent. on the disposal of public lands agreed to surrender rights indis- putable and of great value to them if retained, and that in good faith this agreement had in every respect been faithfully kept on the part of the United States, there seemed to be no good and sufficient reason why the United States should be relieved of it's obligation to pay the claims.
 Pending consideration of the bill the Senate on motion of MT. Davis, of Illinois, at 3:37 adjourned.
 HousE.-Fernando Wood, chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, reported resolution calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for all the evidence now in the h. tsrnaI Revenue office touching the enforce ment of the internal revenue laws in North east Georgia; adopted.
 Mr. Conger from the same committee, re- ported back the bill for the relief of colored emierants; passed It provides that all of the charitable contributions imported for the re- lief of those people who emigrated from their homes to other States shall be admitted free of duty; the act to take effect immediately and remain in force till February 1. 1880.
 The Speaker announced the appointment of Mir. Morse, of Massachusetts, member of the commission to locate and purchase the site for a naval observatory.
 The House then resumed the consideration of the Hot Springs bill The House spent most of the afternoon in consideration of the bill and passed it by vote of 125 to 121. The bill was opposed mainly on the ground that it would involve the Government in loss and would upset the work of the Hot Springs Commission, which it was supposed had settled the titles. MT. King, of Louisiana, from the Committee on Inter-Oceanic Canal, offered resolution which was agreed to re- questing the President to communicate to the House copies of all correspondence in rela- have passed between the Government and any foreign Government and our representative abroad, and also to communicate what treaty tion to the subject rest with this Government
 Mir: Beltzhoover. of Pennsylvania. intro duoed bill providing for general amnesty. It provides that all disabilities imposed by the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution shall be removed from any one under disa- bility who shall file with the Attorney General e request to be relieved. Referred.
 The House at 3;25 p. m. adjo turned.