Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-29

WASHINGTON, January 2stb-Spear announced
that he would, after twn hours debate tomorrow,
call the previous question on the Yeates Martin case
The Republicans generally agreed 10 thus.
A resolution was adopted asking the Secretary Of
State for all the facts regarding the HALIFAX Fishery
award
the report Of the Commissioner OF Agriculture ON
the diseases Of swine and cattle
Singleton OF Illinois presented petition Of 100
persons on postal laws Referred.
Tie House went into Committee OF the Whole on
the private calendar.
Tie frs bill o. the calendar was that TO place
Mark Walker the retired list Of the army This
officer discharged Tor drunkenness on the even
ing OF his retirement, end the report Of the commit
tee states thai he WAS at shat time suffering from
acute rheumatism
The bill was opposed By Sparks and Dibrel, and
supported by Stephens and UNei the last OF whom
gave credit 10 aiker foT maufully pleading guilty
instead OF making the excuse Of malaria.
IN the course Of the discussion the Fiiz John Por
ter case was giluded TO, though Sparks cOuteaded
that there was no similarity between the two cases,
in3suluch General Por er rad denied that he had
violated oriors. and Commission had declared by
bic conduct that he mad saved the Union army from
dis ster while in the pending ease Walker had &C.
know ledged his guilt
Mills opposed The bill on the ground that it was
doubtful whether Congress had the constitutional
power to interfere with ard disturb the decision Of
a C2urt-n's tial.
Masinuis thought the great misfortune about the
case was that I findings Of the Court martial had
reached the Administration during one OF is splsns
OF reform that the Administration had come 10
the capital with the sanctity Of the Suuday-schoo
around it. and had promised to make up for the way
by wlic il Tad gotten into power by reforming The
civil and military service % the country Every
remembered the hr-t civil service order and the
we k outcome Of it. The army also 20 be
formed IN the SUNDAY school and Piclwickian
way An order had been issued for the discharge Of
any army officer convicted OF drunkenness, aud it
was the misfortune Of Walker that his case had
came up while the presi lent Was in virtuous and
indignant mood. Since that tine the precedent had
not been followed. lie criticised the action of the
President in granting an appointment to Gsnerd
Mcdowell, xho had gone into the war under the
most favorable opportunities and came out without
command, and retiring with the rank OF Brig
aiiet General the grlZzeu old veteran Ord, wac had
always been in the hardest service, and had never
been on carpet duty about the capital. The discp-
line Of the service was injured BY this violation Of
all rules ana regulations Of promotion
The bill was finally laid aside for favorable recon-
Iendatiun.
The next bill was for the relief Of Mrs F. P
Page wild w OF Captain Pgge Of the United States
Navy THE amount involved is 1886, which was
due Captain Psge upon his resignation from the
navy in 1861, the reason # bis resignation being
thai his S,ats had seeded IRON the Unonl
Conger opposed the bill, and drew picture Of
Captain Page raising the sword which had been
given him by his country 10 strike down that coun-
try. laughter on the Democratic side
COngsr- Gentlemen laugh and sheer. don't
envy the smile that gathers over The faces of some
AT the picture have drawn. Il is n becoming
hbitou OF the condition Of which the human face
is capable under adverse circumstances Laugh
ter on the Republican side lie had never heard Of
the proposition epea the statute which prevented
she p1yneut OF the p ming claims except the re
marks Blackburn had made inadvertently. He
believed that whan the Democrats had obtained
control of both Houses and the Presidency they
would repeal the laws which, and which, and which,
etc. etc etc.
Blackburn sskeI he gentleman not % garble his
(Backburos) sentences IS slne lesser sGts OF the
Republican party had done before him
long ami amusing c1lnquy ensued, AZ the con-
cIusion OF which Congar finished mis- speech.
Goode desired to make correction in the report
submitted by IRE Naval Committee. The report
stated that Captain Page had entered he Confeder
ate service. He had no done 50, but (Goode) had
no doubt he would have done 90 but for his adj
vanced age Captain Page would not thank hIm Tor
representing to the American Congress that he
tPage) won not have gone into thai struggle with
his native State.
Conger replied that be could do justice 70 the boy
who had done gallant service on the waters of Lake
Erie and 10 the man who had been loved and re-.
spected until the fatal hour had come, and say he
believed il that was alive now the recognition
OF his associations with the beloved fig OF his coun
try would prevent hin from ever coming here and
asking for a D table sum- less han $500
House supported the bill 1t was not the first
time Conger had bawled himself hoarse, and mad
waved the bloody shirt in order to cover cause OF
injustice
Cox rebuked Conger for opposing and Congress
for debating over pltry a sum- so fairly due and
allowing such feeling to prevail fifteen yelrs after
tie war closed and after the election He
cOmpmented Garfield and condemned those who
we're building up his Administrations advance upon
these obnoxious doctrines
Chlttenden also favored the bill
Bragg compared this case TO Benedict Arnold's
The latter had fought nobly bravely and well, but
deserted his eoun;ry's q g in try ing hour Cap
tam Page fought bravely on Lake Erie it had been
better that he had died sustaining the flag Of his
country in plOtnitz hat IN biu of
spit on that flag by resgning his commission
in the hour Of his countrys peril If the woman
was to be paid because she was old aud poor, that
was one thing; but IL Congress to pay her be-
cause she was the wife OF man who resigned from
his country's service, that was another He who
deserts his eountrys flag In the hour OF peril is en-
titled to no respect from that country afterwards,
urless what she may give him by way OF gratuity. l
shou d say the gentlemen who broke the Constitu-
ton and fled from 1t not the men TO hold it up
before me. ! arn anxious never TO hear again the
subject of the Southern rebellion. / would fain
wipe it out forever from my eyesigbt and memory
and say to my frienls In the south, who ask the
people to do this, do not continue 1t on the claims
calen lar Of this House. and keep 1t live issue by
constantly endeavorng to get from the Treasury
something which involves discussion.
Hawley said he would not object TO the simple
payment Of this amount, bu did object 70 the state
ment that il was as binding as any bond
Goode asked il Pages crime was TO be visited on
his wife and children, and if Havley would follow
him to the or We.
Hooker said Benedict Arnold was a traitor Ior
cor Iteration No SouthegGeri o0k uparms formoney.
Who thought Of branding K. Z. Lee. stonewsil
Jackson ana A. S. johnson like Benedict Arnold
He euogized Lee for his course after the war. No
body desired peace and the oblivion OF the past
more than the Southern members.
Wright said II the friends Of the bill would with
draw Il he would give the woman q check for the
W ole amount.
Gnode declared that the woman did not come
begging aims but demanding her rights, and If the
Government would repudiate this debt it would
repudiate any other.
The debate ceased. and the bill will be reported
vorably to the House.
The committee rose and the House adjourned