New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-29
At THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
CONGRESS AND IT'S WORK.

RECTS ERRORS.
The possibility that called session Oh 'pe
xLVIIth Congress will have to be had appears
to be growing fast into prcbablhty' 50 ',luo"
work remains to be done by the present 0on-
gress, and there is so little dlsposluOh ~
Democratic leaders to make good use oi "n"'
time is left. A sharp debate in the houso
was occasioned by a bill to pay the WHO"
of Contain Page a small sum OF InoheS
claimed TO be due as balance ol noi "
bond,s nav. Mr.. Blaine introduced in the SEN
ota a hill designed to foster American ship
ming interests. Captain Eads has made for
publication in THE TRIBUNE personal state
ment in reply to structures upon the bill before
Congress for Government assistance IN the
construction of ship railway across the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
DISCUSSING A REBEL CLAIM.
A LIVELY DEBATE IN THE HousE-DEMoCRATlc
DEMANDS FOR RIGHT AND JUsT1cE-A sIGNlfI-
CANT CLAIM.
iBY TELEGRAPH TO TUE TRIBUSE.l
WASHINGTON. Jan. 28.-This was Virginia Day"
O. the House of Representatives. The chairman of
tbe Committee of the Whole ex-COnfedcrate
Rrioadier.G General Hunton, of Virginia The bill
under consideration was one for the relief OF the
widow of the late Captain Hugh n Page. OF Virginia.
on OF. Confederate officer who deserted his flag In
1861 when Virginia passed the Ordinance of Seces-
sion. and the member who reported the bill and
nrued its passage was ex-COnfederate Congressman
John Goode, of Virginia. In brief the facts III the
case are as follows:
In 1917 Hugh N. Page entered the United States
Navy as mldshipman. He participated with great
gaIautry in the battle of Lake Erie and Congress
voted him sword in recognition of his services in
Op f1a1 Of
Page offered his resignation OH the ground that his
State had seeded from the Union. He then entered
the Confederate Navy. Less thoughtful than were
most of the traitors of the Army and Navy who de-
serted their flag IN 1861, Captain Page neglected to
draw a balance of pay between the date upon which
he offered his resignation and the date OF Its ac-
ceptance The amount of this balance was $l3G So
Captain Page died several years ago, and 1t is now
demanded that the United States shall pay this
money to the widow of Captain Page.
Mr. Goode advocated the passage of the bill as a
matter of right and justice. From this point the
discussion waxed warm. Mr.. Conger made vigor-
ous Speech which was evidently designed to draw
the fire of the enemy, and which answered its pur
pose admirably Mr. House. of Tennessee. Mr.
Hooker. of Mississippi, and Mr.. S. 8. Cox FASTENED
to put themselves the wrong side of the question:
Mr.. Cox's speech contained great deal Of senti-
mentalism about "The blue and the gray" Mt.
Hooker made his usual impassioned speech about
the banks of Runnymede. King John and Robert
Emmett He closed with a glowing panegyric upon
Robert E. Lee, which was heartily applauded by the
ex-ConfedeIates present aided by Congressman
Springer, who clapped bis hands with genuine en-
One Of the best speeches of this session was that
made by General Bragg, OF Wisconsin. HIS COM
parison of Captain Page with Benedict Arnold was
very we'll drawn. and was not relisbed by the South
ern members The Democrats sat still and sullen
hon d.
mirable speech, which was received with manifesto
tions Of hearty approval on the Republican side
meet cold looks from his brother Democrats ON all
sides A.. D... .o
very sound advice, and rebuked their hypocritlcal
pretence that they are anxious to have war
memories buried and forgotten. when they are
bringing forward and urging measures winch ne
Cessarily revive such memories and involve un-
The Hi BASED by a vote of 20 to CO in the Com
mttse of the Whole The yeas and nays will be de-
significant feature of the proceedings will not
be chronicled IN The Congressional ReCord Mr.
Known Went to Mr.. G.ode and asked If the widow
in whose behalf the bill is urged, IS In needy CIR
cum-tances being told that she U.s. Mr. Chittc1de1
On the ground that "rrnciple Is involved In the
passage OF the bill. This opened Mr; Chittendens
ewes and he will vote against the Dill although he
made speech in its favor,
One point that was urged by the advocates OF the
measure ought not to escape attention; Inns was was
not to be deprived of this money, which Is portion
of his estate The same reasoning will apply 10
every one of the thousand rebel claims which have
leen fcd or prepared, the original claim
ants are dead. People who do not believe that
'rebel claims" are living issue should read tn the
repOrt of the proceedings in the House to-day. Be-
sides being very lively ISSUE rebel claims receive
the almost unanimous support OF both Nor thern and
Southern Democrats in the House Oh Representa-"
tves.
The DEBATE ,ctus found in e regular report tte pro.
NEGLECTING PUBLIC BUSINESS.
tossIBnITY THAT AN EXTRA SESSION OF THE NEXT
CONGRESS MAY HAVE TO BE CALLED BECAUSE
OF DEMOCRATIC INcArAciTY.
lBr TELEGRAPH TO The TRIBUNE.
WASHINGTON Jan. 28.-The course of events is
beginning to Justify the fear that called session OF
the XLvIitb Congress may. after all, he caused by
the vicious pcapacity of the Democratic majority IN
the present Congress. This week will close without
action by the House of Representatives upon
single general Appropriation bill Ex-
actly three weeks Of the session which
can be devoted to matters OF legislative
= routine will then remain.
The largest and most difficult three of the general
appropriation bills-the Legislative. Executive anu
Judicial, the sundry Civil. and the General
Deficiency bils-have not yet been reported to the
Ho,se. and the last two of them have not yet been
prepared by the sub-committees of tho Appro-
prattons Committee. The Legislative bill may
be reported next Monday. The District
OF Columbia bill has been reported to
the House. Its consideration BY that body alone
usually consumes two or three days. Neither the
Agricultural bill nor the River and Harbor bill has
YET oeen completed by the committee having 1t in