Daily globe., 1881-02-23
The Senate.

WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator Morrill, re-
ported fayorably the House bill directing the
verifcation of the returns of national banks.
He said the object was to legalize the oaths
taken by bank officers as TO returns when made
to a notary public. Passed.
Senator Bayard, from the finance committee,
reported with a substitute therefor, the Senate
billto repeal all laws that impose taxes upon the
capital of and deposits of national banks, and
deposits of national bank checks. Bayard
stated the substitute reported by the committee
provided simply for the repeal of the tax on
bank deposits The substitute was amended
and the bill passed.
Senator Wallace, from the finance commit
tee, reported adversely the bill to authorize the
issue and provide for the redemption of frac
tional notes. Postponed indefinitely.
A discussion peculiarly appropriate to the
day and apparently well appreciated by the
gallaries. which were usually full, was initi-
ated by taking up the House joint resolution,
amending and re-enacting the joint resolution
approved June IA, 1879, providing for q mon
ment to mark the birth place of George Wash
ington. Both resolutions place the expendi-
ture of the appropriation and control of the
erection of the monument under direction of
the secretary of state, and the pending one in
creased the appropriation from $4,000 to
S30,00O
Senator Salisbury, in favoring the bill, COM
mented upon the persistence with which Cock
rell had objected to taking up the bill notwith-
standing the appeal made him in view of the
patriotic character of the day.
Senator Cockrell replied that on the motion
to take up the bill Sau's ,ury,n his spectacular
and dramatic way, appeared to him not to
insist on an objection so that a monument
might be had, and now it appeared that
monument at $4,000 had been provided for by
the resolution of 1879, and that the
effort was under cover of the patriotic
occasion, and in the name of the old flag to
take out of the treasury $4,000 additional.
He thought the original memorial was the
only one the great and good but modest Wash.
ington would recognize if to-day he could
speak from his grave.
Senator Logan suggested to Cockrell a cor
rection of the familiar lines SO that they
should read, "First in war, first in peace and
the last one to get monument" General
merriment.
Senator ingalls, said he was curious to know
why the people of Virginia, if they felt inter-
est in the matter, didn't erect monument un-
der the resolution passed in 1879.
Senator Johnston replied the duty had been
imposed on the secretary of state, and he did
not do it because the sum was not sufficient.
Senator Ingalls-That is to say $4,000 was
not sufficient to erect S., 900 monument The
secretary differed with Congress in that par
ticular and consequently had not attempted to
comply with the law.
Senator Conkling, having been informed
the bill was not accompanied by any written
or printed report, said it appeared to him to be
a hollow and pretentious proceeding.
Senator Ingalls, said instead of marking the
birthplace of Washington with memorial
stone, as assigned in the resolution the secre-
tary of state and his associates had u ldertaken
to substitute for that a sort of cottage or
bird cage of some kind with delicalely stained
glass windows, and asked for 1000 to pay for
it. If Congress desired to have its deliberately
expressed purpose nullifed, vetoed and alb
rogated by a servant whose duty it was
to carry out its wishes, he, Ingalls,, had per-
sonally no objection to interpose, but he
thought it would be much better for Congress
to say to the secretary of state it preferred to
see the original design carried out.
A motion by Senator Teller to recommit
rasnegatived, ayes 115, nays 35, and the joint
resolution passed, ayes 40, nays 10.
Senator Williams introduced joint resolu-
tion to loan certain tents, dags, etc., to the
Masons of Louisville. Referred.
Senator Hill, from the committee on privi-
leges and elections, reported q resolution di.
recting the secretary of the Senate pay, out of
the miscellaneous items of the contingent
fund, to the legal representative of Henry M.
Spoford, claimant of the seat from Louisiana,
the salary or compensation without mileage,
he would be entitled TO under the law as Sena-
tor, from the 4th of March, 1877, to the Goth
of August, 1880. The rule proposed is iden-
tical with that in the Corbin case, and has
been reported by a unanimous vote. The reso-
luton prevailed.
Senator Logan moved to take up the retire
ment bill. The motion was subsequently
changed to make the bill the special order for
tomorrow. 1t was negatived, % to 20.
The legislative appropriation bill was then
proceeded with, and Blair advocated the pro-
posed increased clerical force.
Senator Logan, upon conclusion of an ap-
peal in behalf of the pensioners of the coun-
try, was applauded by the galleries.
Senator Beck regards the amendments as
Indifferent as they didn't propose a remedy
for the inherent defects in the pension Office
system. 1t would still allow dishonest pen
soner and dishonest agent to take advantage
of officers of the government, as the new
clerks and those who would be sent out by
the bureau and employed to hurry up, would
be merely partsans not selected or retained
for fitness, but because of political usefulness.
He proposed to have an investigation into
pension operations before providing an in
crease of the force.
Senator Plumb replied to Senator Beck's al
lusion to partisanship in appointments in the
pension force, and he said he had seen news
paper statement that an Ohio Democratic Rep
resentative had secured, during his two years.
service, the appointment of fifty-fre personal
and political friends in department bureaus.
He inferred from this the partisanship in the
department had been acceptable to the Demo-
cratic party.
Senator Burnside remarked that as he pre-
ferred to labor for the soldiers to mere
talk for them, and he could not talk
as loud or as long as some Other Senator's,
he would not at least delay the Senate by repe-
titions of his utterances. He said he noticed
the Senator from Illinois, Logan, smiling at
this statement, and he now said he had not
the slightest objection to having that Senator
know that what he, Burnside, had stated
about Republicans had reference to his,
Logan's, speech.
Senator Logan replied he would like to
know under what rule the Senator from Rhode
Island could prevent another member from
smiling. He, Logan, had thought it COM
pliment to the Senator to be smiled at when
speaking, but it seemed not to be. 1t was
not his, Logans, fault if the Senator could
not answer arguments in any other way than
by little filings.
The amendment of the committee was
finally adopted without division.
The remaining amendments of the Senate
committee were agreed to without discussion,
when the bill was read a third time and
passed.
Tho Sanota hill for settlement with the Ponca