The Portland daily press., 1881-01-18
WASHINGTON.

The Republicans to Resist the Unseating
OF Kellogg.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE Republican
Senators held caucus this morning and de-
up the Republicans will submit motion to
lay the subject on the tables. If this does not
prevail they will endeavor to prevent the
adoption of the resolution unseating Kellogg
by all parliament resources. The caucus au-
thorized their chairman to appoint a COM
mittee of five Senators to report on the ge neral
order of business at a future meeting.
Nominations Confirmed
The Senate confirmed the nominations of
John M. Morton as Surveyor of Customs at
San Francisco; Edgar Stanton, of Illinois, now
consul at Bremen, to be consul general at St.
Petersburg.
Mr.. Blaine to Resign Soon.
Mr.. Blaine will resign his senatorship to give
the Maine Legislature an opportunity to elect
Mr.. Frye in his place during the present SeS-
Important Railway Decisions.
A decision was rendered by the United
States Supreme Court to day in the so-called
Florida railroad cases, viz.:-The Florida
Railroad Company vs.. j. Fred Schultz ct al;
Com mpany VS.. the same, and the Western North
Carolina Railroad Company VS.. George F.
Drew, Governor, etc. The bonds in controversy
are held to be valid and subsisting obligations
OF the railroad companies, and the DEGREES in
all three cases are affirmed.
Ocean Mail Service.
A bill introduced in the Senate to-day to
establish an ocean mail service proposes to ap-
propriate $500 900 for the pur pose. 1t author
ICES the Postmaster General to make contracts
for the transportation of United States mails
to such as West Indian, South American,
Central American Mexican, Asiatic and
European ports as in his judgement will best
c,tca
cial interests of the United States, proposals
for the performance of this service to be ad-
vertiSed for and the service to be let to the
lowest bidder to begin as soon as practical
after the execution of the contracts. The bill
also provides that vessels employed in this
service must be steamships butt in American
ship yards and owned and officered by Ameri-,
can citizens The annual rate of compen
tlon for the service is not to exceed $50 per
mile one way per annum.
Depreciation Of District of Columbia
Bonds.
News was received this afternoon that the
3-16s District of Columbia bonds had depreciat-
ed early one per cent. The announcement
caused considerable anxiety among the hold
ers. The reason was that no permanent appro-
priation for payment of interest on these bonds
which falls due February 1st, and aggregate
about 5000, 900. Assurances are now received
that bill will be Immediately passed II taking
for permanent appropriation to meet the in
terest hereafter.
The Inter-Oceanic Canal Schemes.
There was very interesting hearing this
morning before the House special committee
on Inter- Oceanic canals. Capt. L. l.. Phelps
represented the Nicaraguau Maritime Com
pany, and Mr.. Thompson, ex-Secretary of the
Navy, the De Lesseps project The latter was
subjected to a rathed rigid cross-examination
by some members of the committee, and his
answers were spirited. He maintained that
the Panama route was beyond comparison the
best that could be selected; said that the COM
pany was not under control of the French
government and would not be, and that the
people could in no way interfere with the
Monroe doctrine, of which he was as earnest a
supporter as any one could be. He had ad-
mtted that he received $25,0OO as Chairman
of the American Branch.
Captain phelps, on the contrary. insisted
that the Panama route was vastly inferior to
the Nicaraguan route; that the harbor on both
sides is difficult to make and almost inaccess-
BILE in case of a storm; that, moreover, the
coast on the Pacific side was out of the range
of trade winds, and that vessels would be COM
PEELED to tack far to the southwark from Pana-
ma before they could reach the trade winds,
whereas if the Nicaragua route shall be select
ed the trade winds, which always prevail along
the coast, would greatly facilitate the voyage
OF coasters. The greatest possible stress was
laid upon the Monroe doctrine, which he
claimed would be manifestly violated by the
De Lesseps plan. Capt. Phelps maintained
that it would be impossible that the French
government should not ultimately intervene;
and that the result would be disastrous to Am
erican interests.
Gen. Garf1eld's Successor.
The House committee on Elections continu-
cd the hearing upon the protest of Representa-
tive Hurd to the seating of Representative
Taylor from the 10Th Ohio district The com
mittee will take action upon the case to-mor-
row.
They will also act upon the report of the SUBJ
committee in the case of Bisbee vs. Hull of
Florida. The subcommittee unanimously
favor the unseating of Hull (Dem.) the present
incumbent.
The Northern Pacific Railroad
The members of the Pacific Railroad COM
mittee of the House believe no action will be
taken this session in the Northern Pacific
Railroad matter.
The New Apportionment.
The apportionment bill introduced in the
House to-day fixes the number of representa-
tives at 3O1. Compared with the present num-
Der of members the bill makes the following
losses and gains: Arkansas, California, Iowa,
Michigan, Mississippi, South Carolina and
West Virginia gain one each. Kansas gains 3,
Texas 4, Minnesota and Nebraska gain each;
Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire, Maine,
Indiana, Tennessee, Florida and Vermont lose
one each; New York loses two.