Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-19
,aralyzed. Their recent experince might


the distress caused by the late overflow,
expressed his sympathy with the sufferers,
and added that Congress had not stayed re-
lief until any nice question of constitutional
| power could be discussed and settled. That
| department of the government which once
sent armies and gunboats to destroy and
| kill, became the quiet and gracious agent
of Congress to convey food and shelter to
| the hungry and homeless. Three hundred
and fifty Thousand dollars had been appro-
/ priated for rations and twenty thou
| sand dollars for seeds, and the propo-
| silion had been made to sppropri-
| ate fifteen thousand dollars more
! to send agents of the United States into the
| overt owed district to collect statistics of
! losses bv the food and report them to Con-
| gress He had been led TO ask himself
whether the State governments still existed
| in those States, and, II so, whether they had
| not some other relation to these afflicted
| people than that of disbursing agents for
| the Uui'ed States. We could not now af-
ford 10 fl Iat out of the Treasury on the
| side OF our sYmpathies, fifteen and possibly
| fifty millions Of dollars.
! Mr.. II ,rrisOn continued at considerable
| length in advocacy of the bill as it was
| repor ed.
Messrs. Kellogg and Jonas, members Of
the committee which reported the bill, re-
! piled to Mr.. Frye to the effect that the un-
| derstauding in committee was that the ques-
| tiOn as TO the levee system was to be left to
the Senate, and that they had reserved the
right 20 offer amendments to the bill.
The bill was then lsid aside informally
until TO morrow, and Mr.. Davis, of West
| Virginia, called up the agricultural appro-
| priatiCu bill. He stated that the total Of
| the hill as reported was $414, ,7S0, being
| $l9, 100 less than the aggregate as passed by
the Honse, The bill was passed.
/ Mr. II al1nonr inf
for the sale of public lands in the States of
| Mississippi and Louisiana t. the New Or
leans and Northwestern Railroad Company
| Referred.
A message from the President was read
on The subject OF the circular invitation ex-
tended to all independent countries of
North and South America to participate In
a general Congress, to be held in Washing
| ton, D. O., on the 22d of November next,
| for the purpose of considering aud discuss
ing methods of preventing war between the
nations OF America. Referred TO the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations, and ordered
! printed. Adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
In the House, on motion of Mr.. Ham
mOnd, Of Georgia, the Senate's amendments
we're concurred in to the House bill estab-
fishing United States District Courts with
distinct officers in the Northern and South
ern Judicial districts of Georgia.
Mr.. Neal, of Ohio, from the Committee
on Civil Service Reform, reported back the
resolution calling on the Secretary of the
Navy for information relative to the ap-
pointmeDt of Professors OF mathematics in
the navy Adopted.
MIR HiscOck, of New York, Chairman r
the Committee on Appropriations. rNpOrtt Z
joint resolution approprating $465 900 to
supply deficiency in the appropriation for
public printing and binding for the current
fiscal year. The Joint resolution passed.
The confidence committee on the
postal appropriation bill reported their
disagreement with the Senate con-
ferees, the point of difference
being the Senate amendment increasing
from $500 0G0 to $3.50, 600 the appropriation
for special mail facilities. On all other
points the cOnferees were practically agreed.
The report was agreed to and a new con-
ference ordered, and Messrs Caswell, Can
non and Ellis were reappointed as conferees
on the part OF the House.
The Utah elec ion case was then taken
up, and Mr.. Hszelton, Of Wisconsin, was
the fret speaker in support of the majority
report Of the Elections Committee, declsr-
ing that neither Cannon nor Campbell is en-
titled to the seat as 8 delegate from Utah
Territory. The Committee had waived the
question as 20 whether Cannon was a nat
uralizad citizen, and the whole case had
rested on the question as to whether or not
he was disqualified on account of being
connected with and a champion of the in
su'uti0n Of polvgamy.
MIR. House, OF Tennessee, combated the
position taken in the majority report as
violating all law and disreearding all pre-
ce1ens in claiming the right arbitrarily TO
exclude q Territory from representation
II the legal conclusions contained therein
were c0ncured in the next dele
cate from Utah might be kept
out of his seat because he took his
whisky straight instead of using sugar
The conclusion of his speech was devoted
70 a criticism of the anti polygamy bill as
being uUcOr stitutonal and as providing
that the people OF Utah should be placed
under The dominion of a returning board.
The mater then went over for the day.
M. Walker, from the Committee on
FOREIGN Affairs, reported a bill for the as
certsi"ment ard settlement OF French
sDolis'ion claims. Placed on the House
calendar.
Adjourned
THE PRESIDENTS PLEA FOR THE GREAT
VALLEY.
The following is the Presidents message
to CONGRESS to-day:
To the Senate and House of Re1ysSe7tatiges:
l transmit herewith a letter dated the 10Th
ult, from the Secretary of War, enclosing a
copy OF q communication from the Missis-
| sippi River Commission, in which the com
mission recommends that an appropriation
may be made o. 81 ,010 600 for closing exist
ing gaps in the levees, in addition to a like
sum for which an estimate has already
been submitted. The subject is one of
such importance that l deem it proper to
| recommend early and favorable considera-
tiOn OF the recommendation Of the commits
sion. Having possession Of and iurisdic-
ton over the river, Conoress, with the view
| of improving its navigation ard pro- 'ecting
! the people OF the valley from floods, had for
! years caused SURVEYS of the river to he made
] for the purpose of acquiring knowledge of
the laws that control # and of its DhepOm-
! ena. By The act approved June 28} b, 1879,
! the Mississippi River Commission was
| created, composed of able engineers. Sec
| tion four Of the acc provides that IT shall be
the duty OF said commission TO take into
consideration ard mature such plan or plans
and estimates as will correct, permanently
| locate and deepen the channels and pro.
tect the banks OF the Mississippi river,
| improve and give safety and ease
to its navigation throughout, prevent de
structlve floods, promote and facilitate COM
merce, trade and the postal service. The
cOnstitutionality of the law making appro-
priaiiOns 10 aid of these objects cannot be
questioned, while the report of the commits
the rivers improvement seem justified as
we'll on scientific principles as by experience
and the approval of the people most in
terested.
desire to leave it to the Judgment of
Congress TO decide upon the best plan for
the permanent and complete Improvement
Of the river and for the protection
OF the valley. The immense losses and
widespread suffering OF the people dwell
ing near the river induce me to
urge upon Congress the propriety Of not
only making an appropriation to close the
gaps in the levees occssioned by the recent
foods, as recommended by the COM
mission, but that Congress should in
sugurate measures for the per-
manent improvement OF navigation
and the security OF the valley. 1t may be
that such a system of improvement would
as it progressed require the appropriation
of twenty or thirty millions OF dollars
Even such an expenditure, extending, as It
must, over several years, cannot be regarded
as extravagant, In view of the immense in
terests involved.
The safe and convenient navigation of
the Mississippi is matter of concern to all
sections OF the country. but to the North
west, with its immense harvests, needing
transportation to the sea, and to the inhabi-
tants of the river valley, whose lives aud
property depend upon the proper construc-
tion of the safeguards which protect them
from floods, 1t is of vital importance that a
well matured, comprehensive plan for this
Improvement should be put into operation
with as little delay as possible. The cotton
produce Of the region subject TO the devas
tating floods is a source of wealth to the