The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-04-06
Congress- FIRST Session.
WASHINGTON. April :, 1882.
CRY ATI

W ARLINGTON, April ., lSS2.
SENATE.
! Mr.. Jonas, Of Louisiana, presented a
memorial received by telegram from The
various exchanges OF New Orleans, ear
nestly petitioning for favorable action on
/ the Mississippi levec appropriation bill,
aud opposing any Experimental schemes,
I 10 which the best engineering talent OF the
country is opposed. Read and referred.
The bin admitting Dakota as State was
reported from the Committee on Terrific
ries without amendment. Calendar.
Mr.. Miller, OF California, introduced
bin to execute certain treaty stipulalions
relating 10 Chinese identical with the We
toed Chinese bill except that the term OF
suspension Of immigration i reduced 10
ten years, and that the time for it 10 90
into effect Is made sixty days instead Of
ninety days after is enactment. Referred
90 Committee on Foreign Relations.
Mr.. Morgan called up his Mexican reel
procity resolution, and after some discus
sion, in which Mr.. Morgan said that that
resolution contemplated legislative action
upon the tariffs OF the two countries. it
passed without objection.
The presidential count bill came mp as
unfinished business.
After some discussion OF the status OF The
veto message rs privileged question, Mr..
Harris moved TO postpone the unfinished
business, with a view TO taking up the We
tocd Chinese bill.
4 vote being taken. Mr.. IIarris's motion
prevailed-ycas, 20; nays, -. The vote
was party one, except that Mcssrs. Came
ron OF Wisconsin, Jones OF Nevada. and
Miller OF California, voted " Aye" with the
Democrats. Messrs. Davis OF Illinois and
Malone voted NE" with the Republic
cans.
The Chinese bill was then taken upwith-
out opposition. Mr.. Sherman moved TO
refer the bill and message to the Committee
on Foreign Relations. He supported and
elaborated the objections OF the President,
and particularly OF the Chinese Minister,
and urged that as there was no occasion for
haste the measure should I've carefully per-
fected in committee with view ~ olivia
ting these objections.
At the conclusion Of the discussion. the
pending question being divided at the re-
quest OF Mr.. Garland, the vote on the tirst
branch, to refer the bill 20 the Committee
on Foreign Relations, resulted Ayes, Is;
noes, ga party vote. except that Came
ron OF Wisconsin, ingalls,, Jones OF Ne
yada, Miller Of California, Plumb, Sewell,
and Teller voted with the Democrats in the
negative. Mr. Davis Of Illinois also voted
"NO."
The second branch, 10 refer the message
and papers, was also ncgatiyed yeas, 10;
nays. %.
ON the question Shall the bin pass not
withstanding the objections Of the Prcsi-
dents veto:" the vote was yeas. %: nays,
u so the bill failed, two thirds not having
voted in the affirmative.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The morning Bur having been dis
pensed with, the House at 12:2j went into
! Committee Of the Whole on the army ap-
preparation bill.
The pending question was on the appeals
taken Yesterday from the decision Of the
/ Chair ruling in order that portion OF the
clause under consideration which provides
/ FOR the transfer OF claims pending in the
/ Quarterma,tcr-General Department 10 the
/ Court Of Claims. and ont 81 order that por
/ ton which regulates the manner in which
/ that court shall proceed 20 the adjudication
OF claims.
The Chair stated that ne had not ycster-
| day decided on the point OF order H. an
entirety. but had merely indicated what
portions of the text would be- and what
would not be in order had separate points
been raised against them. Thcrc were
therefore, he said. no appeals pending, and
he proceeded TO render his decision, Sus-
tanning the point OF order, and holding that
sue transfer feature was in part 0bnoN-
u. q the rules, the whole clause must be-
eliminated.
Mr.. Hiscock. 81 New York, then offered
an amendment providing that no money
appropriated in the bill shall be used in the
investigation OF claims by the QuartcI1na,-
tcr-GonciHl's Department.
Mr.. Thompson, Of Kentucky. moved 10
amend the amendment by transferring
claims TO the Court OF Claims when claim
ants may so desire.
Mr.. Blackburn, OF KentIcky. in oppO-i-
ton 20 The amendment, said that grave ac-
cuSatiOns had been made against officials in
the artermaster-Genera'S and Com
missary-G Generals Departments. There arc
practices existing in those departments
in the matter OF adjudicaiing claims
which no honest man could defend and no
legislator could permit TO continue. lie
had evidence i'm his desk 10 that effect,
which he would not read, because II those
practices had prevailed, and officials were
guilty (as there was ground 10 suspect that
they were. the parties paying blackmail
money were a guilty ~ the receivers.
That the evidence Of improper practices
were correct he had taken occasion 10 SAT-
isfy himself bv submitting them 10 various
members OF the House 10 whom the claim
ant, were known. Some Of the crimi-
nal partics were to-day employed in
two departments OF the Government.
Some bad passed out Of employment du-
ring the past few years. but had LEFT
behind them evidence OF their official mis-
conduct i'm their own handwriting. An
Investigation Of this matter would come
at the proper time, and that soon. But he
was seeking TO warn the House against al
lowing 10 continue for another day sys-
TEN Of adjudication that was rotten TO the
core. He was willing that any member
should examine the papers which he had
in his desk, tending to show the corrup-
ton which had been charged.
Mr.. Reed, Of Maine. hoped that The gem
tleman, instead Of having side-show al
his desk, would make his charges openly
and directly.
Mr.. Blackburn replied that the charges,
a. the papers in his possession seemed to
present them, were that men employed rs
: important clerks In the two departments
! had been IN the habit OF leyying bIackmail
10 the extent OF 3 per cent. commission on
claims which they recommended. lie meant
, TO say no more. That they wrote receipts
after this fashion.
: "Reeeiyed OF - per cent. ices IN
: the eases OF George Jones, j. I. sinith' ana
1 Lucinda Cowgirl, s60.95. -,
81. l.. MCFARLAND"
Mcfarland was then. Mr.: BlaekDurn
said, as lac was informed, chiei clerk Of
: the Examining Division. :,
4 Mr.. Blackburn stated that "nen th'
n committee rose he would offer resolution