The Portland daily press., 1882-02-02
XLVIIth Congress LIST Session
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.
The President pro tenn. submitted from the
commissioner of internal revenue response
to the resolution of December ID, relative to
the sale of farms or plantations in South Caro-
lima, under the act of 1862, for the collection of
direct taxes in insurrectionary districts.
Petitions were presented by Mr.. Hoar from
the officers of the Woman Suffrage Association
OF Missouri, protesting against legislation for
unconditional disfranchisement of women in
Utah: and praying the extirpation of polyg-
amy.
By Mr.. Hawley from President, faculty and
students of Yale College for reform in the civil
service.
By Mr.. Harris from the committee on epi
demic diseases, reported favorably with amend
ments the bill for the distribution of pure vac
cine virus to the people.
The Senate took up Mr.. Morgan's pending
resolution calling for authentic statement Of
all tests made by mixed commissions in refer
ence to heavy ordnance being built by the
United States, and also for printing the testi-
mony taken in the last Congress on the subject
of heavy ordnance and projectiles and tests to
which they have been subjected. Mr.. Morgan
charged that the ordnance department was
controlled by ring and the object of the reso-
luton was to sift the whole matter to the bot
tom. The resolution was laid aside informally
without action.
The Senate took up the three per cent bond
BILL and Mr.. Morgan advocated as an additio nal
section, an amendment as follows:
''That the agreement made with holders of bonds
OF the United States since the adjournment of the
46th Congress- by which the rate Of interest such
ponds is reduced to 312 per centum per annum, is
hereby fuliY ratified and confirmed according to the
terms and intent OF said agreement
A long debate followed, in course of which
Mr.. Window was severely criticised as having
exceeded his legal authority in funding five
and six per cent. bonds at lower rate, the
claim being made that such action was virtu-
ally the making of a new contract without
authority of law.
Mr.. Window in reply recited the details of
his funding operations, holding that,his course
had been entirely constitutional and legal.
He admitted the dates, numbers and rates of
interest on these pieces of paper, on new bonds
and old bonds were different but with these
exceptions, the two were alike He added
that the government bound itself to pay 81 per
cent. when it authorized bonds at and per
cent The obligation to pay lesser rate was
assumed when 1t contracted to pay higher
rate.
Upon suggestion of Mr.. Ingalls, the amend
ment was modified by the insertion of the OK
press recognition of agreement as valid and
binding upon the government. The amend
ment was then adopted without vote, as also
the provision offered by Mr. Davis of West
Virginia, declaring that nothing in the act
shall be so construed as to authorize an increase
of the public debt.
bill was then reported to the Senate from
the committee of the WHOLE and questions be-
ing upon agreeing to amendments as a whole.
Mr.. Sherman asked for separate vote upon
Plumb's amendment applying the surplus rev.
enues of over $100,000,000 to the reduction of
the public debt.
Pending action on the matter the House con-
current resolution fixing the 9th of Februasy
as the day for the Garfield memorial services,
was concurred in. Adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Mckinley, of Ohio, offered a resolution
setting apart Monday, the 9th day of Febru-
ary for memorial service upon the death of
President James A. Garfield. Adopted.
Mr.. Hill, of New Jersey, introduced bill
reducing postage on letters and sealed pack
ages to two cents for half an ounce or under;
four cents for over half an ounce and under
two ounces and for each additional two ounces
or fraction thereof two cents. Referred.
Under call of committees bills for the erec-
ton of public buildings at Louisville, KY,
Rochester, N. Y, Minneapolis, Mimi, and ST.
Joseph, Nc, were reported from the Commit
tee on Public Buildings.
AT the conclusion of the morning hour the
House, at 1850, went into committee of the
whole, Mr.. Calkins in the chair, on the post
office appropriation bill.
Mr.. Caswell, of Wisconsin. explained the
provisions of the bill. The amount appropri-
ated was $43, 300, only $787,75S of which
would come out of the general fund in the
treasury. since it is estimated the revenue. of
the Post Office Department amounted to $42,-
TAI, ,722. The Committee on Appropriations
had cut down the estimates of the department
in several particulars.
General debate having closed the committee
rose without further action.
Several voluntary changes in committee
membership were announced, and the Speaker
laid before the House message from the Pres.
ident transmitting Communication from the
Secretary of the Interior enclosing a letter
from the Commissioner of Pensions, giving the
estimate of the amounts which will be re-
quired annually to pay pensions for the next
Referred.
Also letter from the Secretary of the Navy
transmitting report of the minority of the
board organized to consider the condition of
the navy. Referred. Adjourned.