Daily Kennebec journal., 1882-04-26
FORrYISBVgsrH CONGRESS.
SENATE.

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nation as to the title by which the United
States holds the navy yard at Boston, and
whether in the event of its sale the land
would revert to original owners.
The calendar was taken up and after pas
sing several minor bills, the Senate resumed
consideration of the Mississippi river improv-
ment bill. 1t appropriates S6,OOO,OOO. All
pending amendments to increase the appropri-
alton and apply part of the money for the
benefit of the levee system were Withdrawn,
and the bill passed by viva voce vote with
objection.
The House chinese bill was taken up.
Amendments reported by the foreign relations
committee ND to the last sections "a and l5)
were agreed to. MIR. Call criticised some of
the phraseoIogy of the bill and thought the
language obscure and some provisions objec-
tionabIe, TO which Mr.. Hawley said some
criticism would apply to whole bill.
The Committee amendment striking out
the l4th section, which prohibits naturaliza-
ton of the Chinese, was rejected by yeas 26,
nays 32, and the section retained. The COM
mittee amendment striking out the 18th sec
ton, which defines the words Chinese labor
ers" to mean both skilled and unskilled
laborers aud Chinese employed in miaing,
was carried by yeas 29 nays %.
The amendments having been gone through
was reported to the Senate with calls for sep
crate votes on some amendments.
Mr. Hoar while believing the measure was
destined TO pass it was his conviction that
public opinion and intelligence would sooner
or later demand a reversal of the policy con-
templated.
Mr.. Morgan construed the Presidents dec
laration in the recent veto that there are
points in this country where the Chinese can
be profitably employed, as meaning they are
to be employed in competition with negroes.
He characterized the Presidents professions
of consideration and friendship for the col
ored race in view of this declaration as arrant
hypocrisy.
The discussion was then suspended until
tomorrow.
Adjourned
Several resolutions were introduced and
referred
The contested election case of Lynch vs..
Chalmers, was called up, in the House by
vote of 81 yeas to l2l nays, and refused to
proceed to its consideration at present.
Robinson then called up his resolution in
troduced yesterday, discharging the foreign
affairs committee from further consideration
of the subject of the Imprisonment of Amer
lean citizens abroad. Against this Kassom
raised question of consideration.
The House voted to consider Robinson's
resolution.
Mr.. Robinson of N. Y. delivered one of
his characteristic speeches and reviewed the
facts relative to the imprisonment abroad of
American citizens. If the present resolution
be adopted he had others he would Offer
They were in effect that the President be
hOriZpl and instrupfad to faka such prn-
ceedings in the enforcement of the demands
upon the British government as designated
in the law of July %, 1868, and further that
Minister Lowell he recalled. 81 say fight"
said Robinson, ''if England refuses to comply
with our demands
Mr.. Cox said it was not the policy of Con-
gress to have Lowell ask Granville in hon.
eyed phrases to release our citizens, but to
demand it as a right.
Mr.. Orth, member of the foreign affairs
committee, said this was most delicate and
begged to inform itself of the status of the
case before discharging the committee from
its consideration He defended their course
in the matter and declared that not one hour
had been lost in attempting to assert the rights
of American citizens in Ireland. He stated
that one man included in the resolutions was
not an American citizen and another at the
time of arrest was holding Office under Great
Britain. No man had higher regard for
American citizenship than he, but it must be
used as as shield and not as sword.
Mr.. Deerster, also member of the com-
mlttee followed in a similar vein.
Negotiations were still going on by cable,
and if the House would forbear, even if until
next week, the committee hoped to be able to
report back the bill with the intelligence that
all the American prisoners were released.
Sympathy with Ireland belonged to no
party. Radical difficulty with Ireland was,
in his opinion, that for centuries attempt had
been made, if not by brute force. at least by
physical might to enslave people whom God
never made for slaves, (applause) that Eng
land is our neighbor in the family of nations,
and however much we may differ from her as
to her management of domestic concerns, it
is not for us to interfere forcibly if we could
Mr.. Cox offered a substitution for Mr.
Robinson's, one calling upon the President
for any additional correspondence with the
British government on file in the state depart
ment, and requesting the President to con-
tnue his efforts to the prompt trial or release
of the American citizens unjustly confined in
Ireland.
After further discussion Mr. Robinson
withdrew his resolution, and that offered by
MIR. Cox adopted.
Adjourned.