New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-05
MEETING OF CONGRESS.


TANT OPINION BY TIE EATrORNEY-GENERAL
The XLVllth Congress assembled for Its
closing session yesterday. No business Of i'm
portance was transacted, both bOuses adjourn
ing early IN honor of members who
had died since the close of the last session. The
Presidents Message was read. His recommends
tions regarding tax reduction occasicned some
discussion in private, but the document was
generally well received. The Republican Sena-
tors held caucus in which it was decided To
retain the existing committees. In the report
Of the Controller of the Currency is Incorporated
an opinion by the Attorney General on the lia-
bility Of National banks for Over-certifcatiOn of
checks.
HOW THE MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED.
DISCUSSION on THE QUEsn N OF TAX REDUc-
TIoN-GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH OTHER RE-
COMBINATIONS.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON Dec. 4-Among Senators and
Representatives who listened to Its reading the
tone of comment upon the Presidents Message was
generally favorable, although the same diversity OF
views prevails as to its recommendations regarding
the tax reduction which prevented any action upon
the subject at the last session. Chairman Kelley,
of the Ways and Means Committee, speaking of
this matter tonight said:
Il am disposed to take the President at his word
and immediately report nv bill TO repeal the to-
baccO tax, which the members of my committee
have already given me authority to do as as
shall have prepared written report for their exam
naton. shall try to iIduce them to agree to let
add repeal Of tho malt liquor tax before or af,
ter the bill Is brought into the House. believe the
caucus also he brought to agre, To the same
| plan"
Mr Kasson on the other hand, is by means
inclined TO accept the proposition to abolish the
taxes on malt liquors or 10 reduce the tobacco tax
below ) cents per pound. lie IS anxious that the
tariff shall be revised. and he also fears
| that tho agitation In favor of tax
reduction may result in reducing the revenues
below the point of safety Mr. Klsson also shares
! the mlsgiyings. felt by many other Republican
Represen atiyes regarding the extent of future de-
mands upon the Treasury to satisfy the claims OF
| pensioners under tho present laws, and be.teea
| that those demands will be greater than Is now
| generally anticipated.
Mr. Hiscock might support the recommendations
contained in the Messag', If the bill to carry them
out should tx date sufficiently far in tho future
for the repeal take effect. Mr.. Rice, of Massa-
chusetts ,and several other NewEngland Represent
atives, rs well most of tho We-tem
! Republican members substantially agree with tho
the reasons which led these members to tho same
general conclusions are b. no the same Such
| men, for example, as Messrs Anderson, Dunnel
| and WaShburn arc opposed to n sweeping reduction
of internal taxation, beCausa they are very anxious
that import du les shall be materially reduced.
good many men of this STAMP also demand at that
"whskey and tobacco shall pay the pensioners"
The fact that the recommendations of the Tariff
Commission come at the same time with those of
| the President promotes more emphatic
expression Of opinion on both sides, and thus adds
to the difficulty of the situation. Although the de-
tails of the ConmissIon's report are yet unknown.
even By the members OF the Ways and Means Com
mittee he impression among the Representa-
tives is that rhe reductions recomme ided much
more general and radical than anybody expected.
| As n consequence, the Western aud Southern mem-
bers generally have plucked up new
hope and COURAGE, AMI lnslsL more strongly
than before that the questions of internal taxation
! and Gus ioms duties shall be considered together.
Judge Kelley and men Of his way of thinking are
evidently dsap pponted to some eX ent by what they
b lieve the re concentrations or the larlh Conmis'
sion to be. Representative Brewer, Of New-Jersey,
who represent disIrict which contains rxtcnslve
pottery manufictu es, Is among tne m'app0ihied
ones. He says that while the Commission
recommended an increase ot duties on
manufacturers of pottery OF about ID per cent,
certain rebates ana drdnctlons are recommended
whcu will leave the ne Increase only pei cent,
Ich he regards asentrely toOsmall .DouOtless ting
l.
as SlI0ng ground Tor cOhpalht as MI brewer mas
discovered.
Aside from the recommendations respecting tho
reduction OF internal taxation, the RENAL luder
of the Message was received Wlth many
| expressions of satisfaction. The friends OF
. Civil Service Reform found much comfort In the
Presidents expression IN regard TO It, Ihe adyo-
cafes cheap postage heartily indOrse his recon-
nenIations on that subject and several OF tnen eX-
pressed their satisfaction his disapproval of the
Postma ster-t GENERALS pos al Telegraph scheme.
number of prominent representative Democrats as
wei as RI pa uDlicans found occasion 10 manitess
tner ap DrOval of that pOrt0n OF he Message feat-
ing TO uver and harDor appropriations ana
several OF them declared III favor % giving
the President power to veto specified items con-
tatned in appropriation bills. The friends of Ma
fional Bankruptcy law are encouraged, aud a nIen-
her of he Judiciary Committee 3ald that the OIL Tor
that purpose VIII Uo strongly pressed by that com
mittee The Representatives. from New
we're especially pleased with what he Mes
sage contains on the subject OF American Snlpplng
interests and the Representatives, from the states
i'm tne Nis,is,lppl Valley loud ~ their express
sons of satisfaction over the Presidents recoul-
mcndatIon of further appropriations ior the ln-
! proyement ot tho mississippi RIVER.
Senator'S commenced upon the message after ad
| ,ournneut III terms of general approval. eenator
PendetOn thought the portion relating TO Clvii
! seryIce Reform was TO be commented, as showing
| by comparison with the preceding aInual message
| that the Presidential mind Was rapidly developing
i'm rms respect senator Beck approved the message
as "A whoie adding that II reminded one OF the BOY
that had been whipped he was Iull Of promises OF
reform.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SENATE.
READING OF THE PRESIDENTS MEssAGE-EARLY
ADJOURNMENT II HONOR OF THE LATE SENATOR
HILL.