Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-07
CONGRESS YESTERDAY.
AN OLD GEORGIA CLAIM UNDER
FIRE IN THE HOUSE.

Its Advocates SuccessfuI-NIoney for
Political PurpOses-A Proposed Bank
Fupt Law-The Hill Memorial Services
The Freneh-American Claims-Land
Grants to Railroads.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.-The bill to re-
fund to the State of Georgia $50, 800 eX-
pended for the common defense in 1177
passed the House this afternoon by vote
OF SO to 50. This claim is to satisfy debt
incurred by Georgia for supplies pur-
chased of one Robert Farquhar for the
troops under command of Gen. James
jackson at Savannah. The bill was man.
aged by Mr.. Turner, who showed tact and
parliamentary ability.
Mr.. HiscOck, of New York, jumped on
to 1t, and assisted by Messrs. Holman. of
Indiana and Singleton. Of Illinois, tried
to kill it.
Messrs. Blount, Hammond, Turner.
Kay, tucker and Hewitt spoke in favor of
the bill.
An attempt was made to show that be-
cause other claims of this character had
been. settled by a commission in 1880,
Georgia should not now be reimbursed,
but Mr.. BlOunt showed that such an argu-
ment could not hold. Then an attempt
: l.
Kill the bill by saving that Georgia in
going into the rebellion forfeited all claims
prior thereto that she might have upon the
government.
Mr.. Turner proved that the Supreme
Court had decided, in the case of ''White
against Texas" that a State per Sc could
not be held responsible for the acts of its
citizens, and that the lOyal men and
women of state could not be deprived of
any right because a portion Of the citizens
thereof had gone into rebellion.
Mr.. HiscOck set up the old argument
that because Georgia had not paid direct
tax levied at the beginning of the late war
nothing should be paid her on account of
any claim while that tax remained
/ unpaid.
Messrs. Mills, of Texas, and McLane,
of Maryland. once again exploded this old
cry by showing that but few States had
{ paid direct taxes, and that the law was
| repealed shortly after its enactment.
The debate was long but quiet and calm.
Although an effort was made to stir up
sectionalism, there was no attendant
success. Three years ago the debate of
/ to-day would have been lurid and full of
/ bloody shirt. Finding themselves unable
I to defeat the bill its opponents, as a last
( resort, worked for an adjournment. but
/ NJ. Turner stood in his place and held
! out until the passage Of the bill was an
accomplished fact.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate. the President pro TEN.
submitted a communication from the Sec
retarv of the Treasury. transmitting the
report Of the National Board of Health.
( Referred to the Committee on Epidemic
/ Diseases.
Mr.. Sherman presented twelve petitions
of citizens of Ohio for the passage Of a bill
/ to increase pensions to those who have
/ lost an arm or leg in service.
Mr.. Ingalls, presented several similar
I petitions from citizens of Kansas.
Bills We're introduced as follows:
BY Mr.. Anthony-Ip prohibit the use of
the capitol for other than its legitimate
I purposes. Referred to the Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds.
Mr.. Edmunds offered a resolution in
Structing the Committee on the Judiciary
/ to inquire and report by bill or otherwise
! whether any further legislation is neces-
/ Sary to secure the title of the United
4 States to the National Soldiers Cemetery
i at Arlington. He explained that this was
made necessary by the recent decision of
the Supreme Court i'm relation to the right
of General Lee. The resolution was
unanimously agreed to
At the close of the morning hour Mr.
/ Platt called up his resolution, offered yes
terdav. asking the Commissioner of Pen
.
ference to the pension roll and the prOba-
/ bic effect upon it of the passage of the
pending bill to increase the pensions of
persons who have lost an arm or leg in
service or are suffering from equivalent
/ disabilities.
Mr.. Beck moved to amend by further in
/ structing the committee, without delaying
/ the information called for in the resOlu-
! ton, to transmit also as soon as practi-
4 cable a complete list of all persons borne
/ on the pension roll and claimants for pen
siOns, with their addresses and the
/ amounts of their pensions respectively.
! Adopted. The resolution as amended bv
/ Mr.. Beck was then adopted.
At l O'Clock the special order, the bill to
/ establish a uniform system Of bankruptcy
throughout the United States, was taken
up.
Mr.. Ingalls, proceeded at great length to
/ explain and advocate the bill. He re-
viewed briefly the three general bank
ruptcv laws heretofore enacted in this
/ country. which, he said, were for the
most part slavish copies of preceding
English legislation and coarse and un-
/ satisfactory in practice, The main point
! to be considered in framing a bankrupt
/ law was whether the courts or the credit
/ Ors should control the distribution Of the
estate. At the conclusion of his remarks
/ Mr.. ingalls, submitted certain minor
/ mittee, which were ordered printed.
The bill was debated by MessTs. Ed
munds. HOar and Garland, and then went
( over as unfinished business. and the Sen
/ ate then took up the calendar and passed
several bills.
The Senate held an executive session,
which lasted only a few minutes, and in
which nothing was done except to refer
to appropriate committees the nominal
tiOns received to-day. Then, at p. m, the
Senate adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Mr.. Willis, of kentucky. offered a reso-
luton directing the Committee on Civil
Service Reform to inquire whether at the
recent Congressional election money was
/ raised by assessment or otherwise from
Federal officehOlders or employees for elec-
tion purposes, and if so, by whom, and
what amount was so raised, and how the
/ same was collected and expended,
/ and whether such assessment
was not in violation of law;
! also. whether any Federal OfficehOlder or
/ emplOve has been dismissed, or threatened
with dismissal or deprivation of any right
/ or privilege by reason of his refusal to pay
any assessment made upon him, or was
/ otherwise inteTfered With.
Mr.. KassOn objected to the present con-
sideratiOn of the resolution, and it was
| referred to the Committee on Civil Service
/ Reform.
Mr. Caswell. of Wisconsin, offered a
resolution authorizing the Committee on
Appropriations to embody in the post
/ office appropriation bill a clause reducing
letter postage to two cents. Adopted.
Mr.. Kelley, Chairman of the Committee
of WAYS and Means, offered the usual
resolution for the distribution of the
| Presidents message, and the House pro-
/ ceeded in committee of the whole to its
consideration, The resolution was amend
ed so that the question of the Hawaiian
! treaty was referred to the Committee on
/ Foreign Affairs instead of that of Ways
! 5od Means. The resolution was then re-
norted back &c the House and adopted as
| amended,
The House then. at II :05, went into
h, ..,,-,nittee Of the whole Mr.. Wait, of
Co,.,,.io,,t - the CHAIR on the state OF
! the Union. 80.
The first bill to be considered was one
refllnding to the State of Georgia the sum
of $35. 600 expended by that state for the
common defense in 111l.
Mr.. Holman, of Indiana, opposed the
bill and its passage was advocated by
4 Of Georgia.