Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-09
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
In a magDanimOus MOOd-The Ap-
POrtIOnment BIIl-FIOrida Claims
-EulOsIes on the Late VI. p. O'COn-
nOr-VarIOus Topics of Interest.

-EulOstes on the Late M. p. O'COn-
nOr-VarIOus Topics of Interest.
WASHINGTON, February Sin the Senate,
Messrs Miller, of New York, and Dawes pre-.
sented petitions for constitutional amend
ment to prohibit any abridgment of suf-
frage on account of sex.
Mr.. Vance reported adversely from the |
Naval Committee the Senate bill prohibit |
ing ministers of any denomination having |
already six representatives on the active |
list from being appointed as chaplains in |
the navy, and providing for four additional |
chaplains. Indefinitely postponed.
MIR. Vest reported favorabiy the bill for |
public building at Frankfort, Ky.
After an informal discussion by Messrs. |
Morgan and Allison upon the sufficiency of |
the response made by the Secretary of War |
to Mr.. MOrgan's resolution, calling for the |
full report of the Mixed Board of Ordn ance, |
etc, the response referred to was read. 1t
states upon the authority of the President |
OF the board, that it is impracticable to |
make full report at this time, but that the |
board expects to make such report before |
the end of the present fiscal year.
Mr. Morgan criticized the response as In |
the nature of an evasion of the inquiry, and
as a snubbing Of the Senate. He remarked
that he had been informed that
some Of the heavy guns ordered to be built
by the government, and costing $50, coo
apiece, had burst when being tested, and he
would insist upon having the facts.
Mr.. Allison explained that under the act
creating it the board referred to did not
enter upon its duties until July 1st, and, as
a full report upon the action of the board,
which the resolution called for, was not in
the possession of the Secretary of War, 10
more satisfactory response than the one
which had been received could be now rem
dered.
Mr.. Hawley had read an explanatory let
ter on the subject from the Chief of Ord
nance, and the matter was then passed over
without further notice.
Mr.. Call offered resolutions, which were
laid over TO enable him to speak upon them
hereafter, directing the Secretary of State
TO institute negotiations for reciprocity
treaties with the States of Central and
South America. Also declaring that the
good faith of the United States re Quires the
execution OF the obligations imposed by the
treaty with Spain in 1919 for the cession of
Florida, by the payment, with interest, of
the claims for losses and damages adjudi-
Gated by the United States tribunals.
Mr.. HOar reported from the Committee
on Claims an original bill las a substitute
for the one referred to the comm,tee) to
provide for the repayment TO the State OF
Georgia of So, ,567, money advanced by the
said State for the defense of her frontiers
against Indians.
The Senate, at 1:30, resumed considera-
ton OF the resolution declaring that the
pension arrears law ought not to be re-
pealed, and Mr.. Blair in its favor made an
argument to illustrate the principle upon
which the arrears are based.
Mr.. Vest submitted and had read q state
ment by Commissioner Dudley giving as the
total cost of the law 1901 1864 493, and pro-
ceeded to make an eloquent speech in advo
cacY of the bill and of the principle under
lying our pension laws.
He said the nsked gu estIon presented by
the resolution was shall the soldiers of the
Union, their widows and orphans, receive
this amount from the government or not ?
He (Mr Vesf) had been Confederate, hon.
esty and earnestly, with his whole soul de-
voted to the success of that cause, which
surrendered at Appomattox. He mention
ed to day this piece of personal history only
that he might state in the most emphatic
manner and in this place that he had ac-
cepred the full and legitimate results of
that surrender without qualification, eva
sion or Limitation. All that he had ever
asked, all that the people of the South ask
Is, that they might be believed to have
been honest in their devotion to the Con-
federate cause and honest In their
statement that they accepted all
the legitimate consequences Of this defeat.
Those who Tisked all and lost all had right
to demand this, and it would be accorded
by every just and generous mind. One OF
the inevitable evidences and legitimate con-
sequences of the success of the Union arms
was the payment of pensions and oOunties
to the men whose valor and heroism gave
victory to the Union cause. A people
who would not thus reward the sacrifice of
life and limb for nations life would de-
serve to be stricken from the map of Chris
tendon. He (Mr Vest) had been a mem
ber of the Confederate Senate, and II In the
providence Of God his cause had succeeded
he would have voted to the survivors of
those gallant brigades whose tattered
gray was hurled by Lee and jackson
against the Union lines every
dollar of money and every acre
Of land until their Just demands had been
satisfied. "Standing here to day, "he contin-
utd, ''in the presence of the visitors and the
vauquished, declare that the Confederates
accept cheerfully the result which leaves to
them only the consciousness of honest
motives, only the history of unqualified
heroism, and they accept at the same time
further The result, which gives to the sol
diers Of the Union what has been awarded
to them by a grateful country"
Mr. MaXey said that of the members Of
Congress who were in the Confederate army
an overwhelming majority voted for the
so elc quently stated by the Senator from
Missouri He could say for himself that
since he had been q member of the Senate
he had done everything in his power to
| bring about complete frsteTnsl relations
between the people OF the North and South,
and the Record would be searched in vain
for a word of his offensive to any Union SOL
dier. He was, therefore, surprised the other
day to hear the Senator from Kansas
(Mr. 1ngslls) charge that the introduction
of repeating bills in the House by former
Confederates was a suspicious circumstance.
He believed this, however, to be in accord
ance with the custom of the Republican
side, to impugn the motives of the minority.
He believed with Mr.. Vest, that IL the Con-
fe ieracy had been established, the gallant
soldiers who fought under the "stars and
bars" would have been literally PEN
stoned.
A discussion followed, participated in by
Messrs. Hoar, Allison, Ingalls, and Butler,
upon the prOpriety of making the declara-
tion In regard to pensioDing soldiers of the
Mexican war more specific in view OF ex-
istng provisions Of the law.
Mr. Ingalls, finally assented to a sugges-
tion offered by Mr.. Butler to allow the reso-
luton to lie over until tomorrow, adding
that he did so upon the understanding that
q vote would then be taken upon Ii.
Mr.. Allison asked whether the under
standiBg was binding, and the Chair replied
that not being an order of the Senate, its
effectiveness was doubtful. The resolution
was then laid aside informally.
The remainder of the day was occupied in
the passage of Senate bills not objected to,
of which only three were Of more than pass
ing interest. These were the following:
Appropriating $50, ia for the filling up,
draining and placing in good sanitary con-
dition of the grounds south Of the capital
along the line Of the old canal, and for
other purposes.
To accept and ratify the agreement sub
mitted by the. Crow Indians, of Montana,
for the sale of portion of their reservation,
and to make appropriations to carry out the
same.
To establish ports of delivery at Kansas
City and St. Joseph, Missouri.
The Senate, at O'Clock, went into exc
cutive session and soon after adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
In the House, Mr.. Kasson, from the Com
mittee of Ways and Means, reported tariff
commission bill. Referred to the committee
of the whole. Mr.. Kasson said he would
ask its consideration at as early day as
business would permit.
Mr. Morrison said the report was not
unanimous, and as the majority had pre-
sented no reason why the bill should pass,
the minority had not thought it necessary
to submit their views.
Mr. Randall gave notice that he would
offer an amendment providing that the COM