National Republican., 1882-12-07
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS,

auOptCus
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
Mr.. Willis. / ask unanimous consent for the
present consideration of the resolution which
/ send to the desk. / was absent on Monday,
under the order of the House, aud | ask for
the consideration of this resolution now.
Rcsolued, That the Committee ON Reform in the
Civil Service be instructed to inquire and report
TO the House. as soon as practicable whether mt
the recent Congressional election money was raised
by assessment or otherwise upon Federal Office
holders or employees for election purposes, and If
so, by whom and what amount was so raised, and
how the same was collected and expended; and
further, whether such assessments were or not in
violation of law.
The committee shall also inquire whether any
Federal otlice-holder or employc has been dis
ment or deprivation of any right privilege by
reason of his refusal neglect TO pay any assess
ment made upon him at the recent election, or has
been otherwise inteTierCd with.
That in prosecuting these inquiries the commit.
tee shall have the right to send for persons and
papers.
Mr. Kasson objected.
Mr.. Willis. With the understanding that the
committee will report back the resolution
within the time resolutions of like character
have to be reported under the rule-one
woek-I have no objection to its reference.
Mr. Cannon. Let the resolution be made to
spply to omcmbers of Congress also.
Mr. Willis. have no objection to that
The Speaker. The resolution will be re-
forrcd to the Select Committee on Reform in
the Civil Service.
Mr.. Willis. With the understanding that it
will be reported back within Il week.
Mr.. Calkins. With no understanding.
Mr. Neal. No, sir; with no understanding.
Mr. Calkins. We want not only zeal but
zeal according to knowledge.
Mr. Kasson. The resolution is referred un-
der the rule, | suppose, which will require us
to report it back.
Mr.. Townshend, of Illinois. I hope the COM
-
The Speaker. The gentleman from Illinois
IMr. Townshendl objected to debate Laugh
ter.
The resolution was referred to the Select
Committee on Reform in the Civil Service.
CLAIMS AGAINST THE DISTRICT
Mr.. Rosecrans by unanimous consent, in
troduced a bill (H. r. 69iO) to amend an act
entitled "an act to provide for the settlement
of all outstanding claims against the District
of Columbia and comforting jurisdiction on
the Court Of Claims, and for other purposes"
which was read a first and second time, re-
ferred to the Committee on the District of Co.
lumbia, and ordered to be printed.
WIDOW OF MAJ.-GEN. WARREN.
Mr.. Wadsworth, by unanimous consent, in
troduced bill (H .,R. 6943) granting a pension
to the widow of the late Maj.-Gen q. K War
ren which was read first and second time,
referred to the Committee on Invalid Pen
sions, and ordered to be printed.
RIVER AND HARDoR WORKS.
Mr.. Townsend, of Ohio, asked unanimous
consent to offer for present consideration a
resolution that the Secretary of War COM
municate to this House the names and char
acter of the the particular objects" referred
to in that part of the second annual message
of the President which discusses appropria-
tions for rivers and harbors as likely to need
additional appropriations at this session of
Congress, together with statement of any
other works or objects now in course of CON
struction needing such appropriations, and
the amounts in each case which, in his .udg-
ment, can be proftably expended during the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1884 ; also whether
any and what part of the amount referred to
in said message as the "present available bnl-
ance" is covered by existing contracts; also
what amount of such "present available bal
ance" for river and harbor works will proba-
bly, be on hand at the end of tho fiscal year
ending June 30, 1883.
Referred to the Committee on Commerce.
ALAsKA.
The Speaker also laid before the House a
letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, in
response to resolution of the House of the
4th instant, relative to the alleged shelling of
two Indian villages in Alaska by the revenue
cutter Corwin. Referred to the Committee on
Territories.
Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, chairman of
Ine IOullnluteo on ways ana Means, OHereu
the usual resolution for the distribution of
the Presidents message, and the House pro-
ceeded, in Committee of the Whole, to its
consideration,
Hr. Holman, of Indiana, moved to amend
the resolution by referring to the Committee
on Public Lands that portion of the message
which discusses the delinquencies of the
Pacific railroads. In the original resolution
it is referred to the Committee ON the Judi
ciary.
Mr.. Anderson opposed the amendment on
the ground that tho question presented was
purely a judicial one.
Mr.. Holman contended that the question
involved was as to the forfeiture of the land
Mr.. Robson said that, so far as he could
find, there was but one clause in the Pres-
dents message, which referred to land grant
roads, and that referred to this state of things.
There were certain railroads entitled under
acts of Congress to large tracts of land and
then held on to their privilege of taking them,
but did not actually take them. That was
the evil referred to in the message He did
not know that this was a judicial question,
but it was legislative question whether it
behooved the United States to take any action
1t was n question as to whether the roads
should be forced to take those lands or to give
them up.
Mr., Holman then withdrew the amend
ment.
On motion of Mr.. Williams (Wis.) the qucs-
tion of the Hawaiian treaty was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs instead of
to Ways and Means.
The amendment was lOst-5l-92.
The resolution was then reported back to
the House and adopted as amended
The House then, at 1:15, went into commit
tee of the whole (Mr. Wait in the chair on
the state of the Union.
The first bill to be considered was one re-
funding to the State of Georgia the sum of
$35,0OO expended by that State for the common
defense of 1777.
Mr.. Holman opposed the bill.
Mr. Blount. The question which is being
discussed by the gentleman from Indiana
(Mr. HOlman) and my colleague (Ir. Turner)
Is, IL seems to me, very plain one on the
statement of it, This is a debt due by the
Federal government to the State of Georgia
The Indebtedness to which my friend from
Indiana refers, the State of Georgia has
nothing to do with in any shape or form
The Federal government has "A lien upon the
property of the citizens of Georgia which
it may enforce whenever il shall see fit to do
so. But it has not done so in reference to nv
own State or any other of the Southern States,
and | apprehend will not do so. If il is
proper to be done, then let it be done in that
manner. But do not attempt in this way to
escape fair, plain, undisputed liability on
the part of the Federal government to the
State of Georgia or any other State. 1t has
never been done.
In the Congress before the last this very
question presented by my friend from Indi-
ana was raised on claim passed by Congress
for more than seventy thousand dollars due
the State of Georgia for certain payments
made during our Indian troubles. This very