Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-02

Commissioners OF Internal Revenue a re- |
sponse to the resolution Of December 14th |
In relation to the sale of farms or planta-
tons in South Carolina under the act of |
1862, for the collection of direct taxes in
Insureetionsry districts.
Mr.. Harris, from the Committee on Epi- |
demtc Diseases, reported favorsbly, with |
a bill for the distribution of |
pure vaccine virus to the people. The |
amendment apprOprlates SIS, GOO to enable |
the National Board of Health to supply the |
pure article at cost price, and requires that
the proceeds of sales shall be paid into the
Treasury quarterly.
On motion of Mr.. Window a resolution
was adopted requesting thePresident to COM
communicate the correspOnce between the
Executive Department and the diplomatic
agents of the United States relating tc the
proposed congress of American nations, or
any Of the m, in 1882.
Mr.. Vance asked consideration of his reso-
luton, calling for information concerning
the misconduct or irregularities of the In
ternal Revenue officials in the Sixth collec-
ti0n dis rict of North Carolina.
Mr.. HOer objected, as he regarded the
resolution as r, fl sction upon the Treasury
Department. The motion was not pressed.
The Senate then took up Mr.. MorgaL's
pending resolution, calling for an authentic
statement of all tests made by the mixed
commission in reference to the heavy ord
nance being built by the United States; and
also for the printing of the testimony taken
in the last Congress on the subject of heavy
ordnance and prOjectiles, and the tests to
which they have been subj cted.
Mr. Hawley suggt sted that the amount of
printing required by the resolution, II it
was 10 cover all the imprinted matter
of the Ordnance Bureau, as he supposed
1t did, would be illimitable.
A discussion followed, in which Mr.. Nor
gan explained that his purpose was to have
published matters which the Ordnance Bu-
reau had suppressed. Hehad been informed
that that bureau was in the hands of ga
ring" interested in certain inventions. and
It's chief officer held patents upon inven-
tions, which "the ring" had caused to be
patented. He wanted TO have the whole
matter eifted to the bottom, and an oppor-
tunity given to American inventors to com
pete with favorites of the bureau.
Mr.. Hawley thought that the charge of
the Senator from Alabama was based upon
the representations OF dissatisfied inventors,
who had not received the rewards they ex-
pected. He suggested as a more direct and
less expensive means of obtaining the
object OF the resolution the selection of a
committee of the Senate to 90 over, what
he called, ga mass of rubbish" and ascer.
IalA Wudb pOitfOu Ou2ub " Uc pIlubtu. he
believed the tOrdpance Bureau, like every
other government department., to be con-
Quoted by honorable men.
The discussion was continued, occupying
the time beyond the morning hour, and was
participated in by Messrs. Allison and Hoar,
the latter observing that the estimated cost
of the printing would be 100000.
Mr.. Morgan reiterated his charge
Mr.. Allison explained that Congress pro-
vided at the last session for an efficient test
of ordnance, aud ordered it to be made by
an Independent board.
The resolution was finally laid aside in
formally wi hout action.
Mr.. Morrill, reported from the Finance
Committee a bill with proposed amend.
menfs to The Revised Statutes, so as to au-
thOr'ze collectors, naval officers, surveyors
and inspectors, who may have cause to sus-
pect the concealment OF merchandise in a
particular store or dwelling, to search for
and seize the same.
The Senate, at twelve o'clock, took up
the 3 per cent. bund bill, and Mr. Morgan
advocated as an additional section an
smendm Mt as follows: "That the agreement
made by holders of bonds of the United
States siucs the adjournment of the Forty
sixth Congress, by which the rate of interest
on such bonds is reduced to three and one
hall per centum per annum, is hereby fully
ratified ard confirmed, according to the
t rms and intent of lid agreement Upon
tlis amendment a long discussion followed.
Upon the suggestion of Mr.. Ingalls, the
amendment was modified by the insertion
of an express recognition OF the agreement
as valid and binding upon the government.
The amendment was then adopted without
vote, as also a provision offered by Mr..
Davis, of West Virpinia, declaring that
nothing in the act shall be so cOnstruc ed as
to authorize an increase Of the public debts.
The bill was then reported to the Senate
from the committee of the whole, the
question bsing upon agreeing to the amend
ments as whole.
Mr. Sherman asked for a separate vote
upon Mr.. Piumb's amendment, applying the
surplus revenues, over S100,000 600, to the
reduction of the public debt. He said that
il this proposition was not stricken out
be and others who had acted with
him would be compelled to vote
against the bill. He urged upon the Senate
to appreciate the importance of maintaining
a sufficient reserve in the Treasury, as here
tofore, in order that sudden emergencies
might be provided against, and argued that
If the proposed reduc ion was now made it
would open the door to further attempts in
the same direction.
Mr.. Bayard took the floor, but retired
for motion for an executive session.
Pending action on the motion the House
concurrent resolution fixing the 9th of
February as the day for the Garfield memo
rial services was concurred in. Adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
In the House, Mr.. Mckinley. of Ohio, Of
fred a resolution, setting apart Monday,
the 9th Of February, 1882, for the memo
rial services upon the late President James
a. Garfield. Adopted.
Mr. Hill, of New Jersey, introduced bill
reducing the postage on letters and .ealed
packages to two cents per half ounce or
under. four cents for over half an ounce aud
under two ounces, and for each additional
two ounces or fraction thereof two cents.
Referred.
Under a call OF committees the bill for the
erection of public buildings at Louisville
and other places was reported from the
Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds
and referred TO the committee Of the whole.
At the conclusion of the morning hour, the
House, at 1880, whDt into committee of the
whole, Mr.. Calkins, of Indiana. in the chair,
on the post office appropriation DILL.
Mr.. Caswell, of Wisconsin,, explained the
provisions of the hill. The amount appro-
priated was S4 1852, $50, only $7S7, 577 of
which would como out of the general fund
in the Treasury, since the estimated revenue
of the Post Office Department amounted to
$40, al, 722 The Committee on Appropria-
tlOns had cut down the estimates of the
department in several instances, the prin ci-
pal reduction being In a refusal to applo-
pirate more than $50 600 for the purpose of
extending the free letter carrier system, the
department asking for $l50,0O0 Az the
conclusion or Mr.. CasWell's remarks the
general debate on the bill was limited to
three hours.
Several notices of intention to offer
amendments were given, among them one
by Mr Hooker, of Mississippi, limiting the
power of the Postmaster General TO discon-
tinue service on steamboats,. Since the
frauds which had existed as was alleged in
the star route service had been discovered
there had been discontinuauce of service
by steamboats, on the Mississippi river and
its tributaries, which amounted to almost
an absolute inhibition Of mail service. The
object of this amendment was to prevent
the di.cretion of head OF a department to
interpose and become the law Of the land
rather than the express legislation of Con-
gress.
Mr.. King, of Louisiana, advocated Mr..
HOoker's amendment.
Mr.. HtscocE, of New York, in response to
some criticism made by Mr.. Hooker upon
the action Of the Postmaster General in dis
continuing service of steamboats,, quoted
the reasons advanced by that officer for his
action, to show that such service had been
discontinued in some cases because It had
been superseded by star service, and its con-
tinuanee to be nothing but a subsidy to
steamboat companies.
The committee, without further action,
rose.
The Speaker laid before the House a mes.
sage from the President, transmitting q
letter from the Commissioner of Pensions,
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