New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-22
AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
MR.. VAN vooRHIs's GRAVE OFFENCE.
The COMMITTEE on COMMERCE.
lBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUsE.l

| WASHINGTON, June 21.-The members of the
| House Committee on Commerce have been in state
of mingled Indignation and surprise ever since yes
terday morning on account of certain circumstances
connected with the passage Of the "Head Money "
| bill last Monday, measure in which the people CT
! New-York are deeply interested. This morning
| special meeting of the committee was held, and 1t
was agreed to ask the House to recall
the bill from the Senate which was afterward
! done. The original bill, which offered in the
| House by Mr.. Van Yoorhis April 6, contained
several provisions to which it is said the members
| of the Commerce Committee were unanimously op-
posed For example, it had provision to prevent
| the landing in this country of any persons VINO
| from any attending circumstances are likely 10 be-
come public CHARGE and this the committee
struck out The bill as it passed the House pro-
vdes that all foreign paupers. convicts or accused
/ persons of other than political offences, or per-
sons suffering from mental alienation IN the United
| States who are public charge on their arrival in
this country, shall be sent back by the United
! States to the nations to which they belong and
! from whence they came" The bill as amended by
the committee, and as they supposed it STOOD when
| they advocated and voted for it, contained the
| following words instead of those above quoted
"All foreign convcts except those convicted OF po-
| lical Offences upon arrival shall be sent back to
the nations to which they belong and from whence
| they came"
! The original bill contained the following. "The
expense OF such return in the first instance Snail De
paid out of the Immigrant fund created by this act.
The Secretary of the Treasury shall charge the cost
of the return of each person so sert back to the
nation TO which such person belongs, or from
which such person came to the United States and,
when paid, the money so paid shall be placed to the
credit of said immigrant fund" These words the
committee struck out and inserted in lieu thereof
the following: "The expense of such
return of the aforesaid persons not permitted to
land shall he borne by the of the vessels in
which they came"; but the bill passed the House
it contained the original proposition and did not
contain the amendment adopted by the committee.
II will be observed that the bill which passed
the House is a very different from that agreed
10 be reported by the committee, and that which
they and other members OF the House thought they
were passing last Monday. Several members OF the
committee declared to-day that the committee was
unanimously opposed TO the bill as 1t passed How
was this grave error committed which has seriously
copardized the prospect OF any bill OF the klnd
this session. 1t appears that MI Richardson
of New-York, was instructed to report the bill TO
the House and ask its passage. After he
had prepared his report and before he presented 1t
TO the House. he was taken i'll and went home. lie
had however, at the request of Nj. Van Noorhls,
who was the author OF the original bill, handed 10
him the amended bill for examination. Last Mon
day Mr.. Van Voorhis again had the amended bill IN
his possession and with the consent of several mem
bers of the Commerce Committee he went to Judge
Reagan another member of the committee, ana
asked him if he would not ask the unanimous con-
sent of the House to pass it under suspension OF
the rules Judge Reagan agreed, and took from Mr.
Van Voorhis's hands what he supposed
was the copy OF the bill amended
by the committee. Glancing over 1t, however
he found that one or two amendments
suggested by hi mself had been omitted He wrote |
them in from memory, and on Mr.. Van Voorhis's as
surar ce that the bill then all right he offered
if and advocated it, as also did Messrs. Page and |
Gucnther of the committee, who supposed they |
were supporting the committees BILL
Mr. Van Voorhis was requested to appear before |
the Commerce Committee this morning and explain |
his conduct. Members of the committee were after |
ward very reticent in regard to what took place |
Several of them remarked that he said that he |
could not have supported the bill as amended by |
the committee, and appeared 10 consider thdt |
sufficient reason why he should change II |
TO fit his own views. Another member |
intinated that Mr. Van NOOrhs pleaded lack OF |
knosledge of parliamentary usage as an excuse. |
At any rate the members of the committee were not
les indignant and dissatisfied after than before |
hearing Mr. Van Voorhis, and a subcommittee, con-
Richardson, of NewYork, was appointed to draw
up a written statement to be presented to the
Hou This statement, draft of which was pre-
pared this afternoon, will recite the circumstances
and the manner IN which, as 1t declares, the MEM
bers of the committee and the House were deceived
and the integrity of the proceedings OF the latter
was violated; and will place the responsibility for
the changes made III the committee bill upon the
shoulders of Mr Van NoOIhIs Whether an effort
will be made to bring forward and adopt a formal
resolution of censure is not known; but 1t is very
evident that the members OF the Commerce Com
mittec without exception, feel that without some
further explanation. Mr. Van VoOrls must be ad-
Represcntatlve Van VOorhi3, IN conversation with
Il Tribune corresponding tins evening, sald: |
took the bill as amended by the C mnllttee, and
which Mr.. RicharG son had handed To me on Sdtur-
day 30 Judge Reagan. had also copy of the ORG
inal bill and told him that the blll ought 10 be
changed in some partlcu laT,' wren inulsatS,.
wrote IN one, the original, th' changes "hGh
Thought ought to be made, and IN one place added,
at his dIctatiOu the WORDS on Their arrival III this
country Judge Reagan then took this copy OF the
bil and read ii over carefully. He told me that II
Mcs-Is. y ashburn ana townsend " 'uId assent 10
il as We had liked it, he would offer it. went and
got their assent 10 the amendments, and he got
Ileir consent TO make the motion on Dehal1 OF the
committee. ,.. ..-o,,C
Hewitt and ). = Cox, got the Speaker TO promise
to, recognize Judge l'eagan' that he might
ask behalf OF the Committee Oh
Comm rec unanimous consent to offer tine bill-such
consent DcIug required because the committee hal
alicldy offered one bill on that day lhe uhahl-
nous consent gwen, and he bill passed exactly
~ ne form agreed upon b. Judge Reagan ahd my
sell. There was no pIetence that IL vas the ideh-
teal bill agreed upon py the committee, but ii was
supposed tnat tie melnbcrs % the committee pres |
ent assentcd 10 the DIll as modified supposed
Judge Reagan represented The committee ana lhat
Whatever he dIu would be- satlsdc ,ory To the COM
mIilee, 0i wElch he was member and
was lot. Mr.. Rcharlson would have taken
charge o. the oil except ,hat lac was absent from
The mouse on account Oi Illness, and he did not
core IN until udd turned Inc Dlii over 10 uuee
Rragau / then asked lim If he desired 10 o1er the
Ltr ,d be ,cnIed thai me Woud prefer Judge | ,