The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-02-03
XLVIIth Congress-1st Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Feb.

Mr.. Ferry from the committee on post offices
reported adversely the Senate joint resolution
granting the franking privilege to Senators
and Representatives for official business. 1t
was indefinitely postponed.
Mr. Ferry also reported resolution making
inquiry as to the reasons for regulations in the
Cincinnati and Boston post offices prohibiting
the appointments therein of persons over 30
years of age and thereby excluding Union
soldiers.
A lengthy colloquy ensued between Messrs.
Voorhees, and Ferry as to the responsibility for
the regulation, the latter contending that
there had been no design to exclude any class
from appointment, and the former maintain
ing that in failing to abrogate it the Postmas-
ter Generals under successive Republican adj
ministrations had given notice to the country
that as to the large post offices at Cincinnati
and Boston no Union soldiers need apply for
appointment. Mr.. Ferry remarked that the
responsibility belonged, if to any one, to.
Democrat, as Postmaster General Key was the
first and only head of the department to direct
ly approve the regulation, his successors hay-
ing taken no official notice of it.
Voorhees, said that Gen. Keys Democracy
ended when he became member OF the
Hayes cabinet.
A motion was then adopted discharging the
committee from further consideration of the
subject.
At 105 the three per cent. bond was taken
up, the question being upon Mr.. Plumbs
amendment to apply the surplus revenues
over 100 millions to reduction OF the public
debt.
Mr.. Bayard suggested that the specie re-
sumption involved in the amendment was too
important to be disposed of summarily.
At 2.30 a vote was taken on Plumb's amend
ment, and it was lost yeas %, nays 81.
After further debate Mr.. Plumb's amend
ment was rejected. The amendment by Mr..
Hoar, declaring that bonds bearing 81 interest
to which bills refer, are hereby declared legal
ELECTED a continuance of discussion upon the
ratification of the funding of fves and skies
by ex-Secretvry Window.
Mr.. Window said: At last after urgent call
for three days for some one to point out the
law that had been violated Senator Vest had
specifically indicated the law. 1t was the law
which the President vetoed, and which never
did become a law.
Mr. Ingalls, said the language of the treasury
circular giving notice was that if holders
should request to have their bonds continu ed
at 81 their request would be granted II the
bonds were received before certain time
Here was proof of a bargain proposed by an
active officer without authority of law and in
violation of the express declaration of Con-
gress made not more than two months before,
that the only funding of the debt thereafter to
be recognized by the government, was to be at
three per cent.
Mr.. Windom-Will the Senator refer us to
that law.
Mr.. Ingalls-The fact that an alleged Repub-
lican President saw fit to veto the bill does not
affect the accuracy of my statement. The
Treasury Department in express defiance of
the will of Congress invited this transaction
with the bondholders. The operation was il
legal from its inception, as the secretary had
no authority for it.
Messrs. Ingalls, and Window here became
involved in controversy upon the accuracy
of the formers assertion that the latter and
others in debate had repeatedly declared the
transaction was voluntary release on the part
of the creditor without government solicitation
of Il to q per cent.
In the course of the debate Mr.. Hoar said he
did not think any considerable portion of the
American of the American people would con-
cur with the gentlemen who found fault with
the Secretary action. He knew OF no act
which had met more hearty approval OF all
partias and all interests.
Mr.. Hawly said he would vote for the
amendment but would prefer to vote for the
resolution declaring VIM. Window, late Sec
rotary of the Treasury, by saving many of in
terest had violated no law and had conducted
the negotiation with wisdom and ability; had
prominently identified himself with the most
brilliant transaction in modern finance and de-
serves well of his country.
The amendment as original proposed by Mr..
Ingalls, and modified at the suggestion of Mr..
Hoar, was then adopted, ayes 43, macs 10.
1t inserts the words (which are hereby de-
clared valid" when referring to 81 per cents.
Mr.. Hawly rene wed his amendment offered
in committee of the whole.
At o'clock motion to adjourn prevailed
and the Senate adjourned till tomorrow.
HOUSE.
Mr. Stephens of Georgia, from the commit
tee on coinage, reported back bill to author
ize a new metric gold coin for international
use, to be known as "stellar." 1t authorizes
the coinage of the goloid metric dollar, two
dollars and fraction of a dollar and also the
coinage of goloid double eagle, eagle and
half eagle. Referred to the committee of the
whole.
A bill repeating SO much of section 1886 of
the revised statutes as imposes an export tax
on tobacco, was referred to the committee OF
the whole.
The House then went into committee on the
post office appropriation BILL
Messsrs Bingham and Lord advocated such
an increase of appropriation as would permit
the compensation Of letter carriers to be
raised Propositions were made to fix the
amount appropriated for the extension of the
delivery system at $4,000 and $4,000, but
pending vote thereon the committee ad-
iourned.