National Republican., 1882-12-20

amount they now get by law. In other words,
he wanted to secure fund for the payment
of the debt.
Mr. Holman offered and advocated an amend
incnt providing that land grant roads las dis
tinguishcd from those which have also re-
ccivcd bond subsidics) shall be paid only 80
per cent. of the compensation allowed to other
roads which have not received government
aid, He contcnded that the decision of the
supreme court in the Union Pacific case did
not decide, but, on the contrary, carefully
avoided deciding that congress could not
alter, amend, modify or repeal the original
charters. 1t was no hardship to require rail-
ways which had received imperial estates TO
transport the mails ut less compensation
than was paid other corporations which had
not received such grants.
Mr. Anderson, of Kansas opposed tho po-
stion taken by Mr.. Caswcll, that the COM
panics had a vested right with which congress
could not interfere. Where could 1t he shown
that any company had q vested right to de-
tcrmine what was fair and reasonable COM
peusation for carrying the mails? He asserted
that the Pacific railways received n much
higher compensation than other railways, in
stancing the case of the Kansas Pacific, which
received three times the amount paid to other
trunk lines And vet these magnificent com
panies actually had the audacous, malicious,
egregious check, impudoncc, aud dcvilism to
come to congress and say that they must he
raid express rates; and notwithstanding all
thu his friend, Col Robert Ingersoll, was act
ually in hurry to abolish hell. lLaughterJ
Mr.. McLanc said that the sinking fund was
the only reliance that the United States had
for the payment of the debt 1t was entirely
in the power of the pacific companies so to
administer their affairs that there would
never be- any safety for the government, cx-
ccnt in the sinking fund. Congress ought to
increase that fund, not diminish it. What
economy was there in reducing the amount
paid for transportation If that amount was
paid into the sinking fund. lie had no doubt
of the power of Congress to alter the pro-
visions of the sinking fund, but he did not
believe that that power to amend involved the
right to destroy. The right 10 amend was to
he exercised with reason aud common sense.
Mr.. Caswcll reiterated his belief that the
companies had vested rights with which con-
grcss could not interfere. He did not stop to
inquire whether the corporations were worthy
or unworthy lie would not take away any
body's vested right because that person was
unworthy. lie would not give his sanction
to an act of congress which clearly invaded
the rights which the companies had obtained
under their original charters. 1t would never
do for the government Of the United states
to place itself on the line of reputation and
say that it would not stand manfuly by its
contracts and set an example for private per-
sons everywhere.
Mr. Hiscocl opposed Mr.. Homan's amend
mcnt, hut advocated that offered by Mr. Robe
son. The Pacific roads We're built by the
government and the corporations were simply
the trustees of the property of the govern
mcnt. There was no private individual who
had any pecuniary interest in the construc-
tion of those roads. He denied that the
amendment would strike down the sinking
fund TO the extent of one dollar 1t was
merely question of keeping accounts. The
proper officers were told that they should
credit these companies with only fifty per
cent. of the amount credited to them in the
past for mail transportation. No money was
taken from the sinking fund.
Mr. Robeson stated that the object of his
amendment was to bring the compensation
given to the Pacific railways down to the
granted to other roads. He re-
pudiatcd the idea that congress had no power
to do so and denied that there was any vested
right in the companies which availed to say
hat their charters should not be amended
Pending action the committee rose.
OTHER BUSINESS.
The speaker laid before the house mes
sage from the President, transmitting letter
from the secretary of war recommending the
lbolition of certain military reservations
The speaker announced as the funeral es-
,Ort on the part of the house to the burial of
the late Representative Orth, of Indiana,
Messrs. Calkins, Pcirce, Steele, Watson,
Davis of Illinois, Urner and Reese. The
hnuse then Mt five o'clock adjourned