Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-01
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILLS
CHANCES.
The senate Amends and Passes the
Naval BilI-Bhe Appropriation for
the Monitors Cut DOwn-The star
Route TrIaIs-EVIdence Opened for
the Defense.

WASHINGTON, July 91.-The fact that no
message was received from the President
to-day in regard to the river and harbor bill
is construed to mean that he will
not veto it. He must either veto
or sign the measure. It is thought
tonight from the best authority obtsinable
that he will sign the bill. but at the same
time announce his intention to supervise all
expenditures under Il and prevent
the squandering of public funds
for ponds and small streams.
Where he deems improvement
unnecessary this will be satisfactory con-
clusion of the matter. 1t is thought by
managing members of both houses that
Congress will adjourn either next Saturday
or next Monday.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate, Mr.. Hoar reported,
with amendment. from the Judiciary
Committee the Senate bill to prevent
and punish counterfeiting within the
United States of notes, bonds and other
securities OF foreign governments. The
committee adds section Furnishing with
not more than $1,000 fine and one year's i'm
prisonment at hard labor persons convicted
OF having such notes, ETC., in their posses
sion with the intent to pass them or de-
liver them to others that they may be cir
culated. The amendment prevailed and the
bill was passed.
The naval appropriation bill was proceed
ed with pursuant to the agreement of
Saturday, debate to continue under the five
minutes rule, and voting on the bill to begin
at 3 o'clock.
The DapdiDo amandmank Offorad - NJ
Plumb was intended to require the contrac-
tor for the building of ships to discharge the
obligation Of patentee for the use of pat
ent, and not leave the government to settle
an indefinite obligation. 1t was agreed to.
Mr.. Butler moved to amend so as to re-
quire the Secretary of the Navy, instead of
selling condemned vessels, to report to
Congress at the next session such vessels as
he may tiud unfit for use.
The amendment prevailed without obiec-
ton.
On motion of Mr.. Malone a provision
was inserted, directing the Secretary of the
Navy to ascertain and report to the next
Congress upon what terms additional lands
and water front contiguous to the Norfolk
Navy Yard aud necessary for the construc-
tion of wet dock can be had.
Mr.. Hoar moved to insert a provision
authorizing commission of two naval Off
GERS and one civilian to report what navy
yards can be abolished, the commission to
state the value of each of said wards. with
reference to the machinery on hand, the
depth Of water present, its working condi-
tion, advantages and disadvantages as
naval station, its value for defensive pur-
poses, etc. Agreed to without objection.
Mr.. Bsyard moved to strike out the item
empowering the Secretary of the Navy to
close useless navy yards, transfer perisheble
| stores and property to other yards, and di-
| recting him to report the facts upon which
he acts to Congress.
Mr.. BaYsrd's motion prevailed-yeas, 81;
nays, "a. The Republicans voting aye were
Messrs. Anthony, Blair, Cameron of Penn
sylvania, Conger, Lapham, Morrill, and Van
Wyck. The Democrats voting no were
Messrs. Beck and Slater.
At three O'Clock Mr.. Morgan made an
| Intellectual effort to obtain formal exten-
sion of the time for debate The Offering
of and acting upon amendments was then
proceeded with, and brief explanations Of
their purpose.
Mr.. Plumb moved to insert proviso,
repeating all laws providing oFpromotion
and increase OF pay on the retired list
| Agreed to.
A number of proposed amendments were
ruled out upon points of order. The bill
was reported to theSenate, and all the amend
ment made in committee of the whole
| Beck, reducing the appropriation for finish
| ing the Miantonomah and other irOnclads
from one million to four hundred thousand
dollars, and stopping further proceedings
under the contracts OF March Sd, 1877.
| Upon this q separate vote upon concurrence,
which was demanded, resulted yeas 49, nays
| %. So the amendment was retained in the
bill. All the votes in the negative were
given by Republicans. Messrs... Cameron
of Wisconsin, Ingalls,, Sherman and Van
| Wyck, with Mr.. Davis, of Illinois, voted
"aye" with the Democrats Messrs. Kel-
logg and Sewell were paired with Messrs.
Lamar and Mcpherson respectively.
Mr.. BaYard moved to strike out the item
giving the Secretary of the Navy discretion
to place officers, when not at sea or on fur
| Tough as well as on leave Of absence or on
waiting orders, on pay proportionate to fur
lough pay. He said that in other grades an
| officer received two-thirds, but when on fur
| Tough only one-haf pay, and that this was
an arbitrary discretion. which had some
times been abused. He instanced a case
within his knowledge in which an officer
had been cut down to half pay for having
given testimony that the Secretary did not
like.
Mr.. Hale maintained the necessity for
discriminating in grades, and denied that
lowering was regarded as punishment.
Mr.. Bayard's motion was adopted-27 to
26-and the bill then passed on a ViUG Voce
vote.
The sundry civil bill was taken up and
read for action on the committee amend
ments. After twenty-one pages had been
disposed OF the bill was laid aside until to-
morrow, with the expectation that It will be
completed.
Mr.. Allison. from the conference COM
mlttee on the legislative appropriation bill,
reported disagreement, and the Senate con.
ferees were reappointed.
The Senate then adjourned
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
In the House, under the call of States,
the following resolutions were introduced
and referred:
By Mr.. Townsend, of Illinois-Proposing
constitutional amendment for the election
Of United States Senators by the people of
the United States.
By Mr.. Speer, of Georgia-Appropriat
ten thousand dollars as an expression of the
appreciation OF the government for the SER
vices Of DIR. Crawford W. Long, of Geor-
gia, in the discovery and first use of an@s-
thesia in surgical operations.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs re-
ported a joint resolution requesting the
President to open negotiations with Vene-
zuela with the view to q revival of the
treaty of 1886, and the appointment of a
new mixed commission to sit In Washing
ton, the new commission to complete the
work of the old one, and to investigate the
charges of fraud against that commission.
The resolution was referred to the commit
tee of the whole, and leave was granted to
file a minority report.
The House then proceeded to consider
bills on the Speakers table, and a number
of bills were passed, none Of which were of
public interest.
The Committee on Appropriations re-
ported q Joint resolution appropriating
$6O, 900 to supply deficiency in the appro-
priation for fees of United States District
Attorneys. Passed.
The House then, at ABS, took a recess
until s O'Clock this evening, the session to
be for the consideration OF pension bills.
At the evening session the naval apprOpri-
alton bill was received from the Senate.
The amendments were ordered printed and
the bill was referred to the Committee on
Appropriations.
The House then, after passing fifteen pen
sion bills and several bills donating con-
demned cannon for monumental purposes,
at 9:20 o'clock, adjourned.
THE STAR ROUTE TRIALS.
The defense in the star route trials to-day
began presenting testimony. Among the
witnesses were ex-senator. Mitchell, of Ore.
pou, Representative Valentine, of Nebraska,
aud Secretary Teller, all Of whom testified
that it had been their habit TO urge upon
the Post Office Department a policy Of
extending and expediting the star
route mail service as means
of attracting immigration to their States,
and n had heen their custom to indorse |