The Portland daily press., 1882-04-28
XLVIIth Congress list Session.


Mr. Sherman introduced bill to regulate
the coinage standard of a silver dollar Re
ferred to the committee on finance.
Mr. Blair offered resolution granting hlna
leave to testify in the House Chlll-Peru inyes-
tigation. Adopted.
A bill to remove the political dlsaDllitles OF
DIR. A. Sidney Tebbs (amended by the military
committee to repeal the law prohlpltlng any
person who has served under the Confederate
States from being appointed to the navy OF the
United States,) was taken up.
Mr. Garland, author of the amendment, de-
clined to concur in the suggestion, by Mr. Ed
munds, to recommit the bill, remafking that
definite action could only be secured by meet
ing the question in the Senate
Then ensued long, political debate, opened
by Mr.. Edmunds who thought the prohibition
of an existing statute should stand.
MeSsrs Maxcy and Hampton followed IN
support of the bill The latter said he would
not follow the example set by the Senator and
assume to announce VINO was rignt anu Mho
was wrong in the late war. His own convlc-
tions were as sincere as those OF the Senator,
and he hoped as honest. He would only COM
mend to him the sentiment OF the father OF
two boys one of whom died in the Confeder-
ate and the other in the Union service. The
only epitaph he placed upon their tombs was,
"God alone knows who was right"
Mr.. Edmunds replied he had not under-
stood the position of the government to have
been that of an indifference to the success OF
either side, and that, after the conflict, 1t was
its duty to say, "God forgive us all; nobody
knows who was rieht!'' His understanding
had been that one of the children made war
upon its Creator, and therefore there was
right side and wrong side. The God oil bat
ties had told Which was right and which was
wrong, and the thing that astonished him Ed
munds) was that his good friends on the other
side were continually insisting upon forcing
Senators to say or unsay something by way OF
admitting that after all there was no difference
between the two sides, and that nobody can
tell after all which was the thing that oughs 70
have been determined. He could not agree to
that proposition. He did not think the Sena-
tor (Hampton) would have agreed to it i the
stars and bars were now floating over the Capl-
toll instead of the stars and stripes. Inc otner
side knew there was not the slightest personal
hostility on the part of any Republican MEM
ber to single gentleman who was in the re-
bellion, and would also know II they would
think, that the Republican side meant to de-
fend an enactment made in accordance with
government success, when these were assalled.
Was this vindictive, unfair or unkind?
Mr.. Vest did not believe the people OF the
United States, in this age, and with their civi-
lization, desire to erect any monument of hate,
He now put the question to the Senate whetn-
err in the event of a foreign war, it would ask
or permit ex-Confederate soldiers to fght Tor
the country to which they had sworn allegi-
ance, or not. If it would, then it should not
exclude them from its army and navy. he
proceeded, 1 do not propose to m1nce words,
and say to the Senator from Vermont 1t is
useless for him to tell me he believes my pro-
fession of LOYALTY to this government when he
keeps upon my brow the ban of prescription
and hate; it is useless for him to say he has no
persona, feeling of unkindness toward any
Senator on this side of the chamber, when In
the same breath he says You are not the
equals of other citizens, and although you say
you are loyal to the government, we are not
willing to trust you. ask, and those who
were with me ask nothing from this govern
ment except the simple concession tnas we
were honest in our devotion to the Confederate
cause, and honest when we say we accept all
the legitimate results of defeat; and to those
who risked all and lost all, every generous
mind should eoncede that much. When he
concluded, the bill was laid over.
The House Chinese bill then came up, and
Mr. Farley concluded his remarks in its advoc-
acy. A lengthy controversy ensued between
legations that extraordinary efforts were neces-
sary to protect the Chinese laborers employed
in Massachusetts some years ago.
Mr.. Vest then spoke in defence OF the meas
ure, and the bill went over without action,
A message was received from the President
in regard to the so-called COW boy disturbances
in Arizona. Referred to the judiciary COM
mittee.
The conference report on the post office ap-
preparation bill was submitted and adopted.
Adjourned.
HOUSE.
On motion of Mr.. Crapo bill was passed for
the appointment of commission OF members
of the revenue marine service to draught, pre-
scribe and adopt, subject to the approval OF the
President, code and system of marine light
and fog signals, and to regulate, and from time
to time improve and change the same.
Mr.. Richardson from the committee on COM
merce reported back the bill appropriating
$50 600 for the establishment OF one or more
electric lights at He'll Gate, New York. Re-
ferred to the committee on appropriations.
Mr.. Townsend submitted a conference re-
port on the bill to promote the efficiency OF the
life saving service and encourage the saving OF
life from shipwreck. Report agreed TO.
The Speaker laid before the House a COM
munication from the Secretary of the Navy
stating the expenditures at the Boston navy
yard during the fiscal year ending June both,
1881, which amounted to $433, 900. Referred.
The House then resumed the consideration
of the con tested election case OF Lynch VS..
Chalmers.
Mr. Hammond submitted an exhaustive ar
gument in support OF the views of the minori-
Mr. Lynch, the contestant was then accorded
the floor. He confined himself to the consid-
Grafton of the disreputable system of elections
in Mississippi of which the pending case was Q
natural and necessary outgrowth, and asserted
that the contest in this case was living monu-
ment to rifed ballot boxes and stifled public
Justice.
Gen. Chalmers replied to Mr.. Lynch 8
speech and gave comprehensive review OF
the case. In conclusion he said, "If reason and
shame have fed to british beasts; if a sacrifice
of Democrats is to be made and am to be the
first victim, then 1 say go ahead, you have the
power. If you choose to exercise it you will
regret it more than l."
The matter went over till tomorrow
A message from the President respecting the
laoi in nj VIZ 10, tha r1Ilt-
tary affairs committee.
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