National Republican., 1883-01-16
TILE IIOusE.


sented petition of subscribers to the stock
of tho centennial exposition, held in Phila-
dclphia in 1876, asking for an appropriation
to pay the deficit arising from the inadoquacy
Of the receipts to pay tho expenses. Referred
to the committee on appropriations.
Mr.. Joseph Wheeler appeared at the bar of
tho house, and was sworn in as representa-
tive from the eighth district of Alabama.
Mr.. Bragg asked that the Fitz John Porter
bill be taken from the speakers table for tho
purpose of reference; but Messrs Taylor and
Dawes, of Ohio, objected.
Under the call of states the following
BILLS WERE INTRODUCED
and referred
by Mr. Page: Providing for tho voluntary 70.
tiement of officers of the United States army after
thirty years continuous service.
BY Mr.. C0lkins: To incorporate the United
States Gas and Fuel company in the district Of
BY Mr., Anderson: A resolution calling on tho
secretary of war for information rs to what tcle
graph lines have been built under his direction
by the army, aud what disposition has been made
of the same
by Mr. Turner. SO amending the rules rs to per.
nit the member introducing measure, aflcr the
same has been in committee thirty days, to move
on any Monday to have 1t placed upon tue cal
cndur.
J. by Mr., White: A resolution rccltiug allegations
thnt n Wcll organized lobby ruSheu thC bOuuCd CN-
tension bill through the house on April 3, 1882,
and calling on the secretary of the treasury Cor
his views as 70 the effect which the passage OF that
| bill as amended by the senate would have on the
public revenues.
BY Mr.. Gibson: To convene the forly.eighth
! congress on the first Monday In March, 1888.
Also, to improve the civil service.
| BY Mt. Belmont: Directing the committee on
| ways and means forthwith to report to the house
whether or not any class or classes of industry IN
the United States. infant or aged and, IFS what
! class or classes require aid or support irOm the
federal government either IN the form OF customs
| duty levied on imported articles or in any other
| form Of bounty, subsidy, charity, or donation; /;
also TO report what class or classes OF industry II
| any, do now require such aid aud support.
| by Mr.. Cox, OF New York: A resolution calling
on the secretary ofthe navy for information rs to
the number of disasters and wrecks of vessels be-
! longing to the navy Of the United States during
the past ten years and also, list OF the seizures
! by the revenue marine service, and of goods SNUG
gled upon United States vessels of war and seized
| on board the SAME during the last ten years.
| By Nc. Cox, of North Carolina, reducing the
expenses in the cases of contested elections.
| BY Mr.. Neal, dovolving the duties of the chief
justice of the supreme court of the District of CO.
umbia on the second associate justice In case OF
| the absence of the chief Justice.
BY Mr.. Geddes, allowing newspapers TO be sent
through the mails free to actual subscribers
BY Mr.. Barr resolution calling on the COM
mssionefs of the District of Columbia for infor-
nation rs TO the names and number of men now
on the police force, the various duties assigned to
each man, whether the force has been reduced by
suspensions dismissal or discharge, and whether
any men are employed who were not honorably
discharged from the army or navy
BY Mr.. Dibbrell, providing that all cases in the
United states supreme court, in which the United
States navy may be party, shall be given prece.
dence over all others,
The speaker as the regular order, pro.
cecded to call committees for
MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES,
beginning with the Pacific railways commit
tee.
Mr. Butterworth, from that committee,
moved to suspend the rules and adopt resO-
luton fixing Wednesday, twenty-fourth in
stant, for the consideration of measures re-
ported from his committee He stated that
the object was to consider the bills providing
u sinking fund for the Kansas Pacific rail-
way, and authorizing the consolidation of the
Southern Pacific and other railways.
There was u good deal of opposition mani
tested to the resolution based on u general
opposition to the consolidation" bill, which
IL was claimed would deprive the people of
the Pacific coast of healthy competition; and
after debate the resolution was lost-10l to rs
not the necessary two-thiTds in tho atlirma-
tive.
Mr. Sherwin, from the committee on edu-
cation and labor moved to suspend the rules
and adopt the resolution making the bill for
the support of common schools Especial order
for the twentieth instant.
Mr.. Flower opposed at this time abill which
would take S10,000,000 year for five years
out of the treasury He had dozens of letters
on his desk every morning asking what con-
grcss was going to do about the reduction of
taxation. 1t seemed to him that the house
should call on the ways and means commit
tee to bring up this question, which was of
interest to the whole country. Every busi-
ness industry was paralyzed by the monaco
tion of congress, and it seemed to him that it
was the duty of tho house to tell the country
that it would not reduce taxes Mt this session
or 20 go to work and reduce them. He was
willing TO work from o'clock in the morn
ing to o'clock in the evening in order to pass
tariff bill and after that was done the
house could take up this education bill orany
other measure. For the present he was OPP
posed to this bill because n reduction of taxa
tion might have the effect of creating de-
ticit in tho treasury, and then Sl0000,000
would be good thing to have there.
Mr. Bisbee inquired whether tho question
of education was not as important as the
question Of promoting the business Of the
country.
Mr.. Flower. 1t is IN important question, and
we, in New York, have settled 1t pretty well our.
selves.
Mr.. Willis supported tho resolution. Tho
bill was no departure from the previous ac-
tiOn of the government. Every dictate of
sclf-prcservation, every duty, individual and
national, called upon congress to proceed to
the preparation Of citizens for the duties of
citizenship, Inc last census presented the
appalling fact that one-cighth Of the people OF
the United States were unable to read and
yet those were the men who were to make the
laws and shape the policy of the government.
The resolution was agreed to--yeas 129,
nays 90.
Mr.. Rice from the committee on pensions,
moved to suspend the rules and adopt reso-
luton making the bill granting pensions to
the survivors of the Mexican and certain
Indian wars a special order for the first Tues
day in February. After some debate tho
resolution was adopted yeas 157, nays 81.
Mr., Wise, from the committee ON war
claims, moved to suspend the rules and pass
the bill for the relief of William b, lsaacs,
and allowing the petition of the claimants as
successors, of certain banks Of Virginia for
gold seized during the war, to be referred to
the court of claims for adjudication. Mega
lived yeas 81, nays l2s.
The speaker presented letter from the
secretary of the navy, with the report of the
naval advisory board, as to the wisdom and
eNpedicncy of completing the irOnclads
Monadnock, Puritan, Amphitrite, and Terror,
Referred.
The house, at 4;3O, adjourned.
DEPARTMENT DOTS.
International bank notes received for redemp.
ton yesterday amount 10 $751; lOOO