The Portland daily press., 1883-01-09
XLVII CONGRESS--2d Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Jan. g.
Bill to prohibit the use of the capitol for other
than legitimate purposes was reported by Mr..
Rollins from the committee on District of Col
umbis. Passed.
Mr.. Hampton presented credentials of his
colleague Butler re-electedwhich were read and
ana filed.
At the close of the morning hour the unfin-
ished business, the bill TO afford relief to Con-
gress and departments investigating claims
came up.
Mr. Brown gave notice of amendmenr pro-
vluing that the right of veto in the court OF
Claims under captured and abandoned property
act @hei money arising from the sale of prop
erty is now III the treasury shall be renewed
and extended for two years after the passage of
this act (iDciuding all classes of seizure under
color of captured and abandoned property act)
without regard to any statute OF limitation
provi led that all claims not filed within the
two years shall be forever barred and provided
also that where such claims have been filed
before the secretary of the treasury under law
of May 18th, 1872 the proof flied with them
may be used before the court of claims when
it appears that witnesses are dead or cannot be
fouUd.
Mr. Brown then addressed the Senate in
favor of the general principle of the bill.
Several petitions were presented and referred
AT O'Clock Presidential succession bill was
taken up.
Mr. Beck of kentucky favored the bill
cept one feature, the prov sion that the acting
President should continue to the end of the
regular term.
Mr. Sherman said the bill provided for all
possible vacancies in the Office of President,
aud he would vote for it and against the mo-
ton TO recommit.
Mr.. Blair said he would vote to recom1nit
the bill because he thought it failed entirely
to meet the practical arguments of the case.
de argued, as did ingalls,, that the bill was fat
ally defective in not providing some method
for ascertainiDg the fact of Presidential ina
bility.
Mr.. Edwards spoke in favor of his motion to
recommit the bill. In its present shape il was
open to many objections and if passed wonld
open more difficulties tnan would result from
letting tho question stand as il was.
MIR. Hoar spoke of the necessity for action
and argued that the motion to recommit was
equiva lent to attacking the bill.
Without reaching a vote the Senate adj
jonrned.
HOUSE
Mr.. Belford of Colorado asked unani-
nous cousent TO put on its passage the Senate
bill increasing the fees of Star route witnesses
coming from west OF the Mississippi river.
Mr.. Mem ilan of Tennessee objected and the
bill was referred to the committee ON judiciary
with leave to report any time.
Mr.. Much of Maine as a question of privi-
lege offered a resolu ion for The appointment
a charge made on the floor that John Bailey,
chief clerk of the House. was acting in in
terest OF The Washington Gas Lignt Company
and influencing Congressional action.
Mr.. Robeson of New Jersey suggested that
no person mad charged John Bailey by name
with corruptly influ4 ncing Congress.
Mr.. koz OF Pennsylvania said that he had
made the remarks upon which the resolution
was based and that he had in these remarks
reIerred 10 John Bailey. Mr. Bailey had been
Ha,.t e,s, y, rIa1
the gas company and both parties had been
unable TO turn him out.
Mr.. Robeson made the point OF order that
the resolution was not based any specific
charge until some body was ready TO made 4
charge aud make it on his responsibility, men
vino took into consideration their own con-
sistency and the propriety of Congressional &C.
tion would not vote for it.
Mr.. Murch considered this but a technical
objection. The charge had been made against
the chief clerk aud the chief clerks name was
John Bailey.
Mr.. Blount of Georgia opposed the point of
order.
Mr.. Hazelton of Wisconsin said that a
similar attempt against Bailey had been made
in previous Congresses.
Mr. Murch coniended that the allegations
have been made and he believed them to be
true.
Mr.. Robeson-If the gentleman stops there
will withdraw my point of order.
"Ali right" replied Mr.. Muroh, and the
resolution was adopted.
The shipping bill was then taken np
MT. Reagan of Texas favored many of the
provisions of the bill, but was opposed to
section Is.
Mr.. Reagan believed the real remedy for the
decay OF the shipping industry was the reduc-
ton of the tariff.
Mr.. Diugley inquired whether if labor could
be obtained at the same price here as abroad
ships could not be built as cheaply in this
country as the Clyde, and whether Mr..
Reagan would wish to reduce the price of
American labor.
Mr.. Reagan replied he wished to see a
rate of taxation which would let the country
down from its stills to practical honest busi-
ness relations so that the lowest rate of wages
would have the same purchasing power as the
present rate. The real remedy was TO reduce
taxation to the revenue standard.
Mr. Gambler advocated the bill. He did not
think single section could be omitted without
working injury to it, He would favor the
amendment Of the minority providing for free
ships II the provlso were adopted, and he
would offer II as an amendment applvino II
only to vessels of more than 1900 tons register
to be employed exclusively in foreign carving
trade aud not III coastwise trade xcepting be-
tween ports OF the Atlantic and Pacific.
Mr.. Cox expressed willingness to accept
Mr.. Gamblers amendment.
MIR. Gambler said as his amendment had been
accepted by the gentleman from New York he
believed there was hope of adopting the free
ship provision. He wanted to say to some of
his Republican friends this was not a question
Of free trade and could not be strained into
any such cons ruetion.
Mr.. Murch favored the bill though arguing
th-t 1t gave only partial relief 10 the SD ip-
owner and shipbuilder, and he gave notice he
would al the proper time offer an amendment
which would in his opinion benefit the ship
ping interest.
The bill then went over until tomorrow
without action and the House adionrnad