Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-07

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-Mr. Slater pre-
sented memorial of the Astoria board of
trade for an appropriation to improve the
entrance to Columbia river.
Petitions were also presented by Messrs.
Blair and Cameron, of Wisconsin, for a
constitutional amendment prohibiting the
sale of intoxicating liquors.
Mr.. Morgan, from the committee on
public lands, reported with amendment
bill granting the right of way to the
Rome d Decatur railway through the pub
lie lands of Alabama.
On Mr.. Garland's motion the bill passed
fixing the terms of the United States dis
trict and circuit courts of the eastern and
northern districts of Texas.
On motion of Mr.. Beck, the house bill
passed permitting the expectation of to-
bacco, snuff and cigars in bond free of tax,
to adjacent foreign territories.
The senate here resumed consideration
of the bill to afford relief to congress and
the executive departments in the investi-
cation of claims and demands against the
government, which was discussed till 2
o'clock, when the presidential succession
bill came up and Mr.. Maxey addressed the
senate on the forthcoming appropriation
bill, just completed. 1t appropriates
$175,000, 100000 of which is for the i'm
provement of the harbors and fortifca-
tions.
Mr.. Maxey said: ':We ought not to 90
to the legislative department. or to the iu-
dicial department for successors to the
presidential Office in cases contemplated
by this bill, and the plan proposed of tax
ing them from the executive department
of the government was clearly the best
that could be adopted
Mr.. Lapham said this bill opened up the
whole question of succession in the dis
charge of the dnties of the presidential Of
flee, and it was fortunate that the subject
could now be discussed free from the ex-
element and embarrassments which sur
rounded it at the time of the shooting of
President Garfield. In his (Lapham's)
judgment, the inability" of President
Garfield began when the assassin's shot had
been fired, and the vice president would
have had the right to assume the
performance of the duties and powers
of the Office at that time, and the fact
that he had forbore to do so was sufi-
Gent answer to limitations made in some
quarters that he had been disposed to
grab at the powers and emoluments of
the presidency.
Mr.. Jones asked Mr.. Lapham whether
the vice president was to Judge of the
existence of such an inability" on the part
of the president as would justify him in
assuming the duties of the Office.
Mr.. Lapham replied that though the
Office of president did not devolve upon
the vice president, ''the powers and duties''
of the Office did, and he knew of no more
important power" attached to the Office
than the power to draw the salary. Laugh
ter.
Mr.. Jones asked what was left with the
president when the powers and duties of
the Office had devolved upon the vice presi-
dent?
Mr.. Lapham said that if the president
was dead, certainly not much remained
with him, but if he was simply laboring
under inability to perform his duties the
Office itself remained with him and he
might afterwards resume the performance
of the duties.
Mr.. Jones-The constitution does not
provide for that.
Mr.. Lapham-The constitution does not
provide against it, either.
Mr.. Morrill, here introduced the joint
resolution providing for the termination of
the Hawaiian reciprocity treaty which was
tabled till Monday.
After executive session the senate adj
journed.