, 1883-03-01
| ELEGR Az HIC.
Congressional.
SENATE.


Anthony offered an amendment pro
priating 100000 to enable the Seer
tary 81 the Navy to build an expert
mental gun boat.
Mcpherson. discussing the amepd-
ment alluded to to the presence of the
Secretary of the Navy in the Senate
chamber, the other day, in conversation
with Anthony and went on to make an
attact upon the Secretary, who was "at
home in the lobby" He had great re-
spect for the President, who had so far
given the country an administration as
worthy oil approval as the o preced-
ing, but he feared when the appropria-
ton bill should have become law, as it
certainly wonld. becauce the Secre ary
OF the Navy hal so ordered, even the
President would become convinced that
mistakes were possible. The President
heading the list, has advisors with char
acter and ability, the purest and best,
but even before reaching the end OF the
list has descended by one gigantic stride
to tho lobby with all that implied,
Anthony said he offered this amend
ment bv instructions of the Committee
on naval affairs, and not at Q re-
quest of the Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary had right to.be on the
floor OF the Senate under the rules and
his presence called for no such com
ment as that made by McPharson.
Rollins said he had heard McPher-
sons remarks with great surprise, and
that the Senator's criticisms upon the
Secretary were unjust and dangerous in
the extreme and he (Rollins) hoped it
would not be repeated.
Hale raised the point of order that
the amendment proposed new legisla-
tion, and the Chair sustained the point
of order and ruled it out
Mcpherson said; MY idea is that
the present administration of the navy
department. seems to be to destroy the
existing navy, so as to give an oppor-
tunity for the construction OF a new
one, involving vast expenditure of
money, and unlimited discretion in the
Secretary of tho Navy, and strangely
enough the Naval Committees OF both
Houses of Congress seemed to favor
their course. Under the former admin
istration of the navy department gross
abuses existed in the sale or trading
away of boilers, machiners, etc, to IA
vored contractors, and now provisio MS
are proposed which would tend 20 renew
that system"
Hall asked Mcpherson whether he
did not know the Secretary of the Navy
was so hedged around by law that he
could not sell ship, an en- ne, boiler
or any component part OF a ship except
under safe guards, which would render
impossible repetition of the abuses
alleged to exist III the past,
Mcpherson said he was unable to see
how any law could be more restrictive
than that Of 1877, yet that has been dis
regarded by former Secretary of the
Navy, who made contracts in direct
violation OF it.
WAsuINdroN, Feb 26. Grover present
ed the credentials OF Dolph, his success
or MS Senator from Oregon.
Garland, Of the Judiciary committee,
reported bill to punish false persona
ton Of officers anl employees Of the T..
&. by fine OF not more than $1,000 or
imprisonment not longer than three
years, or both ut the discretion OF the
court. The bill passed.
A resolution was adopted requesting
the house of representatives 20 return
the tariff bill, in order that certain cleri-
cui errors might be corrected.
The House bill tr prevent the impor-
tation OF adultcratel or spurious teas
passed.
UOUbiE.
Amendments 90 the District OF Column