Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-02

Ellis, OF Louisiana, who denied the COZ.
| rectness Of his statements.
Mr.. Thomas, of Illinois, antagonized
the amendments as tying the hands of the
Mississippi Commission Common fair
ness and the commercial Importance OF
the work demand that the commission,
struggling with one of the grandest ques-
t1Ons which ever engaged the mind of the
scientific world, should be allowed to 20
on with it's hands loose.
Mr.. Butterworth, of Ohio, opposed the
leyee scheme until further experiment
should show their utility, and Mr.. Gibson
called attention to the fact that there was
nothing in the bill as TO theorizing on the
construction of levees.
Mr.. Butterworth went on to say that
though the leyees might be built with the
avOwed purpose of improving navigation.
the incidental protection of riprian lands
was the ultimate object.
Mr.. Gibson-The gentleman does not
state that fairly
Mr.: ButterwOrth-I want not only to be
fair, but literally Just, in this matter. So
far from opposing the levee system, if ac-
tual. experience win demonstrate that it
viii operate well, shall be glad to favor
it.
Mr.. Morrison, of Illinois, said that he
was opposed to the building of leyees for
the reclamation of alluHial lands, and if
that II what the amendment
means | will not vote for it..
$50 will l." came in chorus from the
Louisiana members. But if it were neces-
sary, in order to improve the navigation
of the Mississippi, to build levees to that
extent, and that only, would be in favor
of their being built. The commission was
good judge of what was pro-
per, better than the six or eight
members who had been sent down the
river on pleasure trip by the House. 1t
was not commission selected in order to
pool issues or to protect certain interests,
as some commissions had been. and
he was in favor of acting
upon its recommendations. He said
this although he was not very
partial to commissions, because he
believed that, next to conference commit
tees, they were more prolific of personal
jobs and schemes for public plunder than
any other legislative instrument that
could be devised. Applause and laugh
ter ON the Democratic side
Mr.. Dunn, of Arkansas, moved to
amend Mr.. RObinson's amendment by
adding prOviso permitting the building
OF leyees necessary for the Improvement of
the navigation of the river. Agreed to
81 to 81.
Mr.. RobinsOn's amendment as amended
was lOst-39 to "A. The clause as finally
agreed TO IS as follows:
THAT the sum Of Sl,500,000 be and is
hereby appropriated, or so much thereof
as may be necessary, out of any money in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated,
for the improvement of the Mississippi
river from the head of the passes
to Cairo, including the harbOrs of
New Orleans, Natchez, Vicksburg, Men,
phis, and the reaches at Plum Point and
Lake Providence, and the detection
OF the waters of the Red and
Mississippi rivers from Atchafalaya river;
$5OO,0OO from Cairo to the Illinois
river, including Alton harbOr, and
$l50,0O0 from the Illinois river to Des
Moines Rapids, including the improve
ment of Quincy Bay; which said sums
shall be expended under direction of the
Secretary of War in accordance with the
plans, specifications, estimates and re-
concentrations of the Mississippi River
Commission; provided, that no portion of
the money hereby appropriated shall be
expended at any other point than those
herein specified
The committee then rose, and a recess
was taken till 7:30 p. M.
AT the evening session, a struggle for
precedence of bills began at once, FL
nally the deficiency appropriation bill was
passed, and the House resumed, in COM
mittee of the whole, consideration of the
river and harbor bill.
Mr. Van VOOrhis, of New York. moved
to strike out the item for the improvement
of the Sacramento river. He claimed that
if the Chairman of the committee had not
been from California no such item would
have been put in it. 1t is so outrageous,
he continued, so damnable, that nobody
but gamble and cutthrOat would think
Of tacking such thing as that to such a
bill as this.
Mr.. Horr, of Michigan, demanded that
the words should be taken down.
Mr.. Page-Oh, / hope not.
Mr.. McLane, of Maryland-It is an in
suit to the House.
The words were read at the clerks desk
and reported to the House.
Mr.. McLane Immediately offered a reso-
luton OEeXpulsion.
Messrs. HiscOck, McCook, Mills and
Robinson Of Massachusetts, and others
asked that an opportunitybe first givenVan
Voorhis to withdraw his offensive words
and make the fullest and amplest apology.
None of these gentlemen admitted that
there was an eXtenuating circumstance
connected with the insult, offered alike to
the House and to Mr.. Page, but they were
willing to give Van VOorhis an OppOrtu-
nifty to purge himself.
Mr.. Robinson, of Massachusetts, in con-
Guiding, said: "'If he declines, if he way-
VIII go to the other extreme" APP
plause.
After a number of speeches utterly
cOndemning Van Voorhis, the latter was
given the floor. He proceeded to disclaim
any intention of personal allusion in his
remarks to Mr.. Page, and apOlogized i'll a
halting and clumsy fashion to the House,
winding up with the statement that he
very much regretted that any exception
should be taken or that he was under the
necessity of withdrawing those words.
Laughter
Mr.. .McLane then withdrew his resolution,
but Mr.. Herbert, of Alabama, offered an.
other resolution censuring Van VOorhis,
and advocated its adoption. claiming that
the retractiOn did not wipe out the Of
fense. Gentlemen should not say on the
floor what they would not say outside,
and convert the House of Representa-
tives into a mad house.
Mr.. Page asked that the resolution be
withdrawn in the interest of business,
but Mr.. Herbert declined to do so.
Van NO0rhis was again accorded the
floor. If he said, ''the river and harbOr
men want to censure me after what has
occurred, / suppose | can stand it. don't
know but they are in the majority here
and the only misconduct which seems to
affect my friend from Alabama Herbert
is that | have opposed this bill. Muir
murs of disapprOval. From what I said
before, | meant to be understood as
Withdrawing, in the fullest possible man.
ner, the language which was objected to,
and in addition to that | apologize to the
House for using it, and TO the gentleman
from California-if anybody supposed it
applied to him.
Herberts resolution was then lOst-66
to IS.
During this scene there was a good
deal of excitement manifested, and a
number of anything but complimentary
remarks were made in regard to Van
Noorhis' conduct by members congre-
gated in groups listening to the discus
sion. The House then again went into
committee of the whole and Mr.. Van
VoOrhis withdrew his amendment, stating
that he had said all he desired to say be-
fore the committee rose.
On motion of Lynch, of Mississippi.
an amendment was adopted providing
that no convict labor shall be employed
upon the improvements. authorized. The
committee then rose, and the bill passed
by vote Of112 to 80.
The bill was passed removing the poll
tical disabilities of Saml. H. LOckett. of
Alabama, and the House at 1925 ad-
journed.
NOMINATIONS.
AHS IeSluSHI Seut tHe lOlQWlnS nOlnl-
nations to the Senate to-day: James l..
Benedict, of New York, to be Surveyor of
Customs at New York; Chas. N Graham
to be Naval Officer at New York: Andrew
J. Perry to be General Appraiser
at New York; VIM. Youngblood, of Ala
bama. to be Collector ofInternal Revenue
for the Second district of Alabama: EIihu
Root, of New York, to be United States
Attorney for the Southern District of New
York; Thomas B. Keogh, of North Caro-