Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-03-02

wAsHINGrox, Mar l.

WASHINGTON, Mar l.
Messrs. Bayard and Beck having asked to
be excused from further service in the con-
ference committee on the tariff. they were
accordingly excused.
Mr.. Morrill, asked that the chair should
have authority to fill vacancies on the COM
mittee; ageed to.
The President appointed Messrs. VOORHEES,
and Mcpherson. but they declined to serve,
- did other appointees of the chair.
The President said he had no means of as
certaining Who would consent to serve, un-
| less BY going around and interviewing every
senator, but he might find some during the
day. (Laughter.)
The Senate then proceeded to consider the
sundry civil appropriation bill.
Mr.. ForDey presented the conference re-
port on the fertilization appropriation bill.
and it was agreed to. The bill appropriates
S67O, 900.
rhe House then went into committee on
| the State OF the Union.
| Mr.. Hiscock objected to the river and har-
| Dor bill, and the committee rose and report
ed the objection to the House.
The President appointed Messrs. Morgan
and German to take the places OF Messrs
Bayard and Beck on the conference commit
| tee on the tariff bill.
| The conference report on the forti6catiOn
appropriation bill was agreed to.
| After the declination of several senators,
the President finally appointed Messrs. Ma
hone and McDill on. the tariff conference
committee.
| The Senate proceeded to consider the sun
dry. civil appropriation bill.
Mr.. Allison said that the bill, as reported
from the committee, would appropriate S24,-
s35 900, S9,O0O,OO0 less than that of last
year.
The bill as it came from the committee,
contained a paragraph directing the public
printer to employ the highest character of
skilled workmen, at prices now fixed by law.
! The river and harbor bill having been re-
ceved from the House. Mr.. Edmunds OBJ
jected to q second reading of the bill, it was
ordered printed.
The Senate at 1910 went int1 executive
[ session.
| When the doors were reopened at LIS A.
NJ. the Sen ate adjourned until II o'clock to-
morrow.
The Houre, yeas l24, nays 107, ordered
that tile consideration of the river and harbor
bill be resumed, and Immediately went into
committee on that bill.
Several amendments were adopted.
Mr.. Randall moved to amend the pr0visO
which prohibits the expenditure of any of the
appropriation until commission of five shall
report whether the interest of commerce will
warrant the completion of the project by re-
ducing the membership Of the commission to
| three.
| The item relative to tine Mississippi river
having been reached, Mr.. Robinson offered
an amendment prohibiting further cOnstruc-
ton or repair Of levees except in the per-
formance of existing contracts.
This amendment provoked considerable
opposition, and after a running debate in
which many members took part, Mr.. Dunn
moved to amend by adding proviso, permit
| ting the building of levees necessary for the
| improvement of navigation; agreed'tO.
| Mr.. RobinsOn's amendment amended
was lost.
Mr.. Updegraph moved to strike out the
entire item lost.
Mr.. Barrows offered an amendment pro-
hibiting the building of levees from Cairo to
the head passes; lost.
| The clause as finally agreed to is as fol-
lOws:-
| "For improving the Mississippi river. that
sum of 81, 500, 900 be, and is hereby appro-
priated, or so much thereof as may be nee
esssry, out of any money in the treasury, not
otherwise appropriated, for the improvement
of the Mississippi river from the head of
Passes to Cairo, including the harbors of
New Orleans, Natchez, Vicksburg, Memphis
and reaches at Plumb Point, Lake Provi-
| dence, and reflections of the waters of the
Red and Mississippi rivers from Atchafalaya
river; five hundred thousand dollars from
Cairo to the Illinois river, including Alton
harbor, and one hundred and fftv thousand
dollars from the Illinois river to the Des-
Moines rapids, including the improvement of
Quincy Bay; which said sums shall be ex-
pended under the direction Of the secretary
Of war, in accordance with the plans, speci-
| fcations, estimates and recommendations of
the Mississippi River commission, provided
that no portion of the money hereby apprO-
priated shall be expended at any other points
| than those herein specified"
The committee theu rose.
Mr.. Moore offered a resolution calling on
| the secretary of the inte rior for information
| as to the amount of Indian trust funds iu-
vested in Tennessee bonds, and whether
Tennessee has made any proposition looking
to their settlement; referred.
The House at $50 took q recess until 80.
| EVENING SESSION.
Mr.. Hiscock moved to suspend the rules
and pass the deficiency appropriation bill.
MIR. Page protested against this action, as
endangering the passage Of the river and har-
Dor bill.
| Mr.. Hiscock said that it was necessary to
make sure that there would be no extra ses-
sion-thst this bill should not fail.
| Mr.. Page urged that it was equally impor-
tant that the river and harbor bill should not
| fail
| Mr.. hiscock-That will not necessitate
An extra session.
| Mr.. Page-Neither will the deficiency BILL
| MIR. Hazelton-There will be no extra ses-
sion. l am officially informed of that fact.
| (Laughter.)
| Mr.. Page then Withdrew all objections, and
the deficiency appropriation bill was read
The motion was agreed to, and the bill
passed.
After some further discussion, Mr. Nc
Lane withdrew his resolution, but Mr.. Her
bert offered another resolution censuring Mr..
Van Voorhees,.
| Mr.. Page asked that the resolution be
Withdrawn, but Mr.. Herbert declined to do
| so.
The motion to table the resolution WAS