National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-13
Mr.. Voorhees, Proposes to Make Political Eu-
nuchS Of Government Employees.
The Naval Appropriation Bill Discussed
in the House.
Mr. Calkinss Strong Showing Of tho DefenSeless Con-
dition Of Our Shores,
A Large Number OF Bills Reported from
Committees In Each Branch.
THE SENATE.

designated In writing by the president pro tein-
pore to periorm that duty.
message from the President was laid before
the senate, transmitting a communication from
the secretary of tho navy with a report from
Prof Simon Newcombe, U. 8. NJ on the subject OF
recent improvements in astronomical observa-
tories, instruments, and methods of observation
noted by him on u recent visit to Europe. The
recommendations of the secretary of the navy, on
the subject are by the President recommended to
the consideration OF congress-.
Petitions were presented as follows:
by Messrs. Blair, DOph, jackson, Morrill,, and
Sawyer, from societies Of Good Tcmplars and
other temperance organizations, praying for the
appointment Of a commission to investigate the
liquor traffic aud for the submission to the states
oil a constitutional amendment 70 prohibit the
sale or manufacture of alcoholic liquors in the
by MIR. Coke: A memorial OF the cotton OK.
change and board of trade of Houston, Texas,
praying for the passage of bill making Houston
Bills were reported favorably from committees
and placed on the calendar us follows:
by Mr.. Hale, from the committee on naval
affairs: To authorize the construction of addi-
tiOnul steel vessels for the navy. Mr., Hale gave
notice that at an early day no would ask action
BY Mr.. Morrill,, from the committee on finance
with an amendment: His bill relating to the
by Mr.. Mcpherson: To suspend the coinage OF
the standard silver dollar.
Worth and Denver City Railroad company
through the Indian territory.
By Mr.. Beck: To change the limit of appro-
priation for the public buildingat Louisville, Ky
By Mr.. Bowen: For the erection of public
buildings at Pueblo and Del Norte, Col.
Also u bill relating to suits to set aside land
patents.
BY Mr.. Sawyer: To authorize tho postmaster
general to hire buildings for postofces of certain
grades.
Mr. Call offered resolution which was referred
TO the committee on rules giving the president of
the senate authority to admit TO the floor of the
senate eminent citizens from the states and terri
tories when not an inconvenience to the business
OF the senate.
Mr.. Morgan offered resolution, which was
agreed to, requesting the President, If not ncom-
patible with public Interests to furnish copies Of
correspondence furnished by any diplomatic rep
resentative Of the United States near the govern
ment Of the United States of Colombia. relating
to the Panama canal, since the first of March,
The chair laid before the senate the resolution
recently offered by Mr.. Voorhees,, directing the
attorney general 10 report to the senate the
of the delay on the part of the department of
justice in advising the postmaster general as to
The proper construction Of the act OF March 3,
1888 In relation to the salaries and pay of post.
masters, the question of the proper CONSTRUCTION
ofsuch act having been referred to the attorney
general by tue postmaster general in August, 1883,
aud nosans " or having yet been made thereto.
Mr.. Morgan dsliked to make complaint in this
way. and suggested change of the terms OF the
resolution as to make inquiry direct to the post
master general as TO what difficulty of interpreta-
ton he had experienced in regard to the law re.
MIR. Ingalls, stated that the law Of 1888 to which
the resolution referred was one intended to carry
money was due had now been waiting eighteen
years for the execution of very simple provision
of law. Instead Of executing the statute. en-
ueavoring to make 1t effective the postmaster
general sends 1t to the attorney general The bus
mess Of public officers was to carry out a law II
its meaning could be ascertained, aud no man
could read this law, or peruse the debates reat-
ing 1t and be in any doubt as to what was In
s M that Re sessfa
should feel called upon not to execute
the law, but to ascertain, Il possible, rea.
He would like to see the inquiry put directly to
the postmaster general why II was that after an
interval Of two years from the passage of statute
perfectly clear in Its terms, for the performance of
simple clerical duty in the computation of the
amount dud to postmasters, we were met with the
master general To understand what was meant by
the law and that, therefore, 1t could not be exc
cuted. Congress-, 1t seemed to Mr.. Ingalls, had
been trfed with in this matter, and that there
was no disposition TO carry out the law, but
rather to lind some reason for not carrying ii out
lie hoped that the resolution would be SO
amended as to put 1t on frmer ground. He did
not think the senate was in position to call upon
the attorney general for reasons why he did not
respond to q question submitted TO him by the
postmaster general.
Mr.. Garland stated the condition OF the law re-
latinR to the reference OF questions by heads OF
government departments to the attorney general.
Up to 1870, he said, the law OF 1889 remained in
force, providing merely that the president might
in 1870 a law was passed giving to heads OF de-
parments also the right to call for such opinion.
The postmaster general having called on the at.
torney general In compliance with law for an
opinion on a point OH which he was in doubt,
now places the senate in possession ofinformation
to the effect that he cannot act till he receives the
opinion OF the attorney general. 1t was therefore
useless to inquire of the postmaster general the
matter was not now before him.
Mr. Butler said he might be able to throw some
light on the matter under consideration. He had
offering to collect his claim for % per cent OF the
whole amount, Mr. Butler had written the post.
master general inquiring whether the services OF
claim agent were necessary, to which the post
master general had replied tlat no claim agent
services We're necessary 70 get money to which the
man was unquestonably entitled. Mr. Butler
thought 1t very remarkable that tuis matter
should have been referred to the attorney general
as long as six months ago, without yet eliciting
reply, He hoped the resolution would therefore
be agreed TO, and that that officer would at least
reply To the senate. The people for whose benefit
the law had been passed had been kept for nearly
twenty years out of their money, and Justice re.
CURED that some steps should be taken to secure
Mr. Dawes said that Observation-Disclosures the
whole country-was full of these claim agents
circulars. sent to postmasers and their heirs
stating that was necessary to have tho service.
ofsuch agents ~ order to secure these moneys
He [Mr. Dawesl had had SO many inquiries abou
reply TO them. The executive department of th,
government, hr. Dawes said, ought to provide fol
The payment OF such claims without necessitatinl
the employment Of these claim agents
Mr.. Morgan aud Mr. Maxey called attention tC
the fact that tho law OF 1883 specially provide,
that these claims shall be paid by checks TO the
order of the claimant, to DO sent by mail Mr.
Maxey said that the very point referred TO, O
making unnecessary the interposition Of any claim
agent whatever was the point held In view in the
adoption OF the clause providing for these checks
Amer further debate the resolution OF Mr.. Voor-
hees was agreed to.
AT this point Mr.. Voorhees, asked and obtained
unanimous consent TO Introduce out of the regular
order II bill 10 prohibit officers and employees OF
the United states government from distributing
money for political purposes,
In presenting the bill MIR. voorhees, said 1t had
become notorious that, Notwithstanding the
present law on the subject of political assess
ments, clerks and Others in government employ
were being compelled under thedevice of "voluu :
tary contributions" to give away moneys which
they needed for the support of their families
This bill he said, made It II pen al onense tor any
money for political purposes. By thus imposing
penalty, not only on him who receices but, as
well, on him who gives, this thing could be
stopped and II could not DO stopped In any Other
way. Ninety. nine out of every hundred clerks
would be glad 10 be armed with this provision OF
law Tor II would enable them TO say 10 their asses
sors that i wasa penal ofense to pay such
Voorhees, dsclaimed any partisan intent In
Introducing the bill, Either political
party, he said, would probably, while In power
do more or less In the direction of these assess
ments, He would assert in the hearing of the
senate and OF the country that all the evils com
bined which threatened the purity and stability
of our institutions sank into lnsignifcanCe whei
compared with the evils entalled by tie corrupt
use Of money in elections. That evil was growing
moro and more every year, and II not attended Il
In time 1t would sap the very foundations Of thI
government, an every senator knew who wa