Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-03-15
PORTY-EIGHVH CONGRESS.
First session.

WASHINGTON, March IA

the Senate agreed that when il adjourns to-
day it will be to Monday next.
The following bills were introduced and
referred:
By Mr.. Miller of New York, providing ad-
ditional pay for officers honorably mustered
out under the act of July Is, 1870.
BY Mr.. Bower, TO reduce the postage on
mailable matter of the second class.
Mr.. Plumb called up joint resolution ap-
propriating s200, 900 for the eradication of
the foot and mouth disease. He said it was
q very serious disease, and did not affect the
State OF Kansas merely but all the States
He sent TO the desk and had read BY the clerk
a despatch from the governor of Kansas urg-
ing the importance of immediate action.
Mr.. Plumb had no objection to the anne nd
ment offered by Mr.. Sherman. Mr.. Coke
moved an amendment striking out kansas, -
and inserting the words with the con-
| sent of the State authorities" so as to secure
each State the same right TO exercise its own
jurisdiction in the matter, if they prefer to
do so. Mr.. Hanley was disposed to look at
the matter broadly, as was consistent with
the subject, but did not favor giving the dis
position TO call on the general government
for action. In any ordinary case he thought
the State ought not to come to Washington
for aid. He recognized and even assert, d
cases of widespread calamity, like the re-
cent western feods, but, for his part, he
would object to the Federal board going into
the State of Connecticut, and slaughtering z
cattle at its will, in disregard to the wishes
of the people of that State. The people of
Connecticut were able to look after such mat
tiers for themselves.
Mr.. Garland entered at some length into
the constitutionality of the question. quoting
S tory on the constitution, and revies ing the
history of national legislation in regard to the
extension of aid in public emergencies. In
the course of his remarks he referred to the
aid extended to the city of Portland, Me-. a
place of much smaller compass than the
State OF Kansas.
Mr. Morgan inquired whether the senator
from Arkansas held that to be a proper case
for national legislation.
Mr.. Garland said yes, and any case which
exceeded the capacity of local authority
would be proper case, and whenever he
was shown case in which the local power
of aid was overmastered, he would vote for
it with as clear a conscience as he ever had
(after an instant's pause) taken glass of
whiskey. Laughter.
Messrs. Vest, Harris, Coke and others op-
posed the bill as unconstitutional.
Mr.. Ingalls, was afraid eventually that the
Senate would be called upon to make large
appropriations to exterpiate the foot and
mouth disease from the democratic party,
laughter for that party never opened its
mouth without putting its foot in it. Re-
newed laughter. The doctorine of state
rights and state sovereignty, he said, dies
hard, but | think it is moribund and in the
course of time be buried. If any senator on
the opposite side can tell me what power the
majority of Congress cannot use under the
constitution, under the recent decision of the
supreme court in legal tender cases, | shall
be very much obliged.
Mr.. Hoar said he would have to vote
against the resolution if obliged to vote to-
day. He did not understand that the diff
Guilty had assumed proportions beyond the
reach of the State of Kansas. The legisla-
ture was to meet next week and it would be
well to wait for such meeting, He, there
fore, moved to postpone the consideration of
the resolution for one week.
Mr.. Harris moved to postpone it in
definitely
Mr.. Bayard desired to move an amend
ment. but as the hour was now late, he
would do so Monday, therefore he moved to
adjourn.
Before putting the motion the vice presi-
dent announced that he would be compelled
to absent himself for three days of next
week and if there wss no objection he would
designate Mr., Sherman to perform the du-
ties of the chair. There being no objection
the designation was made.
The Senate then adjourned to Monday.
HOUSE.
Mr. O'Neil of Pennsylvania. presented a
memorial from the vessel owners and cap
tans' associations of Philadelphia, fsvoring
the passage of a bill giving vessel owners
a right to sue the government in cases of COL
lisiOns with United States vessels, and also
the passage of the Dingley pilotage bill :; re-
ferred.
The morning hour dispensed with, motion
to take up the postoffce appropriation bill
was lost, and the House went into a commit
tee of the whole on the private calendar.
bill granting pension of S2500 year
to Septimima Randolph Meikleham, sole sur
viving grand child of Thomas Jefferson, the
author of the Declaration of Independence,
was taken up, and a favorable report of the
committee on pensions was read. As the
clerk was reading the majority report COM
plimentary to jefferson, Belford of Colorado
asked:
"what in the name of God is the use of
reading such a report as that?"
"Order,' cried O'Neal of Pennsylvania.
The minority report of the committee op-
posed the bill on the ground that it provides
for the granting of ''civil" pension, Jeffe--
sons services being civil instead Of military.
This report, while asserting that it is a dis
grace to the people that this good lady should
be in want, yet it contends that Congress has
no authority to vote money for charity. The
minority agree that if the pension should be
be granted. it would be only short time be-
fore efforts would be made to pension the
living children and grandchildren of all the
presidents.
Arguments against the bill, principally on
constitutional grounds, were made by Messrs.
Hewitt, Ala, Post of Pa, Hammond of Ga,
Millard of \. Y. and others.
Mr.. Lyman Of Massachusetts. expressed
his intention to vote for the bill liz the hon.
ored name of Jefferson. though his polt ical
principles were not always correct. 1t was
fit that Congress should recognize, by honor
ing the only surviving grandchid, The
survices which jefferson rendered as one of
the founders of liberty in the land. These in
stances should not and could not be frequent,
but it was a wise policy TO do honor TO the
men of the country in this way J.L. Wise of
Virginia also favored the bill. On motion of
Mr.. Hewitt of Alabama, the exacting clause
was struck out-l29 to 60. The committee
then rose and the house ratifi ed its action.