Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-11
IN THE SENATE AND HOUSE.
Detailed Report of the Days Work in
the Two Bodies.

IN THE SENATE AND HOUSE.
Detailed Report of the Days Work in
the Two Bodies.
WASHINGTON, Jan 10.-In the Senate
this morning Mr.. Dawes introduced bill
to provide for the transmission of eorre-
spondence by telegraph. This bill pro-
vides for the creation of a United States
postal telegraph company, under direc-
tion of the Post Office Department, and the
creation of the office of Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General, this official to be
President of the Board of Directors of the
company, and for the establishment of
postal telegraph offices at post
States, and the transmission of
correspondence from such postal tele-
graph offices.
Mr.. Sawyer introduced a bill to prohibit
the mailing of newspapers containing lot
terry advertisements.
Bills were introduced as follows:
BY Mr. MOrgan-Granting right of way
over public lands in Alabama and Florida
to the Alabama Diagonal Railroad Com
pany, and giving the same company the
right to purchase public lands in said
States. Also, granting right of way over
pubic lands in Alabama and to grant
lands in said State in aid of the Gulf and
Airline Railroad.
By Mr.. Voorhees-To equalize the
bounties of soldiers. This bill, Mr.. Voor-
hees said, is copy of the bill which was
passed by Congress nine years ago, but
was vetoed by President Grant on the
ground that it would take more money
out Of the Treasury than the public inter
est would warrant. But there is so much
now said about the surplus revenue and
abundance of money that he would rein
troduce the same bill now. and hoped it
would meet the early consideration of the
Military Committee.
The Senate took up for consideration
Mr.. Van Wyck's resolution. heretofore
offered by him, directing the Secretary of
the Interior to suspend action as to issu-
ing patents or certificates for land grant
ed to the New Orleans and Pacific Rail-
road Company until Congress shall, at
this7sessIOn, determine the questions in
YOlved in the claims of said corporations,
Mr. Ingalls, objected to the wording of
Mr.. Van Wyck's resolution, when the lat
ter amended it, and it was agreed to, as
follows:
WHEREAS, 1t Is claimed by the New Orleans
and Pacific Railroad Company that inasmuch
as the Attorney General has decided in favor
of the sand company as to lands demanded bv
them, and the Secretary of the Interior has
teit constrained to act upon and accept the
SAID opinion; and said company also claim
that Congress has no further control or
authority over said lands or demands of said
company; therefore
ReSOlced, That the Secretary of the Interior
be requested to suspend action in issuing GER
uiicates or patents for said lands to said cor
pOratlon until Congress, at this session, shall
determine the questions involved in the
claim OF said corporation.
A resolution offered by Mr.. voorhees,
was adopted, calling upon the Secretary
of War for a statement of the number of
soldiers who served one, two or three
years respectively in the late war, the
amount of bounty paid each class, and
asking him to inform the Senate of the
amount OF money which would be required
to equalize the bounties of those who
served in said war
The Senate then resumed consideration
OF the new rules. The pending question
was on motion of Mr.. Vest to strike out
from rule 26 the clause providing for
Committee on Internal improvements, to
consist of nine Senators, to which shall
be referred all subjects relating to the i'm
proyement OF rivers and harbors, and also
the sbill known as the river and harbor
bill. The discussion again occupied the
greater part of the afternoon, and in its
course good many speeches were made
which were not strictly to the text. The
tariff, for example, came in for a cOnsid-
cradle time. Mr.. Frye, of Maine, alluding
to something uttered by Democratic Sen
ators, said he was delighted to hear the
opinions of the other side of the chamber
expressed so unreservedly for free trade.
There had been some doubt for some
months past as to just where the Demo-
cratic party stood with regard to free
trade.
Mr.. Morgan stated that there was not
leading man OF the Democratic party in
the United States certainly not in either
house of COngress-who had thus far
given expression to the idea that he is a
free-trader in the sense in which the gen
tleman from Maine Frye would imply.
The Democrats are in favor of modifica-
tion of the existing tariff, for the purpose
OF reducing an unnecessary burden of
SlOO,O0O,0OO a year of unjust taxation,
placed upon the country by the Republi-.
can party. Mr.. Morgan had been waiting
several years to see something substantial
done for commerce. Some matters of de.
tail had been arranged, but nobody had
had the courage to bring in bill to repeal
altogether the Odi0us navigation laws,
Both parties seemed to be afraid to do it,
1t seemed as though the people had to
organize general muster and beat the
long roll upon us before they could in
duce US to do anything. The question of
spending the peoples money seemed to be
the graYest consideration with legislators.
while poverty and wreck are tramplng
around the country with sores of which
Lazarus would be ashamed. Strikes are
heard of every where; thousands and tens
OF thousands OF men all over the land, in
the depth of cold winter, without food or
clothing for themselves or their families,
are compelled to beg and implOre the
charity of the rich masters by whom
they are surrounded. The Democratic
party, Mr.. Morgan said, would, nOtwith-
standing the objections and remOnstrances
of Republicans, continue referring to the
high tariff until justice was done to the
people of the country. We are a rich
government and a poor people, and the
cries Of the poor for bread and for fuel, if
heard in the Senate Chamber as heard
would howl down the very
storm of winter. Yet these are the people
TO whom there must be silence in that
Chamber.
On coming to vote the motion of Mr..
Vest was agreed to.
Mr.. Miller moved to amend the rule bv
clause referring to the appr0-
priation bill Tor agriculture to the Com
mittee on Agriculture. The motion. which
was favored by Senator George and 9TH
ers, was not agreed to.
W ltnOut coming TO vote on the rule.
the Senate went into executive session.
and when the doors were reopened, ad-
journed.
IN THE HOUSE.
Mr.. Elardy, Of Missouri, who has been
sick since the beginning of Congress, ap- !
peared at the bar of the House and took |
the oath of office.
Mr.. Belmont, of New York, asked leave
to offer preamble and resolutions recit- |
ing that a supervising special agent of |
the Treasury has declared that system |
attic frauds on the customs revenue are /
by the undervaluation of |
merchandise, and requesting the Presi- |
dent to transmit to the House copies |
OF all communications on the subject;
and also to inform the House whether |
or not there is reason to believe that any |
Consular officers have certified invoices |
to be true which such officers should have |
known, or did know at the time were not |
true. and also whether any additional /
legislation is necessary to compel foreign |