Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-05
AT THE NATIONS CAPITAL
GOVERNMENT TELEGRAPHY
PUT ON THE SHELF.

EO1 IN The y HEIE.
The Senate Puts the Bill Aside till De-
cember-Mexican Pensions Busy the
House the Greater Part of the Day to
no ResuIt-The Two Houses Far Apart
on the Legislative Appropriation Bill.
WASHINGTON, July 4.-The Senate
was called to order promptly at II O'Clock,
and, after prayer by Bishop Andrews, the
Declaration of Independence was read by
Gen. McCook, Secretary Of the Senate.
Mr.. Hale submitted the report of the con-
ference committee on the deficiency bills.
stating that each House had made certain
concessions, but there were twenty three Of
the Senate amendments on which the con-
ferces were unable to agree. On motion Of
Mr.. Hale the Senate further insisted on its
amendments and reappointed the same COM
The resolution Of Mr.. Miller. submitted yes
terday, was agreed to, directing the Commit
zee on indlan Analrs to extend its inquiries
10 the investigation recently ordered into the
condition OF Indians Of California.
resolution offered by Mr.. Sewell was
agreed to authorizing the Committee on Fish
and Fisheries TO sit during the recess Of Con-
gress.
On motion of Mr. Blair the bill to grant a
pension to the widow Of Commodore James
NJ. watson was taken up and led to consider
able debate, but was finally passed. The
amendment to this bin, offered Yesterday by
Dir. NanWyek, to make all pensions to widows
table.
number of other pension bills were passed.
among them the bill granting pension to the
widow OF Gen. K. o. c. Ord; also the bill in
creasing the pension of Gen. Frank p
Blalr's widow, and one to authorize the Pres
1dent to appoint Gen. w. w. Ayeriu to the
position Of Colonel in the army, and then
place him on the retired list as OF that rank.
At 5:25 o'clock the Senate went into ex-
ecutlye session, and when at 6 20 O'Clock the
doors were reopened took a recess until
O'Clock TINS evening.
The Senate again met at o'clock Messages
were received from the House Of Representa-
tiYes announcing the concurrence of that
body in the conference reports on the river
and harbOr bills, the bill TO punish ViolatOrs
OF the internal revenue laws, the bill amend
ing the seventy second article of war; and
the bill to consolidate the Bureau of Military
Justice and the Corps Of Judge Advocates Of
the navy.
The Senate agreed to the reports Of its own
conferees on these bills.
POSTAL TELEGRAPRs DISCUSSED.
Consideration of the postal telegraph bill
was then proceeded with. It authorizes the
Postmaster General to contract for postal
telegraph service, and provides that if rates
be not satisfactory the government may buy
or build lines and do the work itself' 1t
fixes the rates at which the contractors or the
government shall do the work.
Mr.. Hill addressed the Senate on the bill.
in his opinion, entirely constitutional, and
the clauses authorizing the government to
buy or build lines were to protect the people
from eXorbltant rates.
Mr.. Maxey said that a majority of the
Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post
Roads were opposed to the proposition that
the government should buy or build lines.
There was no constitutional objection, he SAID,
to the government contracting for the trans
mission of intelligence by telegraph any more
than by mail. but that was as far as the COM
wished IN On q mi 10 ka
out the clauses authorizing building or buy
ing.
Pending that motion Mr.. Sherman moved
to postpone further consideration OF the bill
till the second Monday in December, saying
that it was impossible to sufficiently discuss
such an important measure in the closing
hours OF the session.
The motion was agreed to and the bill went
On motion of Mr.. Frye the bill was passed
to establish bureau of navigation in the
treasury department under Commissioner
On motion Of Mr.. Bayard the bill for the
relief of VIM. McGarrahan was indefinitely
On motion of Mr.. Morrill, the Senate, at 10 80
O'Clock, went into executive session.
On the doors being reopened, at l0:55
o'clock, the Senate took recess till 10 o'clock
to morrow morning.
IN THE HOUSE.
The House met at 10 O'Clock this morning, in
continuance of Thursdays session. The con-
ference report on the bill to consolidate the
Bureau of Military Justice and corps of Judge
Advocates was presented by Mr.. Roseerans.
OF California, and agreed to.
The House then resumed consideration of
the Senate amendment to the Mexican pen
sion bill, but want of a quorum was disclosed,
and after several roll calls, the call of the
House was ordered.
Mr.. Brewer, of New York, moved at u
O'Clock, that the House go into committee of
the whole for the purpose of considering that
great state paper, 1.-The Declaration of Inde-
pendence," and that that important docu-
ment be read for the information of members
who were not absent from their post of duty.
The Speaker ruled that the motion was not
privileged and could not be entertained.
Roll call followed roll call in mOnotonous
succession or motions to adjourn and for calls
Of the House until 1850 o'clock p. M, when
Mr.. Randall presented the conference report
ON the general deficiency appropriation bill.
1t announces an agreement on all the amend
ments in controversy except %.
Mr.. Calkins, of Indiana, moved that the
House recede from its disagreement to five of
the amendments in controversy apprOpriating
small sums for the paving of streets around
public buildings in Des Moines, Hartford,
Jersey City, st. Louis and Grand Rapids.
This was lost by 65 yeas to ll6 nays.
A similar motion in regard to the amend
ment making an appropriation to reimburse
eX-President Hayes the amount paid for the
expenses of the commission appOinted to go
to Louisiana in 1871 met with the same fate.
TheTepOrt was then agreed 10, and Messrs.
Randall, Burns and Calkins were reappointed
cOnferees.
Mr.. Willis, of Kentucky, presented the con-
ference report on the river and harbor appTo-
priatiOn bill. and it was agreed to. The bill
as it passed the House appropriated Sl2,OS6,-
200. As agreed to in the conference it apprO-
PIRATES $l3,S99, 200.
Mr.. Mcmillan, of Tennessee, submitted the
conference report on the bill introduced by
him limiting the time prosecutions may be in
stituted against persons charged with vioat-
ing the internal revenue laws. and it was
agreed to. As agreed to the bill reduces the
arnn
cuted from five to three years when the
penalty is imprisonment in the penitentiary,
and two years in all other cases.
Filibustering against the Mexican pension
bill then continued until 4:45 O'Clock, when
the House took recess until O'Clock to-
night.
MEXICAN PENSIONS.
At the evening session the House resumed
consideration Of the Mexican pension bill,
and in view of the strong opposition to the
measure, both the part of those who
thought that granting service pension was
not advisable and of those who were opposed
to the restrictions laid upon il by the Senate,
Mr.. TOwnshend, of Illinois, who had charge
of the bill, proposed that the Senate amend
ments be non-eoncurred in and conference
ordered.
Mr.. Hewitt, of Alabama, objected.
Mr.. Shelley, of Alabama, suggested that the
bill be laid aside and the House proceed to
Mr.. Calkins asked Mr.. TOwnshend to comply
with that suggestion, at the same time COM
plimenting him on the gallant fight he had
made for the Mexican pension bill.
MI. Townshend, however. refused to aecede
to the request. and the question REQUIRED on
ordering the previous question on cOncurring
in the sixth amendment of the Senate, which
limits the provisions OF the bill to officers, en-
listed men and widows who may become 50
wears of age, or have or may become subject
TO any disability or dependence equivalent to
some cause recognized by the pension laws
as a sufficient reason for the allowance of a
pension, and excludes from its benefits such
persons as have incurred disability while
aiding or abettiDg rebellion. This is the
question which has been pending the whole
day, and on which no quorum had voted at
any time. 1t was not more successful to-
night, and on a yea and nay vote the House
was left without quorum.
THE LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION BILL.
Mr.. Holman submitted the conference re-
port on the legislative, judicial and executive
annrnnriatiOn bill. of the % amendments