National Republican., 1884-03-05
THE uOITSE.

Mt. Lamb, from the committee on ioreiHn
affairs, reported bill to amend the Chinese lm-
migration act. Committee Of the whole.
Mr.. Hit submitted minority report
Mr.. Lyman, from the committee on military
affairs. reported bill authorizing retired list for
privates and non.comm issioned officers Of the
army who have served continuously for thirty
years OF more. Committee of the whole.
Mr.. Steele, from the same committee reported
bill authorizing tho comforting of brevct com.
missions to commissioned officers for distinguished
service in campaigns against the indians. House
Mr. Money, from the committee on postofices
and postroads reported bill providing for the
deposit IN the treasury oi receipts % oi tnc money
Mr. Wemple, from tho committee on railways
and canals, reporteda bill for the permanent i'm.
provement of Tho Erie canal and maintaining the
same free to the people. Referred TO the commit
tee OF the whole.
Mr. Campbell, from the committee on manufac.
lures, reported II bill for the appointment Of q
commission to test iron and steel. Placed on the
house calendar
tMr. o'Neii presented memorial of the Frank.
lin institute of Philadelphia III favor Of this bill.
Mr. BOutele, from the committee on naval af-
fairs, reported bill to relieve certain appointed
and enlisted men of the navy and marine corps
from the charge OF desertion.
Mr. Hewitt, from the committee on ways and
means, reported bill TO prevent the adulteration
OF teas
tThc bill Is based upon the recommendations Of
the secretary of the treasury. 1t prohibits the i'm
portation of tea dust, and gives importers an OPP
six months after the bill becomes law the
adulterated teas that they have roceived.l
Mr.. o'Neill, of Pennsylvania, presented a pro-
test of the chamber Of commerce of Louisville,
KY, against the passage of any bill which allows
the bridging Of ihe Great KGnawha river in any
other manner than Is prescribed for the Ohio river.
At 1886 the house went into committee Of the
whole (Mr. Converse In the chnir to continue
consideration Of the naval appropriation bill.
Mr. Huchins said the committee had made as
liberal bill as possible. The committee on ap-
proprlations had but one duty to perform. and
existing laws. What is done to make the service
more efficient falls upon the naval committee of
the house. To-day we have no navy. the speaker
said We have not single ship that can be
called ship of war Certainly this state of affairs
should not continue. We need not fear, however,
an attack from any Sc 4 we hsvo no sy nay
people, Besides, we have the best credit Of any
nation in the world. If 1t should become neces-
sary to arm and equip the country the markets
all that we need. Mr.. Hutohins continued, CIV
ing the reasons of the committee for making tho
various appropriations provided for In tho bill,
and as he said, answering the objections that had
been offered to the measure.
Mr.. Randall made a brief comparison OF the
English and American nnvles. The former, he
said, had 3l5 ships and 1.l9l line men and the
latter AZ ships and i,ll9 line men. He also said
that the committee opposed the recommendation
of the secretary of the navy of the appointment of
corps Of nine to place certain officers on the
pernumerary list on the ground that great in
Mr.. Cox, Of New York, said the proposition
seems to be to either reduce the official roster or
to build new ships. He favored the former, and
thought that 1t would be best to wait until the
present cruisers were finished Cruisers, as the
name implied, were ships to destroy unarmed
vessels. Their only object II there is any at all,
ciple IS antagonlstc to our own ideas. With such
vessels as are proposed, our country would still
have to be on the defense. IT naval officers need
some kind Of employment let them turn to the
protection of the harbors The country has been
without a navy for eighteen yeurs, yet no foreign
power has attempted TO attack u.s. In case OF
war this country would suffer less. owing to Its
imnortations than would other countries.
Mr. Cox asked that the commerce that has been
lost be regained. 1--WE cannot have a navy" he
said "without seamen, and we cannot have sea-
men without a commercial marine
Mr. Relford aid the democratic party Monday
presented a magnificent SPECTACLE. II reminded
him of a race horse that had entered the race,
thrown up his tail, and jumped from the track.
Continuing, Mr.. Eeford said that 1t was univer.
sally understood Monday th9t Mr.. Converse pur-
posed br nging up his wool BILL
Mr.. Randall again objected.
Mr. Belford repl ed: mo wonder you are afraid
The democrats of the south" he continued, "have
who are leading them to ruin. Your graves are
dug, and we have contributed money to decorate
them forever"
and the dream from a member If u decaying
party, want to call back for consideration the
naval appropriation BILL" (Groans from repub-
Mr.. Hill said that the bill was persmmons in lts
character. He favored building ships and said II
pursue %T % different line Of policy. Il must provide
for the protection of the American coasts. He
WIS opposed to sending abroad for ships while
there were American mechanics that could be
Mr. Randall said that since 1864 nearly ss7, 7,oOo-
900 had been expcnded, yet there Is no navy.
Mr. Reed replied that the question Is not what
las been. but what will be. Our great cities, he
aid, are exposed, and yet members Of the demo-
Par crea e on tine M
to be protected that they could not be destroyed
by a third-rate power.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Calkins to strike
out that portion of the bill providing that none Of
the vacancies in the various grades in the line
aud IN the staff corps of the navy shall be filled
by promotions until such grades shall be reduced
to the numbers fixed for the several grades of the
line and the sialI corps Of me navy by an act Of
service for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1883
was lost by vote OFFS to SO.
The question then REQUIRED upon the amend
ment offered by Mr.. Curtin to exempt from the
operations of the clause all officers Of the navy
who served in the late war.
Mr. Iutchins opposed the amendment on the
ground that II proposed n reversal of the action
of the last congress- aud was subject to the charge
oflegslation on an appropriation Pill. The mo-
tye Of thS amrndmer h lie ,sn, thought was good
bill. He would compelled 70 raise the point of
order against II at II proposed to increase ex-
pendittlres aud changed existing law.
Mr.. Curtin thought that the law passed by the
last congress- to which the gentleman had al
luded, should be changed. IL seems 20 be gener-
ally conceded he said, that we weIC without n
navy. This being tHe case, he did not subscribe
to the notion that congress should 10 on and dis
grace the officers Of the navy.
Mr.. HutChins withdrew the point OF order, but
It was Immediately renewed by Mr.. Mcmillan,
ann was sustained by the chair
Mr.. Talbot offered an amendment, to come In at
The end OF the clause under discu SiOn 10 provide
that that part OF the naval appropriation act OF
1882, which Halted the number of graduates Of
the naval academy to he retained IN the service in
each year, shall not sppyt to the classes which
had completed tn ir four years course prior to
tho passage OF the act and that those who had
been thus forced out of the service may be allowed
return ani take their places on the naval regis
ter in the same manner as If that part of the act
had not been passed. also to limit the number OF
cadets who shall hereafter be appointed to one for
each two congressional districts, and fiYe cadets
at large to be appointed By the President.
Mr. Huchius made the point of order that this
amendment would change eN sting law and in.
crease expenditures, and the further point that
the same object.
After some discussion, the chair sustained the
points of order, but suggested to Mr. Talbot that
the las! paragraph of the amendment relating TO
the reduction of the number uf naval cadets TO be
appointed might not be open TO such all objection,
the last paragraph as q substitute for the whole
amendment.
Mr., Thomas made the point of order against the
substitute that the legislation II proposed IL the
subject of a bill now before the house, and the
chair sustained the point OF ordcr.
Mr.. Cnklns offered an amendment to come In at
the end OF the clause, the substance of which Is
that after the first OF July, 1884, the saf corps Of
the navy on the active list shall be reduced by
reducing the medical directors from 10 10 5i the