Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-01-26
C0SCREssIONAL
SENATE.

SENATE.
WAsHrxoroE, Jan. Is. Miller 10
Caiifornial presented a petition from
the Chamber of Commerce. of ian Fran
cisco praying Congress to increase tn,
efficiency Of the Navy.
Gib on introduced bill to facilita.,
reform in the Civil Service.
Bayard, from the Committee on Fl
nance, reported favorably q bill provid
ing for the issue of circulating notes o.
the National Banking Associ .tions.
Berk called up his bill intended Il
prohibit the Secretary of the Trsasur,
from purchasing bonds above their pal
value III our revenues 90 on increas
Ing beyond our needs as ut present and
pnrch.ses are made by the Treasury A.
u sees ut. there will be quite as much
inst biiity ia bsnds as in bank circuls.
ton based on them. The bill under
which the Treasurer professed to &C,
was simply to provide for the emery
epcy then Existing, not to give the SEQ
retasy absolute power TO 90 On the mar
ket and buy bonds &C a premium at 4
or - per cent, or at whatever the price
holders might chance u demand. The
intention of the act Was that the SEQ
retary should buy such bonds az the
Government had the right to redeem al
par, instead of buying up those bonds
at high premium. Beck thought bet.
ter plan would be to accumulate less
surplus and thus reduce taxation.
Morrill, said that it was profitable
cent bonds had to run, to buy them
now at II or IL per cent. premium and
invest In those bearing 3 per cent. The
fact that the bonds are at a premium,
should not be a subject of reproach,
but co npliment.
The bill Was referred to the Commit
tee on Finance.
The bill was passed donating a part
Of the For: Smith Military Reservation
to the City Of Fort Smith for the benefit
of the public schools.
Senator Blair introduced q bill to
provide for free circulation of news
papers and other publications within
the state where published. Referred.
Sherman called up his resolution on
the Virginia and Mississippi elections.
Lamar hoped that consideration would
be postponed till Monday. sherman
had no objection, provided it did not
lose its position in consideration. The
resolution went over till Monday.
The Alaska bill was then taken up,
and Harrison moved to amend 90 AZ to
pay the actual travelling expenses Of the
marshal and salary of $3.50 besides,
vouchers to bS approved by the Judge.
Agreed to.
Consideration of the bill having been
completed and il having been adopted
in the Committee of the whole, il Was
reported t. the Senate. the only reserva-
tiOn being on the prohibition clause,
which prohibits the importation, sale
and manufacture of intoxicating liquors
in Alaska except for medicinal and sci
entific purposes This led to quite q
long debate. but the bill passed with the
prohibition clause retained.
Hoar then called mp his bill, provid-
ing for the performance of the duties Of
President in case Of removal by death,
resignation, or inability of the Presi-
dent or Vice President. 1t was read
three times and passed. In the contin-
eency referred to, the bill vests the
right to perform the Presidential duties
in the Secretary of State; or, in case
there be none, then in the Secretary of
ths Treasury, then in the Secretary OF
War, ana 50 on through the Cabinet.
After executive session the Senate
adjourned.
The morning hour was dispensed
with. The House went into committee
Of the whole, with Springer in the chair,
on tho Fitz John Porter bill.
Taylor of Ohio took the floor, and
his speech began On Satur-
day on the Fitz John Porter bill. He
denied the statement that the bill Is
based on a resolution introduced by
Garfield. Congress might remove PEN
alties, but il was caso OF suicide and
could not revive the Rlories that once
clustered around Porter's brow.
Bayne, member Of the Committee on
Affairs, spoke in support of
the bill, holding that the question could
not be made political one. de held
that Porter exercised wise discretion
ia disobeying Pope's srder.
While quoting from General Long
streets testimony, B,yne was inter
rupted by Herbert, who said that he
to Longstreet's corps. Will
sox's division was drawn in line before
noon, and he never knew the reason OF
tlIe delay in their being pushed into the
Eipht until he read the testimony in this
,ase. He did not believe Porter a
traitor to his cause. Ii he did, he
would be the very last man to excuse
him.
The committee rose informally to per-
NIT the Speaker to appoint "a conference
on the Greeley bill.
the committee resumed its session,
and Keifer spoke in opposition to the
bill. He defended the members Of the
court martial from aspersions for their
verdict, saying thst they we're the peers,
and more than the peers Of the board
Of review. He reviewed the case, quo
ing from dispatches and letters to show
that Porter WAS disloyal 10 Pope, be-
cause Of his loyalty to Mcclellan.
Ray, Of New York. supported the bill,
that the charges we're not pre-
ferred against Porter till long after tie
alleged disobedisuce Of orders. This
statement vas vigorously controverted
by some members, and AS vigorously re-
asserted by Ray. ls was not till the re-
movnl of McClellan was known to be
upon that the chAtees we're
preferred.
Miller, Of Pennsyivania, wanted to
know by What authority Ray asserted
that Pope poisoned the mind Of the
President. :.
Ray replied that he could prove it be-
yond controversy from the records Of
Congress and from Pope's report.
Before the conclusion OF Rays speech
the COMMITTEES rosa.
Tho senate bill p,sssd providing for
the removal Of the remains Of the late
Gen. Ord from Havana to Washington.
The Speaker laid before the House
response frum the Secretary of the
Navy to resolution. stating that be has
no knowledgs Of any service rendered
by American officers or men 10 the Brit.
ish navy ut the bombardment of Alex
audria. Referred.
Also letter from the Postmaster
General in response 10 the HOUSE, rsso-
luton in regard to the expenditures IL
the Star route cases and requesting the
names Of the persons indebted 70 thu
government and tho witnesses on whom
the government expected to rely Tor tn
prosecution OF such persons. Referred
The Postmaster General informs tn
House that an item,zea list OF the cx
peuditurea 10 being prepared. but say
Il would be detrimental TO the public In
terests 70 give the names OF persons IN
debeed 70 the government and the pro