Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-26
Fotty-Eightll Conkress.--First Session.
WASHINGTON, January 25.

SENATE-A better navy, ana the American hog, were petitioned about and a better civil service reform was favored with bill.
 The bill introduced by MT. McPherson to provide for the issue of circulating notes to the national banking associations was report ed favorably from the Committee on Finance. In committee, MT. Sherman voted with the Democrats in support of it over other bills and it was agreed upon by 8 vote of six to five. The bill provides that upon g deposit of any United States bonds bearing interest in the manner required by law, any national banking association making the same shall be entitled to receive from the comptroller of the currency circulating notes of differ ent denominations in b ank registered and countersigned as provided by law, not ex- ceeding in amount the par value of the bonds deposited; provided that at no time shall the total amount of such notes issued to any such association exceed the amount of such time actually paid in of it's capital stock.
 It was agreed to take up the resolution re- lating to the Danville, Va, and Copiah, Miss, outrdges on Monday.
 A conference committee was ordered on the bill for the relief of the Greedy party.
 MT. Beck made speech in support of his bill to prohibit the Secretary of the Treasury from purchasing government bonds above par value, which was referred to the Commit tee on Finance.
 After the expiration of the morning hour the consideration of the bill for the estab- lishment of 6 civil government for Alaska was resumed. The bill was passed with sev- eral unimportant amendments.
 The bill providing for the performance of the duties of the office of President in case of the removal, death, resignation or inability of both the President and Vice President was passed.
 At 3:2O p. m. the Senate went into execu- tive session and at 3:30, when the doors were reopened, adjourned until Monday.
 HoUsE-The morning hour having been dispensed with. the House, at 1925, went into Committee of the Whole on the Fitz John Porter bill.
 E. B. Taylor, of Ohio, took the floor in order to conclude his speech begun on Satur- day last in opposition to the bill. He denied the statement that it was based upon a rsso- lution introduced by Mr. Garfield. It was true that Garfield did introduce a resolution looking to an inquiry in regard to an alleged discovery of important evidence, but the res olution was defeated; and what his opinion would have been upon that evidence did not appear. He (Mr. Taylor) knew what Gar fields opinion was up to the 7th of March, 1881; it was the same as his was to-day.
 Mir. Keller followed reminding the House that great public disaster might result from an attempt to right supposed wrong to an individual and argued that Porter having been guilty of disobedience the setting aside of the judgment of the court martial in bis case might prove prejudicial to the discipline of the army. He read the charges and speci- fcations and defended the findings of the court martial. MT. Keller read Porter's dis patches to Burnside to show his state of mind at the time, and said his subsequent course made his pre- dictions of disaster fulfilled prophecy. ing Porter for his sake, &c., to yleld cordial support to Pope, and said none but guilty man could have received such letter con- pIacently General Mcclellan would never have written such letter to General Ross- crans, General Sheridan or any of the other loyal generals. Applause on the Republican side)
 MT McGinniss, of Montana, asked if that letter was not written at the request of Pres ident Lincoln.
 ''Then," said Mir. Keller, s'McClellan had the concurrence of the immortal Lincoln that Porter was not obeying orders" (Fresh ap- plause) Mir, Refers speech was very for cible one and throughout quite severe upon the conduct of Porter.
 The committee then rose and Mr.. Slocum | asked that to-morroW's session be for debate | only. A fruitless effort was made informally l to come to an understanding Rs to tue time 8 vote could be had It was finally agreed 1 that to-morrow's session be for debate only except that the Committee on Agriculture l may submit report to be printed and re l committed.
 l The House then went into committee again | and MT. Ray took the floor and spoke as one who has marched in the ranks as private soldier, in support of the bill. He took the ground that prejud1ced and illegal evidence was admitted by the court martial and that l the new testimony taken since the war thre v 1 fresh light on the case, making the conduct oi Porter not only justifable, but commendable 1 loyal and wise. In reference to the letter of Mcclellan to Porter he said 1t was written at the | request of President Lincoln after Pope had l sought to turn aside the consequences of his blunders, his ignorance and his incompetency, l By series of islanders and falsehoods hs charged that the enemies of Porter secured g delay in the appointment of court of in quiry as asked by Pope until they had pois- l oned the public mind, the mind of the Secrs- tary of War and the mind of the President
 until they had secured the removal of Gen
 eral Mcclellan, and with that came the charges against Porter. This provoked ex
 clamations of dissent and 8 hubbub was arising when Mir. Ray yielded for 8 motion l that the committee rise and at o'clock ths House adjourned.