National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-31
Senators Discuss the Question Of Temperance
in the District Of Columbia,
And Talk About Volunteers for the
Greedy Relief Expedition,
House Committees Report Back a Large Number Of
Bills.
Tho Funeral OF Congressman MaclSey Cuts
Both Sessions short.



nications from the secretary of war transmitting,
in compliance with law. statement showing the
con racts made by the bureaus Of the war depart
ment for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, and
n list Of the clerks and other persons employed in
that department for the year ending Nov. 3d. 1888,
all Of which clerks, &C.. the secretary states have
been usefully employed. and none Of whom could
be dispensed with without injury 10 the public
service.
Mr.. Blair presented petition signed by about
1000 citizens of the Distrlc of Columbia. and
Gems Of the territories Of Washington, Dakota, and
Idaho, all praying for the enactment by congress
of a law prohibiting. the manufacture or sale OF
alcoholic liquors in the district and territories.
In presenting these petitions Mr. Blair said that
for many years petitions of this character had
been coming to both branches Of congress with.
years the agitation had been constantly gaining
strength. He looked upon the problem involved
as one Of the most serious which can engage AZ.
tention, not alone from the standpoint of the
moral reformer, but well from that of the
economist and statesman. IL demanded at the
ject which could come Iefore it,. In the remarks
n few days ago of the senator from Maine Mr..
Fryel that gentleman had shown how the
ii liquors in the capitol had been set
at naught, and an impression was widely preva.
lent among the people that the capitol itself had
come to be used as sort Of national groggery II
this impression was an error it should be cor.
rected, and II founded on fact, the fact should be
promptly, and effectively dealt with What con,
gress had thought At to do for the capitol, II had
no reason for refusing to do for the district In
which the capitol was situated. There could be
no doubt Of the authority of congress in the
Whether prohibition was the best method of deal
ing with the evils Of intemperance or not, IL was
thoughtful and conservative as we'll as most
liberal minds among the American people, be-
ieved 1t to be the only complete remedy. Mt
Blair quoted statistics to show the favorable
effects of prohibition in the states which had
adopted 1t. These petitions, Mr.. Blair continued,
had come here under tho auspices of the Woman's
Christian Temperance union, which he looked
upon one of the most powerful agencies for
good which the world had yet seen, and as the
subject, from its seriousness and importance, was
fast forcing itself upon the attention of the Amer
can people he hoped 1t would receive the earnest
consideration of congress. Washington, especially
as II was the representative city. should also bt
the model city of the union, and congress had full
power there to deal with any matter affecting the
welfare OF the people. in which respect the cues.
ton involved In these petitions was second &c
Mr. Hale called up the report of the committee
on conference of both houses relating TO the
Greedy relief expedition. The report recommend
that the senate recede from its amendment re-
quiring that only persons who volunteered for the
service shall BIO detailed for the expedition.
Mr. Sherman stated that If he had known thai
the bill, when presented, authorized the secretary
of the navy to order any man outside the line o.
the case in such an expedition as this, he would
! not have voted for it. No doubt that there ars
many able and adventurous men who would be
willing to volunteer for the service.
The amendment of the senator from Delaware
IMr. Salisbury, had relieved him Mr.. Sherman
from some embarrassment. and was very proper
provision .
I Mr. Salisbury stated that he had not united
, with the other members of the senate conference
committee on the subject He had done his duty
in trying to secure to the officers and men of th,
navy exemption from compulsory participation
in Il service so extraordinary and so out of thu
line Of their du ao tSs
( the navy or the president, authority to orde
or assign men arbitrarily for voyage Sc
perilous, while there others who would gladly
volunteer for the purpose. He did not know thai
the secretary Of the navy would assign any mar
to the work who would not be perfectly willing tc
such an assignment would afford the opportunity
Mr.. Salisbury would always be opposed 10 com
pulsory assignments in matters OF this outside
character. He remembered the fate Lieut.. Hern
don, whose explorations of the Amazon reflected
so much credit on his country, and he remem
bered that that brave officer was assigned to tht
unavgillngy protested, and, in consequence o
that assignment, lost his life.
Mr.. Hale sent to the desk, and the clerk read, .
dispatch from the secretary of the navy to the
chairman of the house committee on apprepria
tions, stating that 1t seemed to him unWise L
limit the President 10 volunteers; that the ex
petition was not one of exploration, but of The
rescue of men deliberately sent out by the gov
eminent with promises rescue If 1t became neces
ing that without the limitation volunteers cOulC
be be accepted, but If none offered by the tim,
ships were ready to sail, were the ships not Z
move? Or If there were naval officers bette
qualified 10 go than those who might volunteer
were the lives of the explorers, old and new, to bt
trusted to inferior men?
idea expressed by the senator from Delaware mt
saulsbGryl If such rule were to be adopted
aud If officers, even on services as dangerous a
this, were not willing to follow the ord OF tn,
President or secretary of the navy, he Mr. Hale
would give little for the spirit OF the navy; HI
did not deny that 1t was dangerous expedition
Companions and friends Of naval officers were VI
in the Arctic regions, and If alive were suffering
and Offering up prayers for relief Ihcy had
right 10 expect relief and only naval expedition
can relieve them. Any officer who would declln'
TO render this service for The rescue OF his suher
ing comrades was unfit to remain II the navy Q
the United States What was the navy for? Would
there not always be times when the danger
involved could not be measured by the previous
mittlg naval officers 10 avoid or withdraw iron
service because of IL. danger, there never Woult
be naval establishment which would rehec
any honor On the country. II at was not tn
spirit that gave the British navy its Rodman ant
its Nels IN; 1t was not the spirit that gave III
American navy Its Paul Jones, its Decatur or 1t
FarrGgut Mr. Hale had heard that u wellknown
indeed quite a distinguished. officer of the nav!
had been written to, not by u secretary, that tn
command Of this expedition M ght he given II
him. and his reply was that If ordered u tina
service he would, by every means in his power
seek 10 have the assignment uunulled, So that h
might remain at home. Wise and skilml officer
expedition. Mr.. Hale houed the spirit OF the navy
would be tested in this matter nd that the seuat
would recedv from its amendment.
Mr.. Ingalls, hoped the senate would not recede
He strenuously objected to the unvarying Cou 81
OF committees on conference on the part OF tn
senate coming in and reperting that they max
yielded To the committee Ul TIE house of repre-
sentatives. The senate might as vel nj once No
d,cate It's functions aud let the senate comm ttee
on appropriation, aud naval affairs he considered
"AnGexes " of the house of representatives Tn
uniform course q! the house in these matters wa
al Htront to the senate,
Mr. Hule did not think the remarks of tn
senator from Kan as lNT. lngHllsl were going 4
influence the senate. There hnd heeh hud woul,
be conferences in which each house won d insls
on its own way Of thnking. This was not It mat
ter on which there had been amy feeling, one wa
or the other, between the committee OF the nous
and that of the senate.
Al 1 o'clock the chair informed the senate tina
the hour mad arrived for the senators 10 nlen'
the funeral Ob,equies of the late Represenlatl'
Muckey, and the senators thercupOn proceeded
IN a body TO the nall of the house OF representa-
lives. go,
On their return, a motion of Mr., Morrllrs wa
ag eed TO that the senate adjourn; aud AZ 2:lo th
senate accordingly adjourned
THE HOUSE.
Mr., Cox presented petitions of 1888 shipmaster
and American sailo of the port Of New York an
Of 1877 ex .shlpmasters and sailors, praying that tn
L -. % ElWa Ia. nl