The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-09
XLVIIIth CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON. February s, 1884.
SENkrl-

The Chair laid before the Senate a COM
munication from the Secretary OF the Int
rior transmitting, in compliance with reso-
luton Of 18th ultimO, copy OF the report
of the Commissioner OF the General Land
Office relating to the grant OF lands made
by the United States to the Florida railroad.
Referred to Committee on Public Lands.
MIR. Frye reported the new shipping bill
agreed upon by the Committee on Com
merce. 1t is entitled "a bill to remove
certain burdens from the American mer-
chant marine and to encourage foreign car
ryng trade" Mr.. Frye. promising that
he was obliged to leave Washington for
Mississippi shortly, said he would ask to
make an oral explanation OF the bill in lieu
of q written report. He explained briefly
the provisions OF the bill, showing that the
80 per cent. drawback Of duty allowed on
articles imported to form part OF structure
OF ships built in this country wholly Of
foreign materials is by the present bill
allowed when any parts OF the vessels are
built OF foreign materials. He also en-
plained that the marine hospital fees are
by the provisions OF the bill dispensed with,
and it is made the duty of the United
States TO support all marine hospitals, as is
done by all other civilized countries.
On concluding his remarks explanatory
OF the bill, Mr.. Frye said he hoped it
would receive careful consideration. 1t
would enable America to take step in adj
vance OF anything done for its shipping in
terests within the last twenty years. He
hoped that the burdens and barnacles
placed on those important interests by our
own laws would be removed, and that some
thing would be done to enable us TO re-
cover our supremacy on the ocean. Speak
| ing for himself alone, he said there was but
one way on earth, in his opinion, in which
TO revive American shipping, and that was
! TO pay subsidies and bountles, and, so far
as he was concerned, he was in favor OF
subsidies and bounties.
When the Chair laid before the Senate
! the resolution OF Mr. Beck, offered yester-
day, relating to the discharge of the color
ed laborer Dudley, Mr.. Beck stated that on
ascertaiuing, as he had ascertained, that
nothing that he could do would secure the
reinstatement OF the man, he did not care
TO 90 any further with the matter.
| Mr.. Riddleberger then offered resolu-
ton providing for joint committee oil
both houses-three senators and five men,
bers OF the House of Representatives,
| INQUIRE and report upon the causes OF all
removals OF subordinate officers made by
the Secretary and Sergeant-at-Arms OF the
Senate; Clerk, SergeaDt-at-Arms, Door,
keeper, and Postmaster OF the House. The
resolution further directs the committee to
report how many disabled and other SOL
diers have been removed, and the States To
which they and all other discharged and
appointed persons belong; also, whether
the civil-service act applies to congress
| sional appointments.
| In presenting this resolution, Mr.. Rid
dleberger said he had supposed the reso-
: tuition of MIR. Beck was intended as q
"columbiad" aimed at somebody, and so
far as he (Riddleberger) was concerned, he
was ready TO go to the full length which
ANYBODY could wish in the direction OF
the Investigation suggested. Virginia had
less representatives, he said, among Gov.
eminent employees than Kentucky had, and
much less than it was entitled to, and he
would like TO ascertain whether the civil.
service act applied to subordinate appoint
ments of the houses OF Congress and not
| 10 one house only. He had heard intima-
| tons that appointments were made in the
interest OF the senators from Virginia, and
he wanted to show, among other things
! the want OF foundation for such charge.
Mir. Hale called up the conference re-
port on the Greely relief expedition.
The Chair announced that the bill IRON
a point OF view Of parliamentary law was
In possession OF the House OF Representa-
tiyes, and no motion or remarks could Dt
made relating to 1t unless by unanimous
consent.
MIR. Hale asked unanimous consent
owing to emergency, to take the bill up.
Mr.. Ingalls, remarked that much hat
been said about "emergency," when II
fact no expedition could leave before May
He severely critlci sed the. conduct OF tht
Secretary Of the Navy In "impertinently
attempting" as Mr.. ingalls, said, to inter
fere with the legislation OF Congress by
sending communication TO a member o.
one house on a subject Of legislation while
that subject was under consideration by thu
other house, and with view to prevent
ing an agreement between the two houses
Mr.. Hale defended the Secretary Of thu
Navy. claiming that what he had done wa
not an impertinence, but entirely proper
Mr. ingalls, also referred to reports
which he had read In the public prints Z
the effect that already, and before any bill
on the subject OF this expedition had beer
passed by Congress, q ship bad beer
bought by the Secretary Of the Navy fol
the purpose.
/ Dir. Hale said the Secretaries OF Wa
and Navy together, recognizing the urgen
cy OF the situation, had on their own per
sonal responsibility arranged for the pur
chase OF q ship, and II the Goyernmen
Il did not want II, there was no obligation
on It to take the ship.
1 ~.asrk ~ ma 1to Ian cQV