The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-06-19
CONGRESS.
IMPORTANT WORK ON HAND IN
BOTH BRANOHES-RIVER AND
HARBOR BILL.
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, June 12.-On motion
: OF Mr.. Allison, the senate took fina
vote on the consular and diplomatic
| appropriation bill, and the bill passed
: -So yeas; 2 nays, (Messrs. Vance ant
Van Wyck). The bill, as passed, il
: almost precisely as reported from the
senate committee on appropriations
making an addition of $S,0C0000 tt
the bill, as reported from the house.
The Mexican pensions bill was takeI
up.
, Mr.. Van Wyck moved as an amend.
ment to the bill, the same reported
from the pension committee by Mr.
Cullom, to provide pensions for inva-
lid soldiers and sailors who had been
discharged from the army or
navy after three months in
the war of the rebellion and for wld-
ows and dependent parents of deceas-
ed pensioners,
Mr.. Hawley was opposed to such
pensions, and would therefore be I'M
able to vote for the Mexican pension
bill. Able bodied soldiers did not
need pensions, but for disabled SOL
diers, he would give literally.
Mr.. Cullom said the Mexican pen
sion bill ought to be passed; also the
amendment providing relief for SOL
dlers of the late war.
Mr.. Sherman was very DESTROYS that
at this session, satisfactory pension
legislation should be secured not only
for Mexican soldiers but for soldiers
of the late war. He hoped the mill
tary committee would add to the bill
an amendment on another point. 1t
was an outrage. he said, that thous-
ands OF brave soldiers who served
their country faithfully in the war,
and went to their homes when the
war was over, should stand in the
army record as deserters. The
charge that these men were de-
serterS was lie. They were
not deserters. They had fulfilled their
contracts with the United States. To
say the war for the union did not end
until 1866 was an outrage and shame.
He did not care who had decided it.
1t was a crying shame to stamp, as
deserters, brave men who so long
fought calamity for their country in
battles greater than any in modern
history, who crowned their country
with laurels and saved our nation,
for, he trusted, many generations yet
unborn.
Mr.. Hawley said after the surrender
there was q great menace to the re-
public to be guarded against. There
was no date when trouble might have
occurred. There was great police
duty to be performed, and was it for
the individual soldier to say, 81 will
go home now and leave my comrades
to remain on dutyp" The precise
degree of moral guilt of the soldiers
who ran home, Mr.. Hawley would
not attempt to fix, nor would he, for
moment, compare them with the
rascals who ran from the army within
the war period proper. But no man
could convince him that the class
of men first mentioned had been just
to their comrades.
Mr.. Plumb said it was an outrage
to put these on ii par with those who
basely deserted the cause during the
war. This was matter Of the great
est moment to large number of the
bravest soldiers In the army, and
should be set right.
Slater did notithink anybody could
measure the expense that would be
incurred. If the bill became law
with the proposed amendments there
would doubtless be 500,Co0 names
added to the pension list. Since the
bill had been reported to the commit
tee, voice had come from Chicago
commanding arrears of pensions to be
paid, and that would add probably
250,0C0 more names to the roll. The au-
dacity of the whole thing was the only
feature in its favor. 1t was political
flank movement to cover up excessive
taxation.
Mr.. Ingalls, moved, as an amend
ment to senate bill No. 2, which had
been introduced by him the first day
of the present session, amending the
arrears of the pension act. Mr.. In
gals read from plank of the plat
form of the recent republican conven-
ton, pledglng that party to repeal of
the limitation contained in the ar
rears act. He was very glad, he said,
that the republican party had arrived
at this conclusion at last. In unmis-
taxable terms it had declared itself in
favor of this principle. He now called
on his party associates to carry out the
expressed declaration of their party.
Mr.. Sherman said, with his views of
the demands made on the treasury, he
would not, if pressed, vote for Ingalls,
proposition. The declarations of
political platform would not change
his views. He did not think the prin-
ciple was right. The pension should
commence when application for it
was filed. AS for the proposition to
to put all the survivors of the union
army on the pension rolls at this time
would so weigh down our finances as
to make it almost impossible to bear.
He suggested a committee of senators
be appointed to consider this whole
subject. (Cheers.)
MeSsrS. Harris, Culloml, ingalls, and
Maxey opposed the suggestion, and
after further debate the senate, with
out reaching a conclusion on the bill,
went into executive session, and when
the doors were re-opened adjourned.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, June 12.-The house
met in continuation of Wednesdays
session, and went into committee of
the whole, Cox (of N. Y } in the chair,
on the river and harbor bill.
Mr.. Graves offered an amendment,
providing that nothing contained in
this act shall be construed as limita-
ton on the powers of the board of en-
gineers designated to prepare and sub
NIT plans, specifications and estimates
for expenditures of appropriations for
Missouri river, and that said board
shall constitute a commission to be
called the Missouri river commission
whose duty it shall be to complete the
survey of the Missouri river between
the mouth and head waters, and make
|, additional surveys deemed needful fol
maturing such plans as will locate anc
deepen the channel and protect the
banks and channel of the rivers tt
give safety to its navigation and pro
mote commerce and the postal ser
vice; and all appropriation
hereafter made for that river shall b.
expended in accordance with sucl
!. plans as the commissioners shall, from
time to time, report to congress
. through thelsecretary of war. Adopt
!. ed.
: On motion of Mr.. O'Neil, an amend
ment was adopted providing tina
!. hereafter all purchases of supplies an
), materials shall be made by contrac
/ after advertisement.
The committee rose and the legii
!. lative day of Thursday opened.
!, The speaker announced the appoin
, ment of Messrs. FoIlett, Hutchins an
Cannon, committee of conference o
r the District of Columbia appropri;
3. ton bill.
!. The committee rose and renorte