The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-25

| tory into another; and be Is prohibited
from applying money toward paying for
animals 1t is found tecesfary 70 slaughter
In order to prevent the spread Oh disease.
Report was agreed 70.
Under special oroer OF the House, this
day was assigned to measures called up by
the Committee on Naval Affairs. The first
bill called up was Senate Dill granting per-
mission TO L. X. Reynolds, United States
navy. to accept the decoration OF the Royal
and Imperial Order OF Francis Joseph
from the Government OF Austria.
This was opposed by MT. Robinson, OF
New York, who asserted that Its intention
was to PROSTATE the American people in
dirt and degradation. II was the begin
ming OF series OF orders Of nobility.
There were twenty applications before
Congress to-day made by the dudes OF the
navy asking 10 be allowed to receive deco
ratioDs, He had not time TO pour out the
adherence and hatred which he felt to-
wards this monarch,cal and aristocratic
ifra.
=. -. OF New York, denied that the
N j, :.:.3 & decoration OF nobility. IL was
merely present given to young naval
officer for gallant services. The young
man whom the gentleman called a dude
was now on his way to the Arctic regions
for the purposes Of humanity. The evil
dence showed he had saved eleven lives at
the imminent peril Of his own, and for this
he had been insulted by this man here to-
day. a life-saving medal was only worthy
OF gallant man like him; objection was
only worthy Of gentleman like his coli
league. [Applau,e.l
The bill was passed without division,
Mr.. Robinson being unable to muster n
sufficient following to call the yeas and
nays.
The following bills were passed:
To equalize the rank Of graduates OF the
Naval Academy. Ut provides that all
graduates Of the Academy who are assigned
10 the line Of the navy shall be commits
stoned ensigns, and abolishes the grade OF
junior ensign)
For the appointment OF julius A. Kaiser
on the retired list OF the navy with the
rank Of passed assistant engineer.
For the retirement OF Samuel Kramer
with the rank Of chaplain.
Granting TO passed assistant engineers IN
increase OF pay Of $3.50 after ten years
service and similar increase after fifteen
years.
TIL next bill. restoring Alfred Hopkins
to the rank OF captain in the navy, was
considered in the Committee OF the Whole.
This is the officer who was in charge OF
the Pensacola navy-yard in 1882, and was
dismissed from service after trial by court
martial on the charge OF leaving his post
OF duty before being relieved during the
prevalence Of yellow-fever at that place.
The Committee on Naval Affairs bases its
report on the ground that as the COM
mandant OF the yard, Captain Hop
kins, bad limited discretion conferred
upon him to leave the limits OF
his command not longer than one week
i'm any successive two months, Captain
Hopkins was absent but five days when he
was put on waiting orders, and therefore
had violated no law or regulation. The
report criticises the action OF the court
martial in excluding certain testimony.
and the committee comes to the conclusion
that the tuding of the court is wholly
without evidence to support it.
Mr.. Buchanan, OF Georgia, gave history
OF the case, and made an argument in sup
port OF the bill. denying that there was a
particle of justification for the finding OF
the court.
Mr.. Lyman, OF Massachusetts,, in oppo-
sing he bill, quoted from the record TO
show that in 1867 Hopkins had been con-
victed OF drunkenness while on duty.
There was no excuse for the interference
OF Congress in this case. 1t was true that
Captain Hopkins had only been absent for
five DAYS, but it was well known that in
moments OF peril the common rules OF
the army and navy as TO leaves OF absence
were suspended.
MIR. Buchanan inquired under what Law
that was done.
Mr. Lyman replied that there was no
law, but that it was the custom Of the ser
vice, 1t was not desirable to have Captain
Hopkins in the service when that service
was overcharged with good officers.
MIR. T.. Il. Taylor, OF Ohio, protested
against the action OF Lyman In bringing
the charge OF drunkenness against Hop
kins in 1867 in order to influence the deci-
sion on the pending bill. He had been
punished for it, but no man would dare to
argue that he had been tried properly at
that time. Mr.. Taylor then went on to
speak TO the pending bill, and asserted that
at the time Captain Hopkins was charged
with dereliction he was actually and eX-
actly and all the time within the limits Of
the law.
After further debate by Messrs. Golf, OF
West Virginia. and Foran, OF Ohio, in
favor of, and by Mr.. Brumm. Of Ohio, in
opposition to the bill. Mr.. Lyman moved
to strike out the enacting clause. Lost.
The bill was then laid aside with favOra-
BILE recommendation, and when the COM
mittee rose the bill was passed.
Adjourned.