The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-15
F0RTYEIGHTH CONGRESS.
senate Proceeding. Yesterday.
WASHINGTON, March "a, 1884.

rOhIf-EIGHIH CONGhESS.
Senate Proceedings Yesterday.
WASHINGTON, March IA, 1884.
On motion OF Mr.. Cameron, OF Wiscon.
sin. the Senate agreed that when IL adj
iourn to-day II be TO Monday next,
Mr.. Plumb called up the Joint resolu-
ton appropriatlng $4,000 for the eradi.
cation OF the foot and moutb-disease.
Mr.. Plumb said 1t was very serious
disease, and did not affect the State OF
Kansas merely, but all States. He sent
to the desk and had read by the Clerk
the dispatch from the Governor OF Kan
sas urging the importance OF immediate
action.
Mr.. Sherman moved to amend by striking
out the clause which provides that the
money be expended in cooperation with
authorities OF Kansas. The disease was
apt to spread to other States and affect
swine and other animals. The people OF
Illinois and other States were becoming
alarmed at the spread Of the disease, and
the appropriation should not be confined
TO Kansas.
Mr.. Cullom thought the amount should
be $4,000 and the resolution passed at
once.
] Mr.. Williams thought that it would be
better to take up the bill relating TO conta-
gious diseases OF cattle generally the
pleur0-pneumonia bilD, which had been
already introduced in the Senate, and so
treat the subject as a whole.
J Mr.. Plumb said that he had only one OBJ
iection-that notice had been given OF a
protracted debate TO come on the general
| r1!l, and it was TO avoid the inevitable loss
N Il Va oh Ill
, lay that in the face Of pressing and urgent
necessity for immediate action he had
introduced the present measure. He had
no objection to the amendment offered by
Mr.. Sherman.
Mr.. Coke moved an amendment striking
out the word kansas" and inserting the
words ''with the consent Of the State all-
thorities," so as 10 secure 10 each State the
same right to exercise their own iuriSdic-
tion in the matter if they preferred to do
so. The original measure would confine
aid to Kansas alone, and Mr.. Sherman's
amendment would give the Commissioner
OF Agriculture absolute authority to act
Independently of the State authorities,
and even in despite Of them.
Mr.. Plumb's effort 10 secure the imme-
diate passage Of the resolution and to avoid
protracted debate failed utterly, for oppo-
sition was shown upon constitutional
grounds; upon the ground that to carry 1t
into effect would infringe upon State
rights, ana upon the ground that no ne
cessity existed for it; that the State OF
Kansas was abundantly able and morally
bound to grapple with the evil herself.
The matter occupied the session to adj
iournment.'
The Vice President announced that he
intended to be absent three days next
week, and Mr.. Sherman was designated to
act for him.
Adjourned till Monday.
House of Representatives.
The Speaker announced the appointment
of Messrs. Keller, Former, and Ellis as con-
ferrees on the part of the House on the
Military-Academy appropriation bill.
The morning hour was dispensed with,
and the House went into Committee OF the
Whole on the private calendar. The bill
granting 4 pension Of $1,000 a year to Sep
timina Randolph Meikleham, sole suryi-
wing grandchild Of Thomas Jefferson, au-
thor OF the Declaration OF Independence,
was taken up, and the favorable report of
the Committee on Pensions was read. As
the Clerk was reading the majority report
complimentary to jefferson, Mr.. Bedford
asked, "What in the name of God is the
use Of reading such report as that ?"
'"Order," cried Mr.. O'Neill, OF Pennsyl-
vania.
The minority report OF the committee
opposed the bill on the ground that il pro-
yideS for granting civil-ground" pen
sion-Jeferson's services being civil in
stead OF military This report, while as
hot l.. IN m n
that this good old lady should be in want"
yet contends that Congress has no authori-
ty to vote money for charity The minority
argued that if pension be granted it
would be only short time before efforts
will be made to pension the living chill
dren and grandchildren OF all Presidents.
The debate which followed was partici-
pated in by fifteen or twenty members,
but there was no division upon party lines.
Those who favored the bill did SO upon
sympathetic and patriotic grounds, and
those who opposed it took the ground that
it would establish bad PRECEDENT would
flood Congress with claims for civil pen
sions- and that Congress had no authority
to pass such bills.
Mr., Robinson, of New York, who opened
the debate, closed it also, with an appeal TO
the House not to draw the line across the
face Of Thomas jefferson.
On motion OF Mr.. Hewitt, of Alabama,
the enacting clause was stricken out by
vote of 129 TO 60. The committee then
rose. and the House ratified its action.
One private relief bill was passed, and
the House then took recess until 1880 L.
NJ, evening session to be for the considera-
ton OF pension bills.
The House at the evening session passed
twenty-five pension bills, and then adj
journed until tomorrow.
nan