National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-12
more faithful delivery of mails by star route con-


postal notes to the bearer when duly reeeipted by
him at any money order office. -
BY Mr.. Young: resolution directing the secre- |
tary of state TO make proper inquiry in regard to |
tho murder OF H. i. Cooper, Michael O'Brien, and |
George II. stief, in Mexico, aud TO ascertain |
therefor at the hands oiit6se Mexican government.
By MIR. Mills: Requiring the secretary OF the |
treasury to pay sl00,O00000 of per cent. bonds.
BY Mi Poland Relating to the qualification Of
voters In Utah and Idaho, III provides that be- |
fore registration voter shall be required to take
the Latter Day Saints or any other sect or orBani-
cations that upholds polygamy. blgamy' or un-
BY Mr.. Prices For the forfeiture of certain lands.
III confirms all grants Of land heretofore made to
states and corporations In aid OF the construction
OF railroads. so far as such roads have been con-
structed, notwithstanding the time specified may
have ex pired before such construction All other
lands are declared forfeited and the secretary OF
the interior is authorized within ninety days to
restore TO market all lands unearned; but IL Is
made unla wful for him tosel more than 100 acres
BY Mr.. Springer A resolution calling on the
President for all correspondence between this
government and Mexico relative TO the recent
military expedition under command OF Gen.
border.
Also, a resolution requesting tho postmaster
general IN complying with the house resolution OF
jan 30 calling for papers in star route easesl 70
WITHHOLD papers the publication Of which would
be detriPental to the public interests.
Mr.. Keller, from the committee on appropria.
w ao TSPoIeH inc mIary aGad9 h 2n anu
Mr.. Follett, from the same committee, reported q
loint resolution appropriating 100000 for the re-
lief of the sufferers from the overflow Of the Ohio
| river and Its tributaries.
Mr.. Hiscook expressed his desire that the gem
teman from Ohio should explain the necessity
for the measure and what warrant for 1t the other
| side found in the constitution.
Mr.. Follett replied that necessity knew neither
law nor constitution. There were precedents for
exactly this appropriation. one being found in the
action of tho last congress In appropriating for the
relief Of the Mississippi food sufferers. There had
| never DOen n Hood HuCh that now raging in
| the Ohio river. Families by the thousand were
driven from their homes and were o'day camping
out in the open fields with nothing protect them
| wreck OF their house s.
| MIR. Hiscock inquired whether the legislature of
Ohio had made any application for this appropra-
ton, and whether 1t had itself made any attempt
| TO relieve the sufferers.
Mr.. Follett replied that the state Of Ohio had
made an appropriation and the chamber Of com.
merce had done the same. SO far as Cincinnati
was concerned, she would take care of her people,
but Cincinnati was not the only place which was
| overwhelmed by the misfortune. Cincinnati had
never turned deaf ear to the voice OF suffering.
| The United States was now asked to furnish
| temporary relief TO the people who had been
caught in calamity unprecedented since the be-
| ginning Of the government. 1t was not question
of what the letter of the constitution the law
| might be. II was the cry of distress, and 1t was
tho duty of congress to furnish the relief asked
| for.
Mr.. Hiscock said that he would not have the
hardihood 10 vote against the measure but he had
| expected that the gentlemen from New York aud
| Connecticut lMessrs. Cox and Eatonl would call
attention TO tho fact that there might be in
this resolution violent attack on the copstitu-
ton. No great state like Ohio-an empire-ought
to come In here when her legislature was In
sion, aud ask to have her citizens supported from
came here with like request he would stand on
this floor and ask that the House do not accede to
and asS for INSTANCE but he did not ike to zee
great states like Ohio, New York, Illinois, or
Michigan pass round the hat Of beggary. New
York would rely upon her cities and upon her
churches. He believed that she would prefer to
do IL for Ohio rather than have a representative
from that state stand here and advocate the taking
OF the money from the national treasury.
Mr.. Cannon, OF Illinois, expressed his heartfelt
support of the pending measure.
Mr.. Bayne could discover no constitutional diff
Guilty in the way of any appropriation He found
a warrant for this action in the general welfare"
clause of the constitution.
Mr.. Horr commended that the pending measure
came within the pale of the constitution. The
people along the banks Iof the:ohio river were in
need Of immediate relief and It should be granted
them.
Mr.. lGoF, ofwest Virginia. said that the gentle.
man from New York Mr.. Hiscockl spoke as If
Ohio should manage this question herself There
were to-day s million people, suffering because Of
) vania, West Virginia, and Kentucky. In the face
of great calamity 1t was no time to split hairs on
a constitutional question. Sd. .''r'
; measure. but predicted that 100000 would le
found insufficient tor the purposes OF relief and
} declared that 100000 would not be more than
. Mr. Bclford was glad that an opportunity had
been found to open the vaults OF the treasury and
10 relieve the government OF surplus revenue so
} diligently boarded and serupuously kept by a
secretary OF the treasury from New York. Talk
about the constitution Talk about lawsl HUI
mainly was greater than any constitution thai
! ever was formulated by any people. 1t was hui.
} mainly for which u constitution was made and
What were they in the presence of calamity such
as tne present. suppose me gentleman from
OF Noah aud had found himself per shed on NOUN
Ararat looking down on the submerged plain aud
had been appealed to for help by the people flying
from Ntnevah or drowning In the waters? He
would have referred that crowd to the city coun-
, Gil of Ninevah and told II TO make an appropra.
ton to stop the rain. [LaughterL That would
have been state rights doctrine then; 1t state
rights doctrine then.
Mr.. Hscock said that having reported at the
last congress the bill for the Keller Of the Msss-
sippi sufferers, he did not suppose that any one
! would think that he was troubled with any con.
stitutional question; He was not, aud yet he was
in favor of appropriations of this sort being con.
fined to states which were not in condition tc
expend the money themselves.
tionality of the measure. 1t should have beer
passed in silence, and, If there was any breach
the constitution. God Almighty in His kindness
foresight could anticipate or cure, and one o
these was the calamity now In the country, and
8 | If he could not give his hand or his head, hi
could give his heart to this vote. [AppiauseI
n Mr.. Reagan, of Texas, regarded such Il question
as this as being Unforeseen by the constitution
and thought that u representative could vote fo
the measure. as II did not entrench on the liberty
and security of the people.
. Mr.. Townshend was willing that the fedora
government should stretch forth its strong arm
and relieve the suffering Of the people in the ohiC
valley.
, Mr. Blount spoke in behalf the measure, ant
: gratefully acknowledged the relief accorded /,
the people of the south when that section wa!
, rayaged by the yellow fever.
! Mr.. Jordan drew n graphic picture OF the suffer
: ings OF the people living along the banks of tn,
Ohio river and It's tributaries aud appealed to thu
, humanity of congress to render succor TO them.
Mr.. Warner said that so far Ohio was con
cerned she was able and her people were willinI
to accord all possible relief but the question wa
one of means, agencies and appliances. Tn,
federal government had rations, tents, anC
: blankets, while OHIO had none of these appli
: ances, and could not organize means In time 4
afford relief.
2 Mr.. Eaton, In reply to some remarks of Mr. His
cock, said that whenever measures were brough
; forward to strike NJ the constitution he woulC
! oppose them without asking his friends to do Sc
for him He was sorry that his genial friend from
, Colorado would speedily leave tho house, for h,
5 had heard that the Howard University haC
already elected him professor OF biblical literature
| [Laughter.l When he arrived at the uniyersit,
, he Mr.. Eaton would 20 and listen to some of hi
Assyrian deluge stories. Renewed laughter.I Ill
had grave doubts about the power of congress Il
, pay out the money of the people, even In Il grea
calamity like this but rs the gentleman from New
= York MIR, Cox had said though the head nigh
doubt the heart would act.
i Mr.. Wilson, OF West Virginia, offered an amend
meut increasing tho amount Of appropriation "a
100000.
!, Mr., Follett said that the committee on approprI
ations had considered $500 600 to be sufficient II
L however, 1t should be found that larger amount
were necessary, the committee would bring in al
2 additional bill.
! Mr.. Wilson's amendment was rejected-yeas 100