Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-03-17
PORTY-EIGHrH CONGRESS.
First SessiOn.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON. March Is.

WASHINGTON, March Is.
In the absence of Speaker Carlisle, the
House was called to order BY Mr.. Blackburn
OF Kentucky. The morning hour having
been dispensed OF, it went into a committee
Of the whole, Mr.. Blount of Georgia. in the
chair on the post-ofice appropriation bill.
Mr.. Holman of Indiana offered an amend
ment to the bill forfeiting the railroad land
grants, which was adopted. including within
30 per cent, the Limitation clause of the
Northern Pacific and Union Pacific systems,
and providing no right now existing in favor
Of the Northern Pacific, be deemed to be i'm
paired or waived by this action.
Mr.. Horr then moved to strike cut the
proviso as amended
Mr.. Cutcheon of Michigan protested against
the proviso as 'srriking down the little land
grant roads. 1t was highway robbery.
Mr.. Holman opposed the motion, main
tanning the justice of the proviso.
The motion to strike out the provisio was
lost-79 to SO.
The paragraph appropriating 81, 5000
for the star route service. together with re-
appropriation OF 81 900, 900 out of any un-
expended balance of the appropriations for
1888 having been reached, Horr moved to
strike ont the re-appropriation clause, and to
increase the appropriation to S5.600,o00 A
long debate ensued. Mr.. Townshend, in the
course of the speech in the support of the
bill, went into the history of the star route
frauds, in which he claims they had heen un-
earthed by democratic Congress. The out
rageous crime of the star route frauds had a
worse result than the robbery OF the treasury.
Before q committee of the house, one of the
highest officials under the republican admin
istration had sworn that the outrages perpe-
trated by this mal-administration had gone
further than plunder-it had resulted in the
murder of the president.
Miiliken of Maine rose to PROFOUND Ques-
ton, but his voice was drowned by the cries
of ''order" from the democratic side. He
managed, however, to make himself heard,
after some time, with the question: Does
the gentleman remember another president
who was ever killed. who killed him, who
stood behind him, and who expressed them
selves glad of it?
Yes, replied Tow wnshend, Misunderstanding
the question. He was a stalwart republican,
and he said he was forced to do it by the
stalwart element of his party.
Mr.. Reed of Maine reviewed the status of
affairs at the time of the democratic investi-
CATION of the star route frauds.
Mr.. Blackburn of Ky. reviewed briefly the
history of the proceedings in the House at
the time of the Brady investigation, giving
due credit to the members of the committed e
on appropriations, republicans and demo-
Gratis, for the honesty and earnestness of pur-
pose which they had brought to the discharge
of their duties.
Mr.. Horr's motion was lost.
The motions submitted by Mr.. Money of
Miss. and Mr.. Skinner of New York, in
creasing the appropriations for railroad and
mail clerk and mail messengers was rejected.
When the consideration of the first section
was completed, it became evident that the
bill could not be finished this evening, and
the committee rose and the House ad-
journed.