Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-04-07
PORTY-BIGHrR CONGRESS.
sen ATE.

Questlng congress 10 establish such Syste m
of fees for quarantine service as confer
ence of State boards of health may recon-
mend.
Bills we're reported fav orably by Mr.. Cam
eron and from the committee on public build
ings, providing for the erection of public
buildings at Springfield and Dayton, Ohio /:
placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Garland. from the committee on judic-
iary, reported favorably with amendment the
House bill making it felony for person TO
falsely and fraudulently assume or pretend
to be an officer or employee of the United
States government. 1t was read three times
and passed.
Mr.. Morgan presented petition from the
State board of silk culture of California,
praying for Congress to establish bureau
of silk culture.
Several bills were introduced and appro-
pristely referred.
Mr.. Hale gave notice that he would on
Monday, whether the education bill should
then have been disposed of or not, ask the
Senate to take up the naval appropriation
bill.
Mr. Blair expressed the hope that the Sem
ate would consider the education bill as i'm
portant as any other. In order that action
may be had on the bill bv the House at the
present session, it was necessary, Mr.. Blair
said, that it should be disposed of in the Sen
ate as soon as practicable.
Mr.. Hale remarked that the education bill
had now occupied the time of the Senate dur
ing nearly three weeks, and if any other bus
mess was to be done that the bill could not
be allowed to run its length much longer.
Mr.. Blair replied that he had observed no
disposition on the part of the Senate to shirk
labor on that bill, and had not noticed that
speeches on the subject were lacking in pub
lie interest. He hoped that the committee on
appropriations would permit the consdera-
ton of this education bill to proceed since it
had progressed so far.
On motion of Mr.. Blair the Senate resumed
consideration of the education bill, and Mr..
Morgan, who had the floor adjournment
yesterday, continued his remarks in opposi-
ton to the bill. He read from the early
constitu lions of many of the original States
to show that the moral and educational inte r
ests of the people had been mentioned on
those documents and had been reserved by
the people of the States respectively for
State action. Ifthe evils of illiteracy was so
great as represented. recourse should be had
to an amendment of the constitution, so that
the people may deliberately and seriously
pass on it. The people should protect them
selves against this governmental function
which some times looks as though it would
tear our political fabric to pieces. He Sc.
verely arraigned Congress for its course to-
ward the negroes in the District of Columbia.
1t had first enfrauchised him, then disfran-
chised, and at the same time had disfranchsed
such men as George Bancroft and w. W.
Cocoron.
In speaking of the results of suffrage in
the South. Mr.. Morgan said the fact that it
had not resulted in so vital and demoralizng
a ballot as to sweep away the foundation of
civil liberty, was due in the providence of
God to the other fact that the tutelage of the
negroes had been in the hands of men who
are conscientious in regard for their obliga-
tions. In the midst of poverty and discour-
agement of every kind, the Southern people
had calmly marched on in the line of duty
until they had convinced the negroes and
people of the South that they were honest
citizens and that their purpose was to do good
and not harm to the negroes.
Mr.. Morgan said there was less to be ex-
pected from the young negroes of the United
Statep in contributions to moral and political
institutions of the country than was to be ex-
pected from the Arabs in the desert of Egypt.
This was not spoken reproachfully, but rath
er one who despared of finding a remedy
for the trouble. He was almost beginning to
believe that book learning was not cure for
the troubles of the race.
Upon Mr. Morgan mentioning the fact that
negroes were not employed as conductors by
the street car companies in Washington, Mr..
Blair remarked that the negro went into the
cars in a more dignifed capacity-they went
as assengers.
Mr.. Morgan replied: "And ride by their
side with more ease and freedom than the
senator from New Hampshire, for have
been raised among them. | would not be
afraid to invite negro to my house for fear
he would come to my parlor instead of my
kitchen, as is the case with some republican
politicians of the country
Mr.. Plumb's motion to recommit the bill
to the committee was Withdrawn, as were the
amendments offered early in the debate by
Mr.. Harrison.
The amendment proposed by Mr.. Logan
was then read. 1t proposes an appropriation
of s.. 900, 900 to aid in the building of school
houses in sparsely populated parts, not more
than 500 to be contributed for any one
school house, nor more than one half of the
cost of school house agreed to.
Mr.. Hoar's amendment was then read, max
ing the first years appropriation $1,000, 900,
the second years SIC, ,000, 900, and the third
years. Sl5, 900. 900; then decreasing at the
rate of 81. 200, 900 annually until the eighth
year.
After long debate it was finally agreed
that the bill be disposed of before adjourn
ment Monday.
Adjourned.
Mr.. Buckman of Missouri offered resolu-
ton providing that on and after April IA the
hour for the daily meeting of the House shall
be at IL referred to the committee on ways
and means.
The morning hour having been dispensed
with, the House vent into committee of the
whole on the agricultural appropriation bill.
The bill appropriates S430,5I0, being an in
crease of s25,950 over the bill Of last year,
and q reduction of sSl, $50 from estimates.
Sevaral amendments were adopted, anon z
them one increasing by s25, 900 the appropri-
alton for the distribution of seed, plants. etc.
and then the committee having risen, the bill
was passed.
The House next took up for consideration
the bill forfeiting the Oregon Central rail-
road land grant
The reading of the report consumed nearly
an hour, and then Mr.. Payson of Illinois ex-
planned the provisions of the bill Thi.
measure, he said, was endorsed by the COM
mittee on public lands. 1t involved 1,I3O,-
900 acres of public lands. The claim made
to portion of them was made by the Oregon
Central Railroad COMPANY and no other COR