The National tribune., 1885-01-22
XLVIIIth CONGRESS.
The Senate Passes the Bill to Place
Gen. Grant On the Retired List.

/
| day. Mr.. COckrell spoke against the measure,
saying that the retired list was not the place
for private citizens; that it had been created
for officers who, being still in the service, had
| been rendered unfit for duty, and that there
was neither justice nor propriety in placing
| private citizens on such list. Gen. Grant was
now enjoying the receipt of $4,000 year,
which was enough for the support of any Ameri-
/ can citizen.
| Mr.. Edmunds warmly supported the measure
| speaking in the highest terms of the eminent
services Gen. Grant had rendered the Nation
| He said Gen. Grant had been removed from
| the office of General of the Armies of the United
States from which he would have been retired
when he reached the proper age, and put on
| this very list, to assume again command of the
| armies of the United States as Commander-in-
Chief under its Constitution. He had not
| sought it. He had Obeyed the call of duty.
| That removed him from the technical place
| that he had held in the Army to higher place.
as the constitutional commander of the United
| States under the law. When his term expired
| he became a private citizen. In that state of
the case and under the circumstances which
| all knew, and in view of the honor, the respect,
the gratitude, and the duty that we may owe
him as primms Ia WtStriuS in the history of this
country, he (Mr. Edmundsl would ask the
| unanimous vote of the Senate in favor Of the
| BILL
Mr.. Maxey, of Texas, had heretofore opposed
| efforts of this character, being opposed to plac-
ing private citizens on the retired list, but the
circumstances of this case were exceptional.
| As Southern man, who had opposed the course
of Gen. Grant, he (Mr. Maxey) could not but
| recognize that when the supreme hour came
| to the Southern StateS-when they had to yield
| up all save their honOr-nO man had ever acted
with more magnanimity and generosity than
| Ulysses S. Grant did at Appomattox. Not only
| did Mr.. Maxey remember that fact but the peO-
Iy11a hal
| he did not believe that there Was to-day a man
| in the South who would begrudge a reasonable
and fair support for Gen. Grant in his declin-
| ing years. Mr.. Maxey added that he had
known Gen. Grant for 40 years, and believed
| that his present .embarrassmentS arose from his
| supreme confidence in friends.
| Mr.. Gibson spoke in favor of the BILL and
| said that as Senator from Louisiana be felt it
| incumbent on himself to vote for the bill. to
! show the good feeling and sympathy of his
State for Gen. Grant.
| Mr.. George, of Miss also favored the meas
ure and said that On all questions which did
| not affect the honor of his State he would vote
as if he had worn the Federal instead of the
| Confederate uniform. He believed the people
| of the country desired the passage of the bill.
Mr.. Jones. of La, said that some years ago
| when similar measure had been prepared he
had not favored it, but under the altered cir
cumstanceS of Gen. Grant he desired TO see him
placed on the retired list.
] Mr.. Voorhees, said that Mr.. CockrelPs refer
ence to Gen. Grants income might create a
| misSapprehensiOn in the popular mind. When
| the guaranteed term should expire six years
! hence the investment fund would prove of
| little value Mr.. Voorhees, added that If ne were
a Southern man he would strongly favor this
| measure. He recalled the fact that Secretary
Stanton wanted to arrest and imprisOn Gen.
| Robert E. Lee after the surrender at Apo
mattox, and that Gen. Grant had told Stanton
that Lee was his (Grants) paroled prisoner,
| and hair of his head should not be mOlested.
He remembered also Grants fearless acknowl-
edgment of his error in the Fitz-John Porter
| matter.
The bill was then passed. Yeas 49, nays 9.
| Those voting nay were MeSsrs. Beck, Cockrell,
Coke, Harris, Pendleton, Salisbury, Slater,
Vance and Walker.
The naval bill was then called up and passed,
and the remainder of the session until 4:2o was
! occupied with the Interstate Commerce Bill.
| At that hour Mr.. Harrison called the attention
of the Senate to the death of Hon. Schuyler
| Colfax, and an adjournment out Of respect to
| his memory took place.
In the House the first bill brought up was the
Senate French SpoliatiOn Bill.-whieh refers
the claims to the Court of Claims for examina-
tion and report to Congress,-which was passed
| after short debate.
Mr. Wait of Connecticut then called up the
| Chinese Indemnity Fund Bill, and after short
explanation by him the bill was passed. 1t
| authorizes the President to cause the residue
of the Chinese indemnity fund to be converted
into coin, and to cause the sum of S03o, 10000
to be returned to the Chinese Government, and
the balance covered into the Treasury; pro-
| vided that before the payment to China the
| Secretary of State shall pay from the fund to
the executors of c. Z. He'll $4,000, on account
of the loss of the vessel KenjeOr.
| THURSDAY, Jan. 15.-In the Senate Ar.
| ~ aIif infrOfuPp1 a
crease the pension of Mrs. Frances L. Thomas,
widow of Gen. George III. Thomas, from $3.50
| $4,000 year.
In the House the Mcpherson Bill was taken
UP and discussed until 4:30, when an adjourn
ment took place. This virtually defeats the
bill, as it is not likely it will come up during
the few remaining weeks of this session.
| FRIDAY Jan. 16.-The Interstate commerce
bill was under discussion to-day, and Mr.. Van
| Wyck addressed the Senate at length on the
measure. He severely criticised the rapacious-
ness of corporations. " For 90 years" said Mr..
Van WICK, "these corporations have grown
rich, strong and defiant, IN violation OF law,
and now let us see to it that the protection Of
the law shall be given to those who are the
victims of their extortion."
| Mr. Mcpherson regarded as unconstitutional
the pending amendment of Mr.. Slater, which
would prohibit Interstate railroads from
| charging any greater compensation for trans
porting similar amount and kind of property
shorter than for longer distance. 1t would
give some roads power TO bankrupt and ruin
| their rivals. The New York Central and Penn
sylvania, being each supreme IN one State,
would, under the proposed amendment, be able
to ruin the Erie, the Baltimore and Ohio, the
Lehigh Valley, the Delaware and Lackawanna
| and the West Shore. All roads whose tracks
were confined TO one State could ruin inter
State roads.
Mr. Salisbury did not believe that anything
Congress could do would keep the railroad
companies from evading all restrictions still
he would vote for Mr.. Skaters amendment.
Mr.. Cullom, who reported the bill, opposed
the amendment. He thought Congress lacked
that definiteneSs of information that would
Justify it in passing law that would cover
| every supposed condition of affairs. He thought
that when q commission should have exhaust
lively examined the subject under debate Con-
gress would be better able to judge what legis-
| lation was necessary.
Mr. Brown spoke in defense of railroads. He
said if the present bill passed, the people who
were now clamoring for its passage would soon
be found clamoring for its repeal. 1t would
! either drive the railroads into bankruptcy or
| else it would prohibit all Interchange of COM
modities at greater distance than 800 or 900
miles.
In the House the session was principally
consumed in considering bills on the private
calendar, and at the night session 81 pension
| bills were passed.
| SATURDAY, Jan. lin the Senate the Inter-
! State Commerce Bill was under discussion, and
4 Cl.ta-