Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-25
AT TEE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
SHARP TALK IN THE SENATE ABOUT
THE SWAIN CASE.
APPROPRIATION BILLS IN THE
HOUSE.
WORK IN THE COMMITTEE ROOMS.
The Senate.

The Senate.
Mr.. Sherman, from the congressional commit
tee Of arrangements on the Washington monu-
ment dedication, submitted a report and a con,
current resolution expressing the thanks of
Congress to Col. Thomas Lincoln Casey, corps of
engineers, his assistant, and the workmen un-
der his and their direction, "for the admirable
manner In which he and they have performed
their respective duties in the completion of the
monument to the name and fame Of George
Washington"
THE ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL.
MIR. Allison submitted the conference report
on the army appropriation bill, and said the
conferees had agreed to all differences except
that relating to courts-martial in time of peace.
The House provision, he said, amended the
Oath article of war as to enable courtS-martial
to control the hours Of their own session, instead
OF being limited, as now, to the hours from
am to 3 pm.
quired court-martial to sit from a. m. to 3
p. m, except where the officer ordering the
court-martial deemed otherwise proper: The
change proposed by the House, Mr.. Sewell said,
would leave the matter of hours in the hands
OF a number of officers who might sit and smoke
their cigars many hours as they please to the
neglect OF other important and necessary du-
ties.
MIR. INGALLS, SHARPLY CRITICIsEs THE PRES
1DENT IN RELATION TO THE SWAIN COURT
MARTIAL.
Mr.. ingalls, availed himself of an opportunity
offered by clause in the conference report on
the army appropriation bill changing the hours
for the meeting of courts-martial, to severely
cr1tlclse the recent trial of Gen. Swain and
to arraign the President for the part he took in
1t. MIR. Ingalls, charged that the findings of the
courtmartial had been returned for the pur-
pose of procuring a more violent verdict
proceedings of that trial a disgrace to civiliza-
tfon. He said that the pressure brought to
bear upon the court was not in the interests Of
lnSflcp. NJ iny
more rigid verdict against the accused. But he
said that returning the finding of the court
twice was not sufficient; that finally when the
verdict was accepted, it was returned to the
court with most offensive epithets applied to the
defendant, describing him as pensioner upon
the government. Ii, said Mr.: ingalls,, the Senate
is to deal with courts-martials at all, he wanted
to take up more serious and important phases
Of the subject than the hours Of sitting, He
wanted to insist that cOurt-martials should not
be subject to external influence.
Mr.. Ingalls, criticisms applied to the Pres
1dent, who had returned the findings of the
court.
MIR. SHERMAN SHARPLY CRITICISES THE JUDGE
ADVOCATE OF THE COURT.
Mr.. Sherman criticised the judge advocate of
the Swain court-martial. He said it was
shame and an outrage that an official who was
y really prosecuting attorney should be permit
ted to be practically part OF the court; that he
participated in its secret councils, using his in
fuence as a prosecutor there, and naturally
getting hold Of information as to the temper
feeling of the court, ETC., which could be used
ageinst the accused, while the latter and his
counsel were rigidly excluded from all such
judge advocate, Mr.. Sherman prayed God to
deliver him from the hands of a cOurt-martial.
MIR. DAWES CONDEMNS THE PROCEEDINGS.
Mr.. Dawes regarded the proceedings of the
Swain court as q reproach to the administra-
ton ofjustice for all time to come. He thought
it trifiing to talk of the hours of sessions Of a
cOurt-martial, while the press was reporting, as
it this morning reported, things that would be
disgrace to American justice for all time. Better
had it been if the Swain court-martial had
never been convened than to have afforded to
the people of the United States the spectacle
presented this mOrning-shocking every mans
sense of justice.
House of Representatives.
The Speaker laid before the House q commu
nication recommending the appropriation Of
$4,000 for the revenue marine service in
Alaska. Referred.
Mr.Geddes Ohio, from the committee on war
claims, reported the bill making appropriation
for the payment of the Fourth Of July claims.
Committee of the whole.
APPROPRIATION BILLS.
Mr.. Townshend Qll.) asked unanimous consent
to take from the Speakers table for reference to
the committee on appropriations the Post Office
appropriation bill, with Senate amendments
but Mr.. Payson Qll) objected.
Mr.. Burnes (MO) moved to suspend the rules
and pass the deficiency appropriation bill, with
various amendments reported from the commit
tee on appropriations.
The following were the important amend
ments reported and Incorporated in the bill:
Appropriating S23S,44 to pay judgments rem
afrsd BY the Court OF Claims Appr9prating
for the completion of the new cruisers and dis
patch boat Abolishing the office of the tenth
sus shall be completed in the Office of the Secre-
tary OF the Interior.
Mr.. Burnes MOI called the attention of the
House to the fact that OF all the appropriation
bills: the deficiency bill was the safest to pass
under the suspension of the rules. No objection
could be made to 1t for what 1t contained; the
only objection could come from those gentle
men who did not think that it contained
enough. There might be some meritorious
but if that were so the omission could be sup
piled in the Senate.
Mr.. Reed Ct1e) thought that some reason
should be given why it was proposed to pass the
bill in this extraordinary way. The represen-
tatives of the people ought not to be told by the
taPpS2priat1n tbp % committee that they can 60 to
Mr.. Cannon Qll.) thought that perhaps the
wisest thing that could be done at this stage of
sion of the rules. This was much better bill
than the one last year, and though that was not
high praise it was some. The committee on
tions which were equally meritorious with
those contained in the bill.
MIR. Dingley CMe.) criticised the bill for the
omission of an item of appropriation for print
ing and binding in the Interior department.
Mr.. Randall (Pa.) explained that there had
committee in reporting the bill. The estimates
for the deficiencies had not come to the House
until oath January. The estimates for the
audited claims had not come until the Doth
January, or the supplemental estimates until
7th February.
and said that the House would make no mis-
take in passing the bill under suspension of the
rules. The motion to suspend the rules and
pass the bill was agreed to; yeas PAL, nays 80.
BUSINESS UNDER THE SPECIAL RULE.
The House then proceeded to the considera-
ton of business under the special rule.
The District i'm Congress-.
THE BILL FOR A FIRE-PROOF BUILDING FOR
THE ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND IL
BRARY.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Morrill,, from the
committee on public buildings and grounds, re-
ported favorably the House bill for the con-
struction of q brick and metal fire-proof build
ing for the safe-keeping of the records, library
and museum of the surgeon generals office at
q cost not to exceed 100000. The bill was re-
ported without amendment, and Mr. Morrill,
asked for its immediate consideration but Mr.
Ingalls, interpOsed with o demand for the reg1l.
lar order. Mr.. Morrill, stated that the site Sc
lected, after consultation with the commission
to erect the building consisting of the Secre-
tary of War, the architect of the Capitol and
the secretary of the Smithsonian institl1tionl
was at the corner of 18th and streets south. as
that would not interfere with the future exten.
sion of the national museum. Mr. Morrill, in
tends to call the bill up at the first opportunity
and no doubt is entertained of its passage.
Capitol Topics.
NOMINATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
The President yesterday sent to the Senate
tIor I'm Of