The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-06

In the Senate to-day Senator George
reported unfavoIably from the Com
mittee ON Territories bill to enable
the Northwestern Trading Company,
a private corporation, organized under
the general laws of Oregon, to pur-
chase certain lands in the Territory of
Alaska. The committee, Senator
George said, recommended the indefi-
mite postponement Of the bill. Sena-
tor Dolph asked that the bill be placed
on the calendar. He had expected,
he sid, that the debate on the bill
would bring up the whole question of
the disposition of lands in Alaska, and
he still thought that question an inn
portant one for Congress TO look into
and decide.
Senator Dolph thought the commit.
tee had given the bill slight consi6 e. a.
ton.
Senator George said the committee
had given the bill enough considers
ton TO conclude that it was a very i'm
proper bill.
At Senator Dolph's request the bill
was placed on the calendar.
Senator Cameron offered a resolu-
ton which was agreed 10, appointing
Senator Sherman, chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Relations
Senator Harrison, member Of the
same committee; Senator Spooner, a
member of the Committee on the Dis
trict OF Columbia; Senator Stanford, a
member of the Civil Service Reform
Committee, and Senator Mitchell
fore. ], member Of the Committee on
Additional Accommodation for the
Library.
Senator Plat formally submitted his
proposed amendment to the resolu.
ton heretofore introduced by him, in
relation to executive session. The
amendment recitss spec fcally the
Senate rules affected by the res o'ution
Senator Platt's object bel to avoid
a point of order on his resolution that
it did nos recite the rules which il
proposed to amend. The amendment
lies over under the rule, Senator Plat
saying he hoped to address the Senate
on the subject.
The army bill was then placed be.
fore the Senate, the pending question
being on Senator Hale's motion to
strike out section 2, which provides
that hereafter the army shall consist
of $4,000 men, and Senator Plumt
took the floor and continued his re
marks in opp osition to the bill.
He Senator Plumb had recently
received a letter from "An Old Citi
zsn" of New York, censuriDg Senator
Plumb for his opposition to this bill
The "0ld Citizen" informed Senator
Plumb that there were 10000 Socialist,
in New York, and that the present
army would not afford the mincI
meat. Senator Plumb Rad no doub
this "0ld Citizen was a man of con
siderable wealth, and that as he &c
quired wealth he neglected by degrees
his duty as citizen until now he feeli
it beneath him to perform thest
duties, while at the same time ht
called on the general government t
do for him what he had neglected t
do for himself. This letter, Senator
Plumb thought, fairly represented tht
ideas on which the proposed increase
of the army was favored by some. HI
hoped the bill of the Senator from II
linois Senator Logan for the equal
izstion OF bounties would be passed
before the sa'aUies aud emoluments o
the regular army were piled up e.
high that there should be found ne
more money in the treasury.
Senator Frye interposed with som'
remarks on his resolution about thu
fisheries. He regarded it as very i'm
portant that the matter should be dis
cussed and settled. II involved q mat
ter, he said, that looked TO war.
Senator Cockrell then took thu
floor in opposition to the army bill
There was, he said, ample power t
protect our institutions without Gin
gle regular soldier. Our liberties die
not depend on standing army, bu
upon the patriotism Of our citizens
We needed no standing army in thi
country. eternal vigilance is thu
price OF liberty." A standing arm,
was q danger to any republic, snd wa
in direct contravention OF she repuo
! lican system OF government
! Senator Logan maintained that Sen
ator Plumb was inconsistent in oppos
ing the proposed increase OF the army
and in proof Of this read from repor
made to Congress in December, 1873
by a Joint select committee OF boil
houses, signed on behalf OF the Senat'
by Senators Burnside and Plumb. II
this report a reorganization OF tn,
army was recommended and bill 10
the purpose introduced which, Sena
tor Logan stated, provided for q create
increase Of the army than the bill nov
before the Senate. He inquired hoV
Senators could reconcile such. Sens
ter Logan spoke at considerable lengtl
in further explanation OF the details o
the bill.
After an executive session, the Sen