Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-15
FORTI-NiNTH CONGRESS-.
First session,
sen ATE.

Among the petitions presented in the Sem
ate today was one from a dozen citizens of
Iowa presented by MIR. Allison, praving for
the abolition of the american House of
Lord" Referred
Mr. Frye, from the committee on COM
m.rce, reported favorably his bill to limit
privileges of foreign vessels in ports of the
United States to the privileges accorded to
vessels OF the United States in foreign ports
Mr.. Frye said that he would at the proper
time give this bill as an amendment to the
House shipping bill. The bill was placed on
the Gale ndar.
number of public building bills were
taken up and passed in routine order.
Mr.. McMellen, from the committee on
commerce. reported favorably the House res
olution requiring that the committee when
reporting the river and harbor bill to state
the facts that show the national importance
of the several pieces of work and why each
item of the appropriation is dvisable. Agreed
to.
At two the general appropriation bill was
placed before the Senate and Mr.. Vest took
the floor
Mr.. Vest said that he would not be de-
TERED from expressing his views of the pend
ing measure by reason of the fact that he
had been on the losing side during the war.
animosities had happily now ceased. As for
himself he was conscious that he had kept
his oath of loyalty to the United States in
letter and spirit and proposed hereafter to
make no other promises or professions. If
anybody suggested doubt of Mr.. Vests
loyalty, of his being in that respect the equal
of any senator, he would answer as Lord
Marmion had answered Douglass, "If thou
saye.t am not peer to any lord in Scot
land here, highland or lowland, far or near,
Lord Angus thou hast lied" Continuing
MIR. Vest said, the soldier " ho risked his life
and limbs for his country was entitled to
have the damages incurred by him repaired
by his country. If his life was sacrificed his
last hours should be cheered by the conf
dence that his loved ones should be cared for
by his country in whose cause he had died.
This was contract between the
soldier and nation and the nation
that could not keep that contract as a
sacred obligation deserved to be blotted
out from the map of christendom. How well
the people of the United States kept the
contract was evidenced by the votes of the
senators and representatives from the South
and North which bad already given $780,
600. 900 to Union soldiers of the war between
the United States and the Confederacy. The
southern soldiers and people had borne with
out murmur their share of the taxes neces-
sary to enable the nation to keep the con-
tract and the southern soldiers, their widows
and orphans had never asked for anything
except the right to weep for their dead and to
defend the purity of the purpose for which
their men had died. The anxiety Of both
) Political parties and the cupidity of pension
claim agents MIR. Vest belied were response.
BILE for so much pension legislation. He
,Irft h.ltn ~ 1aI hxyt tla Inn.
teer soldires of the country. The astute and
purchased intellect of claim agents. cermo
rants and curbstone LAWYERS IN Washington
was constantly contriving new devices for in
creasing pensions by which to fill their owr
pockets. Mr. Vest criticised the course O
the Senate in lately passing large number
of private pension bills without ever reading
them.
Mr.. Morgan finally, after much discussion
submitted an amendment to be moved by hin
at the proper time providing that pensions
covered by the bill and not provided for b,
the existing laws should be payable only Ou
of money to be derived from internal revenue
and requiring the secretary of the treasury Il
report to Congress in December, 1886, wha
the per cent of taxation on the capital stool
of corporations would be required to pay thu
the expense incurred under this act, but no
| 10 lDCluue CoTpOId'iphs oTRdulLtu W pIouuot'
religion, charity, education, morals or health
nor any corporation with less capital stool
than $50. 900
The Senate at 3.45 went into executv
session and at 500 the doors were reopene,
and the Senate adjoured until Monday.
HOUSE.
The bill for the extension of the paten
laws gave rise to debate which branche
upon the ground of tariff reduction.
Mr. Kelley OF Pennsylvania defended tn
tariff laws tending to develope the re
sources Of states.
Mr.. Dunn of Arkansas inveighed agains
the operation of the patent laws as creating
monopolies and attacked protective tariff a
injuriDg the people of the West for the ben
eft of the manufacturers of the East.
Mr. Butterworth of Ohio defended th'
present laws and expressed the belief that bu
! for the inventive genius of this country tn
line of settlement would not be within ion
miles of the Alleghanys.
After some time the committee rose ant
reported half dozen bills to the House.
Th first bill to be taken up was that au
thorzng the President to change the rank o
Henry J. Hunt from colonel TO major gen
eral on the retired list and it was defeated
Yeas. IS; nays, Ill.
The McMennerle and Manchester CLAIM
bill gave rise tc some discussion, and pend
ing action the House. at five o'clock, took .
l.