The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-07-07
XLIXth CONGRESS- FIRST SESSION.
SENATE.


A very large number of petitions were pre-
sented by various senators, praying Tor the
passage of bills fOrfeiting railroad land
grant. The petitions are those that have
been got up and signed through the exer-
tion8 of the Knights of Labor.
The Senate then proceeded to consider the
amendments to the river and harbor bills:
The first amendment that was questioned
was the item appropriating $150o00 for the
purchase of Sturgeon Bay and Lake Michi-
gan ship canal and harbor of refuge.
Mr.. ingalls, made a point of order that the
paragraph was new. legislation. This was
not bill to buy canals. 1t was general leg
islation, not connected with the bill:
The Chair overruled the point, of order
and Mr.. Edmunds made new point that
this commercial transaction OF buying lot
of private property had nothing to do with
the general scope of this bill, which was for
improving rivers and harbors. 1t was there
fore irrelevant.
The Chair submitted the question of rele-
vancy to the Senate, and the amendment
was decided TO be relevant and in order
yeas, 81 nays, 8.
Mr.. Edmunds opposed the amendment.
Mr.. Ingalls, characterized the amendment
as ian impudent and shameless private
speculation" Mr.. ingalls, made the point of
order that the paragraph was new leglsla-
ton.
Mr.. Mcmillan advocated the amendment,
and said the discussion was an admirable il
lustration of the way in which opinions in
regard to the river and harbor bill were
formed. The amendment had been reported
not at the request of the canal company, but
in the interest of the commerce of the coun-
try, and to relieve vessels engaged in this
waterway of the tolls which they now had
to pay. -.
into secret session, and afterwards adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr. Harmer of Pennsylvania presented
petitions signed by $50 Knights of Labor OF
the fifth Congressional district of Pennsyl-
vania, in favor of legislation to promote the
interests of labor.
Mr.. O'Neill of Pennsylvania presented
similar petitions signed by 200 Knights of
Labor of the second district. Referred to
the committee on labor.
Mr. Taulbee of Kentucky called up the
report of the committee on invalid pensions
upon the veto message OF the President on
the bill granting a pension to Carter w.
Tiller He disavowed any purpose of criti
cising the President in the exercise of his
constitutional right, or of raising any war on
his methods or style in the veto of pension
bills. He then proceeded to state the facts
in the case to show that the President was
acting under misappiehenslon when he
based his veto on the ground that the claim
ant was not dependent upon his son, on
whose account the pension is claimed, for
support. He also quoted from affdavits to
show that while it was true that the son was
DOTI6 Oh lIlG lullo dS Il ueS6llef, lit Nuo dI
| the time that the charge was made against
| him confined as prisoner in Anders0nylie
| prison. He admitted that the President had
| acted honestly upon the facts before him,
| but that since the veto additional facts had
| come to light, showing young IlllerS hos
| pital record at AndersonVille.
Mr. Warner of Missouri inquired whether
| those additional records had not been ac-
| cessible to the President.
Mr. Taulbee replied that the records were
| accessible to anybody who would take the
| trouble to go to the War Department and
| search over the muSty prison records Oh the
| Confederacy, but the President had acted on
| the written statement of the AdJutant Cen
| eral that there was no such record found IN
| his office. Subsequent to the veto the record
| was found, but the veto could not be Wltll-
| drawn.
| Mr.. Beach of New York suggested it would
| not be proper for the House to override the
| the veto on the strength of facts which he
| did not have before him at the time he With
| held his approval from the bill. Ihe proper
| thing to do was to introduce new Dill
Mr.. Matson of Indiana moved that further
consideration of the matter be postponed
until Friday next, and for a few moments
| there was much confusion. in the han, MT.
| Marson and Mr.. Willis of Kentucky valnly
| endeayoring to state the reason why they de-
| sired postponement, and the Republicans
| demanding immediate action
| The motion to postpone was agreed TO
| yeas 116 nays 113.
The House went into committee OF the
| whole on the general deficiency appropria-
| tion bill