The Portland daily press., 1888-08-02
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
sundry Civil Appropriation Bill
Passed in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, Aug. HIN the Senate, to-
day. after large number Of unimportant
bills were passed, consideration of the sun
dry civil appropriation bill was resumed,
the pending question being on Senator
Calls amendment, appropriating $4,000 for
the recovery of the property of the late Con-
federate States now held in adverse possess
sion to the government. Senator Call sup
ported the amendment.
Senator Edmunds said he had been a mem-
Der of the committee few years ago which
investigated the whole subject and was satis-
fed that the appropriation would be use
less waste. The wisest thing to be done
with the assets of the late COnfederacy, as
with the late unpleasantness itself, was to
forget all about them. The ships referred
to might be located, perhaps just as in the
old fox hunting times, the fox might be
located in narrow cave in the mountain,
but the question was how to get him out.
Every cent spent in the matter would be
lost
Senator Gibson opposed the amendment,
being convinced on the surrender. at the
close of the war, that the officers of the Con-
federate army and navy delivered up all
public property under their control. He had
the honor himself of being the commissioner
for the surrender of one of the armies and bore
WiilluS tCotluiOu1 w blC COuIb IbCc1 anu hiuu-
ness of commissioners of the opposing army
aud to the generosity of the terms extended.
He submitted that 1t was not proper, at this
late hour, to call in question the validity of
the surrender made by the officers of the
Confederate forces on land or sea. The Con-
ferate States died noble death on the field
OF battle many years ago, and all that sur
viyed being that sentiment of honor which
had beaten high in the hearts of the
men who, represented that fallen power.
For one, he would have engraved on its
tombstone the epitaph engraved ON Shakes
peares:
Good friend for Jesus sake forbear
To digg the dust enclosed here;
Blest be We man vt spares the stones,
And curst be he Vt moves my bones.
Senator Dawes said that he thought the in
quiry ought not to be embarked in unless the
President or the Secretary of the Treasury
should say he had in his possession such in
formation as justified him in recommending
it.
After further discussion Senator Allison
moved to lay the Call resolution on the table,
and the motion was agreed to without di-
vision.
Senator Evarts offered an amendment ap-
propriating $500 for an oil portrait of Chief
room of the Supreme Court, which was
agreed to, as was an amendment apprOpriat-
ing $4,000 for B. +. Stephenson's manu-
script of documents relating to early history
chives of France, England, Spain and Hol-
land.
The Allison amendment to appropriate
$277, ,693 for the purchase of Gen. Buffers
property south of the capitol was disagreed
to. The bill then passed.
Senator Allison. replying to question,
said he thought all the appropriation bills
would be disposed of by next week.
Senator Sherman said that no one could
tell when the tariff bill would be brought intO
the Senate.
Senator Hoar's Speech.
Senator Hoar has written letter in reply
the character of Scandinavian sailors in his
speech on the fisheries, The passage to
which exception was taken did not occur in
the speech, but was part of letter by Admi-
raj Porter, which the Senator quoted. Sena-
tor Hoar meant no disrespect to the Scandi-
navians, and does not think Admiral Porter
did. The passage alluded to was in refer
ence to the probable refusal of Scandinavian
sailors in a foreign navy, to fight against
their country in case Of war;
Notes.
Senator Evarts from the committee on forl
egn relations has reported back the Senate
joint resolutions authorizing and empower
ing the President to take such measures as
in his judgement may be necessary to OBJ
tain indemnity promptly for injuries, losses
and damages suffered by the Venezuelan
Steamship Co of New York by reason of the
company's steamer in 1871.
The decrease in the public debt for July
was 81 12z coS .cS.
the House spent the day in discussing the
army bill. Senator Hawley's amendment
providing for the manufacture of guns was