Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-04
FrFTIECH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON. March 3, 1888.
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The Senate was not in session to-day.
House OF Representative.

The Senate was not in session to-day
House OF Representatives.
The Speaker pro tenn. laid before the
House reports from the First Comptroller
and Commissioner Of Customs upon the
claims arising under the eight-hour law.
Mr.. Henry G. Seymour, successor to
Seth c. Moliatt, of Michigan, deceased.
appeared before the bar of the House
and took the oath Of Office.
Mr. Bacon, of New York, chairman Of
the Committee on Manufactures, offered
a resolution authorizing the expenditure
Of 5000 by that committee in the con-
duct Of the investigation into the sub
iect of trusts. adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Dibble, Of South
Carolina, the bill WAS passed appropri-
ating $7J, 600 for the construction of q
reyenue-cutter for use at Charleston,
S. c.
Mr.. Dargan, of South Carolina. from
the Committee on Banking and Cur
rency, reported n bill authorizing the
issue of fractional silver certificates.
Committee of the Whole.
Mr.. Grain, of Texas, from the Com
mittee on Election OF President and
Vice President, reported back his Joint
resolution proposing constitutional
amendments changing the time for the
commencement of the presidential term
and changing the date for the annual
meeting Of Congress. House calendar.
The House then resumed as a special
.ordor the consideration Of the Pacific
railroad bill.
Mr.. White, OF New York, took the
floor in opposition to the measure. He
thought that all remedial legislation
should "make the punishment fit the
crime" and that before numbering up
the statutes with voluminous enactments
legislators should assure themselves that
those enactments would have the de-
sired effect. He then proceeded with a
legal argument in which he contended
that under the terms OF contract between
the Pacific company and the Western
Union company vested right had
been created which could not, under
the decision OF the Supreme Court in
the Union Pacific sinking fund case, be
interfered with by congressional action.
Mr.. Uockery, Of Missouri, said that
under the granting acts the Pacific com
panies were required to construct not
only railroad lines, bat also telegraph
lines. Instead of doing so they had as
sumed to divest themselves OF their obi
cations by contract with the Western
Union Telegraph Company, comforting
upon that company exclusive right OF
way along the railroad lines. The acts
of Congress requiring that telegraph
lines along the Pacific railroads should
receive all the business without discrimi-
nation were nulli6ed by this unlawful
contract with the Western Union Com
pany. Upon these unlawful contracts
The gentleman from New York (Mr
White) had erected superstructure OF
vested rights. The very language OF
the contracts showed that the railroad
companies knew that they had no right
10 enter into them.
Mr.. White offered his substitute. which
was rejected without division, and the
bill was passed-yeas, 1877 nays, 4
Messrs. Bliss, Ketcham, Merriman, and
White, OF New York.
Mr.. Bland moved that the House cd
iourn, and this motion being defeated,
in order TO prevent requests for unani-
nous consent he demanded the regular
order.
The Speaker pro tenn. announced the
regular order 10 he the further conside-
ration of the bill TO provide for the issue
Of circulating notes 20 national banking
associations; and as this was bill which
Mr.. Bland has uniformly opposed a
laugh was raised against him that he
should have unwittingly brought it be-
fore the House. But ne accomplished
his object and the House, ct 4;45 2. Nj,