The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-07
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
Events OF a Week Among the
Lawmakers in Washington.
Vine proceedings of Both Branches of Con
gress-Among the Departments-Polit-
icai Gossip in Washington, Etc,
The sundry Civil Bill.

eral unimportant amendments were offered
from the committee on appropriations and
agreed to.
Mr.. Bowen offered an amendment appro-
priating S250,0G0 for the purpose of investi-
eating the extent to which the arid region of
the United States can be redeemed by irriga-
'tion and briefly addressed the senate in its
support PPo aonouo, a-,o..,.
reservoirs and otherwise providing for the If
Tlgation OF lands in the high plains of the
west at government expense was discussed dur
Sng the greater of the afternoon by Messrs.
kansas. Morgan, Henderson, Plumb, V oorhees,
Beck, Harris, Reagan and Dawes. Finally
the discussion came to close and Mr. Bow
ems amendment, after being amended, was
agreed to. Yeas, %; nays, IS.
1t appropriates $780, eco for the purnose of
investigating the extent to which the arid re-
glon OF the United States can be redeemed by
arrlgation and segregation of irrigable lands in
such wild regions and for the selection of sites
for reservoirs and other hydraulic works. the
work to be dene by the geological survey, I'M
der the direction of the secretary of the inte-
rior, the lands designated for reservoirs and the
canals for irrigation to be reserved as the
property of the United States and not to be
subject to entry or settlement until hereafter
provided by law.
HEATED DISCUSSION.
WASHINGTON, July 31.-The senate resumed
consideration of the sundry civil appropriation
OH today the pending question being on the
amendment offered yesterday by Mr.. Spooner
as chairman of the committee on public build
1ngs and grounds, appropriating $4,000 for the
public building at Atchison, Kas.
Mr.. Beck made q point of order on the
amendment, and proceeded to argue it. II
this amendment were decided to be in ORDER
he said, the effect of the decision would be
that hereafter for all time to come the rule
OF the senate would be that the sem
ate might attach to the sundry civil
buildings, and force the house to act upon
them and force the president to approve them
whether he objected TO them or not He had
inquired this morning at the document room
OF the senate and found that at the present
session 66 public building bills, aggregatiDc in
cost 50, $4,000, had passed the senate, only
few OF which, running up to about half mil
dion dollars, had passed the house. The attach
ment OF any of those public building bills to
the general appropriation bill was not good
legislation. 1t tended to make divisions be-
tween the two houses, and would be regarded
by the house as an invasion of its rights, and
as all attempt to coerce it into doing what the
senate had done.
Mr.. Spooner replied to Mr.. Beck. and argued
that the amendment was not subject to the
point of order. 1t might be, he said that the
Eule ought to be amended in accordance with
the views expressed by the senator from Ken
lucky, but the only question now was whether
the amendment was in order under the exist
&ng rule.
: The discussion was continued at much length
and was participated in by Messrs Vest,
Sherman and Reagan against the fairness of
Singing out some public buildings unless all
were included, and by Messrs. Riddleberger
and Daniel in favor of the amendment.
The vote was taxed and the amendment was
Eejected; yeas 81, nays %.
SENSITIVE MR. BLAIR.
Mr.. Call offered an amendment apnronri-
ating $4,000 to be expended at the discretion
OF the secretary of the treasury for the recov-
cry OF property of the United States now held
an adverse possession to the government. He
spoke OF the information recently laid before
the senate on that subject.
Mr.. Sherman opposed the amendment and
spoke of the hope of recovery of property
which had belonged to the confederate states
as an illnsive one. The debts of those states
Were lien upon their property. The PROPOSE
zion was simply to give some gentleman a
pleasant trip to Europe. The recovery of con-
federate property by the United States gov
eminent might be attended with responsibility
for these debts.
Mr.. Cockrell opposed it and spoke of the
fairy tales of the wealth of the defunct confed-
eracy as being only equalled by the stories of
the immense wealth stored up in England be-
longing to American heirs He gave an ac-
count OF suit brought in the name of the
Omitted States against Frazer, Trenholm & Co.,
and read from report made by the secretary
of the treasury to the house of representatives
IN 1867, Oh the subject of that and other SINH
1dI quito liz also reau ana cfltlClSeQ comnu-
nications from III. B. Littlepage, employed as
special attorney for tho government in 1857, in
relation to the recovery of confederate proper
ty, and said that was the sort of information
by which 1t was sought to show that the Brit
SSh ship OF war, formerly the Texas, seen by
Admiral Luce at Bermuda. had been the
property Of the confederate states. He had
no doubt that the British government could
account for all ships in its navy just as the
Omitted States government could account for
all its ships.
Mr.. Edmunds-Of course they can be all
accounted for, because they all belonged to
the British navy at that time. They were just
as much part of the British navy then as
now
lfNIr. Cockrell-But the senator from Florida
claims they belonged to the confederate states
and should now belong to the United States.
= MIR. Blair-Is it necessary for the senator
Yrom Missouri to use the words. Confederate
states, so often? | don't think the expression
should be made use Of
MIR. Cockrell-Do you wish me to call them
'rebel states?"
~. Mr. ro Bl2sirsmAnythng You please; but don't
treasury" or anything of that kind.
MIR. Cockrell-If the senator from New
Hampshire tells me any word in the English
or any other language, that will tickle his ear
when applied to the rebels will DO only too
Happy to use it.
Mr.. Blair-I only express my feelings in the
matter. The senator may go on and violate
them. There are other senators just as sensi-
tive on this subject as I.
MIR. Cockrell-I have no doubt of it, and I
foeg those senator's pardons. l am not trying
TO stun their sensbilities, but 1 am simply
feading what the senator from Florida has
compelled to be brought cut in this discussion.
Mr.. CALI protest against your saying that
j compelled them to be brought out. ! have
nothing to do with the reading of those papers.
n Dir. Cockrell-These papers were sent to the
senate in response to resolution offered by the
senator from Florida, on which this amend
lnent is based.
y In conclusion, Mr. Cockrell said that the
proposed appropriation would be simply an alb
solute waste of SO much money and might COM
plicate the United States government in
troubles from which it might not easily extri-
cate itself.
The bill went over until tomorrow without
action On Mr.. Calls amendment
The sundry Civil Bill Passed.
WASHINGTON, August 1.-The senate re-
lSlmed consideration of the sundry civil appro-
Epriation bill, the pending question being on
Nhe amendment offered yesterday by'Mr Call
sppropriating $4,000 for the recovery of the
property Of the late confederate states now
Ield in adverse possession to the government