Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-03-01
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Mch. l.
SENATE.

liz IClllC lOlllU lCSOluliOA " 1otAN
rize Thomas Adamson, U. S. consul
general at Panama to accept an honor
airy medal from the government OF
China was passed.
The Senate then, on motion Of Mr..
Sherman, and with the consent of the
democratic Senators, went into eXecu-
tive session.
The doors were re-opened in about
half an hour.
The postoflice appropriation bill was
reported.
The conference report on the Dis
trict of Columbia appropriation bill was
then taken up and agreed to.
A conference was ordered on the ma
val appropriation bill.
Mr.. Teller asked unanimous consent
to take up for consideration the Nc
Garrahan bill.
Mr.. Morrill, objected and said that
the bill would certainly take more time
than the Senate could now afford to
give to any private claim.
Mr.. Teller then moved to take up
the bill.
Mr.. Hoar. chairman of the judiciary
committee. from which the bill was re-
ported, said that although he would
have rather preferred another way OF
disposing of the matter, he concurred
in the pending bill. 1t submitted to
the court of private land claims the
question of McGarrahan's land title,
with right of appeal to the Supreme
Court, the facts to be reported to Con-
gress in case of any further claim for
an appropriation ofmoney. He thought,
on the whole, that that WAS n reasona-
BILE disposition of the matter, and just
to the government.
The motion to take up the bill was
agreed to, yeas 81, nays (Messrs:;
Morrill,, Palmer, Proctor Sherman and
Stewart
The bill being before the Senate Mr..
Morrill, made an argument against it,
declaring that the difference between
the pending bill and the one that was
vetoed was the difference between
tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee. He
proposed to offer amendments autho-
rizing the government to employ COM
petent counsel, and also to pay for wit
nesses to the amount of $4,000. One
objection to the bill was that there had
been two or more stock corporations
formed, which had still, perhaps, an in
terest in the claim. He mentioned the
names of half dozen stockholders in
one of them, including that of Senator
Wilson, of Iowa.
Mr.. Wilson Indignantly denied the
suggestion that he had now, or had
ever had any interest, directly or indi
rectly in the McGarrahan claim. Any
one, he said, who asserted that he had,
uttered n positive and unqualified
falsehood of the worst character.
Mr.. FELTON, favored the bill, having
no question in his own mind that there
were great equities in the claim. The
bill would be simply doing justice to
an honest man.
Mr.. Stewart argued against the bill,
going extensively into the history of
the case.
Mr.. Palmer referring to Mr.. Feton's
remark as to Mr.. McGarrahan being an
honest man, said that in view of the
extent of legislation in his behalf he
must be more honest than the great
mass of his fellow-citizens.
At the close of the morning hour Mr..
Hill, in pursuance of the notice given
last evening, moved to proceed to the
consideration Of the Hudson river
bridge bill, declining the request Of Mr..
Teller to withhold the motion until the
McGarrahan bill was disposed of.
The yeas and nays were demanded
by Mr.. Wolcott and the result of the
vote was, yeas 2G, nays 24.
As soon as the bill was taken up, it
was laid aside temporarily mot losing
its right of way) i'll order to have the
post office appropriation bill consid-
cred.
The bill was Immediately brought
forward (the bridge bill being temper
arily laid aside without losing its right
of way. The first amendment! that
provoked discussion was the one strik-
ing out OF the bill the item of 1896, 600
fJr special facilities en- trunk lines.
Mr.. Call moved to strike out of the
paragraph the words specifying the
route as being from Sprinfield, Mass,
via New York and Washington to At
lanta and New Orleans" and also to
strike out the proviso that no part OF
the appropriation shall be expended
unless the postmaster general shall
deem such expenditure necessary in
order to promote the interest of the
postal service.
Mr.. Calls proposition was antago-
nized by Senators Gordon, Hunton aud
Daniel, who argued in favor of retain
ing the paragraph as it came from the
House.
The New York bridge bill has again
lost its privileged place through the
prevalence of Mr.. Hiscock's motion that
the Senate proceed to the consideration
of the conference report on the sundry
civil appropriation bill, from which the
Sherman bond section has been stricken
out.
HOUSE.
Before the approval of the Journal,
Mr. Kilgore suggested that there was
no quorum present and the poll was
called.
Mr.. Kilgore feared that there was
scheme in progress to call up the
anticipation bill and he wished that
time should be given to the conference
committee on the sundry civil appro-
priation bill to submit its report.
Mr.. Dockery moved TO suspend the
rules and approve the journal.
Mr. Kilgore demanded a second, but
subsequently withdrew the demand,
ond tho motion was AGREED TO.