The San Francisco call., 1896-03-25
Alone He Votes in the Negative
When the Bill Is Put to
a Ballot.
OTHER MEASURES ARE PASSED.
Request of the Senate for Further
Conference on the Cuban Resolu.
tions Granted.

war Was IOuSHL over again anu TIE ISSUE VI
which was the repeal of the last remaining
restriction against those who served in the
Confederate army.
Hull (R.) of Iowa had presented from
the Committee on Military Affairs. for the
consideration of the House, the Senate bill
which repealed section 1918, revised statutes,
regulating the appointment of officers in
the army or navy, providing that no per-
son who held commission in the United
States army and afterward entered into
the service of the Confederate States, or
or any State thereof. should be appointed
an officer in the army or navy of the
United States.
Boutelle (R.) of Maine vigorously op-
posed the passage of the bill. He said
that it could serve no practical purpose,
was reflection upon the sentiment which
had enacted the original law-one of the
measures, he said, which made it possible
for the Government to live; that it was
too late now to write new definition of
the duty of the men who took the COM
mission of his country, and he said the
House should not now declare that it was
right thing for man, after having taken
try, afterward 10 draw his sword against
it. In the course of his remarks Boutelle
said that some concessions should be made
from the other side, and he called atten-
ton to the fact that the constitution of
South Carolina, adopted only last year,
levied, as he said.a tax upon residents
who had served in the Uaion Army by a
discrimination in the matter of the pay
ment of the tax in favor of the Confederate
veterans.
The bill was advocated by General
Grosvenor (R.) of Ohio Picker (R.) of
South Dakota, Grow (R. J of Pennsylvania
and Walker (R.) of Virginia, who sue
ceeded Stonewall Jackson in command of
the latter's famous brigade, and Cum
mings CD of New York.
The bill was passed after two hours
debate. Boutelle alone voting in the mega
tive.
The unfinished business when the
House met was the bill introduced by
Curtis (R.) of New York to reduce the
number of crimes subject to capital
punishment, and it was passed.
The House agreed to the Senate request
for further conference on the Cuban
resolutions. Boutelle (R.) of Maine re-
ported the bill making an appropriation
for maintenance of naval establishments
for the year ending June 1, 1897.
The following bills were passed: House
bill to increase the penalty for transport
ing or selling liquors under false and spu-
rious brands; Senate joint resolution re-
storing to the Mormon church the real es-
tate now in the hands of receiver ap-
pointed by act of Congress; House bill
authorizing appeals from the DEGREES of
the Circuit Courts of the United States in
the matter of receiverships; House bill
making persons who commit crimes on
Government property and reservations not
covered by Federal statutes subject to the
penalties for these crimes in the State in
which the property or reservations are To-
Gated; making it an offeEse punishable
with imprisonment up to twenty years to
shoot or to throw stone at or into rail-
road train in the Indian Territory; max
ing typewriter dispositions legal author
izing persons holding medals of honor for
distinguished services in the War of the
Rebellion to indicate that fact by wearin g
rosette or bow. the design of which the
President is directed to approve; author
izing the issue to active or retired officers
of the army of breyet commissions equal
to the highest rank of brevet held by them
in the volunteer service.
After the passage of number of bills
and the appointment by Speaker Reed of
Hit (R.) of Illinois, Adams (R.) Of Penn
sylvania and McCreary (D.) of Kentucky
as managers on the part of the House of tine
conference asked for by the Senate on the
Cuban resolutions, the Senate bill repeal
ing the law forbidding the appointment of
any person as an officer in the army who
held commission In the army at the
breaking out of the rebellion and who
afterward served in the Confederate army
was called up by Hull (R.) of Iowa. The
bill was intended, he said, to wipe out the
last restriction imposed upon the Confed-
crates. They were in Congress, in the
Cabinet and could be elected, he thought,
to the Presidency, and to maintain this re-
striction now that wars and rumors of wars
were heard was about the worst policy
that could be pursued.
Boutelle asked if Hull knew of any one
who would be benefited by the passage of
the bill and the latter replied that he did
not.
Boutelle criticized the bill as piece of
unnecessary and wholly sentimental Iegis-
lation. Addressing the Republicans Bou-
telle recalled the effort to place General
Grant on the retired list of the army, a
proposition which, he said, he was sorry
to say met the unanimous opposition of
the gentlemen for whose benefit the pres
ent legislation was intended. These men,
he said, had not hesitated to act as Jurors
in the case of the United States against
Fitzjohn Porter and voted solidly to place
him on the retired list.
Wheeler (D.) of Alabama am man
who voted against putting Grant on the
retired list. 1t was unanimously passed.
Boutelle retorted that the Democrats
prevented even an opportunity to vote
upon the bill until the Republicans, driven
to their wits end and fearing that the
gavel would fall at the end of the session
and Grant die before he could receive that
honor at the hands Of Congress, surren-