New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-04

never. either at the time or since. impugned by
any Of his opponents
Later in the session an investigating COM
mittee undertook to prove that MIR. Blaine had
had an interest in the Spencer Rifle Company
and had used his place as member OF Con-
gress to sell rifles to the Government, and
further that he had. AS Speaker. made ruling
for the revival of the land grant to the State
of Arkansas for the Little Rock and Fort Smith
Railroad. being tn in .erested In the road. and
thus using his high official place corruptly
for his own benefit. The charges made great
sensation. and the newspapers Of the country
were full of the matter On June D. 1876. Mr.
Blaine rose to another personal explanation In
the House. and demolished these charges as
effectually he had the others. He showed
that he had been paid fee for his services by
the Spencer Rife Company two years before he
became a member of Congress, and that, year
before he came to Congress- he had bought and
paid for $4,000 worth of it's stock. That trans
action had nothing whatever to do with his
official life and was absolutely beyond public
criticism. AS for the ruling referred to he
showed that the ruling was made without in
terested motive. and that at the time he had no
interest in the road and ther .ever expected to
have.
WHISKEY RING PUNISHED.
Some extensive frauds upon the revenue by
"Whiskey Ring" were disclosed. and the guilty
persons vigorously prosecuted the order of the
day issued by the Republican President being
to 'let guilty man escape"
REPUBLICAN LAWS
The principal acts of this session were the
following:
An act protecting the right Of settlers on the
public lands to their farms. in cases where they
had taken up sections of land within the terri
tory granted to railroads, previous to the notice
Of withdrawal Of those lands having reached the
local land offices. This was Republican Dill
which had been before Congress for three or
four years. 1t was passed BY both houses WIN
little opposition
An act amending the National Bankrupt law
1t a Republican measure. originating NJ
the Senate, and was passed without DIVISION
by both houses.
An act to punish the counterfeitng Of trade
marks. This was a Republican measure orlgi-
mating with Senator Conkling CRep, N. H.
Passed by both houses without contest.
An act incorporating a company. composed OF
wealthy Californians and residents of Oregon.
with Dudley s. Gregory. of New-Jersey added.
to lay a cable telegraph line under the Pacific
Ocean to China. The bill. which was introduced
by Senator Frelinghuysen Rep.. ~ -. passed
both houses without contest
An act appropriating $2Oo'OW toward the
completion OF the gigantic Washington Monu-
ment at the National Capital, to be expended
under the direction of the Chief OF Engineers,
U. S. A., the Monument Society to transfer its
whole interest in the uncompleted structure to
the United States The bill was introduced in
the Senate by Mr. Sherman Rep. Ohio. and its
massage by that body secured by him. Its pas
sage in the House was secured by Charles Fos-
ter Rep. Ohio)
An act permitting the Pacific Mail Steamship
COMPANY to carry mails to China and Japan In
it's three new steamers the City OF sydney
City of New-York and City Of San Francisco.
An act giving $15OO.OO0 for the Centennial
Exposition. Approved February Ia. 1876 rms
was a Republican bill. introduced by Representa-
tive Hopkins Rep Penn2 y Vas PASS Ss Re s a
licans So Democrats 6 Independence to i'~
NAYS U9 Republicans. lob Democrats. moe
pendents Public spirit haa been sieaS The
sum OF S.. $4,000 had already been subscribed
for the Fair all except $,OOOOO in the state OF
Pennsylvanis, and the Repubiican areu"ien ts
for a grant by the National Government were
irr ,sstibe. In the Senate, the vote was Al yeas
go Republicans. 8 Democrats) to I'D nays u ne
nubIicans 10 Democrats. Iiberalo
nrnci,v with the Hawaiian Islands, which had
been ratified by the Senate 81 10 -; aha S'sme e
by the president. May 81. 1915. This bill was
s,,nnorted as a measure which would strengthen
American influence in the Pacific ocean ana
probably give this country foothold there IN
case of war The bill was passed by me 1ouse;
Democrats. / independently to 1O1 nays (2l Re
publicans. 70 Democrats. Independent.
was passed by the Senate. August a. 1872 ~ by ~
yeas (23 Republicans 6 Democrats TO l. nays
"a Renubllcans. 7 Democrats. ! LberaD.
DEMOCRATS FOR IMITATION
An act was passed permitting the Treasury
to nav out s1OOOOOOO subsidiary silver coin lac
cumuated for the redemption Of fractional cur
rencv, in exchange for iega-tender notes. the