Year: 1871

Woman sunragc-Aid for the Belisc-


rents.


The opponents of the Air Line Railroad bill
in the House resorted yesterday to the same
sort Of obstructive policy which they had
adopted on the previous Monday to consume
the morning hour, which is the only time on
that day when that bill can be got at. They
made dilatory motions, on which they
demanded the yeas and nays, and In this way
occupied the whole hour.


A number of bills were introduced aud
referred, among them one authorizing the
purchase and registration Of foreign built iron
Ships of not less than fifteen hundred tons
burden, for twelve months, by citizens of tho
United States, instead of taxing the people
to subsdizs lines of. steamers. The
bill was referred to the Committee
of Ways and Means. We do not see in it,
however, any great promise of restoration OF
our commerce. We have so completely
abandoned the idea of competition with foreign
steamship companies that the mere oppor-
tunity Of buying vessels as cheaply as they do
will hardly restore it to the position we should
occupy. 1t is doubtful whether any mail
steamship line can be sustained in competition
with the English, French and German steam
ship lines without liberal subsidies. 1t will
require both free ships and government aid for
that purpose.


There were two Pacific Railroad PROPOSE
tions before the House yesterday. The first
was to discharge the Committee on Public
Lands from the consideration of the bill in
relation to the Central branch Of the Union
Pacific Railroad and to restore it to its
place on the Speakers table, where
it would be in position that it could be at
least reached. The motion to suspend the
rules for that purpose did not get the neces-
sary two-thirds majority, the vote being l25
to II. The next proposition was more fortu-
nate. 1t was to take from the Speakers table
the Southern Pacific Railroad bill and refer it
to the Pacific Railroad Committee, with leave
to report at any time after the 18th of February
That motion was agreed to by l29 TO G2. This
places the bill in such position as that, with
proper management, 1t can be reported and
passed by simple majority. The votes on





all our city democratic Representatives only
one, Mr.. Cox, voted against the Union Pacific
bill, willie it received the votes OF Brooks,
Calkin, Fox Morrssey and Wood. This will
doubtless, astonsh the constituents of
these eentl men, who are supposed
to view these great railroad monopolies with
no special favor They did not, however, so
strongly sustain the Southern Pacific Railroad
bill. Only one of them, Mr.. Calkin, voted
for it. Three Of them-Messrs. Cox, Fox and
Morrissey-voted against it, while Msssrs.
Brooks and Wood simply lodged the vote.
We do not exactly understand these votes of
the democratic Representatives Of New York
city.


There was another effort in the House to
get up an investigating committee in the mat
ter of the colored West Point cadet but the
House seemed to concur in the suggestion of
Mr. Eldridge, that that nigger had made fuss
enough already and declined to be involved
in further trouble or expense about him.
The Senate concurrent resolution requesting
the President to station naval vessel at this
port to receive and transport supplies to be
contributed for the destitute and suffering
people Of France and Germany was passed by
the House, with amendments requiring vessels
to be stationed for the like purpose at Boston
and Philadelphia.


The strong minded women made another
fruitless attempt to capture the House in the
guise of a resolution granting them the use of
tho hall m IaIuar ad1 +bo;r e.
hobby-the enfranchisement of women, as they
call it. There were only forty members,
however, whose politeness and gallantry got
the letter of their good sense, and among
these we do not fad the names of any of our
city members or of any other democrats. The
two colored members Long and Rainey raj
lied to the support of the ambitious ladies.


Notice was given by the chairman of the
Judiciary Committee that he would move next
Monday to pass the bill to enforce the right
Of citizens TO vote under the fifteenth amend
ment, and the evening session of Wednesday,
the 18th inst, was set apart for other business
of that committee. The days session was
prolonged by call of the House, provoked by
an attempt Of the democrats to flibuster
against the passage Of the bill appropriating
ten thousand dollars to pay the expenses Of
the Ku Klux investigating committee in the
Senate.


The session of the Senate was principally
consumed by the consideration of bills reported
from the Committee on Commerce. Among
the measures passed by 1t was the House bill
for the appointment Of commissioner of fish
and fisheries to inquire into the causes of the
dminuiion Of food fishes in the waters of the
coasts and lakes Of the United States, and to
report a remedy therefor.


The Air Line Railroad bill came up for con.
sileration. but no action was taken upon it.