The New York Herald Newspaper, August 15, 1876, Page 6

6 CONGRESS. Mr. Randall in Defence of Demo- cratic Economy, REVIEW OF THE APPROPRIATION BILLS. es 1 Sueeeere cer) oe | How Retrenchment Has Suffered | from the Senate. | REPLY OF MR. FOSTER, OF OHIO, | eee Message from the President on the River | and Harbor Bill | hours | orders to the bureaus, that Ume bad been extended to | PASSAGE OF THE HAWATIAN TR SENATE. | Wasmnarox, Angust 14, 1876, Mr. Srzxcer (rep.) of Ala., submitted a concurrent Resolution, providing for the appointment of a joiny committee to consist of three Senators and three mem- bers of the House of Represent to prep able form of goverpmort tor the District ‘nd report at the nest session of Congress. THE SCHOOL AMKNDWENT. | Mr.Epaenns, (rep,) of Vi, moved to take up the proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting the ap- propriation of money for the support of sectarian | schools, Agreed to—Yea THE WAWHAN TREATY, Pending discussion the morning hour expired, ana | tho Senate rssumed the consideration of the untnished business, being the bill to carry into effect the Hawaiian treaty, Mr, KoMUNDS gave notice twat as soon as tho unfin- shed business should be disposed of be should ask the Sonate to vote on the proposed constitutional amend. | ment, « The discussion on the Hawatian treaty was then Tenewed, und the Senate was addressed by Mr. Nor wood, of Georgia; Mr. Morrill, of Vermont; Mr. West, | pf Louisiana, and Mr, Gordon, of Georgia, in oppost- Mon to the bill, and by Messrs. Logan and Boutwell in Its favor. The vill was then read a third time and passed— | pa sMit Columbia Passed, ot The vou Yras— Was as follows :— | Anthon Burnside, | srs. Allison, + Vontwell, Cameron, of Wisconsin: Christiancy, Cr: Dawes, ha Ferry, Frelinghuysen, y, Jones, of Nevada: Kell Kernan, Logan, McDonuid, MeMiilan, Mitehed, Morty Oglesby, Paudock, Kandolph. Sargent, Btevenson, Wadlelch and Windom ulsbury, Spon Nays—Messrs. Boxy. Jouth, Cooper, Corkrell, Davis, | Vones, of Florida; K frill, Norwood, I'attorson, West | ond Whyte Messrs. Edmunds, Robertson, Gordon, McCreery and Witvers, who would bi. oted aguinst the bill, were ired With Messrs, Conk! Hiteheock, Barnum, | right and Clayton, who would nave voted for tt On the motion of Mr. EpwuNvs the Bve P. M. took a recess until eight o'clock I, M EVENING SESSION, Upon reassembling at cicht o'clock, Mr. Epmuxps Moved to tnke up ihe House joint resolution pr An amendment to the constituiion of the Uniled + Prohibiting the appropriation of money for the support Di sectarian schools, | An extended debate followed, Mossrs Kernan, of New York, and Whyte speaking in opposition ‘and Messrs. Edmunds and Christianey in favor of the amendment, as reported by the Senate Committee, The Senate at one o'clock voted on the proposed con- Btitutional amenument, and it was rojected—veas | BS, nays 16, not two-thirds young in the alfirmative, Ut was deveaied by a strict party vote, HOUS# OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wasmxcrox, August 14, 1 | The House met at ten o'clock, in continuation of Mr. Raxpats, (dem.) of Pa, sudmitted the report of | the Commitice of Conference on the Indian Approprias | tion bill | Tho report was agreed to without discussion, MR, RANDALL'S sPrEcH. | Mr. Raxnatt. then proceeded to make some general temarks on the severalapprupriations, He satd:— Mr. Seeaken—vefore the Una! adjournment of a pro- | tracted and laborious session it is proper to review our stiion concerning appropriations trom the pablic Treasury to carry on the government tor the fiscal year ending June 80, 1 Jn the discharge of this taxk Iam sensible of no other motive than that there shali be a comp'ete and impartial extibit of the work am behalf of retrenchment and reform which we set oat do, and the difficulties and oppysition which met us At every step in the interest of ho saw in apy o fr place, notwithstanding there was consequent ad ed tage to the ers, and the efticw of the overnmontal adininistration Was in ho cesree impaired. © were met at ihe very threshiod by the inexorable alternative of reducing expe sto a just and economical basis, or by allowing appropriations to bo Made at the same figures of previous yoars, with in- Erewsed taxation; and this later it wis our plighted nate athalf-past | | | n faith and solemn duty to prevent ia behalf o. the great body of the peopic A heavy load Of taxation, and who we i beyond | Deusure by derangement and muistoriune in every ave Buc of agricultural, manntacturing, meclanieal and this ond eve y ble tommercial acuvity. item of p expense, whether large or small, was 1 to tt yeverest scrutiny, and an inspeetic every bureau ind department of the government nadertaken, with- | out paralicl, fora quarter of a century | LABORS OF TEX COMMUTER The Commitive on Appropriations gave this work Weir most carnest atiention. It required Mmeessaut fabor and much patic cpabtgtig aa oy Whose Whose favorite, were jo «bo frustrated §=jor =the public §~— good; wager and greedy corporations, who sought to fatten irom the public purse; plece-hanters amd place. bolders, and the friends and partisans of all, bigh or Jow, who were in apy Way 10 be eduction, tnd especially by the tbarked on ail bands by chiets of bureaos avd b artiments | wo agree to any withdrawal of their official patronage, | But we had the comforting assurance (har we had ind us the people, who demanded that thor hardens | thonid be hzhtened by practical and necessary rec Hong, and this consoled Us oftentimes in the ¢ ot an imperative public duty whcn we found ourselves rowpelicd to deny appropriations to the extent « lor objects dearly cheristied by our constitaents. Majority of this House of Representatives was elected | fo reforin manifolt abuses of administration, and whe we assembled in December inst that reform element assumed juil authority in this pall and obtaned partia euntrol over public expenditures, THE FIRST DIFFICULTY which presented itself to the execution of the trust | ded to us Was the existence of a rule m the House A prevented the repeal, or even modiication, of yay law as 10 appropriations pon an opriavion Dili Unless two-thirds of the members axseuted (Herel which pumver the majority did now hav The ce Mrnction Which had been given to that rule allowe Mendments to increase pensation io oificers, slerks and ewpioyés, but adroitly preventod as out ol Order ny reduction whatever. To overcome this ow Btruction 4 proposition Was submitted to hange the Fale as to ullow the incorporation inte yriation Bitte of such Jegisiation, which ay renehed expend * making ¢ revolt tion in the operation of the nd turning tive action in this How extraya: | nee inte the better and safer direction of economy, bat change, tor the purpose | have wdicated, was vig- vrously resisted by the republican side of the House for the reason that, ec ney did and do mo than one-third of its 1 spo amendment chang ' sisting jaws could be made of pal upen an appro- priation bill except when uch amendm S increase Salaries, as under the old practice two-thirds were re- mired fo suspend the rales t mente ‘ow the majority to a, and that twothy the minority in the Hi Without such a change w iol the House to reduce tue res of the povernment would bave boen Here stood the repuvlican meno bird to prevent at vatruct Anction, wit ‘enate, as we erward foun wore determ?: 18 purpose. Finally, through the ageitey of the Commitice on | Rales, we secured a report of the alterstion so much | desired, and the House adopted it by a majority com exclusively of democrats. Alinost all the reaue tions we have accomplixbed bave followed as the result Of the first step, for it opened the w CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. | Tt moat not be forgotten toat when Congress assem: | bled the country was prostrated in all the eesen' ils whieh go 10 take the people prosperous, content and happy. Mavy of manutactoring establish mepts were closed» #t of those suill runving | ‘were working only a perhon of the time, Commerce | languished, agriculiure went unrewarded, and a feeling of distrust widely prevailed, causing capttal to be on- usually cantious Almost all new enterprises wero | sbandpned, and lnbor, then as now seeking employ- ‘Was to tho extent of its activity inadequately ro maperative. Our duty in such acondition of ailairs | was 100 piain to ve mistaken, It was to jop off at once and Fewoluicly every extravagant and unnecessary ex pense, This we bave partially accompiisied and ina manner which will in no degree eripplo the adminis: iration in its legi'mate functions, But to secure even Hie partial result without producing friction has re~ quired Jong and patient examination, investigation and of procedure adopted was to red puedy. a tent itt deletion over $1,200 and provide a ‘ fon per cent ait | and wide | essential to provide for reduction of expenses rathe! | than | tive tore w have gradual! accumulated — until they have vecome of dangerous ‘proportions, Under J existing laws we have a system of what 1s known as “permanent xpectiic and permanent in- | | exy } a | Recommendation of the | being in committee and in the House im charge of a sioner of the Un ty those east able to boar and those, too, who never ought to be sub: | yected to such annoyances and = privationa. NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, duction tn the fores of clerks and employés ot twenty | per cent, These two provistons, if tully adppted, would | have secured a much larger reduction of appropriations and the discharge of all supernumerary clerks and em- | ployés, of which there are stil a large number, It is | nown that all over the lan: private establis ments of every.sort and description have reduced the rates of compensation io their employéa, A signal in- staves of thie 18 shown at Lowell, Mass, which is the | #Alde, tu & measure, of all New England,’ The working | poopie (here have themselves consented to a reduction | o( ten per cent as just and fair—not the first, either, to | which they have recently been subjected. ‘The House considered this pot an unreasonabio reduction in amount under the cireumstances, But this reduction | has aimost wholly tatled because of the obstinacy of tho | Senate andthe Senate couierces in relation thereto. A reduction in the number of clerks and employés has been only partially realized, as the House conierecs were forced to yield a part of thair recommendations. It will suaprise many whon they learn the fact that os | any 28 200,009 persons receive pay from the federal | ‘Yrouwnry. In order that no harm sboula possibly come from a | recluctfn of lorces, we directed the executive officers to | © oxisting law in referen. » the hours of labor re- | i from the clerks and the employés It is to be | jound in section 162 of the Revised Statutes, as fol- low: Brel of April ine Wart the the tr ite f October until the 1st day ar ail the bureaus and offiers in the Stato, nts and iv nas at Ieast eight in ewel day; tday of Apel until the jay of October rs inowch day, except Sunday and iared-pubiic holidays Heretofore clerks have been required to devote stx aday to the service of the government, Re- ntly, on the coming in ol the democratic House, by hours, If, however, the terms of the law are ‘ed to, more actual hours of service will be so ander the reduced number of clerks and em- a upoa than we have now with the present e. sevet L complaint has been made against our chs laws upon appropriation bills, as though it were ut this time a novel and unheard ‘of thing and never before aviempted inthe legislation of the government Let us see haw that is 1 append herewith a list of uanges of laws which have been incorporated Into ppropriaton bills during the years irom 1866 down ta and including 1875, The extent to which si ation has been carried on wail, I have no doubt, irprise many, and, [regret to say, that curing those fs ol undisputed’ repadl rule im both branches ngress the change las almost always been in the Jon of increased appropriations and expenditures, enuon ateW notable iwstances of such avon, They embrace changes in the stafl and Line, both ofthe army and nay: The Pacific Mail steamship subsidy found its place on hace The reorganization of the Post Office Departmont, the reorganization of the diplomatic and consular rorvice, ‘The partial reorganization of the sub-treasury sys- tem. The prohibiting the pardon or amnesty of any claim- ont in the Court of Claims being admissible to establish his standing in court, The reorganization of the civil service in the Treasury Department. . 1 ation as to the Enforcement act. | The manner of settlement of judgments by the Court | { Claims and the Supreme Court as to capture of cotton. The section declaring that the General of the Army shallbe permanently stationed in Washington, and only removed by the advice and consent of the Senate, | and directing ail army orders to go through the General of the Army whether issued by the President of the United States or by the Secretary of War, On the appropriation bill last year the rates on news- s were doubled, to the great injury of those in rai suetions especially, and the rates on third jass Giatter were so increased as to take it from the aad drive it to the express compauics ention these iew to show the general character cope ut the legistation which has been pu into appropriation bil's, and beg to reter to th hereto aunexed, which'will suow the enormous mass of Jegistation of greater or less impertance which has eeu irom time to time during the past ten years {as- tened on such acts, relating as it does to almost every conceivable subject | THR REVENUES OF THE GOVERNMENT. Again, Mr. Speaker, as a vatural result of the pros- tration ‘of business, the revenue @ the government has diminished to an alarming exte&, and the warning hoid out to us was one noi to be disregarded, as it might tarn out in the coming fiscal year the tion would be so great that the revente would | The law as tnatly enacted... ICIENCIRS. Appropriations Inst year $4,709,669 18 Department estimate tor year ending June 80, 187) ve sssceerenes By T2S 471 19 Recommended by House Committee on Appropriation 662,315 07 T believe these deficien heretofore, be ments that a d this year, note aro less than usual and axe of the knowledce by the depart. ocratic House was to be in auchority | having been given last year by the | then demecratic minority of tue Forty-third Congress that the practice of allowing large deficiencies wor not be countenanced, The departments are, how entitied to partial eredit, for their estimates of det ciencies this year were considerably ‘tess than here.o- lore, The same rigid rule will be again upphon, the departments must govern themselves accordingly. $850,000 YORTIPICATIONS, Appropriations lust year. te Dopartment estimates for year ending Jape 80, LsTT errs Recommendations of House Approprincions. House passed... Senate pi The law, . $15,000 This was 4 large coinparative reduction, but I beheve 671,450 74 | as i Jeans, the Custom House and Post Mice at Raleigh, €.)) the Custom Houge and !’ost OMoe at Port Huron, | Mich; the Custom House and Po-t Ofice at Furkers- | burg, W. Va.; the Court House and Post Office at Lin coln, Neb, and the Custom House and Post Ofce at | Rockland, Me., giving the palance which we deemed Wise Lo appropriate in a moderate degree to the larger structures, so as to go on with the work owls. The appropriation ts 32,000,000 less than last year, when the appropriatious (or public bulidings, new and old, were nusually extravagant, AS to the appropriation ior a new structure for the State, Warand Navy departments tn the ciry of Wash. ington, it was under the same rule, The expenditures for this strgcture «re made an exception, all tho others being ender the supervising Architect of the Treasury Department, while this is under an engincer of the army, General 0. E. Babcock, NAVY YARDS, For the repa'ts and preservatfon of the navy yords We gave $100,000 t $500,000 last year, We deomed that for the legitimate purposes of repatrs proper at the different mavy yards and stations and the preservation of the xame $109,000 is adequate, and be- heved the baif million heretglure given was diveried tv oth jar service, AMMORIES AND ARSENALS, Jn reference 1o armories and arsenals the reductions, except in one oF two instances of no small amount, were those recommended by the late 3ecretary of War, Mr. Tafi, im his communication to Congress revising no material interests will sufler theroirom, elther ‘n re- Spect to our fortifications or as to experiments to be | made in the trial of armament or terpedoes, ibe | Jargest sized guus of our recent war are now considcred | ineffective, Earthworks experience has shown to be the best protection against artillery on land or iron Js on water, The sins so lavishly expended since tho war bave not brought any adequate return in these | Tespects. In the past yen years, up to and including | this year, ending June 30, 1876, we wppropriated for these purposes more thun $13,000,000, u large amouut of which could as well baye been kaved by the same character of reductions which we have made this year, NAVAL SERVICE. Naval service appropriation last year.... $17,001,006 40 Department estimates tor tho year ending | dune 30, 1877.. + 20,871,666 40 eo + 12,808,655 + 12,432, sees 16,167, 2 14,557,855, on Appropriations House fnssed, ‘The approprintians for tho largely reduced. It is a bra Jurge savings can be prudently made. I need wot ale Iude at length to ihe sums heretofore expended and the names of their expenditure, The department, in its wanagement, has been thoroughly examiped into by & commitice of this House, and (heir ndings are im print, whien renders a further criticism m this connec- tion unnecessary. Those reduced appropriations came up to the {ull measure of recommendations by the Naval Commitive. nt aro of the service where POST, OFFICE, Post Oftice appropriations List year, ...... $8,376,205 00 Department esitmate tor the year ending une 30, 1877 sestesseeresees 8,481,602 99 Atnount recommended by House Commit- tee on Appropriations. 2,680,906 00 Amount passed the House, 4,230,908 00 Amount recommended by 3 tee on Appropriations +++ 7,586,047 00 Amount passed 5 2 Tasstes? 00 The law as finally ¢ 967/498 00 the reductions in is act arise mainly trom the cutting off of the salaries of the higher class of post- masters, Which have been confessedly too high, and the ten per cent on the amounts to be paid to 8 for the transportation of mails, among which is woatis Known as the ‘ast mail?’ An er- Toneous impression prevails as to this latter service, THK PAST MAILS were not provided for by law. Speed was not taken into consideration in determining the compensation, Weight and the number of postal cars were and are the elements in fixing the pay to railroads, This extra Hine Was first established Jess than a year ago by throw- ing an increase in the quantity of mail matter on theso | principal roads, thus increasing the number of postal cars and with additional weignt, causing an increased amount ment to special Toads, c tion as txed by act of March, 1873, Was «very great inereuse over former rates, Prior to that time $3 per mile on all lines was the maximum rate. Under that act the pay on some ines was increased to $705 per mile per year, and on the t lines as bigh as $1,016” per milo per year, This Congress has reduved the rates for railroad service generally ten per cent, which is « moderate reduction, he compensation on star lines and steamboat service has been reduced far more than ten percent since low the amount required to meet the expenditure of the government, In this emergency it was absolutely ntail any increase of our interest-bearing debt or | witon ty our present taxation. Nay, more, if | jons recommended had been | can minority in this House | enate, then, even with a full | nd OlWer Laxes could have been say $10,000,000 with compara- auy the tull measure of redur acceded to by the repul aud the majority in the revenue, the internal reduced'to an extent of CHARACTER OF EXPENDITURES, Betore I leave the general discussion of these sub- jects and go toa detailed examiation of the respective ‘Appropriation acts | wish to direct public attention to What l deem some abuses in reference to expendi- juite” appropriations. They embrace, among others, the sum necessury io pay the interest’ on the pubic devi, th necessary to pay the interest on the bonds of the various Pacitic railroads, and guaranteed by the United States, and the amount necessary to be paid in obedience of law to the sinking fund on account of the liquidation of the principal of the public debt. | In so tar ax the foregoing objeets are concerned, | do | Hot raise serions objections, Their provisions go 10 | make easy the mind of the public ¢ iter by the cer- | tainty of ho bitch in the prompt and regular payment | of our public interest. But the laws go further and | jude others, which, in my judgment, should pass the annual supervis.on of Congress, among he sum necessary to collect the reven! from customs, whieh Is oniy limited as to amount of nditares by the discretion of the Secretary oi the | ASNEY, & POWer too great for permanent safety; for arming aud equipping the militia of the several States; jes and expenses of the Southern Claims Com tho revurn of the — proceeds trom the su of captured and abandoned — property to owners theroot; the commission to be patd to per- sons negotiating the relunding of the national debt one-half of one per cent; the gaiaries and es of the stearnboat inspectors; the reunding | ol money due to owners of reputed owners of cotton improperly seized alter the 20th of June, 1895; allows jees and drawbacks in the Tn i Revenue Bureau; relunding of silegal internal taxes; the repayment eVied in excess irom customs, as well as ve. Dentures, drawbacks, bounties, and allowances in eu pins FOrVICe. Most, Mf not all, of the ebarac ter shoud have the frequent # and the people, Lwould sug session legislation to remedy $15,000,000 pass cach year ont of the Treasury under these heads, in excess of the amount paid ou account Of interest ‘on the public debt and the sinking land, Which 18 aa enormous sum to be wader the control of executive oflivers without check. shail now proceed to an examination of the sev. eral appropriation bills, in order of date as they were enacted into law. of duties PENBIONS Appropriations last year Department estimates tor t dune 30, 187 tons. on Appropr! H Renae passed Law as tinally enacted. . sess ° 5 The respective commiutices ot the two hous both nouses of Congress agreed in the amount to be appropriated for pensions, which was in full, as indi- | by the estimate, A’ pieasant incident’ in con- nection with this appropriation was the tact of its fof the committee (Mr. Atkins, of Tennessee), formerly an officer im the Confederate army aud a | member of the Confederate Congress, Such exbibt: tions give the dewalt @ political charge that the | leading men of (he South still bear any hostility to the | Union, for be was serapatous in seeing that Bo pen- on suitered in the least degree, Many retorms are imperatively needed in convection jen the distribution of pensions. The Commitiee on Pensions recommended the trans- fer of the Pension Barean trom the Loterior Depart. | ment to the War Department, where it formerly was, as appears by their report, fof reasons, among vthers, tollows:= psion agencies whieh now cost annually $445,000, the Comanitice ow Pensions report could be dispensed with and twenty vent clerks divided equally among the four classes of clerks Known to the law, at a cost | 1,000, could do the work as eticteutiy and with | jess delay than now occurs, The work, if under the War Department, could be done in the main by the re- tired officers of the army, with one-half pay in addi- | tion to the present reured pay of auch officers, and the | amoont ot pay saved would be quite one-balt, At present mor an one-half is done at the Surgeon General's ond Adjutant Generai’s offices, Hoth these bureaus now cinpioy 116 persons on this work and an | men equal number of additionsl clerks. if the duties were | transterred to the War Department woud be ample, whereas the present foree | m the Pension’ Bureau 18 over 400, nearly | 300 over What economy and necessity require. | The character of the work is in a measure judicial, ree | jast yewr 128 employds | charged avd ‘ninety-4ix new appoimtments | putting out experienced clerks and substi tating Jor such men i nt and inetiicient persons in thor stead, This was dose mainly for political considerations The truth is, as the evidence ostab- lishes, the bureau ts run asa political machine, Two clerks of the National Repubhean Congressronal Committee of last year were entered on the pension | rot! and pard from pension funds. The War and fen sion departments being separate, there was required | ast your 66,000 duplicates of rolls trom these two cex, requiring transmission by mail and messenger, which might ail have been done tu the same oflice, The fact ts, the del now Incident to applications tor | pensions oF increase of pensions arixe almost entirely from thesn separations of duty, causing years ot delay procrastmation, 1 will aijude to another abuse, and then leave this drench of my subject. The finance division of the | Ponsion Bareau can be dispensed with altogether, em- | ploying forty-eight clerks. This is set forth in Mr. Clark's testimony. In reply to a question whether s1on OUght Not to be lopped ott be said ole 6 work In the Auditor's Ufien was up to dato the work in Une finance division would be aseiess, There cant retore, le a reasonable doabi as to the evonomy gtined and the general propriety of the transier i | companies, | tent | in the South. | resources trom three appropriation Murch, 1873—In fact, from ten to thirty per ceut, The | reduced price of every commodity which goes into ihe } cost of runuing a railroad is far greater than ten per cent, These roads bave reduced the compensation of | their employds, and together with a genoral shrinka of values, 1 goes to show that the amount no- fixed 18 | comparatively higher than it was at the time the foi ner raie was agreed 10. 1am indebted to the gentle- n trom Indiana (Mr, Holman) tor these. tacts and | conclusions, and any one who knows his care and ac- curacy in such matters will at once accept them as true and correct. RENEFITS OF PAST MAIL. After all that can bo said the benetits of the fast mail are divided between the railroads receiving the m- creased pay and the newspapers of our great cities in | the quick transit of their papers. In this day of tele- graphing the newspapers of tho various cities of the Union are more on an equality in furnishing promptly the important news of tho day, which renders contun ance of these high rates unnecessary, even for tho people, in rcesiving prompt public information. THIRD CLASS MATTER, The Post Ofice Appropriation act for the year end- ing June 30, 1476, raised tho rates of postage on third Class wail matter, so as to take it trom the mails and give the monopoly of its transportation to the express while at the samo time the postage on newspapers was doubled. This Jatter imposition has been removed by the legis- lation of this year, but the O-st still remains a burden je in behalf of the express companies, ted as worth to those companies $500,000 per aout iO increased receipts from transportation of merchandise, &e. Lhe House at every opportunity ught to accomplish full repeal ot both provisions, but the Senate was obdurate and refused to concede the repeal of the merchandise portion of the act ARMY APPROPRIATIONS, Appropriation last year nent estima 933,830 00 33,348,748 50 7 year ending Reco on A Senate Committe Senate pa The law as The Army Appropriauol show that ox- | Creduction which we imrended and hit reason vo hope we should obtain at the opening of the session, because of our Indian trond and because of the de- , termination of the administration to keep a large 1orce The Howse bill fixed the army at 22,000 rs, relatively divided between the three arms of | the serviee, and soushtin addit to redu the com. pensativns of certain oflicera which were deemed dis- | proportionate and too liga. The manner of payment of these nsations is n some respects higely ob, Jectionable, rendering it almost impossibie to compute with accuracy the psy received by officers in the army. The Senate was resoluie agsinst all these changes, and | | the House was competie yield, and onty sacceedea | in securing the fol station | Here Nir, Randali quoted the seci.on of the Army Dill for the appointment of a commission to reform and reorganize the army and continued: The result of the foregoing, it 18 believed, will ale timately remedy somedeiects” Wo felt that they were too glaring not to demand immediate change. SUNDRY CIVIL. WILM. Appropriation las* year... ++ $26,684,350 09 Dopariinent estimates for year ending ~ June 80, 18 + 82,560,475 Amount recommended by House Com: 29 mittee on Appropriations Bt Senare Committee recommended, 18,601,601 24 | Sei 19,959,496. 99 ‘The law as ti + 16,587,905 47 This act, which covers the sundr the government, ts that upon whic! ingraft ali doubtint schemes which to any otber general appropriation Dill would bo ruled out of order as not german, REPLY TO TUK PRESIDENT In reference to tits paruicular United states saw fit, although ap send a message condemning tho cha vil expenses of h it 18 attempted to ad unnecessary expenses, MESSAGR, ct tne President of the Ving the same, to ter of our reduc- hen. i pro Ww, and bere, with due respect to | the Chief Ma to inqmf ito the jastice of his | criticisms in the frst place he says :— | Notably among the tirst is the reduction in the ordi. | mary annua appropriations for the revenue cutter service, to the presudice ot This criticism t# completely refuted by a plain state- meni of the fcts, which show that the amount app! privted is in excess of the amount expended in the revenue cutter service during the iast fiscal year, The expenditures forthe year ending June 30,1876, were 6 CHAT OMS FeweNe. $542,000, and the appropriations for the year ending June 89, 1ST7, $874,591, the latter exceeding the former | more than $30,000. THE SIGNAL SERVICE Next, a8 to the amount given t continuo the Signal Service, This service cost last year nearly $1,000,000, It has grown to be an immense bureau in 1s workings and we think is extravagantly conducted, Ht draws its bills—tne: Login lve, the Army and the Sundry Civti—and aggregates, a stated, $1,000,000, We are advised by the mana of (he West.rn Union Telegraph Company that tl can perforin the saine service with equal satistaction 10 the pudiie for one: hait the money, and he is quite will- ing to undertake it at that reduction —Tais, wo ander- siqnd, is also the opinion of many officers hereto ore in charge ot he War Department, Our redactions, in view of this statement, have been very moderate, auounting to $100,000 In the genera, expense provided for in the Sundry Civil bill and of only fifty entisted men inthe army for this corps. At some ot the sta- tions the empioyés numbered a3 high as seven, and by care\al revision of the force at the several stations this reduction of fifty men will haraly be let. THE MINTS, The criticism as to the mints evidently arose from want of knowledge of the amounts appropriated in the several bis [t would have been seen by examination that the amoant approprivted for ranning the mints was tully up to the mecersities of the country, even taking Into consideration tue increased expense for comming subsidiary silver recently authorized by Iaw in suvstitution of fractional currency. PURLIC BUILDINGS Now, as te the objection urged to reductions of ap- Propriations for the consiraction of public buildings throughout the coamtry and the buddings for the Siate, War and Navy departments in the city of Wash. ington The pohey which guided the Honse was to inake appropriations this yoar for no buikting the con- struction of which had not yet been commenced, and in making appropriations for those alreuay begun to wive astiliciont sam to finish and fecaisls tees. oF sinatiet size, such the Custom House at New Or. | tis year $2 | propriations, and thereto the estimates of hi Fedecessor. JUDICIAL BXPENDITURES, In regard to the judicial expenses of the government, Committee oa bxpenditures im the Department of Jus- tice and justided alter thorongh tnvestigation by ox. posure of the most outrageous Irands upon the govern- Mens, perpetrated by marabals aud other United States ollicers, thé inost Maugraps Of which were ia the Stuies of Arkansas and North Carolina. The justice and pro- pricty of this rednction are undoubted. SURVKYS OF PUBLIC LANDS. The action of (ue committee concerning surveys of the public lands was taken after fail conierence with members on both sides of the Honse, representing Western districts as well as with delegates trom the Territories, After quottug Mr. Dunoell, of Minnesota, in approval of this portion of the bill, Mr. Randall continued :— It is only necessary for me to add the further fact that there are now 160,000,000 acres of the public do- main surveyed and undispored of. THE LIGHTHOUSE SKRVICE. Tho President iurther complained that we had im- red the efliciency of the lighthouse service, Reter- ence (0 figures shows the complaint to ve without foun- dation, The appropriat on la® hour was $1,999,000, and for this year $2,018,600—the appropriston for this year being nearly $29,000 over that of last year, Ap- propriations for lighthouses, beacons und foglghts were mado alter consultation with the proper oiticer having that service in charge, and we gavo a sum aultl- cient, a8 were advised, for ‘all that was absolutly hocessary during tho fiscal year. There were somo whieh were desirable for which wo did not make ap- propriation, but they were rot such as thought to be demandod now, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. Appropriations tor the District of Columbia are gen- eraily included im this act, and I need not stop to give the reason why We sought to be cautious in whatever we did, Past experience has shown such protiigacy in the management of the aflairs of this District that common justice to the peopie required we should sur- round all our appropriations with every. passible sule- guard, We authorized an advance from the ‘Treasury 01 the United States of tho money necessary to meet the interest on the public debt of the Distriot for the entire fiscal year, thus preventing apy default of prompt payment like that which has heretotore occurred, al- though a portion of the debt had been reporied by a committee of this louse to have been illegally con- tracted, We also appropriated for tho various’ cnari- ties and charitable institutions within the District; authorized the repaying of Peunsyivania ave: nue, a proportiovace share of the expense to be borne by the government; provided for the payment of one-balf of the ‘expense of she police and Board of Health; and, besides, allowed the government. Of the Disirict to increase the Lemporary debt to the extent of over $400,000, so that no omburrassment should or is Likely to occur, The appropriations for the oar | ending June 30, 1875, amounted to 2,965,251 11, almost all of which was exclusively for the beretit of the people of the District The implied statement by the President that the aggregate appropriations of the 5 it Dill are in amount not more than sixty-tive per cont of those heretoiore made should command approbation rather than censure, LIP SAVING. For life saving and lifeboat stations our appropria- tious are in excess of those made last you ‘© gave 460, while the amount appropriated last year was $231,580. Surely we cannot ve charged with injuring this humane servico of the government when we have, in this democratic House, appropriated inure than was appropriated by the previous republican House, PUBLIC PriNTixG. The nnpcoprintien, for pubhe printing and binding we reduce largely, on the recommendation of the Com mitico on Printing of this House, which established the fact of gross abuse and extravaganco in the admin- istration of that office. ‘Tho amoant givea last year was $1,665,507 66. The amount asked jor tho current year was $2,206,056 66, The amount allowed this year, under advice of the Committee on Printing, 18 $1,133,737 50—about hall a million dollars less than the appropriation last year. ‘The report of this commitice, to which | have alluded, clearly establishes the fact that this sum should have been sufficiont to have done the work lust year if the proper prices had Leen pard for material and the ran- ning expenses had been rightlully adjusted. For the support of the National Home for Disabled junteer Soldiers we gave the exact amount asked— $68,733 44. he appropriations for the sundry civil expenses of goverinent for the year ending June 30, 1853, were 7,191 38 In 1870 they” had crept up. to $9,976,288 $1. In 1872 they further advanced to $24,161,778 86 Finatiy, in 18i4, they reached the enormous amount of $52,186,129. In 1875, when the distress in the country became go prevalent it could no longer pass unteeded, even in a republican House of Representatives, ave find there was a small reduction from $32,156,129 to 009,744 $1; in 1876 644,350, We have reduced tho sundry civil penses this year below the appropriation of last _y $10,441,780, appropriating only avout one-half the Emount appropriated in 1874, veing a reduction of about $14,000,000, * MILITARY ACADESIY. Appropriations last year, . ws eeee es $304, TAY Departinent estimates for year ending June 30, Asi7. Amount rece Appropriations, . Amount passed tL Senate committee recommende: Senate passed The law as floally enacted Chere was in controversy between the two honses the question of componsition to provessors at West Point, The House ceomed that in some instances, being over $000 per annum, tuoy were higher than for similar services in civil life, especially when we take Into cousideration the fagt that these professors, without encountering any of The privations, hardships aod dangers of army life are, when they reach a con- dition of Impaired usetulness, placed upon the retired hist and receive three-quarters of their pay at the time thoy are retired, The Senate demanded the question of this reduction should be remitted to the vommission created ty inquite into she reorganization of the army, and the Hou-e was compeliod to accede thereto, RIVER AND HARBOR ILI. River and harbor appropriations last year. $6,643,517 50 Departinent estimates for the year ending Jane 80, 1877. Amount recomm tee on Appropr Amount passed the House Senate Committee recommended. . Sonate passed. 5,900, 000 00 The jaw as oaliy enacted, 5,000,000 00 This bili was hot made up by the Committee on Ap- have not that fall know Jedgo Which would Warrant me in speaking of its de- tails, In comparison with previous bilis, witn the same certamty that Lam able to do concerning the elevon other appropriation bills It 1s, however, a Inrge ro- duction on the amount appropriated last year jor the snine purpose, and an immense reduction, a8 will bo seen by the foregoing figures, upon the estimates of tho department to 4, 000 OO INDIAN at Appropriations last year, Departinent estimates fu: Jane so, | Amount recommen tee on Appropriati Amount pasaod the House, Fenate committee recomme year’ ‘ending secceeseseees 5,787,005 60 y House Commit- a . . 46 fhe principal sisagre t between the two Telated to the transier of the Indian Interior Department to the Wor Depariment. Th House believed that the management of Indian aft ould be more economically w tered by army oulicers already under pay them by civil ofivers, under whom had grown up a Widespread sys tem of pecalation upon the Indian, as well us upon the overnment. Ove of the ground& which induced the udian to goto war agatnst the white man Was that treaty stipulations in reference tothe delivery of site sistence and other supplies were not faithfully Mifihod, An army officer holding a lif position dependent upou houses Bureau trom the integrny and good behavior, and with a strong desire fof promotion, which can only occur upon the active and faithiul discharge of his duties, is more likelyto execate the the goverament toward the Indian than F who comes in and goes out with every change of Adinimistration, And the present double- henied eystem ol dispensing sudsistence and supphes to the Indinna throagh the ageney of civil ollcers While restraining and keeping them at peace with t military arm, has been proved by long experience to be not only enormously expensive to the government, but without any adequate beneneial resuits, either to the Indians or to the government. ‘The hand that feeds shoul! be tho hand to pauisn in case ot wrong doing. Viewed as an economic question, we havo General Shoridan tor authority, and almost all the o! cers whe have come into collision with the India show that the opinion I here express is the just 0 There is a misconception as to the army oilicer. He doos not desire constant wariare with the Indians, for, while he bas to andergo great privation and hardship, he at the sane time endangers his Hie in battle with the * without that honor which attaches to war- fare between nations. Indeed, ef all the people im the world, the army olficer has less to gain.and more to lose by Indian hostilities than any other of our citizens. The House authorized the transfer in the Indian Ap- propriation bill, having previousiy passod a sepatato Proposition on the same subject, which was teansinitted to the Sonate on the 25th of April last, but which tho Sonate never ook up tor consideration of discussion, Incidentally, however, they did discuss the clause in the Indian 4 eifictently adminis. | | Purposes not properiy chargeable to this particu: | reduction was made upon the recommendation of the | 1876-WITH SUPPLEMENT, We think tho country bad a right to from the Senate “more consideration ‘8 Subject, and the House only yielded at last when longer persistence could result in unlimited ex- tension of the session without corresponaing good, The mismansgemeot now existing, although unfor- tunate, is well illustrated by the fact that the bostile armed with betier weapons than the troops pul imo the field against them. Al this very session we have bees compelled to pass a law prohibiting the Indian agents from further supplying to these hostile Indianw improved arms and ammunition. I doubt neither (be propriety vor the absolute nee easity of tho prop transfer, and only regret to say that the proposition has been defeated in the Senate, more by indirection than by open, opposition. Tux coxpuer or THK WaAK. Let me pause for a moment to state a fact which ear- ries with it its owe commen: While there are in the army 26,000 inen, 15,000 of them in the military division’ of the Missouri, embracing the whore Block Hilis country, where the recent tights and massacres occurred, General Terry aud General Crook have been Jeft nati! lately to resist the combined hostile Indians ndor sitting Bull with a force of less than 3,000 men. Wo are now usked to add to the army 2,00 cavalry, when it must Ge apparent to the most casual observer that such addition ts entirely annecessary, if the force was taken from where it ts of no service whatever and transierred to whore it is needed to win success to our ar 1 yet hope tor tho transfer at the next session, We huve made reductions, even under its present ineffl- cient management, of $700,000 or thereaboata COSSULAR AND DIPLOMATIC BIL.1. Appropriations Inst your... $1,374,985 00 Department estimates for the year end- ing June #0, 1877 an te deine ates Amount recommended by House Commit tee on appropriations: Amount passed the Senate Committee recommended. 1,952,485 00 1,841,647 50 1,341,647 50 Iv enn our diplomatic rervice was con- ducted with unnecessary expense and that the salaries paid to foreign ministers wero excessive when con- trasted with the salaries paid to other govermental ollicers, while at the same time officers of the highest diplomatic rank were accredited te governments where churgés @'afaires with greatly reduced salaries would be equally efficie: The truth is that all important matters betweon this and foreign governmonts ara to- day directly negotiated and adjusted through the ocean. telegraphs by the State Department at Washington, and, therefore, in many instances, the position of ‘foreign minister little more’ than a costly sinecure. Under what jis known as the “Orth bill,”” the salaries of these officers were increased, and that iuereaxe in a measure we have taken off. It must Bot be forgotten that our Miuisters abroad are not valuable for any service they render to our com- merce, but that on ihe coutrary it 18 our Consular sys- tem which is brought into direct contact with the American marine; and therefore we would like to see ‘hat thorgagh revision of the Consular system which Will secure its improvement and greater efficiency, To claim, because the Consular system is not only self supporting but has an excess of receipts from the pay- ment of fees, that therefore all the money received should bo expended in the service, is aboUt as jnst as to claim that the Custom Honse and {nternal revenuo, be- cause of receipts beyond expenditures, should hkewise be administerea with extravagance, We bave not secured tho reductions wo sought, and which we believed to be proper, but we have at least accomplished enough to reward us tor our effort, LEGISLATIVE MILT. The appropriation last year amounted to, . ,.$18,902,236 ‘The estimates for this year were... «20,836, $07 The bill as reported by the Committee on Appropriauions was... «13,009,807 As it passed the House tt was + 12,988,895, AS it parsed the Senate it was... see 16,635,338 As it became a Jaw it was..... + 15,373,980 ‘The great struggle of the session had taken place oa that bill, The House bad sanght to reduce the force and compensation of government employs, and the Senate bad with equal \enacity resisted euch reduction. Tre Tesult had been a compromise effecting a reduction of 765, On the 10th of October ho detendea the position of the Houso on the reduec- tion of the President's salary from $50,000 to $25,000, and he expressed the sincere conviction that the people Would ave the matter im i: true lig Aso the proposed reduction of the compensation of Scnators and members, the Senate had urged against it the abolition of the franking privilege; but the Senate nad, since the passage of the bill, voted to restore tho frankiny privilege—action which cer- tainly would not escape criticism. Another valuable result which had been accompiished had been the en- actment of a provision agninat the political assessinent of government employés. Ho gave the following reca- pitulation of the appropriation biils:— RECAPITULATIO: The estimates of the departments for the your wore..... i ass ¢#$203,099, 025 The biils as reported by the Committee on Appropriations... .. 137,233,135 The bills as passed oy the Senate 158,290,598 Appropriations for last yea! Tho bils as enacted into law Us SOSSION. ........00000004 147,719, 074 Total reductiors............ $20,944,273 Mr. Svrixger, (dem.) of Til., suggested that the say- Ing was at tho rate of $103,000 for each Congressional district, Mr, RaxDaut, in conclusion, said that early in the session he had stated it as his belief that the expen- ditures would be reduced between $30,000,000 and $40,000,000, This statement of his had been regarded as an exaggeration, but events had demonstrated its cor- rectness He regretted to say that, in the straggio with the Senate, the House bad been compelled to yield to the extent of $10,500,000, He hoped and beheved, in another year, the Senate would concur with the | Honge in’ that regard, and he asserted that with a chiet magistrate acting in harmony with the purposo of the present House, a turther reduction could readily be made of $10,000,000. These facts and lgures speak for themselvee and need no eiaboration. On’ the result which they demonstrated the majority rested their claim of having earnestly and faithinlly disgharged their duty to the people, It had not reduced expenditures as much as it had expected, but the Jailuro to do so Was not its fant. ie believed that the real, natural, safe and permanent way to the resumption ol specie payment was in the reduction of government expenattures, Hutan foresight, how- ever, could not fk the exact hour or day whon it should take place, But the truth was seli-evident that if $20,000,000 oF $30,000,000 a year was saved, not on! would the means (ur speedy resumption be yeeveled, bat that confidence would be establisued, which must Inevitably eat the desired result. As. Mr. indali closed his sprech he was warmly applauded on his own sido of the house. Mr. Foster, (rep.) of Ohio, a member of the Appro- priation Cammittee replied to what he called the jugenious misstatements of the gentleman from Pennsylyanta (Mr, Ranaall), The minority of the committes had entered on its duties witn the intention | ty ard the majority in making all practicable reductions: ju the expenditures of the government, Tho recue- Hon which the mincrity thoncht could hare been safely made was — $20,000,000, As it vas he jolt euro that further appropriations, amounting to milliv would be mado next session to deiray the expenses of the governinent for the present fiseal vear, And what was the parpose of this reduc- tion of appropriations? Was tt to aid Governor Tilden fo resume specie payments in 1379, or was it to pay the vast number of cotton claims which were ready to be launched on Congress next session? Why had not the House proposed a reduction of taxation? A reaucuion prepriation without reduction of taxes would not Prectated by the people. As to the reduction ior which the other side of the House claimed credit he neserted that a very large proportion was not a reduction at all, but simply a post- jonement of expenditures that must bo made hereafter, tt noarly ald the bills tuero were many reappropria- tiona of indefinite sums on ic: printed, and which would heve been covered back ito the Treasury, Of this class of appropriations there wore some $4,000,000 oF $5,000,000, This Was a pretty sharp practice, and might be characterized as a cheat, a de- Inston and & democratic trick. He alluded, emong other things, to the iact that the House had refused to appropriate a single dollar for the judgments of the Court of Claims, being « direct and square repudiation of the claims of the government for the mere parusan purpose of reducing expense He submitted a table showing What items should be deducted from Mr, Springer’s table of reductions:— TABLE OF REDUCTION, Frror in the addition of Mr, Springer’s tablo $543,940 $50,090, Reducizon claimed on Pension Dill... e+e Items in Post OMee bill for which no eredit for reduction should be made Deficiency bill (belonging to last year) . Reappropriations for assa: +. 4,082,212 . 400,000 Judgments of Conrt of C 2,000,000 Centennial appropriation. 1500, 000 Poat onice, ork 227,000 Forts in the Northwest, 200,000 Repairing Pennsylvania avenue, 200,000 Wasuington Monument, 200,000 Total ....++ He admitted made the net amount $24, 165, 880. theso redue reauctions of He asserted that of the red Miliary Academy bill $40,000 wos due to the reduced would be tion in the pay of SOF, And $28,000 to postponc- | ment; that of the reduction im the Consular and Dip- jomatic bill $349,000 was accomplished by a Violation of trust, and an injary to commeree; that a postpono- ment of $535,000 for forutications had been mad that in the Levisiative bill over $3,000,000 was a post. ponement, and over one-fourth of tne $2,724,000 reduc. ion worked injury; that the reduction of $1,500,000 1n the Navy bill did great injustice to navy officers, and that over $2,000,000 was a posiponeme: that m the army bill over $4,000,000 was a postponement, and that in the Sundry Civil bili ever $11,000,000 was A postponement, and the reduction of $1,000,000 was due mainly to the itution of silver for fractional carrency, He set ‘n the figures of actual reduction at $10,355,589 and of postponement as $24,245,000. He claimed (0 have shown beyond question that the reduc- tious were on ott $10,000,000 tastend of $39,000,000, nd that the balance was simply the postponement of expenditures that would have to be provided for in the future, and that of the 310,000,000 reduction a con- siderable portion was obiained ‘by crippting the gov- ernment inachinery. Never in history had current facts been distorted as they had been in this matter vy the democracy. There was no evilence of reform on the of the demo- crate party. It had refused to appropr: money for the necessary work on public buildings at a tine When that work could be done more cheaply than at any titne since the war and when laborers would bo bonetived thereby, fhe democratic party talked of re- form, but how had it practised i? After tt bad gained possession of the House it bad adopted the OXF DEMOCRATIC MOTTO, “to the victors belong the spoils’? In proportion to the number of its employés the disgrace and scandal attached to the “Reform House” was indntely greater than to all the departments of the government, So far as practical legis! was concerned the House bad been au absointe failure, MESSAGK FROM THR PRESIDENT. that it : ; Cl ws 1 Harbor pitt, th was a change of law upon an appropriation | he President in regard to the hes aa tating that if it had been com; expend the -. ¥ 2 gould Nave \ oe it, money therein appropriated he but ns it was not he ewould tuke care that the public money should pot be expen: on useless works oF upon any that were tot clearly national. The message crevied quite & sensation and was so verely criticised by the democrats and defended wild equal zeal by the repubitewns. The message was thea reierred to the Committee op Commerce and the House, at tive o'clock, look a reces® won! oight o clock this evening, BPVENING SESSION, On reassemblivg great confusion prevailed, Mr. Banning, of Obio, endeavored to have the Sen- ate bili for the imcrease of the cavalry force consid- ered, bnt objections were made. Mr. Banks, of Massachusetts, addressed the House in advocacy of the Bland Silver bill, ‘At the close of Mr. Banks’ speech, Mr, Randall moved an adjourament, avd remarked that he was waiting on the convenience of the Senate, Not agreed to, After a politieal speech by Mr, Kasson the bill aus thorizing the President to accept the services of 6,000 volunteer cavalry for six months and appropriating 1,000,000 for that purpose was, on motion of Mr, Ban. ning, taken wu passed—121 10 41, Mr. Cox. of New York, arose to reply to Mr, Kasson, of lowa, and stated that he (Kasson) deliberately lied about Governor Tilden, At the request of Mr, Hoar, of Massachusotts, Mr. Cox's words were taken down, and a long debate arose as to whether he should be allowed to proceed, Proceedings are in progress for « call of the House, The democrats want to give Mr. Cox achance to be heard, and the republicans will not permit it A vote to a@journ bas been lost. PEECH, BLAINE’S + OPENING OF THE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN I MAINE—THE EX-SPEKAKER ON GOVERNOR Tile DEN AS THE CHAMPION OF STATES RIGHTS— ARE WE A NATION?—-THE ACTION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REVIEWED AND ORITICISED. Pontnaxn, Me., August 14, 1876, ‘The republican campaign in Mame was opened here to-night, Nearly 4,000 people crowded into the City Mall, many ladies being present, while a3 many more on the outside failed to gain an entrance, Hon, Nathan Webb presided and introduced as a native of Maine, Hon. Henry ©. Pratt, of lowa, who spok:foran hour, reviewing the acts and plate forms of the two parties, according tho credit of ro- forms to tho republican party, and insisting that the completion of the reforms should be enéristed to the party which conceived them, and not te the democrats, Mit, BLAINE’S KNTRANCR. At a quarter to nine Mr. Blaine entered the hall and waa received with tremendous cheering, the band playing “Hail to the Chief’? Ten minutes later he commenced -his speech. He appeared in good health and spirits, but retully busbanded bis strength. MR. BLAINK’S SPESCH, He commenced by saying:— One of the chief arguments of the democrats is that there is little difference between the two parties. It he thought it was only turbing out one set. of_—s officeholders ~~ and ~—putting in another he would concern kimsolf but little, but ho thenght there were never more ims portant tssnes involved. The ‘democratic party 1m putting forward Mr. ‘Tilden are putting forward a SPECIAL CHAMPION OF STATE RIGHTS, In 1860, Mr. Tildev addressed a letter to William Kent in which he olearly announced tho strongest doctrines of State’s rights. He made the distincuom between confederation and the nation, and said that each State had the right to sccede if it chose. He then quoted Webster in declaring that the United States is not a confederation, but a nation, deal- ing directly with individuals and that na State could dissolve the Union; that the const tution Js supreme, and that the Supreme Court is tinal interpreter, that any State act opposed to this is rev- olution This ho would put against Mr. Tilden'’s letter, He quoted George T. Curtis’ eulogy of thit speech (Webster’s) as tho clearest and best oxposition of the doctrine of onr government ever made. Now, this speech is in direct opposition to the position of which the democratic party bas pianted itself in the person of their leaders. He quoted Mr. Beck, of Kentucky, in spurning tho word “nation,” and Mr. Katon, of Connecticut, iu say- Ing that 1mis 18 a government of sovereign’ states, This tendency of the democratic party to take the State rights side of the question is so wides id that in most of the democratic — spee and writings of the modern day the admis sion that this is the nation canaot be Jound. This is no mere splitting of hairs abouta term, ‘The very first pomt in their creed is that im case of & conflict they owe aliegianco to their State first, He al.u- ded to VIRGINIA’S DOCTRINE 4 that a State could decide what matter. should past through post offices, Mr. Lamar, one of the ablest of Southern men, voted for the Centennial appropri oe simply on the ground that the powér of deahng’ = Joreign nations had been delegated. to the general goy~ >. ernment, ov which yround he could justify bis yote. He (Blaine) bad taken advantage of his recent conval- escence to read all the inaugural addressea aod mos sages of ull the Presidents from Washington to our time, and found this government called » nation by our first’ three Presidents—Washington, Adams and Jofervon—115 times, and Washington thanked God that we were an independent nation, You do not heat con(ederacy mentioned until Frauk Pierce and Ba- chanan came in. Mr. ‘Tilden, too, calls it a confedo- racy. Now, do you expect anything of the democracy f THR CURRENCY QUESTION, - What has this Congress done of gencral legislation except to repeal the act of resumption? When itwas passed Mr, Tilden was so pleased with it that he in- duced the State of New York to make all payments, conform to it, ut there was a mighty Western demoe racy who believed in inflation, and they mot at Lonis, and there did not he A ther convictions, but sim; harmon} their differences by gorng over to Now, Mr. Tilden and ims immediate frie ted that platform and sent it to St. 1, fou Which got off thew track of specie pay a thor. oughly back without fixing a date, ‘are shrinking from the remedy, and. until wo rise to the courage of our English ancestors = We shall never hear the gold eagle and silver doliar clinking upon our counters. Whon « legislative body indetinitly postpones a thing it it considered dead, and the St Lents Vonvention, speak. ing ior the democracy, indefinitely postpones spocte payments, He thea reviewed the action of Congress in Investigating THR NAVY pupantitent, and declared that every individual right which a free citizen can possess was trampled upon in. the proceed- ing against Secretary Robeson. He said that such @ Violation of private mghts woald in Engiand raise a + mob and destroy a ministry, The action of Congress relative to the appropriation biils was next severcly criticised, . Mr. Blaine'’s speech occupied about an hour, and at its conclusion an immense procession, with torches, 9 mnusic, flreworks and saluses of light artillery, escort the speakers to the Bangor boat, an immense con course thronging the strects, SUPPORTING Pit TER COOPER, Acommittee of one appointed by the Groen Island , (Albany county) Greenback Club yesterday waited upon Mr, Peter Cooper and presented: to him a letter signed by forty of its members. The document states that its subserivers belicve there is “a crisis impending of no less moment than that through which the nution was passing whet Tom Paine penned his famous sen. tence, ‘Vher@.are the times that try men’s souls,’ {¢ further believes that the republican and domecrati Lies alike have, by their humiliation of Iabor, to all claims to the support of the laboring cias+os to which the writers dcolure they belong, “We are convineed,”? the document continues, “that ‘your elec. Hou to tne Chief Maistracy of the Republic would be the dawn of a new and glorious era for the of our countrymen, who to-day stani appahed at the spect of starvation.” bat venerable candidate answered, then sent the Wmitee back with his pockets laden with copies of ix letter upon finance for distribution among his con- stituents: THE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEES. The secretaries of the two compatga committees wore: left alone im their glory yesterday, there being no callers of any note, with the exception of General Kil- patrick, who paid a visit aurimg the day to the rooms of the Republican Committee before starting for Indi , Where he is to deliver several <peeches im favor of Hayes and Wheeler, It is expected that Mr. Hewitt, the chairman of the Democratic Committee, wtil be home by Wednesday or Thursday next, rt the latest, and (hat aday or so after his arrival the Execative Committe will hold a special meeting at tho vere House, and that then the final arrange. ments will be made forearrying the war into Africa, , Tather, into Obie and Indiana, and the choice mado of the leading spenkers for the tncetings to be held hoxt month im the Jarge eities of those States. In an- swer to an inquiry of a HeuaLp reporter as to what the democrats were doing now in Indiaua and Ome to counteract the active campaign Movements began on Saturday there by the republicans, a member of the Democratic Committee replied :—'The democrats will be heard from in dne time, During the campaign very Nttle ‘harrai business’ will be done by them, proba bly, but the work they will periorm, even if it does not make as much noise as the republicans, will, £ think, be found more effective on election day, ‘Alls weil that ends well!’ you know.” QUESTION OF DEMOCRATIC UNION, The trath of the reports that conferences have been held between Tammany avd anti-Tammany representa- lives, looking to a union of the iactions and the send- ing of a single delegation to the State Democratic Con- Yention, will be tested at a meoting of many Kxecutive Committee, to be he! hence, and for which acali will soon be sued by Hoo, Emanuel B. Hart, the chairman of the commitica, NOMINATED FOR CONGRESS. Norristown, Pa., August 14, 1876, Tlon. James Boyd was to-day ngminated for Con. gress by the Democratic Convention of the Sevemih Il, and Voted itdown, upon the ground | The Speaker iad before the Houses message trom | district, ; ‘ty sj %