Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 December 1881 — DOINGS OF CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

DOINGS OF CONGRESS.

The Senate convened at noon of Monday ec. 5, and was called to order bv Acting Vi.» e-ident Davis. William Windoui was dul diifi"d as Senator from Minnesota. Mi. rU.nd mtrodneed a bill providing for a cot - , Kion to inquire into the relative effect upoi e indiistnes of tbe country on the consumi r j p otiucer of the present tariff ayt-tem, an. : relative merits ot 6] eeific and ad valorem dies, with a view to prov d ug pr per iegniou to meet defects and rtnudy unjurtois umnations and other evils. The bill is in tin ntme of a substitute for the Eaton bill last session. Mr. Lapham introducer bill providing for the punishment oi atnipis on the )ite of the President of tin n ted States, or others charged with ti e du- ■ -i of President, punishment on convct on to t- imprisonment for lite in solitary contimi nt or at hard labor in the discretion of the iurt. Mr. . Sherman introduced a 3-pcr- . nt. funding bill; Mr. Beck a measure to co n the trade dollars into standard ieces ; Mr. Miller a bill to enforce treaty stiplati ms rearing to the Chinese, and Mr. Locan n act to place Gen. Grant on the retirod it of the army. Mr. Edmunds offered a resoluion to continue all committees of the Bena e s tn<y existed last session. Senator Punk hereupon moved an amendment authorizing ne President of the Senate to decide liether tbe committees shall be equal.y or therwiso divided between both political ai ties. The resolution and amendment w ere id over without action. At a caucus of the Republican Senators in the evening, it was resolved to support Mr. Edmuuds’ resolution. Cue House was called to order at noou by Clerk Adam 3. The roll call showed that only deasrs. Morey, Scales,Mills and Deuster were absent. A ballot for Speaker resulted in 148 votes for Keifer, 129 for Randall, and 8 for Ford, ibjectious were made to the swearing in of even members, among them Chalmers of Mis--iasippi and Dibblo of South Carolina, but all <vere finally admitted,the objections being withrawn. As soon as all tbo members were worn in. tbe Republican caucus nominees for House officers were sworn in. A number of bills were introduced in the Senate on the 6th inst., including one by Mr. [ngalls granting the franking privilege to Mrs. Garfield; ono by Mr. Pendleton to improve the civil service, and to prevent extortion, coercion and bribery by persons in tho public service; and one by Mr. Saunders admitting Dakota as a State. Sir. Edmunds’ resolution continuing the Senate committees of last session was passed, Mr. Davis voting with the Republicans for the resolution. He made a speech defining his position. Ho said ho thought it only proper that the party responsible for the legislation should have a majority of the committees. He announced liis intention to vote for tbe present Seuale officers, all Democrats, thus dividing his influence. Mr. Davis denied the charge that he had sold out to the Republican party; said that he would support the administration when it was right, and oppose it when it was wrong, and that he would strivo to bring about a more cordial union between North and South. In the House, the drawing of seats and the reading of the message occupied the session, and an adjournment wa, voted till Friday, the 9th. On the meeting of the Senate on Wednesday, Dec. 7, Senators Sherman, Pendleton, Dawes, Lapham, Bayard and Morgan were appointed by the chair ou tho joint oommittee for the preparation of a memorial upon the death of the late President Garfield. A large number of bills of • a private nature, mainly for individual relief, were introduced and referred. Bills were introduced and referred as follows : Fpr the erection of a public building at Quincy. 11.; to enable tho people of New Mexiccr to lorm a constitution and State Government; to establish a Department of Agriculture aud Commerce; making trade dollars legal tender at their nominal value lor all debts, public and private, except where otherwise expressly (stipulated in contract; -to provide for the allotment of lands iu severalty to the united Peoriai and Miamis of the Indian Territory; to procure aud publish certain information relative to the demand aud price of American agriculture and other products in foreign country s ; granting pensions to soldiers of the Mexican war,.and to soldiers engaged in the Creek, Seminole aud Blackhawk Indian wars • for a public building at Peoria, IIL The Sonat i passed the bill, on Thursday, the 81h inst., conferring on Mrs. Garfield the franking privilege, Mr. Garland introduced a bill providing that, in case of the removal death resignation or inability of both the President and Vice President of tne United States the Secretary of State, or if there be no Secretary of State, the Secretary or the Treasury or if there bo neither Secretary of btate nor Secretary of the Treas-

acT'a* President be removed or » President be elected by the people. Mr. Plumb introduced a bill providing that certain lands here to tore granted to railroad companies be declared forfeited to the United States in cases where tbs lands were granted to aid in the construction of roads which have not been constructed witlun tbe specified tune. Mr. Plumb also introduced a trill providing for the exemption from taxation of saving deposits in provident associations, savings talks and savings institutions, and on so much oi their deposits as have been invested in United States securities. 'Mr. Cockrell introduced a bill providing that Union soldiers or officers wLo served ninety days or over during the Rebel lion, and who received honorable discharge, or, in case of their death, their widows or orphans, shall he entitled to 180 acres of puolic land. Mr. Pendleton reintroduced his old bill providing that Cabinet officers ma. have scats on the floor of the Senate and House of Represent itives. Mr. Merrill m-de a lengthy address on the Tariff Commission bill. Mr. Vert introduced bills tor a bridge across the Missouri nvor at a point five mi es stove St. Louis, for recording marriages in the Territories, and for making a wife scompetent witness in a trial for big tiny in tbs Territories. Mr. Grooine piesented a measuie lor the erection of a monument to Oul De Kalb. The House was not in session. Only the House of Representatives was in session on Friday, the 9th mat, and there was vsry little business done, the appointment of a committee on the death of President Garfield and on mileage by Speaker Kedter bom.; the only matters which excited much comment A. H. Smith, of Pennsylvania, was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Mileage. An adjournment to Tuesday, the 13th, was taken.