Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1881 — DOINGS OF CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

DOINGS OF CONGRESS.

Mr. Edmunds introduced a bill in the Senate, on the 12th inst., for the payment of reasonable expenses incurred in behalf of the late President, not to exceed SIOO,OOO. Among other bil.s introduced was one by Mr. Edmunds, providing that jurors in trials for polygamy and bigamy in the Territory of Utah may be challenged, and another lor the scientific exploration of Alaska under the direction of the Secretary of War, and apbropriating $68,000 for the pur; obi ; and a bill by Mr. Morgan, of Alabama, granting the right of way through the State of Alabama to the Gulf and Chicago Air-Line railway. Mr. Call, of Florida, introduced a resolniim authorizing the Committee on Territories to inquire into the expediency of establishing Territorial government for Alaska. Mr. Garland addressed the Senate on the Tariff Commission bill. He alleged that ihe tendencies of a protective policy were that they were but a step te and led up lo monopolies. Mr. Beck, on tho same side, asserted that Mr. Morrill’s bill was iu favor of “ Congressional pets,” and that under a protective tariff the American mercantile marine had been driven from the sea, and ihat we are now paying foreigners $130,000,000 a year, instead of receiving from them $25,009,000 a year as in 1860, under the protective tariff of 18 per cent. F. T. Frelmgliuysen, of New Jersey, was nominated for Secretary of State, and confirmed without an objection. Mr. Davis, of West Virginia, introduced resolutions in tho Senate, on the 13th inst., instructing the Senate Committee on Pensions to inquire into the working of the Arrearages-of-Pensions act. Mr. Edmunds introduced a resolution calling for full copies of tlie correspondence between the State Department and Ministers of Chili and Peru. Mr. Vest introduced Eads’ bill for a ship railway across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, the projector to expend $75,000 in preliminary work before any guarantees are given by Congress. Mr. Logan reported favorably from tho Committee on Military Affaiis his bill for placing Gen. Grant on tbo retired list. Mr. Pendleton spoke at great length on the bill to improve the civil service. The President nominated Jas. G. Watmouth to be Paymaster General of tlie Navy and John H. Stevenson to be Inspector. The names of over 100 Postmasters were sent iD. In the House, 781 bills were introduced. Of these biils 121 were introduced by the Kansas Congressmen, and tho industrious Illiuois legislators introduced 117, while Louisiana’s representatives introduced o ghty-nine, Kentucky’s eighty-two, Indiana’s sixty-seven and lowa’s forty-seven. The bills deal with agreat variety of subjects,but principally with the tariff, the currency, national banks, iuter-State commerce and transportation. Mr. Page offered a bill to restrict Chinese immigration; Mr. Springer, an act for the appraisement of telegraph lines, and Mr. Momson. a measure to reduce all tariff duties 10 per cent A select committee of eleven wag ordered, to audit claims incident Ml the illness and burial of President Garfield and to consider what allowance should be granted the widow. The Houso adjourned to Friday, the 16th.

Mr. Garland’s Presidential succession bill was debated at considerable length in the Senate on the 14th inst. The debates partook of a legal and technical character, and made it evident that the bill will not pass until considerably amended. Mr. Beck strongly opposed that portion of the bill investing the succession in the Cabinet officers. Mr. Hoar addressed the Senate in favor of the appointment of a committee to investigate the question of woman suffrage, and incidentally denounced the brutal treatment to which women were subjected under the old common law of England. Mr. Vest vigorously opposed the appointment of tho committee. To confer the ballot upon them would, in his opinion, have the effect to. lower them to tho grade of the ward politician, the constable and the JtiTico of the Peace. Mr. Plumb introduced a bill to the statutes so as to make mandatory the issue of gold certificates. A favorable report was made on the bill to straighten the northern boundary of Nebraska. Mr. Garland’s Presidential-Succession bill was discussed again on the 15th at considerable length in the Sonate by Mr. Garland, who defended the bill, and who urged the necessity for the adoption of some such measure, and by Beck, and Jones of Florida, who took exception to some of the provisions of the measure. Mr. Hoar’s Woman-Suffrage Committee resolution was discussed briefly, Mr. Vest indulging in some caustic remarks. He said that to establish woman suffrage would add “tremendously” to the volume of illiterate voters, and that, while the “women" of the country would rush to the polls, not one “lady” in a thousand would go there. Ingalls, of Kansas, introduced a resolution instructing the Committee on Pensions to inquire and report what increase of pension, if any, should be allowed the widow of Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Hale introduced four bills on the subject of Congressional reapportionment, in order to bring the whole subject before tho Census Committee, of which he is Chairman, with a view to securing final legislative action on the subject during the present session. The following among other bills were introduced by Mr. Coke: To regulate inter-State commerce and to prohibit unjust discrimination by common carriers ; by Mr. Beck, to repeal taxes on deposits with banks, banking associations and bankers; by Mr. Plumb, to authorize the issue of silver certificates and standard silver dollars on deposit of silver bullion. After listening to the views of Secretary Folger, the Senate Finance Committee unanimously indorsed John Sherman’s 3-per-cent. Funding bill, with amendments providing that not over $25,000,000 in deposits shall be received at one time, and that tho bonds to be issued shall not exceed $200,000,000. The House was not in session. air. voornees addressed the Senate on the 16th inst., in opposition to tho recommendation of Secretary Folger as to the limitation of silver coinage. Re criticised Secretary Sherman’s financial policy, and intimated that President Arthur and Secretary Folger were mere agents of the national banks. He defended tlie greenback theories of a few years ago, and claimed that they had triumphed. He was very severe on monopolies, corporations, etc. Mr. Van Wyck presented & petition from 3.IKK) citizei s of Nebraska, praying for an Inter-State commerce bill to prohibit railway discriminations. The President nominated B. H. Biwßter to be Attorney General ; N. A. Adams for Pension Agent at Bt. Louis and Wallace E. Finch as Survevor of Customs at La Crosse, Wis. in the House 867 bills were introduced, among them the following :. By Mr. Townsend, of Ohio, to appropriate $50,000 for the relief of the widow of President Garfield ; by Mr. Neal, of Ohio, to incorporate the Garfield Memorial Hospital Society; by Mr. Miller, providing for the discharge in bankruptcy of one or more of the innocent members of a partnership when another partner has been guilty of some illegal act; by Mr. Shallenbcrger, to prevent persons living in bigamy from holding any officj of trust or emolument in the Un.ted States Territories, and regulating marriage in the Territories: by Mr. Cnalmers, to pay the pnblic debt and stop the manufacture of money by corporations; by Mr. Hatch, to pernit planters to sell tobacco of their own production without payment of license or tax, to the amount of twenty-five pounds annually. Mr. Robinson, of New York, tried to make himself heard upon the question of imprisonment of American citizens in Ireland, but the Speaker called him to order. A resolution was adopted for a holidav recess from Dec. 21 to Jan. 5. Speaker Keifer announced the following as the committee on the expenses attending the illness and burial of President Garfield : Taylor, Pound, Cox, Lefevre, Belford, Blackburn, Page, Springer, O’NeiU and Shelley.

C. M. Clat says in the Kentucky lave Stock Record that the finest carriage horses lie ever saw are the Russian Orloffs. They are heavier than English and American horses, and are blacks and dapple grays Mr. Olay advises breeders *9 import that stock.