Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1882 — DOINGS OF CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

DOINGS OF CONGRESS.

The anti-Chinese bill occupied the sole attention of the House on the 18th, the entire day being given up to debate on that measure. Speeches were made by Messrs. Flower, Moore, Berry and Williams. There was no session of the Senate. Senator Teller, from the Committee on Public Lands, reported a bill to the Senate, on the 20th, to fix the period of residence necessary to acquire titles to homesteads, making it three years instead of five. A bill was reported for a public building at Erie, Pa. A resolution was passed allowing Mr. Butler $8,500 and Mr. Kellogg $9,500 for expenses incurred in meeting contests for their seats. The Diplomatic and Military Academy bills were reported, with amendments, as was also the act for the admission of Dakota. Messrs. Beck and Morrill made speeches on the Tariff-uommission bill. Mr. Pendleton presented a memorial of the National Tobacco Association protesting against the passage of a Froe-Leaf bill and asking tho abolition of export stamps. The executive session was wholly consumed in considering the nomination of Samuel Seabury, of New York, to be Naval Constructor, on which no action was taken. In the Speaker submitted a message from the President stating that, in compliance with the constitution, the Governor of Nebraska, on his request, was given authority to employ troops to protect the State against domestic violence. It was agreed that the House recede from its amendment to the Mississippi relief bill authorizing an expenditure for strengthening the levees. Mr. Hubbell introduced a bill to abolish all taxes on banking and the stamD tax on matches and perfumery. Mr. Manning presented a bill to appropriate $5,000 for a monument at the grave of Thomas Jefferson, and Mr. Beach an act setting aside SIO,OOO for a memorial shaft at Washington’s headquarters at Newburgh, N. Y. A resolution from the Maryland Assembly asked an appropriation for a monument to Francis Scott Key. Mr. Neal asked permission to report the District of Columbia code without the provision for mixed schools, and a hot debate ensued, the scheme being voted down. It was resolved to tal-9 up the Tariff-Commission bill whenever the House shall go into committee of the whole, and to continue its consideration until definite results are reached. On a struggle over the Alabama Claims bill the House was in session until after midnight. Mr. Pendleton, of Ohio, introduced in the Senate, on March 21, a joint resolution providing that all Postmasters, United States Marshals and District Attorneys, the Clerks of all courts inferior to the Supreme Court, and all other civil officers of tiie United States exercising executive or ministerial powers within any State or Territory shall be elected by the people within their districts. Mr. Hale offered a protest against the admission of Dakota until her record is purged of the charge of repudiation in Yankton county. Amendments to tho Life-Saving bill were adopted by which a pension roll is created for disabled surfmen. The Military Academy ApEropriation was passed, as were also bills to ridge the Mississippi between Minnesota and Wisconsin, to abolish the reservaiien at Fort Abercrombie, and for the sale of the Otoe and Missouri reservations. Mr. Frye introduced a bill to incorporate a company to build a railway between New York and Washington. The capital is to be $10,009,000, and ex-Senators Gordon, Wallace and Creswell are among the promoters. The time of transit is to be six and one-half hours, and the fare $6. The House adopted a resolution to make the Geneva Award bill the special order for April 11. Mr. Gibson submitted a telegram from New Orleans, stating that the supplies distributed by the War Department are exhausted. The House had another long debate on the Chinese bilL The Senate at its session on the 22d, amended the diplomatic appropriation to provide that all Consular agencies with their compensation be hereafter enumerated in the estimates of the Secretary of State, when the bill passed. The Senate in executive session Blatchforu as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. A. L. Morrison, of Chicago, was nominated as Marshal for New Mexico. The House adopted a resolution calling on the Secretary of War for information as to what further relief is necessary for the Mississippi sufferers. The Chinese bill was taken up and debated. Mr. Washburn, of Minnesota, made the point that it was the duty of the Government to .prevent the degradation of labor, and Randolph Tucker, of Virginia, roplied to the talk about endangering our trade with China, bv showing that the total commerce between the two countries last year did not amount to $30,000,000, and had fallen off 33 per cent, since Abe adoption of the present treaty. Mr. McLane, of Maryland, former Minister to China, made a powerful argument in support of the bilL Mr. K-ts3on, of lowa, expressed great fears lest the sensibilities of the Chinese Government should be wounded.

Mr. Platt made a favorable report to the Senate, on the 23d, on a bill tor the registration of trade-marks. Mr. George reported an original bill to make the Agricultural D epartment an executive one. A bill was introduced for tlio adm.s non of the State of Washington. The Secretary of War was directed to transmit full information as to relief furnished to or needed by the Mississippi sufferers, A resolution for a reciprocity treaty with Mexico was referred. Mr. M&hone reported a bill to prevent the spread of contagious diseases among domestic animals. Mr. Dawes reported the ludiln Appropriation bill, with several amendments. In executive session, A L. Morrison, of Chicago, was confirmed as Marshal of New Mexico. The President sent in the following nominations : John H. Smyth, of North Carolina, Minister Resident and Consul General of the United States to Liberia; Emery P. Beauchamp, of Indiana, United States

Consul at St. Gall; James W. Wilson, of Missouri, United States Consul at Three Rivers, Quebec. The Hons* resumed debate on the Chinese bill, nearly all who chose having an opportunity to air their view*. Mr. Page brought the debate to a dose, and stated that he knew two railroad companies had united to defeat the measure. Mr. Hasson's amendment to reduce to ten years the period of suspension of immigration was defeated by 100 to 13L Mr. Bntterworth’s amendment for a fifteen-year limit was lost. The bill then passed the House exactly aa it came from the Senate by 177 yeas to 65 nays, more than two- thirds. The vote in the Senate was 29 to 15, or one less than two-thirds. The House bill to bridge the Missouri at Aaron Rock was passed by the Senate on March 24. The Life-Saving-Service bill was amended to provide for five stations on the Florida coast, and to permit the Secretary of the Treasury to fix pay on the basis of service rendered. when the measure passed. Mr. Sawyer presented a memorial from the Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce against the renewal of patents for steam grain-shovels, and resolutions of the Wisconsin Legist*ture for throwing open to oommerce the Sturgeon bay ship-canal. Mr. Morrill reported adversely on Mr. vest’s bill to prohibit the issue of notes by banks hereafter organized or reconstructed. Mr. Kellogg reported a bill appropriating $5,000,000 for the improvement of the Mississippi, and $1,000,000 for similar work on the Missouri. Mr. Miller made a speech on The tariff-Commission bilL Mr. Williams introduced a bill to incorporate the Cherokee Central Railroad and Telegraph Company. A bill was passed to create two new land districts in Nebraska. In theHonse Mr. Robinson asked action on the resolution respecting the imprisonment of American citizens in Great Britain, and threatened to move the impeachment of Minister Lowell. A bill was reported appropriating $6,863,000 for the improvement es the Mississippi river. In committee of the whole on the private oalendar the olaim of the captors of the ram Albemarle was discussed for two hours and perfected, and when the committee rose the bill was passe d.