Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1882 — FORTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

FORTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS.

The .House of Representatives devoted the entire day’s session, on the 15th inst-, to debate on the Tariff Commission bill, on which speeches were made by Messrs. Shallenbarger, Ward, Wilson, McMillan, White and HilL There was no session of the Senate. Mr. Cnilicott, the new Senator from Colorado, was sworn in on the 17th Mr. Ing-alls reported a bill to declare taxable certain lands granted to the Pacific railroads. Mr. McDill introduced a bill to establish a Board of Railway Commissioners to regulate inter-State commerce. A measure was p sed for the adjudication of acclaim for damages arising from a collision between a vessel of the United States and a ferry-boat at Memphis. The bill introduced by Mr. Kellogg, appropriating $5,000,000 for the improvement of the Mississippi and $1,000,000 for the Missouri, was taken up. Mr. Jonas proposed an amendment that any necessary portion of the appropriation may be expended in repairing levees to improve navigation. Mr. Garland urged that $13,000,000 be set aside for the Mississippi and $2,1)00,000 for the Missouri. After a fruitless debate, an executive session was bold, at which Miss Ada 0. Sweet was nominated for Pension Agent at Chicago, and George B. Armstrong, of Chicago, for Register of the Land Office at Huron, Dak. In the House, a petition was read from citizens of California, asking that Bibles be admitted free of duty. Mr. Springer presented a resolution of the Legislature of Illinois, urging the construction of the Hennepin canal. Mr. Gibson introduced a bill to appropriate SIOO,OOO for the purchase and distribution of seed cane. Mr. Bland presented a measure to retire the circulation of national banks. Mr. Banney present ed a report in the Florida contested-election case, for the seating of Bisbee. Mr. Crapo failed in an effort to fix next Tuesday for taking up the bill to extend tbe charters oi national banks. Mr. M#rse introduced a bill to punish by fine and imprisonment the unlawful certification of checks by national banks. Mr. Frost presented a joint resolution to repay to Great Britain the undistributed fund of the Geneva award. After an acrimonious debate an anti-Chinese bill was passed, suspending immigration for ten years, by a vbte of 201 to 37.

Mr. Garland, from the Judiciary Committee, reported to the Senate, on the 18th, in answer to a resolution of inquiry, that a retired army officer can lawfully hold civil positions. The chair submitted a message from tne President recommending an appropriation of $2,020,000 for closing the gaps in the levees of the Mississippi. A resolution was adopted calling for copies of correspondence between the American Minister in Madrid and the Spanish Secretary of State in regard to citizens of tne United States condemned to death in Cuba. A '-■’ll was passed ratifying the agreement with the Crow Indians for the sale of a portion of their reservation in Montana for the Northern Pacific road. On the Mississippi and Missour, River Improvement bill Messrs. Frye and Harrison made adverse arguments. The Agricultural Appropriation bill was passed, setting aside $414,780. Mr. Plumb reported that the conference on the Postofiioe Appropriation bill was unable to agree as to the amount for fast mails, and the subject was referred to the Appropriations Committee. Tn the House, Mr. O’Neill introduced a bill providing that all uncompleted railroad bridges across the' Ohio river shall be union bridges. Mr. Hiscock reported a resolution appropriating $465,000 to supply the deficiency for printing and binding. Mr. Calkins secured the taking up of the Utah contested-election case, on which there was some talk but no action. Mr. Kasson announced that debate on the Tariff bill will not be closed this week. Mr. Guenther secured the passage of a bill to regulate the carriage of passengers by sea. A communication from the Secretary of the Interior urged the establishment of an Indian trainingschool on the Fort Ripley reservation in Minnesota. The President sent to both houses a special message showing bis right to call a congress of nations, and asked to be informed of the sentiment of legislators in regard to convening an international gathering,

When the Mississippi River Improvement bill same up tn the Senate, April 19, speeches were made by Messrs. Jonas, Garland and Frye. Mr. Miller reported the Chinese biff as passed by the House. Mr. Allison reported favorably the bid to permit the investment of the funds of the lowa Agricultural College. There wasoonsiderable discussion on the bill providing for the sale of part of the reservation, of the Omaha tribe. Mr. Sherman presented a petition by the Governor and Legislators of Ohio for liberal appropriations for the education of freedmen. Mr. Taylor, Chairman of the committee to audit the expenses, illness and death of President Garfield, submitted a bill and report. Among the claims passed and allowances made are the following : Mrs. Garfield, $50,000 (less the amount paid the late President on account of his salary) ; Dr. Bliss, $25,000; Dr. Agnew, $15,000 ; Dr. Hamilton, $15,000; Dr. Reyburn, $10,000; Dr. Boynton, $lO,000; Dr. Susan Edson, $10,000; William J. Crump, steward, $3,000; R. 8. Jennings, for cooling apparatus, SI,OOO ; Navy Department, expenses of fitting up cooling apparatus and expenses of the Marine Band, $2,782 ; William R. Bpeare, undertaker, $1,835; O. A. Benedict, coffin, etc., $887; Independent Ice Company, $1,516 : H. L. Crawfora, street sprinkling, $270; C. J. Jones, board, carriages, etc., Elberon, $1,092; C. T. Schmidt, 50 cents ; H. W. Atwood, 75 cents. The employes of the Executive Mansion during the illness of President Garfield (thirty-nine in r.umber) are allowed additional pay ranging from $375 to $l2O each. Commendable mention is also made of Gen. Swaim, Col. Rockwell, J. Stanley Brown and C. 0. Bockwell, who, the report says, devoted their-whole time during tbe President’s illness to his comfort and service. The committee concludes by urging the passage of the bill agreed upon by the majority. Messrs. Blackburn, Springer and Lefevre submitted a minority report, in which they state that they oppose the bill on the ground that tbe allowances to physicians and others' are excessive. Debate on the Utah contested-election case ensued, when the previous question was ordered. An hour was accorded to George Q. Cannon, who charged that Gov. Murray had defrauded him of his rights, and proceeded to defend the institution of polygamy. A resolution that neither Cannon nor Campbell is entitled to the seat was adopted without a division. The Senate, at its session on April 20, passed bills for the sale of property belonging to the Soldiers’ Home at Harrodsburg, Ky., of the post reservation of the Omaha Indians in Nebraska and of the Kickapoo lands in Kansas. The Senate also passed the joint resolution appropriating $160,000 to make up the deficiency in the funds available for carrying on the Government Printing Office. In response to an inquiry by Mr. Beck as to the cause of this large deficiency—s4oo,ooo having previously been appropriated for the same purpose—Mr. Anthony made an explanation which disclosed the enormous extravagance committed by Congress in its orders for the printing of public documents, a large portion of which find their way to the junk-shops and dealers in paper stock. The President nominated Alphonso Taft, of Ohio, to be Minister to Austria ; William L. Dayton, of New Jersey, to the Netherhnds, and Nicholas Fish, of New York, to Belgium. John M. Francis, of New York, was named for Charge d’Affaires to Portugal, and Adam Badeau to be Consul General to Havana. The House passed tbe bill appropriating SIOO,OOO for a public building at Frankfort, Ky. The Mississippi contested-elec-tion case was taken up, ana, after debate, a resolution was adopted, deferring action until the return of Mr. Atherton, who represents the minority. On the Tariff Commission bill speeches were made by Messrs. Turner, Townshend and McKenzie. Mr. King introduced a bill appropriating $6,000,000 for the improvement or construction of Mississippi levees. The President transmitted to Congress a letter from the Mexican Minister, proposing the definition of the boundary fine from the Rio Grande to the Pacific by the erection of durable monuments. The chief magistrate suggests that, in accepting the proposal, suitable provision be made for an adequate military force on the frontier to protect sup veying parties. Mr. Garland made a favorable report to the Senate, April 21, on the bill to permit retired army officers to hold civil positions in the Territories. Mr. Beck offered a resolution of inquiry into the character and cost of publication by the Census Bureau. A bill was passed for the manufacture of salt in Indian Territory. When the Mississippi River Improvement bill came up, arguments were made by Messrs. Vest, Harrison and Morgan. The persistency of Mr. Hoar caused Chairman Davis (Ill.) to call him to order in a decided manner. A resolution was adopted for the appointment of three Senators to investigate the charges against the internal-revenue officers in the Sixth district of North Carolina, -senj, puooes eqi Sutxy qiq v pessud esnoji eqx •esuqojnd ;uq; joj ;uamu.t9Ao2 jiaio SntptAOJd ‘(jrq vqskiv eq; joj e;nn;s -qns b papodej J9[;ng -jpj •s[ooqes nora -moo jo ;joddns Arejoauie; pun ;uemqs<[qv;s9 eq; m piv o; niff eq; qowq papodej Jreja ujy day in October for the election of Congressmen in West Virginia. For the bill to afford relief to Congress and the executive department in the investigation of claims against the Government, Mr. House offered a substitute by which claimants may file petitions in the Court of Claims, and that tribunal shall report the facts to either house. An evening session was held to consider pension bills, twenty of which were passed. Measures were adopted to give thirty condemned cannon for a monument to Gen. John Fulton Reynolds, twelve to commemorate the services of Oliver P. Morton, at Indianapolis, and to give to the Saratoga Association eight guns captured from Gen. Burgoyne.