Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1883 — DOINGS OF CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

DOINGS OF CONGRESS.

The proceedings of Congress on the 6th inst were tame and uninteresting. In the Senate, petitions from Wisconsin were presented for a constitutional amendment to prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors, as also a memorial from Oregon for the improvement of Columbia river. A House bill was passed to permit the free exportation of tobacco and cigara A bill was reported to grant right of way through public land in Alabama to the Borne and Decatur railroad. T e House lis ened to a communication from thi President recomm nding an appropriation of .SIOO,OOO to complete the census. Mr. White, of K ntucky, offered a resolution as to the n cess ty for the presence of Commissioner Baum" in Illinois, where enormem qu" ntities of distil ed spir ts now lie in b nded warehouses, and whose owners are pet tioning for extension of the bonded period The Presidential Succession hill was discuss d at s6me length by the Senate on the Bth inst, fnd Mr. Beck, who has heretofore opposed the measure, gave it his support. A bill was passed to prohibit the use of the Capitol for other than legitimate purposes Mr. Pendle.on presented a memorial of Cincinnati merchants against the proposed national bankrupt law. In the House,bills were introduced to create a postal telegraph, to reduce letter postage to 1 cent, to bridge St. Croix lake and Niagara river, and to limit the coinage of standard silver dollars to the requirements of the people A resolution was adopted for the appointment of a committee to investigate the charge that John Bailey, Chief Clerk of the House, is an agent of the Washington Gas Company. The Shipping bill was discussed. A resolution was adopted by the Senate, on the 9th inst., requesting the suspension of daily mall service between Fort Niobrara and Deadwopd and between Chamberlain and Bapid City. A joint resolution was adopted authorizing Ensign Beynolds to accept a decoration from the Emperor of Austria Memorials were presented from the Georgia Legislature in favor of the Educational bill, and from the Kentucky University for an appropriation for the support of schools in the States. A favorable report was made on the bill to grant to a railroad and telefraph line the right of way through the ort Smith military reservation. The bill to provide for the Presidential succession passed the Senate by a vote of 40 yeas to 15 nays. The bill was amended in several particulars before being put upon its passage, and, as it now stands, the Cabinet officer who may succeed to the Presidency will hold office but a very brief period. It is made his duty, if Congress is not at the time in session, to convene that body w thin twenty days to provide for permanently, idling the vacant position by. an election under the present law. The House devoted the entire day to the cons deration of the Shipping bill The burden of several of the speeches was opposition to any provision looking to the repeal of State laws imposing taxes upon merchant vessels Mr. Springer enljghtened the House on the legal questions involved. As Mr. Springer rose to speak oh the bill, a colored man stood up in the gallery and commenced an oration, which was interrupted by the doorkeeper. Mr. Lapham presented a pe.itioniu the Senate on the 10th inst from members of the New York Board of Trade for the passage of the Lowell Bankruptcy bill Mr. Frye introduced a joint resolution for the termination of the fisheries treaty between the United States and Great Britain. The Tariff bill was considered in committee of the whole In the House, Mr. Crapo offered a resolution directing the Judiciary Committee to report what legislation is necessary to establish low and equitable telegraphic rates between the States of the Union and foreign countries. Mr. Aidrich introduced a bill providing for the exportation of distilled spirits on giving one bond. Mr. Mills offered a resolution inquiring of the Attorney General the amount paid to special counsel in the star-route

] cases. A special committee was appointed ] to investigate the charges against the Chief I Clerk of the House. John Bailey. Mr. Cameron presented a memorial in the on the 11th inst, from the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce.against a reduction of the tariff on bituminous coaL The bill for the relief of Fitz John Porter was passed, with an amendment providing that no pay or allowance prior to reinstatement shall be granted The vote stood: Yeas, 33; nays, 2d Messrs. Cameron of Pennsylvania, Bewell of New Jersey, and Hoar of Massachusetts voted with the Democrats in the affirmative. With these exceptions, the Republicans voted solidly against the bill, the Democrats all supporting it. Mahone and Riddleberger dodged the vote. The House of Representatives resumed disexxßsion of the Shipping bill. Candler's free-ship amendment was agreed to by 125 to 104. Holman’s amendment, providing that 50 per cent, of the drawback shall lie paid to the laborers employed in the construction of any vessel, was rejected Mr. Ingalls introduced a bill in the Senate, on the 11th inst., to provide for determining the existence of inability in the President. Bills were passed to extend the jurisdiction of Justices of the Peace in Idaho, Washington and Montana, and to grant to the St. Louis and San Francisco road the right of way through the Fort Smith military reservation. Nearly four hours were spent in executive session on the Mexican claims treaty, recently signed by Secretary Frelinghuysen. In the House, Mr.. Butterworth reported a bill authorizing the Southern Pacific, Chesapeake and Ohio, and connecting roads, to form a transcontinental route. A resolution was adopted calling for information as to whether the land-grant roads had complied with the laws in regard to the maintenance of telegraph linos for the use of the Government and the public. The Shipping bill was taken up, and a committee substitute was adopted limiting the amount of drawback tonnage tax collected in any one year. The section exempting from State taxation vessels engaged in the foreign carrying trade was stricken out, as were also the drawback, free-ship and free-material provisions, and the bill was passed.