Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1883 — NEWS CONDENSED. [ARTICLE]

NEWS CONDENSED.

Concise Record of the Week. DOINGS OF CONGRESS. Mb. Anthony, who has for a long time been on a sick bed, made his appearance in the Senate on the 11th Inst., requiring assistance to reach the elevator. Every Senator rose as he wSa sworn in. Mr. Sherman presented a bill to encourage closer commercial relations with Mexico, Brazil, and the Central South American republics. Mr. Ingalls offered a petition for pensions for ex-prisoners of war. At the executive session waiter Q. Gresham was confinned as Postmaster General. The President sent in a large batch of nominations, nearly all of them recess appointments. About 300 bills were introduced in the House, among them the following: By Mr. Lacey, to establish a postal savings deposit as a branch of the Postoffice department; by Mr. Cutcheon, for the better protection of life and property on Lake Michigan, by the construction of a harbor of refuge; by Mr. Taple, to abolish the du.y on salt; by Mr. Muldrow, to enlarge the powers and duties of the Department of Agriculture; by Mr. Hatch, to establish a Bureau of Animal Industry and prevent the importation of diseased cattle and the spread of contagious diseases among domes ic animals, and also to allow farmers and planters to sell leaf tobacco of their own production to other than manufacturers without a special tax: by Mr. O’Neil, to prevent the adulteration of food and drugs; by Mr. Burnes, to admit free of duty all grades of sugar; also for the relief of land-owners whose land is destroyed by any navigable river; by Mr. Slocum, a bill for the relief of Fitz John Porter; by Mr. Kelley, to further limit the coinage of silver dollars, and Mr. Smith, another to suspend the coinage; by Mr. Bosecrans, proposing a constitutional amendment suppressing polygamy; by Mr. McMillin, to make the trade dollar legal tender; Mr. Oury, to transfer the Indian bureau from the Interior to the War department, and for the admission of Arizona as a State; by Mr. Haymond, to establish the territory of North Dakota; by Mr. Cairns, to admit Utah as a State; and bv Mr. Hutchins, to provide for the retirement of all legal tender notes of less than ffi. Mr. Robinson, of New Yo k, offered resolutions inquiring about the purchase of public lands by foreign nobl men, and asking whether Minister Lowell received the title of Lord Rector In Great Britain. Mu. Van Wyck offered a resolution in tkt Senate, on the 12th inst., calling for information as to the amount paid to special attorneys and detectives under this administration. A resolution was passed directing the Secretary of the Treasury to show under what provisions of law the reduction of the public debt has been effected. Mr. Wilson called up his joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution relating to the civil rights of citizens. The resolution proposes that the following article-amendment be numbered Art. 16: “Congress shall have power, by appropriate legislation, to protect the citizens of the United States in the exercise and enjoyment of their rights, privileges and immunities, and insure them the equal protection of the laws." Mr. Wilson addressed the Senate in support of the resolution, and, on his motion, it was referred to the Judiciary Committee. The Hruse was not in session. Mb. Dulph introduced a bill in the Senate, on the 12th inst., to admit Washington Territory and a portion of Idaho as the State of Washington. Mr. Morrill presented a measure for a commission on the liquor traffic. A prolonged debate took place on the report of the Committee on Rules. A resolution was adopted calling upon the Secretary of the Interior for information relative to the transfer of the Texas and Pacific land grant to the Southern Pacific road. Mr. Sawyer introduced a bill to forfeit to a certain extent lands granted to Michigan to build a railroad from Oitonagon to the Wisconsin line, in order to protect the rights of persons holding proper government titles. The House was no in session. In the evening a caucus of Republicans was held for the purpose of nominating officers of the Senate. Gen. Anson G. McCook received 19 votes for Secretary, George O. Gorham 13, and D. W. Ramsdell 3. McCook was then declared the nominee. Cha-les W Johnson, of Minnesota, was selected for Chief Clerk; James R. Young, of Pennsylvania, as Executive Clerk: Rev. E. E. Huntlev for Chaplain, and CoL W. P. Canaday as Sergeant-at-Anns. ' A joint resolution was introduced in the House, on the 14th inst, - by Mr. Hoblitzell, requesting the President to issue a proclamation for the commemoration of the centennial anniversary of Washington’s surrender of his com- ■ mission, Dec. 24. Mr. Horr &«ked leave to offer a resolution calling the attention of the President to the recent riots at Danville, Va.,but Mr. Morrison objected. Mr. Cox desired to introduce a joint resolution to repeal the test oath, but Mr. Horr objected. There was no session of the Senate on the 14th.