Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1884 — NEWS CONDENSED. [ARTICLE]

NEWS CONDENSED.

Concise Record of the Week. doings of congress. Mb. Sherman's resolutions on the Vir. ginia and Mississippi elections were taken up in the Senate on the 29th nit. The galleries were fall, in anticipation of a fiery political debate Mess s. Sherman and Mahone made speeches denunciatory of the Southern Democracy: bnt, to the disappointment of the galleries, the Democratic side of the Senate observed a policy of silence. ‘ The resolutions were thereupon passed by a strict partv vote — 33 to 29. Mr. Vest reported formally a bill to repeal the timber-culture law. Mr. Cameron introduced a bill to establish the Territory of North Dakota. Mr. Platt offered a resolution of inquiry as to the effcc: of the stock dividend of the Western Union Telegraph company, its consolidation with competing lines, or its regulations for the transmission of press news. The House resolution lor aid to destitute Indians at the Crow reservation was adopted, the amount bsing raised to SIOO,OOO. House bills were pased appropriating $3,730,000 to pay rebate on tobacco and $21,965 for the expenses of the Legislature of New Mexico. The House of Representatives passed a resolution, offered by Mr. Hopkins, of Pennsylvania, for the appointment of a special committee of five members to investigate the charge made by ex-Speakor Keifer that 11. V. Boynton, a correspondent, attempted in a corrupt manner to influence his action on the McGarrahan claim. Mr. Keifer cansed to be read a letter which he had written to the offender. Bills were introduced to prevent the adulteration of sugar, to bridge the Mississippi at St. Paul, to prevent the intermarriage of whites and negroes in the District of Columbia, to secure the s.ability of the paper currency, and to purchase additional ground for the erection of a public building at Galveston. Petitions signed by several thousand citizens of the Territories of Washington, Dakota, and Idaho, and of the District of Columbia, asking for a prohibitory liquor law, were presented in the Senate on the 30th ult. After some debate on the question of volunteers for the Greely relief expedition, the Senate adjourned, to attend the funeral of Representative Mackey. The House of Repres ntatives voted to enlarge the powers of the committee investigating affaire at Hot Springs, Arkanas. Bills were reported to establish a Bureau of Animal Indnstrv, to retire H. J. Hunt with the rank of Major General, to make postage on second-class matter two cents per pound, making further appropriations for public buildings at Erie and Council Bluffs, and to provide that no Territory shall apply for admission as a State unless it has sufficient population to entitle it to representation in Congress. The obsequies of Hon. E. W. M. Mackey were conducted by Rev. Drs. Huntley and Shippen. A large number of petitions for a prohibitory liquor law for the Territories and the District of Columbia were presented in the Senate on the 31st ult. Bills were introduced to pay employes of the Gove, ament the wages withheld in violation of the eight-hour law, and to relieve commercial travelers from license taxes. Mr. Sewell reported a bill providing that no regimental or company officer shay be detached for more than three consecutive years. Mr. Coke presented a joint resolution from the Legislature of Texas urging the improvement of Galveston harbor in the manner proposed by Capt. Eads. A communication from the Attorney General stated that his clerical force was insufficient to supply the papers called for by Congress. Adjourned to Monday, Jan. 4. The House of Representatives adopted a resolution asking the Secretary of the Interior to explain by what authority 189,000 acres of landavere certified to the State of Kansas for the benefit of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Pe road. The bill forfeiting lands granted to the Texas and Pacific Railroad sompany was passed by a vote of 259 to 1. A message from the President was received, transmitting the report of the Secretary of State in regard to the restriction of American hog products by Germany and France. After three weeks’ deliberation ana five days of debate, the House of Representatives, on the Ist inst, passed the bill for the relief of Fitz John Porter by, a vote of 184 to 78. Strenuous efforts were resorted to by the Republican leaders to stave off a vore by filibustering, but when at 0 o’clock the Democrats conceded an hour for debate the opponents of Porter accepted the situation. Mr. Wolford was the first speaker. His arguments were in favor of the bill. Following him Mr. Calkins made a speech against Porter. Mr. Phelps next spoke at length in favor of the measure. Several short speeches were made, and then Mr. Curtjn closed the argument. The galleries were crowded, and intense interest was manifested when, the House proceeded to record it 3 verdict. An analysis of the vote shows that 164 Democrats, 18 Republicans, and 2 Independents voted for the passage of the bill, and 77 Republicans and one Democrat (Converse, of Ohio) recorded their names against it. A bill was introduced to prohibit the removal of House employes uuring vacation, except for causa Conference committees were appointed on the special Indian appropriation and the Greely relief schema The Senate was not in session