Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1884 — NEWS CONDENSED. [ARTICLE]

NEWS CONDENSED.

Concise Record of the Week. DOINGS OF CONGRESS. Bills .were Introduced in the Senate, on the 13th, to suspend the coinage of the standard silver dollar until June, 1886, and to receive trade dollars in small amounts for postage and revenue stamps; for the erection of public buildings at Pueblo and Del Norte, Colo., and to prohibit the assessment of Government Officials and employes for political purposes. A bill was passed authorizing the construction of a bulking for the Congressional Library. A resolution was adopted calling on the Attorney General to explain the delay in interpreting the law as to the adjustment of Postmasters' salaries. A bill was passed to pay Mrs. Louisa Boddy, of Oregon, $5,400 for mnrders and depredations by the Modocs. The House of Representatives adopted a resolution to send a select committee to Hot Springs, Ark., to examine all Government interests at that point. Bills were introduced—to retire or recoin the trade dollar, to authorize the extension of the Chesapeake and Ohio road to the military lands at Fortress Monroe, to provide for the construe- , tion of the Michigan and Mississippi canal, to erect a public building at Carson City, and to convert the 3,4, and 4% per cent bonds into 2J$ par cents., paying a premium equal to the amount saved to the country. There was some debate on the naval appropriation bill. Mr. Stewart, of Vermont, offered a resolution, which was adopted, authorizing the committee to investigate the manner in which the star-route cases have been prosecuted, with a view to ascertain whether such prosecutions have been in good faith. A caucus of the House Democrats was held in the evening. It did nothing but elect a chairman (8. 8. Cox) and font secretaries. The tariff question was not brought up. Mr. Voorhees offered a resolution in the Senate, Feb. 13, directing the Secretary of the Interior to withold for the present his approval of certain patents for lands selected by the Northern Pacific Road. Mr. Pendleton introduced a bill to grant condemned cannon for a statue to Gen, William H. Lytle, of Ohio. The McPherson bill to provide for the i->sue of circulating notes to national banks was advocated by Mr. Bayard as being in the line of absolute security. Mr. Sherman offered an amendment as to bonds bearing more than 3 percent, interest. He said sentiment in Congress was hostile to the suspension of silver coinage or the adoption of a new ratio between the precious metals, and that a silver standard was casting its shadow upon the future. In the House, a resolution was offered inquiring into the delay in returning the measure for the relief of sufferers by the tioods now prevailing. Petitions were presented for pensions to Union soldiers confined in Andersonville, Belle Isle, or •other Confederate prisons. The Secretary of the Navy transmitted c aims of contractors for the care of monitors, aggregating $278,645. Some time was spent in debate on the contested election case of Chalmers vs. Manning.

Senator Beck called up the McPherson banking bill Feb. 14, and during the course of his speech deprecated the proposition to allow the issue of circulating notes up to the market value of the securities deposited. Senator Morrill offered a substitute prdviding for the issuance of notes up to 110 per cent, of the par value of 4 per cent, bonds deposited previous to 1890, the amount in circulation to decrease 1 per cent, each year subsequently until par is reached. On all other securities the circulation may 1 equal the par value of the bonds. No action was taken. Bills Sissed the Senate for the relief of the Louisna State Bank and to make all public roads and highways post routes. Mr. Logan introduced a bill to provide that honorably discharged soldiers and sailors be preferred for appointment to civil offices. Mr. Beck handed in an act for the organization of Supreme Courts in the Territories. In the House of Representatives, Mr. McKinley presented a telegram from Cleveland recommending that the flood relief appropriation be Increased to $1,000,000. Several members aired their views in regard to the Mississippi contested election case of Chalmers vs. Manning. An additional appropriation of $200,001 making the total amount $500,000, for the relief of the flood sufferers, passed both houses of Congress Feb. 15. The Senate spent an hour in debate on the biU to provide for the issue of circulating notes to national banks. A vote was then taken on the amendment submitted by Mr. Sherman providing that if any bonds deposited bore interest higher than 3 per cent additional notes shall be issued equal to one-half the interest in excess of 3 per cent accruing before maturity, and it was rejected. The House defeated a resolution declaring Manning entitled to the seat from Mississippi, contested by him and Chalmers, and decided that the s?at should remain vacant until decided on its merits. Both houses adjourned to Feb. 18.