Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1884 — NEWS CONDENSED. [ARTICLE]

NEWS CONDENSED.

Concise Record of the Week. DOINGS OF CONGRESS. 4 Bills were rormauy reported *e tbe Senate, on the 26th ult, to prohibit the mailing of newspapers containing lottery advertisements, and for the relief of Fits John Porter, the latter to come up March 12. An adverse report was made on the bill to abolish the military reservation at Fort Rice. A joint resolution was passed expressing the appreciation by the nation of the generosity of Great Britain in presenting the Alert for the Greely relief expedition. A resolution was passed calling upon the Secretary of the Navy for information regarding the progress of work on the Panama Canal. The bill to authorise the construction of additional steel vessels for navy led to some debate. In the House, Mr. Cobb asked unanimous consent for the passage of the joint resolution of thanks to Great Britain for the gift of the arctic steamship Alert, but Mr. Robinson objected. The plenro-pneumonia bill was discussed to the hour of adjournment, it being argued that the measure was full of unconstitutional provisions, and was in the interest of a ring now being formed to control the cattle trade. « Bills were introduced in the Senate, on the 27th ult, to improve the channel between Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico, and to incorporate and aid the Yellowstone Park Railroad. A resolution was passed calling on the Secretary of the Interior for information as to the rumored lease of the Crow Reservation in Montana. The bill for the construction of eleven vessels for the navy led to a hot debate. Mr. Van Wyck asked immediate consideration for a resolution directing the Postoffice Committee to inquire whether at any time the Western Union and the Baltimore and Ohio Telegraph Companies had negotiated for consolidation. Mr. Plumb offered the resolution, and it was referred to the Postofflce Committee. The bill to repeal the test oath which passed the Benate some time ago, was passed by the House. The House adopted a resolution directing the Secretary of the Treasury to state how much money there Is in the vaults, and to report what amount can at present be applied in liquidation of the public debt. Mr. Le Fevre offered a resolution directing the preparation of a bill to prohibit option trading in grain or provisions, but Mr. Cox objected. Mil Ingalls, of Kansas, introduced a bill In the Senate on the 28th ult. to remove the injunction of secrecy from the members of the Fit* John Porter court-martial. The remainder of •the session was spent on the bill to authorize the construction of steel vessels for the navy. An amendment that the number of ships be reduced from seven to four was defeated by 17 to 34. In the House, two German-Americans, Messrs. Deuster and Guenther, rose, by unanimous permission, and delivered speeches which they believe better express the true sentiments of the German people than did the contemptuous act of Prince Bismarck. Mr. Kasson, of lowa, was promptly on his feet to regret the speeches of the gentlemen from Wisconsin, and to urge that a resolution adopted by members of the Reichstag and presented by the previous speakers should be smothered in that yielding pillow called the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Mr. Kasson’s motion prevailed. Bv a vote of 155 to 127 the plenro-pneumonia bill was passed. Eulogies npon the late Representative Haskell were delivered bv several members. The bill for the admission of Dakota into tbe Union was favorably reported in the Senate on the 29th ult Mr. Ransom reported back adversely the joint resolution for an appropriation of $500,000 for the cyclone snfferers in the South, the distress having been overstated. The bill for the contraction of steel cruisers was passed by 38 to 13. Adjourned to March 3. The House of Representatives adopted a resolution asking the Secretary of the Treasury If additional clerks are required for the tobacco rebate claims. A resolution was offered directing tbe Committee on Public Lands to report ■whether the grant of the Portage Lake and Lake BnperioaJUiip Canal Company is liable to forfeiture. Tfts commtttee of the whole it was resolved thatSSen. Pleasonton be retired with the rank of Colonel. The postoffice appropriation bill was reported. An evening session was held for the consideration of pension bills. A BBSOLtmtJSf was adopted by tbe House «f Representatives, on tbe Ist inst., calling on the Secretary of the Interior for Information relative to the fencing in of public lands in several States and Territories. Bills were reported to provide for the issue of circulating notes to national banks, to establish a Board of Interstate Commerce, to Increase pensions, to provide for a canal between Lake Union and Paget Sound, and to construct the Maryland and Delaware free ship canal. Several speeches were made on the naval appropriation bill. There was no session of the Senate.