Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 June 1884 — SENATE AND HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

SENATE AND HOUSE.

Proceedings of the Federal Congress Boiled Down. On June 3, the Senate passed bills granting to letter-carriers an annual leave of absence for fifteen days, giving a pension of SSO per month to the widow of Gen. Jndson Kilpatrick, providing for the sale of the Fort Hayes and the Kickapoo Reservations in Kansas, firing the membership of tbe Dakota Legislature at twenty-four Councilmen and forty-right Representatives, limiting the cost of the public buildings at Leavenworth to SIOO,OOO, and authorizing the bridging of the Missouri at Rulo aad at Leavenworth. After passing stxtvtwo bills the Senate adjourned to Friday. The House passed a bill to prevent the unlawful occupancy of public lands. When the bill to forfeit the Oregon Central land grant came np an amendment to confine the forfeiture to unearned lands was lost. A vote on the passage of the bill showed the lack of a quorum. There was no session of tbe Senate on the 4tb Inst. In the House, Mr. Hopkins, of Pennsylvania. from the Committee on Public Buildings, submitted a report on the charges of corruption or collusion In regard to the selection of a site for a public building at Brooklyn, N. Y. The report says; “Every opportunity was offered for introduction of evidence to sustain tbe charges, and we unhesitatingly report that there has not been produced bes re us a scintilla of evidence which in the slightest degree reflects upon tbe Integrity of the Secretary ot the Treasury, nponthe Supervising Architect, or upon other officers of the Government." The report was recommitted with authority to send a sub-committee to Brooklyn to take testimony. The Oregon Ceutral land-grant forfeiture bill was passed—yeas 138, nays 26. Tbe Senate’s amendments were non-concurred in to the bill establishing a Bureau of Labor Statistics. Mr. Henley, of California, then called np the hill forfeiting lands g'anted to the California and Oregon Railroad Company, except such lands as were granted for that portion of the road which was completed before the Ist of July, 1880. After remarks by Mr. Cobb, of Indiana, In support of the bill, a vote was taken on its passage. It stood—yeas 123, nays 15, showing no quorum present. The House of Representatives on June 5 passed bills to forfeit the land grant of the California and Oregon Road; to bridge the Cumberland River at Nashville and the Missouri at Leavenworth; and to repeal a land grant to the Iron Mountain Road from Pilot Knob to Helena. There was no session of the Senate. Mr. Culbertson’s bill limiting the jurisdiction of the United States Circuit Courts and regulating the removal of cases to the Federal Courts passed the House on June 7. The bill provi 'es that the minimum jurisdiction of the Circuit Court shall be $2,090 Instead of S6OO, and makes members of corporations doing business in a State citizens of that State tor all judicial purposes. The right of removal of causes to the Federal Courts is limited to defendants. The House also passed a bill forfeiting the unearned land grant of the Atlantic and Pacific Road. Adverse reports were made on the bill to repeal the cbil-service act. The Hou?e discussed at considerable length resolutions offered by Mr. Nelson, of Minnesota, reserving the agricultural public lands for bona fide settlers. Mr. Holman offered an amendment extending the scope of Mr. Nelson’b resolutions. Daring the debate on this measure the fact developed that there was not a quorum present, and an adjournment'was carried. The Senate was not in session.