Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1885 — GRAVE SENATORS. [ARTICLE]

GRAVE SENATORS.

Work in the. Extra fesaion of the United States Senate. The "Backbone" resolution offered by Mr. Van Wyck was laid before the Senate, on the Hth inst, as unfinished business. Mr. Van Wyck said the Senator from Colorado (Teller) had gone to New York to be absent a dav or two. and asked that actl' n upon the resolution be deterred tor a couple of days. Mr. Van Wyck then offered the following resolution, and asked that it lie upon the table for the present: “Jfesoived, That tne Secretary of* the Interior and the Attorney General of th’ United Stares be and they are hereby directed, respectively, to take such action as each may deem necessary, to prevent any sale of the Atlantic an I Gulf West India Transit Company, or by anv company or person claiming under them, of any of the lands describe 1 in tne act approved May 17, 1-56, entitled ’An act granting public lands in alternate sections to the States of Florida and Alabama to aid in the construction of certain railroads in said States,’ s ■ far as the same lies within the line of said railroads between Waldo and Tampa Bay, Florida, until Congress sball have authorized the same." The President sent to the Senate the names of Edward D. Clark, of Mississippi, to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior, and Sidney D. Jackman. to be Marshal of the Western District of Texas. Republican Senators, at a caucus, prepared the allotment of places on the majority sides of the committees. Mr. Conger is to be i hairman of the Committee on Postoffices and Post Roads, Mr. Pike takes'the chair of the Committee on Claims, and Mr. Sewell takes Senator Logan's place at the head of the Military Committee. Mr. Teller is made Chairman of the Committee on Mines and Mining and a member of the Public Lands Committee. Mr. Evarts is placed upon the Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees. The principal topic of interest in the Senate' on the 12th inst, was the consideration of Senator Van Wyck's resolution, offered by him on the previous day. directing the Secretary of the Intxr.or and the Attorney General to take su- h action as may be necessary to prevent any sale by the Atlantic and Gulf West India Transit Company of the lands dtaoribedin the act of May 17,1856, g anting lands in alternate section to the States ot Florida and Alabama to aid in the construction of certain railroads in said States, so far as the same lie within the line of said railroads between Waldo and Tampa Bav, Florida, until Congress shall have authorized the same. Senator Van Wyck said the land grant was made in 1856 in order that the railroads might develop the country; that from that time until the present nothing has been done in that direction ; that the land has increased from 10 cents to $lO and sls per acre, and now the road asks the Government to recognize its title. Mr. George, of Mississippi presented the credentials of E. C. Walthall, appointed by the Governor to succeed Mr. Lamar. After the reading of the credentials, Mr. Walthall was sworn, and took his seat. A written message was sent to the Capitol by the President for the purpose of withdrawing the Nicaraguan and Spanish treaties. The Senate, however, had adjourned.

Mr. Cameron offered a resolution naming the Chairmen and members of the Senate committees. as agreed upon by the caucuses, and asked its immediate consideration, on March 13. Agreed to. A new committee of seven members on coast defenses was created, with ■ Dolph, Chairman, and Cameron, Sewell, Hawley, Maxey, McPherson, and Fair as members, on the ap ropriations. Mahone succeeds Logan, and Gorman succeeds Ransom. Upon public lands. Teller succeeds Hill, Cockrell succeeds Walker and Walthall succeeds Slater. The Judiciary Committee is made up as follows: Edmunds, Chairman; Ingalls, McMillan, Hoar, Wilson of lowa, Evarts, Pngh, Coke, Vest, and Jackson. The resolution embodying the committee was adopted unanimously. Mr. Sherman declined to’serve on the Committee on Finance. President Cleveland nominated Col. Nelson H. Davis, Inspector General, to be Inspector General with the rank ot Brigadier General; Lieut. Col. Absalom Baird, Inspector Genera), to be Inspector General with the rank of Colonel: Mai. Robert P. Hughes, to be Inspector General with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Charles S. Fairchild, of New York, was confirmed by the Senate as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Ingalls offered a resolution calling upon the President for information in regard to the occupation of Oklahoma, and what action was being taken in that regard.- Under objection from Mr. Cockrell, it went over. After a short executive session, the Senate adjourned until Monday, 16th.