Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1885 — NEWS CONDENSED. [ARTICLE]

NEWS CONDENSED.

Concise Record of the Week. THE WORK OF CONGRESS. After the rooding of the President's Message, Mr. Hoar introduced a bill in the Senate, on the Bth inst., to provide for the discharge of Presidential duties in case of the removal or inability of the President and Vice President; also to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy. Mr. Edmunds presented a measure to tlx the day for the meeting of Presidential Electors. Bills were also introduced for the admission of Idaho and Washington Territories as States, to authorize the payment of certain duties in greenbacks, to removo the limitation in the payment of arrears pensions, to allot lands in severalty to the Indian tribes, for construction of the Michigan and Mississippi Canal, for two military posts on the southwestern frontier of Kansas, for two railway rights of way through Indian Territory, to pension veterans o£ Jhe Mexican war, for the repeal of tho timber culture, pre-emption, and acts, to prevent tiro acqutarifru of foal estate by aliens, to aid in the. establishment of common schools, for tlio encouragement of American merchant marine, to retire tho trade dollar, for sou r bridges over the Mississippi and one across the Missouri, for a navy-yard at Algiers, La., for tho erection of thirteen public buildings, and for the cancellation of one and two dollar greenbacks. Mr. Camoron offered a resolution that it is inexpedient to pass any legislation for tho reduction of tariff duties. The House of Representatives listened to reading of the messago, and immediately adjourned out of respect to the memory of tho late Houben Ellwood, of Illinois. Mu. Jones, of Arkansas, introduced a bill in

tho Senate, on tho Uth inst., to secure cheaper telegraphic correspondence. It is that known as the postal telegraph bill of the last Congress, A bill was introduced by Senator Van Wyck, providing for tho taxatioh of unpatented lauds owned by railroad companies. It requires such companies to puy the cost of Surveying and locating land within sixty days after the passage of the act, or that in default thereof the lands shall he subject to entry under tho homestead and pre-emption laws and liable to taxation. Bills wore also introduced to prevent the diffusion of contagious dim uses, to cede the abandoned marine hospital grounds at New Orleans to Ttilane University, and for the relief of sufferers by tho destruction of salt-works in Kentucky by Gen. Buell. A resolution was adopted calling upon the Postmaster General for the names of all post-um.-ters in Maine appointed on the recommendation of 3. S. Brown, Chairman of tho Maino Democratic Btato Committee, who is charged with extorting money from such appointees. Mr. Blair introduced resolutions for temperance and woman-suffrage amendments to tho Constitution. Mr. Brown presented the petition of Alexander It. Lawton, of Georgia, for relief from political disabilities. Resolutions were adopted calling on tho President to fumiHh details regarding international coinage and the rejection of Minister Keiley by the Austrian Government. In the House of Representatives Messrs. Morrison and Springer presented two propositions for amending tho rules, which, after discussion, were referred to the Committee on Rules, composed of tho Speaker, Randall, Morrison, Hiscock, and Reed. Tho House adjourned till the Pith in order to give the committee time to consider the proposed changes in tho rules.

Bills were introduced in the Senate on the 10th inst. for a postal telegraph, to relievo commercial travelers from license taxes, for an international tribunal of arbitration, to open to houiostcad settlement certain portions of Indian Territory, to transfer tlio barracks at Baton Kouao to Louisiana University,.to provent gaiubuii„ in the army, and to repeal the law tor the settlement ox claims of officers and soldiers for the loss of private property. A joint resolution was presented from the Legislature of New Jersey for an inquiry into the fitness of Alaska for a penal colony. Tho President Rent in to the Senate a very large number of nominations, including those of Ministers Lotlirop, Curry, Denby, Stullo, Tree, Jacob, Winchester, Winston, Thompson, Zay, Hopkins, and Learn, Postmasters Judd, of Chicago; Larkin, of Pittsburgh, Paul, of Milwaukee: and Speer, of Denver, and many Consuls, Secretaries of Legation, officials of the Interior Department, officials of the navy, and Postmasters whose appointments have already boon published. The House was not in session.

Thk Speaker laid before tiro House, at its session on the l‘2th inst., a largo number of Executive communications, including tiro annual reports of tho Attorney General, tho Secretary of the Treasury, and tho Controller of the Currency, and they wore laid on tho tablo for the present. Mr. Reed of Maine oflered a resolution for the printing of tho compilation of tho revision of tho rules of the House in the Thirty-sixth and Forty-sixth Congresses, stating that they would bo of uso in tho discussion of the proposed change in the rules. Tho resolution was adopted. Mr. Buck of Connecticut presented a resolution from the Connecticut Legislature, asking that a by-law be passed for the ascertainment and counting of the electoral vote. Laid on the table. There was no session of tho Senate.