Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1887 — CONGRESSIONAL [ARTICLE]

CONGRESSIONAL

Work of the Senate and the House of Representatives. A bill providing for an additional Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of New Mexico, passed the Senate Feb. 17. Mr. Bale’s bill appropriating 815,400,030 for the construction of gun-boats, torpedo-boats, and heavily armored vessels for coast defense, and an act for the delivery to their rightful owners of certain boxes deposited in the Treasury Department by the Secretary of War, were also passed. Mr. Vest offered a substitute for the Eads Tehuantepec Ship-Railway bill, which provides for the incorporation by James B. Eads and some eighty other persons named of the Atlantic and Pacific Ship-Railway Company, with a capital stock not to exceed 8100,030,1X1). The substitute was passed—yeas 46, nays 7—with an amendment thereto offered by Senator Van Wyck providing that no certificate of stock shall be issued until it shall have been fully paid for in money at par value, and prohibiting the issuance of bonds in excess of the paid-in capital or the disposal of the same at less than their par value. Mr. Wilson presented a pet’tion from citizens of lowa in favor of a National Board of Arbitration. The President sent the following nominations to the Senate: Samuel N. Aldrich, of Massachusetts, to be assistant Treasurer of the United States at Boston; John M. Mercer, of lowa, to be Surveyor of Customs at Burlington, Iowa; Owen McGloughlin, of lowa, to be Surveyor of Customs, Dubuque, Iowa; Arthur K. Delaney, Of Wisconsin, to be Collector of Customs forth® District of Alaska; postmaster at Cleveland, William W. Armstrong; Charles E. Broyles, of Colorado, to be Register of the Land Office at Del Norte, CoL The House of Representatives passed the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill. By a vote of 83 to 160 the Texas seed bill failed to pass over the President’s veto. The vote against consideration of the pension veto was 140 to 113. The conference report on the anti-Mormon bill was adopted by a vote of 202 to 40.

The anti-polygamy bill, which had previously gone through the House, passed the Senate February 18, by 377 yeas to 13 nays. The first six sections of the bill apply to prosecutions for bigamy, adultery, etc., and make the wile or husband a competent witness, but do not compel either to testify. Sections 7 and 8 give powers of Court Commissioners and of the Marshal and Deputy Marshals. Sections 9 and 10 apply to the marriage ceremony. They require a certificate, properly authenticated, to be recorded in the office ot the Probate Court. Section 11 annuls all Territorial laws recognizing the capacity of illegitimate children to inherit or be entitled to any distributive share in the estate of the father. Section 12 annuls territorial laws, conferring jurisdiction upon Probate courts (with certain exceptions). Sections 13 and 14 make it the duty of the Attorney General of the United States to institute proceedings to escheat to the United States the property of corporations obtained or held in violation of section 3 of the act of July, 1862, the pioceeds of such escheat to be applied’to the use and benefit of common, schools in the territory. Sections 15 and 16 annul the charter of the Perpetual Emigration Fund Company and dissolve that corporation, and forfeit all property and assets of the company in excess of debts and lawful claims to the benefit of common schools in the terr tory. Section 17 dissev/es the corporation of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and makes it the duty of the Attorney General of the United States to institute legal proceedings to wind up the affairs of the corporation. Section 18 provides for the endowment of widows, who are to have one-third of the income of the estate as their dower. Section 19 gives to the President the appointment of a Probate Judge in each county. Section 23 annuls the acts of the Legislative Assembly which permit female suffrage. The next four sections make provisions for elections, and require of voters an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution and obey the laws, especially the anti-polygamy act of March 22, 1882, and this act. Sect on 25 abolishes the office of Territorial Superintendent of District Schools, and makes it the duty of the Supreme Court of the Territory to appoint a Commissioner of Schools. Section 26 gives to all religious societies, sects, and congregations the right to hold, through trustees appointed by a Probate Court, property for houses of worship and parsonages. The 27th and last section annuls all Territorial laws for the organization of the militia, or for the creation of the Nauvoo Legion, and gives the Legislative Assembly of Utah power to pass laws for organizing tne militia, subject to the approval of Congress. General officers of the militia are to be appointed by the Governor of the territory with the advice and consent of the council. A bill appropriating 84.663,104 for the payment of Mexican and other pensions was favorably reported to the House. The House non-concurred in the Senate amendments to the invalid pension bill, and asked for a conference. The House refused—yeas, 142 ; nays, 98—to pass the pension bill of Simmons W. Hart over tho President's veto. An evening session of the House was held to consider pension bills, and a large number were passed.

At the session of the Senate on Saturday, Feb. 19, Senator Beck announced that he had a memorial to present on American shipping on which he wished to be heard before the Committee on Commerce. He had for years been presenting petitions for the repeal of the navigation laws, in the hope that Americans might be able to own steamship lines on the ocean. Senator Van vVyck, after moving the $300,009 appropriation for improvements on points on the Missouri River, accepted an amendment by his colleague, Mr. Manderson, appropriating SIOO,OOO for points north of the Missouri River. The Chaplain of the House of Representatives failed to appear, and for the first time iu six years business was commenced without prayer. The Senate amendment appropriating $25,000 for the education of children in Alaska was concurred in by the House, notwithstanding the recommendation of the Committee on Appropriations to the contrary. The Senate amendment appropriating $2,000 for the erection of fences around the cemeteries in which Confederate dead are buried near Columbus and Johnson’s Island, Ohio, was non-concurred in by the House for the purpose of enabling the Committee of Conference to prepare a measure in accordance with the views of both sides of the House. Both Senate and House agreed to the conference report on the retirement of the trade dollar. The House Committee on Invalid Pensions submitted a unanimous report recommending the passage over the President's veto of the invalid pensions bill. The President vetoed the pension bills of Richard O’Neal, late Colonel of the Twentysixth Indiana Volunteers, and John Reed, whose son, John Reed, died in the service.