Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 January 1888 — CONGRESSIONAL. [ARTICLE]

CONGRESSIONAL.

Work of the Senate and the House of Representatives. •The bll to cr dit aud pay to tie several States aud Territories and the District of Columbia all moneys collected under the direct tax oct of August, 1861. was discus i d by the Senate on tue Uth inst., but action was deferred. Mr. Stswart introduced a bill to establish a national univcisity in t e District of Columbia for the education of teachersin the common schools of the States and Territories and the District of Columbia. Mr. Chandler offered a resolution instructing the Judiciary Committee to inquire into the suppression of the votes of colored citizens at Jackson, Miss., and the alleged participation in such suppression by the United States District Attorney and by a Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue and a Deputy United States Marshal. Laid on the table. Mr. Wilson, of Maryland, made a constitutional argument against the Blair Educational bill. After discussion of various measures the senate went into executive session, and Mr. Edmonds, from the Judiciary Committee, made an adverse report on the nomination of L. Q. C. Lamar to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, while Mr. Pugh, in behalf of the minority of the same committee, submitted a favorable report. Mr. Edmunds made a favorable report from tne Judiciary Committee on the nomination of William F. Vilas to be Secretary of tue Interior. Mr. Sawyer, from the Postoffice Committee, made a lavorable report on the nomination of Dou M. Dickinson to be Postmaster General. All the reports were placed ou the calendar. In the House of Representatives, Delegate Cain, of Utah, presented the Constitution of tne proposed State of Utah, with a memorial asking admission into the Union, also a bill for that purpose, all of which were referred. The following bills were introduced: By Mr. Woodburn, of Nevada, directing the purchase of not less than 5t,000,000 worth of silver bullion per month, and the coinage of the same into standard dollars; by Mr. Bliss, of New York, to dispose of the surplus money in the Treasury, and to prevent the accumulation thereof; by Mr. Tillman, of South Carolina, to prohibit the use of stoves or ( oil lamps on railway passenger trains; by Mr. La loliette, of Wisconsin, to punish any officer of a national bank who receives a deposit when the bank is insolvent; by Mr. Harmer, of Pennsylvania, to increase the pension of those who have lost eyes or limbs or who are deaf. .This is the bill indorsed by the United States Maimed Soldiers’ League and the Grand Army of the Republic.] Mb. Hale’s resolution calling for a select committee to examine into the present condition of the civil service, was taken up by tho Senate on the 11th inst.. aud Mr. Hale spoke in advocacy of it. He charged the administration with failing to carry out its promises to reform the civil service. He read from a table to show that up to June 11, 1887, out of 2,379 presidential postmasters there had been 2,0U0 changes; out of 52,609 fourth-class postmasters there had been 40,0u0 changes ; out of 33 Foreign Ministers 32 changes ; out of 21 Secretaries of Legation 16 changes; out of 111 Collectors of Customs 100 changes; 32 Surveyors of Customs were all changed; not one of the 6 naval officers remained ; of 36 Appraisers but 2 remained ; of 13 Superintendents' of Mints and Assay Offices there had been 11 changes ; the 9 Assistant Appraisers were all gone; of the 85 Collectors of Internal Revenue 84 had gone; of the 11 Inspectors o Steam Vessels 8 were gone ; of 70 District Attorneys (a semi-judicial office) 65 were changed; of 30 Territorial Judges (judicial offices) 22 were changed ; of Territorial Governors all were gone; of 18 Pension Agents but 2 remained ; every one of the 16 Surveyors General were all gone; of 221 local land offices 190 were gone; of 10 Indian Inspectors and special agents but 1 remained ; of 59 Indian agents but 8, and of 83 special agents of the General L and Office but 4. Mr. Butler sent to the Clerk’s desk and had read a circular sent out in 1878 by authority of the Hepublicun Congressional Committee (of which Mr. Hale was a member) calling on Government employes for political contributions. Mr. Hale justified the circular, and said that it directly and explicitly excluded the idea of extorting contributions. ' The Blair education bill was then taken up, and Mr. Coke spoke in opposition to it The House went into committee of the whole upon the state of the Union, and adopted a resolution referring the President’s message to the Committee on Ways and Means.The committee then arose, and its action was confiimed by the H< use. The House then went into c mmittee of the whole on tho “little deficiency bill," and after a long donate it was passed. The President sent to the Senate, on Thursday, the 12th inst., tho nomination of Gen. Edward 8. Bragg, of Wisconsin, tp be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States to Mexico. Mr. Chandler addressed the Senate in support of his resolution instructing the Judiciary Committee to inqui.e into the suppression of the votes of colored citizens at the recent municipal election at Jackson, Miss. Mr. Riddleberger remarked that the resolution was intended to affect matters that ought to be considered only in executive session, and he gave notice that as to himself ho would vote for tne confirmation of Mr. Lamar. The resolution was adopted—yeas, 29, nays, 24—a party vote, except that Riddleberger voted with the Democrats, while the two Mississippi Senators were excused from voting. From the Committee on Military Affairs Senator Manderson reported favorably the bill introduced by him to increase the efficiency of tho infantry branch of the army. The Senate passed the bill authorizing the construction of a bridge across the Missouri River below St. Charles, Mo. Senator Cullom introduced a bill to provide that the legislative powers of the Territory of Utah shall be vested in the Governor and Legislative Assembly, the latter to consist of thirteen citizens of the United States, residents of the Territory, to be appointed by the President and confii med by the Sen Re. Mr. Mitchell called up his bill abrogating all treaties with China in so far as they permit the immigration of Chinese or* inhibit the United States from absolutely prohibiting such immigration, and repealing all acts of Congress recognizing or permitting such immigration. Messrs. Mitehell and Stewart addressed the Senate in support of the resolution. The House passed a bill to punish robbery, burglary, and larceny in the Indian Territory, fixing the maximum punishment at SI,OOO fine and fifteen years’ imprisonment. The Senate bill fixing the salary of the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries at $lO, 00 per annum was passed by the House. Representative Townshend reported back the Boutelle battle-flag resolution as amended by the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Bou—telle said he had no objection to the amendments, and the House adopted the resolution. The Blair educational bill again came up in the Senate on the 13th Inst., and Mr. Gray of Delaware made a constitutional argumentagainst it. Mr. Vance of North Carolina addressed the Senate on Mr. Brown’s resolution to abolish internal revenue taxation. The lines,, he said, had been drawn closely by the President s message on the subject of the surplus and taxation. The contest had to be fought out squarely and the question had to be decided unoquivocally on its merits. North Carolina people, he sifid, objected more to the* methods of collection than to the amount of the tobacco and spirits tax. Mr. Stewart of Nevada offered an amendment to the bill provid ng for the investment of the surplus, which provides that any person may deposit at any mint or assay office gold or silver bullion and receive certificates therefor. In the House of Representatives Mr. Crisp of Georgia, Chairman of the Committee on Elections, reported on the case of A. E. Redstone, claiming to have been elected to Congress from the Fifth Cal forma District, that no evidence had been filed and there was not sufficient ground for contest. Mr. Hatch of Missouri, from the Committee on Agr culture, reported a bill making appropriations to carry into effect the provisicns of the act to establish experimental agricultural stations. To make a handkerchief bag, take a piece of fine, gray linen and line w ith lightblue muslin. Embroider with linen flosses on the front a spray of forget-me-nots. Work all oyer the bag irregular lines of blue in outline stitch. Around the top put a ruffle of silk edged with narrow lace.Draw together with narrow blue ribbon.