Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1889 — THE SENATE AND HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

THE SENATE AND HOUSE.

NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING. Proceedings of the Senate and House oi Representatives Discussed and Acted On Gist of the Business. The Fifty-first Congress met on the 2d inst., the House being called to order by Gen. Clark, °f Missouri, Clerk of the lost House, who immediately proceeded to read the roll-call of mem-bers-elect. The roll-call showed the presence of 917 members the three absentees being O’NealL of Indiana; Kandall, of Pennsylvania; and Whitthome, of Tennessee. For (Speaker Mr. Heed was placed in nomination Dy Mr. Henderson, of Illinois, and Mr. Carlisle by Mr. McCreary, of Kentucky. The vote resulted: For Heed, 166; for Carlisle, 154; scattering, 1, whereupon Mr. Heed was declared elected and took his seat. The nominees of the Republican caucus for the minor offices of the House, except the candidate for Chaplain, were then elected as follows: Edward McPherson, of Pennsylvania, Clerk; ex-Hepresentative Adcniram J. Holmes, of lowa, Sergeant-at-arms ; Charles W. Adams, of Maryland, Doorkeeper; James A. Wheat, of Minnesota, Postmaster. For Chaplain, on the second ballot Milbum, the Chaplain of the last House, was elected. The Speaker then authorized the appointment of a committee on rules and a committee to notify the President that the House was organized. The members then drew for seats. The organization of the Senate was effected in the usual quiet and orderly way. The new Senators from Washington and South Dakota were escorted amid applause to Vice President Morton’s chair and sworn in from the Republican side. Senators Edmunds and Harris were appointed a committee to join a committee of the House to wait on the President to inform him that Congress was ready to receive any communication he might have to make. A select committee on the transportation and saleof meat products was ordered. In the Senate on the 3d inst. a message irom the Honse was presented announcing the organization of that body. Thereupon a mossage from the President was announced. Tne message was received, and the Secretary of the Senate, Mr. McCook, proceeded to read it. The reading of the message was concluded at 1:30, having taken an hour and twenty-five minutes. On motion of Mr. Shermtm it was laid on thetable and ordered printed, in the House Mr. Pruden, one of the President’s secretaries, delivered the message from the President, which was immediately read by the clerk. The reading of the message consumed nearly two hours. The message was ordered printed and referred to the committee of the whole. Under au:iiority given by the last sundry’ civil appropriation bill the Speaker appointed Messrs. Bayne, Hitt, Carter, Culberson of Texas, and Cummings as a committee ou the centennial celebration. The first appointment of employes of the House was that of Charles 8. Martin, of Kansas, to be a reading clerk. In the Senate on the 4th inst. tho credentials of Messrs. Pierce and Casey, as Senators from the new State of North Dakota, were presented, read, and placed on file, and then the two Senators took the oath of office. On drawing by lot to ascertain the terms to which the Senators from the new States belonged, Mr. Squires, of Washington, was assigned to tbe class of Senators whose terms expire March 3, 1891, and Mr. Allen to the class expiring March 3, 1893. Of the South Dakota senators Mr. Moody’s term expires March 3, 1891; and Mr. Pettigrew’s March 3, 1895 ; and oi the North Dakota senators Mr. Pierce’s term expires March 3,1891, and Mr. Casey’s March 3, 18)3. The first bill introduced in the Fifty-first Congress was offered by Senator Sherman. It provides for the regulation and prevention of trusts. The second was also by Mr. Sherman, and provides for a new election law for tho election of congressmen. It is similar in nature to that on the subject offered by him in the last Congress. Over five hundred other bills were Introduced, and the Senate then went into executive session, and shortly afterward adjourned. The House was not in session. In the Senate on the sth inst., among the numerous memorials ancLpgtitions presented was one signed by D. E. Webster, asking that the national title be changed to that of “The United States of Columbia.” Mr. Voorhees offered a long preamble and resolution in reference to tariff taxation, which he asked to have laid upon the table for the present. The Vice President having informed the Senate that he would be absent from the city two or three days next week, Mr. Ingalls was elected as President pro tempore during the absence of the Vice President. Senator Ingalls introduced a bill to aid and secure the commemoration of the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America. The bill provides that the President shall appoint, by and with the consent of the Senate, a commission of two members from each State of different political affiliations, two from the District of Columbia, and one from each of the Territories. The President is authorized to extend an invitation to all the American nations and States inviting them to unite in celebrating the anniversary. Should Italy, Spain, or other European powers desire to join in the celebration they shall be invited. The commission slvril secure a site in Washington by purchase or otherwise of an area of not less than three hundred acres of ground. The President shall apportion the land for the "-•uildings of the various countries, each - one to select its own style of architecture. The appropriations are as follows : For the purchase of ground. $5,000,000; for grading and clearing, $1,500,000; for buildings of the United States, $500,000 ; for incidental|expenses, $1,000,000; total, $8,000,000. In the House the Speaker appointed the following committees : On Rules The Speaker, and Messrs. McKinley, Cannon, Carlisle, and Randall. On Accounts—Messrs. Spooner, Boothman, Kelly of Kansas, McCord, Hansbrough, Hayes, Grimes, Leo, and Kerr of Pennsylvania. On Enrolled.Bills—Messrs. Kennedy, Townsend of Pennsylvania, Moore of New Hampshire, Kilgore, and Williams.