Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1880 — FORTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

FORTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.

MBM ATK. SaM^ritoUkJUJuS bill STJdIS Mr. Cockrell said he would like to take it up at any time out of the morning hoar, bat it was unjust to displace the calendar. After a short diaruarion the motion was agreed to. Yeaa, 26; nays, 25. Ike bill appropriates <686,789 to pav Ben Holliday in fall satisfaction of all his claims against the United States for spoliation by hostile Indians on his property and the house joint resolution, authorizing flte secretary of war to donate rations to the sufferen by the recent cyclone at Macon, Mica., passed. Mr. Ingalls, by request, introduced a bill to establish a uniform system of bankthroughout the United States. ReWamhxboton, D. C, May 4.—The bill introduced tty Mr. Morgan, and referred, provides that the president of the senate shall submit to the senate and house, when assembled to count the votes for president and vice-president, all packages punxnting to contain electoral votes. Mr. Daria, of West Virginia, presented a compilation of questions of order and divisions thereon since their adoption. Mr. Cameron, of Wisconsin, moved to resume the consideration of the bill for the relief of Ben Holliday. Mr. Cockerell demanded the yeas and nays on the motion agreed to—yeas 29 nays 27.

Pending debate, the morning hour expired ana Mr. Vest spoke in supportof the Spofford-Kellogg resolution. Washdwtok, D. C., May s.—Mr. Booth, from the committee on public lands, reported favorably the house bill for the relief of settlers on public lands, and it passed. The Kellogg-Spofford resolutions woe temporarily laid aside and the District of Columbia appropriation bill taken up and discussed at great length, and. pending the debate, the senate adjourned. Washington, D. C., May 6.—Mr. Hoar submitted a resolution instructing the Judiciary committee to report a bill providing compensation for all persons whose ships were destroyed by confederate cruisers during the late rebellion from the monies received under the Geneva award. Laid over under the vote. Mr. McDonald introduced a bill for the erection of a public building at Fort Wayne, Ind. Mr. Kirkwood from the committee on postoffices and postroads, reported with amendments, a bill providing for the transportation of mails between East St Louis and St Louis. Placed on the calendar. The morning hour having expired, the senate resumed the consideration of the District of Columbia appropriation bill. After a long discussion it passed. On motion of Mr. Beck, the report ot the conference committee on the Indian appropriation bill was taken up. Without action thereon the senate v/ent into execu. tive session, and when the doors were reopened, adjourned.

Washington, D. C., May 7.—The president pro tempore laid before the senate the credentials of Senator James A. Garfield and they were placed on file. Mr. Voorhees submitted a resolution for the investigation by the committee on public lands to inquire into the expediency, propriety and public policy of declaring all lands heretofore granted in aid of the construction of railroads, and which have not been earned by a compliance with the terms of the grants, open to public entry and settlement the same as ether government lands, and said committee shall have the right to report by bill or otherwise. Printed and laid on the table. The morning hour having expired the senate resumed the consideration of the Kellogg-Spofford resolutions. Mr. Pryor supported the resolutions in a legal argument to the effect that plocu of ret aOjudiea and etioppel were not right fully ruxed by the opponents of the resolutions. At the conclusian of Mr. Price’s speech Mr. Hoar offered as a substitute for the pending resolutions, a resolution that in the judgement of the senate the matters represented by the committee on priveleges and elections of the present session, respecting the right to a seat in this body, nowheld by William Pitt Kellogg and claimed by Henry M. Spofford, as notsuficient to justify reopening of the debate. After some discussion the resolution was ordered printed and laid on the table. The bill making an appropriation of <15,000 for the purpose of a site and the erection of a light house and fog signal at the entrance ofLittle Traverse harbor on Lage Michigan, was taken up and passed. Mr. Teller In behalf of the republican minority of the Wallace committee submitted a report on the subject to political assessments, criticising the- bill recommended by the majority of the committee.

■OVMB. Washington, D. C., May B.—Mr. Orth was given unanimous consent to make a personal explanation to morrow, in regard to his connection with the claims against the Venzeula and congressional investigation of the forty-fourth congress. In regard thereto, he hoped Mr. Springer would be present, as he might say somethidg of interest to that gentleman. Mr. King introduced a resolution calling for information in regard to the expulsion of Israelites who were citizens of the United States from St Petersburg, Rusia. Mr. Manning offered a resolution declaring that thq secretary of the interior had not transmitted certain information called foe by the house relative to the Modoc, Pawnee and other Indian tribes, and directing him to do so or state why he cannot

Mr. Daggett, to establish a uniform system of Bankruptcy. . * The republicans demanded the reading of each measure introduced, the impression being that their purpose was to prevent the anti-third term resolution from being offered, after the call of the states should be concluded. The bill introduced by Mr. Daggett was a long printed bill, and Mr. Springer moved the bouse adjourn, inasmuch as it was evident the whole day would be warted- Agreed to, and the house adjourned. Washington, D. C., May 4.—lmmediately after the reading of the journal, Mr. Orth made a personal explanation relative to his connection with the the claims against the government of Venezuela. He concluded by alluding to the action of the investigating committee of the Forty-fourth congress, and criticised severely the conduct of Mr. Bpringer in making two re porta, one to the house and the other to the country. Mr. Springer stated the discrepencies between tLe reports occurred at the request of Mr. Orth’s friends, and asked and obtained consent to reply to Mr. Orth at some future time. The speaker then laid before the house the president’s message relating to the special deficiency bill, and it was read.

The message was referred to the committee oo appropriations, and the bill laid upon the speaker’s table. The effect of this action is to postpone its consideration until the house sees fit to call it up. Consideration was then resumed of the internal revenue bill. Washington, D. C., May s.—The senate resolution was concurred in for printfug 8,000 copies of the report of the board to test iron, steel and other metah. Mr. Atkina,chairmsn of the committee on

appropriations, resorted a bill aonropriattegWoOO* public printing office for the current fiscal year. f v ‘ The bill passed without division. The amendment increasing the appropriation for the railway null service to $9,800,000 was rejected by a vote of 76 to Mr. King submitted an amendment increasing from <25.000 to <850,000 the appropriation for inland transportation by steamboat routes. Adopted. The .clause relative to the transportation by the “star" routes having been reached, Mr. Blackburn proposed various amendments to the proviso modifying it so as to read as follows: “Provided, that on all “star” mail routes upon which an increased compensation for the increased expenditure beyond fifty per cent over the sum of the original contract price and coat of service for additional trips, has been allowed. Washington, D. C., May A—Mr. Wells submitted a conference report on the Indian appropriation bill, which was agreed to. . The report states that the main point and difference between the houses was in regard to the discontinuance of the board of Indiam commissioners as finally agreed upon. The commission is continued, but a proviso is inserted that

no money shall be paid for saleries and expenses of the commissioners. The moring hour having been dispensed with the house went into committee of the whole with Mr. Carlisle In the chair, on the postoffice appropriAtion bill. By a vote of 94 to 71 the committee adopted the amendment to strike out the proviso for the curtailment or discontinuance of the “star" service on all “star” mail routes, upon which increased compensation for Increased expedition berood fifty per cent, of the original contact price, which has been allowed during 1879 and 1880 shall exceed fifty per cent of the contract price before such expedition ; provided that this proviso shall not prevail when the present contractors desire to continue the contracts as reduced. Agreed to—yeas 82, nays 29. Mr. Wadaill moved to increase the appropriation for transportation by postal cars <16,000. Adopted. Washington, D. C. 7.—The consideration of the postoffice appropriation bill was resumed at 10:80.

Mr. Cannon opposed the amendment adopted by the committee of the whole yesterday, authorizing the the postmaster general to remit in favor ot the colonies of New Zeland and New South Wales so much of the coat of the overland transportation ot Australian closed mail s as he may deem best This amendment would enable the postmaster general to exercise tiie discretion in letting the mails for England pass through the United States without any charge against the government ot Great Britain.

The house committee then voted upon the amendment rhe first amendment on which a separate vote was demanded was that authoriz Ing the postmaster general to use $850,000 of the $9,490,000 appropri] ated for railway mail service; to obtain and secure from the railways the necessary and special facilities for the postal service. The amendment was adopted. Yeas 110, nays 68. The next amendment was that all “star” routes shall be re-let after thirty days advertisement, as now provided by law on the Ist of October, 1880, on which the pay for expedition of the schedules ordered during the fiscal years of 1879 and 1880, shall exceed fifty per cent, of the contract price before such expedition, and provided that this proviso shall not prevail when the present contractor desires to continue the contracts as reduced. Adopted. Yeas 118, nays 57. This amendment now takes the place of the proviso originally reported by the appropriation committee to the “star” service clause of the bill. The other amendments were then agreed to, but before a vote could be taken on the bill, the legislative session of Thursday closed and that of Friday begun. Washington, D. C., May B.—The com mittee on ways and means this morning perfected the tariff bill. The additional change to-day, are wood pulp duty, reduced from twenty per cent, to ten per cen. Balt Is stricken from the bill entirely, the duty upon it therefore remains as at present The subject of sugar is put into a seperate bill. Mr. Smith, of Georgia, from the committee on patents, for the amendment of the patent laws of the house calendar. It provides that any person who introduces from a foreign country any secret invention or process useful and important to the public and not patented there, and at the time of the application not understood in this country, may upon due proceedings obtain a patent therefor, and any art, invention or process which has been used or practiced unpatented for fifty years exclusively in the country where obtained, shall be deem - ed secret in the meaning of this act.