Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 March 1882 — CONGRESSIONAL. [ARTICLE]

CONGRESSIONAL.

SENATE. Washington, February 24.—Mr. Davis, of West Virginia, offered and advocated a resolution requesting the committee on military affairs to inquire into the expediency of giving more aid than is now provided to various states and territories in order to promote and encourage the organization of the militia forces of the country and strengthen their efficiency. Adopted. After the morning hour Mr. Allison, member of the appropriation committee in charge of the immediate deficiency bill, was awarded the floor, but yielded temporarily to Mr. Van Wyck, who addressed the senate upon the neces«tTj for' an. , investigation of the alleged fraud in the township survey system. The matter was referred to the pub lie lands committee for investigation. The senate then considered the immediate deficiency appropriation bill. After some contention between Messrs. Bayard and Miller upon the claims of priority of the tariff commission and Oinese hills, the -latter being supported by his colleague (Farley), a motion by Mr. Miller to take up the Chiuese bill prevailed by a vote of ayes 35. nays 16, and the measure w"as laid over as unfinished. After an executive session the senate adjourned until Monday.

HOUSE. Mr. Belmont ottered a resolution directing the committee on foreign affairs to inquire into and report to the house respecting the abstraction from the files of the state department certain letters and documents. Mr. Kassou offered as a substitute the following resolution: Resolved. That the committee on foreign affairs be instructed to inquire into said allegations and ascertian the facts relating thereto, and report the same with such recommendations as may be deemed proper. Mr. Belmont accepted the substitute and it was adopted without objections. The house then went into committee of the whole on the private calender. At 4:30 p.m. the committee rose and the following bills were passed: For the retirement of William H. Chamberliss with the rank of major. For the retirement of Carlisle Boyd with the rank of captain. Graoting arrears of pension to Annie A. Hayes, widow of Major General Alexander Hayes. At 4:40 tl»e house adjourned until to-morrow.

SENATE. Washington, February 28.—The resolutions of the Chicago historical society, recommending the purchase of the Franklin manuscripts, were submitted by the chair. Mr. Windom, from the committee on foreign relations, reported resolutions of instruction to committee. Mr. McMillan introduced a joint resolution fixing the head of navigation of the Mississippi river in the state of Minnesota, which was introduced in pursuance to a resolution of the legislature. By Mr. Vest—For a public building at Hannibal, Mo. By Mr. Ingalls—To authorize the president to appoint Alfred Pleasanton brevet major general in the army of the United States, and place him on the retired list. The postoffice appropriation bill was received from the house and referred. The Chinese bill came up as unfinished business, but Mr. Miller temporarily yielded the floor to Mr. Ferry to allow the house post route bill to be considered, and the amendments of the senate committee were read and agreed to. The senate then took up the Chinese immigration bill to carry into effect the treaty by suspending the coming of Chinese laborers for twenty years, after sixty days succeeding the* passage of the act. Mr. Miller, of California, who introduced and reported the measure, proceeded directly to a discussion of the general question, leaving the amendments to be considered later. During Mr. Miller’s speech the habitues of the galleries were astonished by the appearance in the diplomatic gallery of four members of the Chinese legation. The strangers had been sight-seeing in the capitol and their visit was not prearranged, for upon* being apprised of the subject under discussion the immediately retired. * Mr. Miller spoke one hour and forty minutes. The bill was informally laid aside to permit action oa 'the house l ill to furnish impressions of the card invitations to the Garfield memorial services, which was passed. After an executive session the senate adjourned.

HOUSE. Mr. Gibson introduced a joint resolution for the appointment of a committee <jf sixteen members—seven from the senate and nine from the house—to attend the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the mouth of the Mississippi river. Referred. Mr. Kelly, chairman of the ways and means committee, reported the bill repealing the discriminating duties on tea and coffee products of possessions of the Netherlands. Passed. The senate bill appropriating SIOO,000 for continuing the improvement of Galveston harbor was passt d. A bill was passed authorizing the construction of a bridge across the Mississippi river at Keithsburg, 111. Bills introduced aud referred: By Mr. Young—To establish a marine hospital at <Cincinnati. Mr. Ritchie, from the same committee, reported a resolution declaring tha‘ Mr. Ball shall not be ad-

mitted as a delegate from Alaska until the committee files a* report thereon. Referred. Mr. Robinson, of New York, (by request) introduced a bill to organize the national labor league railway company of America, for the purpose of constructing, operating ana main talnlng a railway from the Atlantic seaboard to Chicago, St. Louis and Council Bluffs. Referred. The speaker announced Messrs. Hiscock, Robeson and Co*, of New York, confereres on the immediate deficiency bill. Adopted. SENATE. Washington, March I.—Mr. McDill presented resolutions of the lowa legislature praying the patent laws be so amended as to prevent unjust exactions. Mr. Vest introduced a bill to prohibit the issue of bank notes or currency by national banks that may be organized or reorganized after the first of July, 1882. Referred. On motion of Mr. Windom, the resolution reported yesterday from the committee on foreign relations for an investigation of the loss or abstraction from the state department files of diplomatic correspondence relating to CJiiill and Peru were taken up. Mr. Bayard moved to amend by adding as the specific subject of inquiry the following: Whether any promise or stipulation by which intervention by the United States in the controversies existing between Chili and Peru, or Chili and Bolivia, has been expressly or impliedly given by any person or persons officially connected with the government. Mr. Bayard’s amendment prevailed without objection, and the resolutions as amended were adopted. After the morning hour, the unfinished business, the Chinese bill, was temporarily laid aside for a speech by Voorhees upon the urgency for better accommedation for the library of congress. Tne Chinese bill was then taken up but no decisive action taken. Mr. Kellogg introduced a resolution that tbe committee on education and labor be instructed to report a bill making an appropriation sufficient to civeall child, en of whatever race or coTorin all states and territories an opportunity to secure a good common school education. Adjourned.

HOUSE. Bills were reported to provide for the exchange of trade dollars for legal tender dollars and to stop the coinage of trade dollars. _ To adopt a suitable metre to accurately measure quantity and test the gravity and temperature of distilled °nd malt liquors and to make automatic register of the same. To provide for organizing, arming and disciplining the militia of the United States. For the distribution of pure vaccine virus to the people. A resolution requesting the secre tary of the interior to examine the house bill to create a sinking fund for the Sioux City & Pacific railroad. The house then went into committee of the whole (Mr. Page, of California, in the chair) on dheTndiau appropriation bill The total amoun. 01 appropriation recommended is $4,920,203, an increase over last yeai of $351,600 and a deoreaito of $921,000 from the estimates. In lieu of appropriating for interpreters in detail as heretofore, they are provided for in gross at $20,000, the secretary of the interior being authorized to employ and distiibnte them in his discretion and at salaries oot exceeding S4OO per annum. The motion to strike out the paragraph appropriating $50,000 for the expenses of the Indian commission was rejected—33 to 55. The committee then rose and the bill passed. Adjourned. SENATE. Washington, D. C., March 2. Mr. Platt, from the committee on patents, reported favorably the bill to regulate practice iu patents. Mr. Vance offered a resolution reciting the cost of collecting the internal revenue tax in the sixth collection district of Noith Carolina (nearly 60 per cent.) being greater than that of any other district in the United States. The senate took up the Chinese bill, and Mr. Grover spoke in its advocacy.

lIOUSE. There was a good deal of confusion this morning owing to the members demanding recognition of the speaker. The contested election case of McDowell vs. George, of Oregon, was dismissed. Mr. Whitthorne, of Tennessee, in a speech, commended the foreign poliey of the administration of President Garfield. In the course of the discussion Mr. Orth spoke from the Democratic side of the chamber, and lie was frequently interrupted by Mr. Hewitt, of New York, and Messrs. Stockslager and Holman, of Indiana. The colloquy between Messrs. Orth and Holman had reference to the loyalty of Indiana Democrats during the war, but was cut short by Mr. Kasson, who claimed the floor, saying that since the war had been carried from Ireland into Indiana, it was time the house Bhould return to the consideration of the pending bill. The senate amendment to the post route bill was concurred in aud the house adjourned. • SENATE. Washington, D. C., March 3. Mr. Butler presented a long memmorial from citizens of South Carolina for national aid for the education of the youth of that state. Referred. Mr. Anthony reported adversely the resolution for printing 10,000 copies of the medical and surgicat history of the war of the rebellion. The discussion of the Chinese bill was resumed and Mr. Farley continued and concluded his remarks.

Mr. Maxey followed in advocacy qf the bill, declining to discuss It from the standpoint of ecstatic sentimentality and sublimated humanitarianism. t • Mr. Baulsbury favored the bill, but advocated a modification of the period of suspension of immigration to ten years. Mr. Miller, of California, said the bill as introduced by him prohibited immigration until otherwise provided by law ; but to avoid tbe construction that this would conflict with the treaty, which allowed a suspension but not a prohibition of immigration, the twenty years’ suspension was as reed upon fn committee. Mr. Bayard, in opposing the amendment, spoke of the gravity of the Question. The bill accordingly went over until Monday. Adjourned. house. The house went into committee on the private calendar. The c mmittee rose and the house passed some personal bills. On motion of Mr. Williams, of Wisconsin, the committee on foreign affairs was accorded leave to sit during the sessions of the house in order tc carry on its investigation on the subject of the Chili-Peru correspondence. Adjourned.