Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1884 — NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS. [ARTICLE]

NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS.

Brief Summary of the Proceedings of Congress. The bill to place Gen. IT. 8. Grant on the retired list of the army, with full rank and pay. passed the Senate by a unanimous vote, on the 18th inst. Majority arid minority reports were made on the bill to pension Gen. Ward B. Burnet, and Mr. Sherman presented a petition to put Gen. Fremont on the retired list A communication from the Secretary of War asked an appropriation ot $20,000 to repair Jackson Barracks, at New Orleans. Mr. Logah cave notice that when the Mexican pension comes np he will move to strike ont the amendment providing that no one shall have the benefit thereof unless unable to make a living. Mr. Vance called np his resolution to appropriate $30,000 for a monument to Sir Walter Raleigh on Roanoke Island, and it was referred to the Committee on Library. A conference committee was appointed on the shipping bill. The Indian appropriation bill was completed and passed. The House of Representatives passed the Senate bill providing for civil government in Alaska, as also a measure making the Legislature of Dakota consist of twenty-four members of the Connell and forty-eight members of the Hottse. TheTownshend bill, providing that no Territory shall apply for admission to the Union until it has population sufficient for Congressional representation, was laid on the table. The bill for the establishment of a Bureau of Labor Statistics was take n up in the Senate on the 14th inst. and Mr. Garland moved to amend to have the work performed by the Bureau of Statistics of the Treasury Department. The matter went over. A hill was favorably reported to extend to August, 1886, the time to commence laying ocean cables. A bill was passed to authorize the construction of a pontoon wagon-bridge over the Mississippi near Dubuque. In the House of Representatives, resolutions were reported unseating Mr. McKinley, from the Eighteenth Ohio District, and Mr. Feelle, from the Seventh Indiana District. A favorable report was made on a bill for a mint at St. Louis. Mr. Springer asked unanimous consent to pnt on passage a bill authorizing the purchase of $42,000,000 in bonds with greenbacks held in the Treasury, but Mr. Weller objected. The consular and diplomatic appropriation bill was vigorously debated in committee of the whole. A motion by Mr. Robinson to abolish the office of Minister to Great Britain was lost. Mr. Morgan offered a resolution in the Senate, on the 15th inst., directing the Finance Committee to investigate the national bank suspensions in New York, with leave to send for persons or papers. A bill was passed to aid the New Orleans exposition to the amount of $1,000,000. A message was received from the President recommending an appropriation to carry out the treaty with Mexico as to the boundary line. Mr. Ciillom introduced a bill to prevent speculation by officers of national banks. An adjournment to the 19th was taken. The Houseof Representatives passed bills to authorize the construction of bridges over the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass and Laredo, and over the Missouri from Douglas county, Nebraska. The consular and diplomatic bill was debated in tbe House. Mr. Holman, DenJOcrat, defended the course of the committee in cutting down salaries of diplomatic representatives and Consuls to foreign ports, while Messrs. Hitt, Reed, and Hiscoek, Republicans, advocated more liberal appropriations for the consular and diplomatic service, a d offered amendments to increase the various items,allot which were voted down. The House of Representatives passed a b:il on the 16th Inst, to authorize the construction of bridges across the Wisconsin, Chippewa, andStCrolx rivers In Wisconsin. In committee of the whole the river and harbor, the diplomatic, and the army appropriation bills were debated and favorably reported to the House. An evening session was devoted to work on pension bills. The Senate was not in session. Bills passed the House of Representatives, May 17, extending until Dec. 31, 1885, the duration of the Court of Commissioners pf Alabama Claims; to change the Eastern and Northern Judicial Districts of Texas and to attach part of Indian Territory to those districts; to relieve tbe settlers on the Duck Valiev Indian Reservation, Elko County, Nevada; for the appointment of two additional Associate Justices of the Supreme Court cf Dakota. The Senate amendments to the Indian appropriation bill were nonconcurred in. There was no session of the Senate.