Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1885 — CONGRESSIONAL. [ARTICLE]

CONGRESSIONAL.

B* Work of the Senate and Boose of Representatives. Mb. Aujsow submitted a conference report to the Senate, Feb. 25, on the army appropriation bill, and said that the conferrees had agreed as to all differences, except those relating to courts-martial in time of peace. The House provision, h* said, so amended the ninety-fonrth article of war as to enable courts-martial to control the hours of their own session. An animated discussion concerning the Swaim court-martial ensued. Mr. Hoar said that persons inferior in rank to the accused were sometimes found in snch courts, and that such persons might have a personal Interest in the decision of the court. Theoretically, the Judge Advocate was an Impartial officer, bnt in fact he was a vigilant prosecutor, who regarded a conviction as a personal triumph. Hr. Ingalls thought that the proceedings subsequent to the Swaim courtmartial were ‘ a disgrace $o civilization. Mr. Sherman said that the great evil connected with courts-martial was the Judge Advocate. Mr. Hoar declared that he saw no reason in time of peace for the existence of oonrtsmarUal. Mr. Ingalls said that what had been done in the trial of the Swaim case would not be permitted under Russian tyranny or Turk sh despotism. Gen. Swaim, he said, had been Eursned with a revengeful malignity, ever since is appo.ntment to office. Th w- persecution was ane to the jealousy of West-Pointers. Mr. Conger spoke in the same strain. The whole affair, Mr. Conger averred, was a mockery of Justice. Mr. Hawley denied that any such jealousy existed between volunteer officers and graduates of West Point. The Senate insisted upon its amendment striking ont the House provision permitting courts-martial to control their own hours of session, and the conference committee was reappointed. A bill was reported in the House of Representatives by the Commit'ee on War Claims making an appropriation for the payment of Fourth of July claims. The Senate bill was passed with amendments appropriating tloo.Ooo to pay certain citizens for supplies furnished the Sioux and Dakota Indians in Minnesota between 1860 and 1862. Consideration of the river and harbor bill was resumed, and continued till late in the evening.

WpEN the silver bill came up in the Senate, on the 26th nit.. Mr. Sherman declared that the Government rested under no obligation to give the trade dollar preference over silver bnllion. Since the coinage of standard silver dollars commenced, the market value of silver bullion had been steadily declining. The exportation or hoarding of gold would contract the currency so sharply as to shock every hamlet in the country. The best remedy for threatened evils would be s.n International agreement to maintain the free coinage of silver at a fixed ratio. Mr. Beck said he wonld give no President the power to strike down silver coinage. Mr. Hill argued that the expulsion of gold wonld give an increased value to the silver and paper in circulation. Mr. Coke remarked that the suspension of silver coinage would itself contract our money supply by $50,000,000 a year. No action was taken by the Senate. Mr. Hoar Introduced a new Pacitte Railway funding bill. The Honse bill to provide a fireproof building to contain the medical library of the army was passed. In the House of Representatives the conference report on the army bill was adopted. An agreement was reported on all amendments except that relating to the hours during which courts-martial may hold sessions, and a further conference was ordered. Mr. Cobb moved to suspend the rules and take from the Speaker's table the bill repealing the pre-emption and timber-culture laws He said that no greater evil had been done to the future of the country than had been done through these laws. Mr. Converse asserted that more frand had been committed under the homestead laws. Mr. Valentine said that he voiced the sentiments of the people of the West in protesting against the repeal of the timber-culture laws. The demand for their repeal, he said, came from the railways and cattle kings. The motion to suspend the rules was lost. Mr. Randall moved to suspend the rules in order to consider the sundry civil bill for four hours, the time to be devoted to debate on the clauses relating to silver suspension and the New Orleans Exposition. The motion was lost by a vote of 118 yeas to 119 nays. Mr. Randall finally moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, with the silver clanse stricken out, after two hours’ debate on the New Orleans proposition. This was agreed to, and after farther discussion the bill went over.

The naval appropriation bill, with an item of $112,00Q for the purchase of the torpedo-boat Destroyer from Mr. Ericsson, passed the Senate Feb. 27. A hill also passed for the sale of the Sac and Fox reservaiion in Nebraska »nd Kansas. On a bill to grant a pension of S6O per month to the blind and penniless daughter of ex-Presi-dent Tyler, the vote showed that no quorum was present. In executive session. Francis E. Warren was confirmed as Governor of Wyomipg. An hour was spent on the nomination of E. A. Kreidler to be Marshal of Montaha, the Wisconsin Senators opposing the removal of A. C. Botkin, and no action was taken. The House of Representatives passed the sundry civil appropriation bill, with an item of $360,000 to pay indebtedness and premiums of the New Orleans Exposition. Mr. Kosecrans reported a bill for the retirement of Maj. Gen. H. G. Wright. A bill was passed appropriating $5,000,030 to be expended by the Secretary of War in improvements at Galveston, and for continuing work along the Mississippi River.

A communication from the Attorney Genera], stating that the deficiency bill as passed by tbe House insufficiently provided for the expenses of juries, etc., in the United States pourts, was read in the Senate on the 28th alt. The report of the conference committee on the agricultural bill was agreed to. The Hopse substitute for the river and harbor bill, appropriating a gross sum of $5.u00,000, was referred to the Commerce Committee. Mr. Mitchell offered a resolution instructing the Finanoe Committee to prepare a bill suspending the coinage of the silver dollar. He asked unanimous consent to an immediate consideration of the resolution, and requested permission to read Mr. Cleveland s letter on the subject. Objection was made and tbe matter went over. The House bfil forfeiting the Sionx City and St. Paul land-grant was taken up and discussed at some length. The Senate passed the Honse bill providing for the erection of public buildings as follows: At Aberdeen, Miss,, not to exceed $75,000; Clarksburg, W7V<., $50,000; Wichita, Kan., $50,000; Port Townsend, W. T., $70,01.0; for the Appraiser’s office, Chicago, $50,000. Also a bill increasing to SIOO,OOO the appropriation for a public building at LouisviUe. Ky. In the House-of Representatives Mr Anderson offered an amendment to the rules providing that the Appropriations Committee shall report aH general appropriation bills not later tha 1 May 1, during the long session nor later than Feb. 1 daring the short session. The conference reports on the agricultural and army bills were adopted. The postofflce appropriation bill was taken up and most of the Senate's amendments were concurred in. An exception was made, however, against the amendment relative to the compensation of American steamships for carrying the mails, and a new conference was appointed. The naval bdl was referred to the Appropriations Committee The fortification bill was passed, thus disposing of the last of the appropriation bills. In tue course of debate, Hr. Horr, of Michigan, expressed his approval of every line of Grover Cleveland’s letter on the silver question. The Honse Committee on Foreign Affairs snbmitte 1 a majority report, finding no sufficient reason why the United States should participate in the Congo conference. The President signed an older throwing open to settlement the greater part of the Winnebago and Crow Creek reservations, comprising 6 0,000 acres, lying east of the Missouri River and south of Pierre. President Arthur issued a proclamation calling upon the Senate to convene March 1 for the transaction of business. Tbe friends of silver in the Honse of Representatives held a conference, and decided to make a formal reply to tbe le ter of Presidentelect Cleveland. They deny that the continued coinage of $28,000,000 per annum in standard silver will force gold to a premium or drive it out of circulation. They contend that, in order to preserve a stable ratio between the money volume and population, an annual increase of $40,000,000 in enrrenoy of some kind is required. " ' ;

In Sweden young girls place under three separate cups a ring, a coin, and a piece of black ribbon. If the ring is first accidentally exposed she will-be married within the year; if the money, she will, get a rich husband; if the ribbon, she will die an old maid. It is a favorite amusement among the young girls in Russia to conceal their fingerrings in small heaps of corn on the floor. A hen is brought in, which at once begins to peck at the tiny heaps of grain. The owner of the first ring exposed to view will, according to popular belief, be married before her companions in the experiment. Journalists in India are excused from jury duty. *