Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 March 1885 — GRAVE SENATORS. [ARTICLE]

GRAVE SENATORS.

Work in the Extra Session of the United States Senate. The "Backbone* resolution offered by Mr. Van Wyck was laid before the Senate, on the lltb Inst, as unfinished business. Mr. Van Wyck said the Senator front Colorado (Teller) had gone to New York to be absent a day or two. and asked that action upon the resolution be deferred for a couple of days. Mr. Van Wyck then offered the following resolution, and asked that it lie upon the table for the present: 'lihsoWed, That the Secretary of the Interior and the Attorney General of the United States be and they are hereby directed, respectively, to take such action as each may deem necessary, tqprevent any sale of the Atlantic and Gulf West India Transit Company, or by any company or person claiming under them, of ainrof the lands described in the act approved May 17, iB6O, entitled ‘An act granting public lands in alternate sections to the States of Florida and Alabama to aid in the construction of.certain railroads in said States,’ s > far as the samelies within the line of said railroads between Waldo and Tampa Bay, Florida, ontil Congress shall have authorized the same. * The President sent to the Senate the names of Edward' D. Clark, of Mississippi, to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior, ana Sidney D. Jackman, to be Marshal of the Western District of Texas. Bepublican Senators, at a caucus, prepared the allotment of places on the majority sides of the committees. Mr. Conger is to be Chairman of the Committeeion Postoffices and Post Roads, Mr. Pike tokemtbe chair of the Committee on Claims, and Mr.'Sewell takes Senator Logan’s place at the head of the Military Committee. Mr. Teller is marie Chairman of the Committee on Mines and Mining and a member of the Public LandiACommittee. Mr. Evarts is placed upon the Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees. The principal topic of interest in the Senate on the 12th inst., was the consideration of Senator Van Wyck’s resolution, offered by him on the previous day. directing the Secretary of the Interior and the Attorney General to take sneh action as may be necessary to prevent anv sale Id the Atlantic and Gulf West India Transit Company of the lands described In the act of May 17,1856, granting lands In alternate section to the States ot Florida and Alabama to aid in the construction of certain railroads in said States, so far as the same lie within the line of said railroads between Waldo and Tampa Bay v Florida, until Congress shall have authorized the same. Senator Van Wyck said the land grant was made in 1856 in order that the railroads might develop the country; that from that time until the present nothing has been done in that direction; that the land has increased, from V) cents to $lO and sls per acre, and now the road asks the Government to recognize its title. Mr. George, of Mississippi, presented the credentials of E. C. Walthall, appointed by the Governor to succeed Mr. Lamar. After tbe reading of the credentials, Mr. Walthall was sworn, and took his seat. A written message was sent to tbe Capitol by the President for the purpose of withdrawing the Nicaraguan and Spanish treaties. The Senate, however, had adjourned.

Mb. Camebon offered a resolution naming the Chairmen and members of the Senate committees, as agreed npon by the caucuses, and asked its immediate consideration, on March 13, Agreed to. A new committee of seven members on coast defenses was created, with Dolph, Chairman, and Cameron, Sewell, riawtey, Maxey, McPherson, and Fair as members. On the appropriations* Mahone succeeds Logan, and Gorman succeeds Ransom. Upon public lands. Teller succeeds Hill, Cockrell succeeds Walker and Walthall succeeds Slater. The Judiciary Committee Is made up as follows: Edmunds, Chairman; Ingalls, McMillan, Hoar, Wilson of lowa, Evarts, Pugh, Coke, Vest, and Jackson. The resolution embodying the committee was adopted unanimously. Mr. Sherman declined to serve on the Committee on Finance. President Cleveland nomloated Col. Nelson H. Davis, Inspector General, to be Inspector General with the rank of Brigadier General;. Lieut. CoL Absalom Baird, Inspector General, to be Inspector General with the rank of Colonel: Maj. Robert P. Hughes, to be Inspector Genenal with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Cbarles S. Fairchild, of New York, was confirmed by the Senate as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Ingalls offered a resolution calling npon the President for information in regard to the occupation of Oklahoma, and what action was being taken in that regard. Under objection from Mr. Cockrell, it wept over. After a short executive session, the Senate adjourned until Monday, 16th.