Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1886 — THE NEWS CONDENSED. [ARTICLE]

THE NEWS CONDENSED.

FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS. Tbs Chair laid before the Senate, on the *Sth of January, a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury relating to the payment of salaries es Collectors of Customs not confirmed by the Senate ; also, a letter stating that the information called for by a recent resolution of the Senate, relating to claims paid under Frenoh and Spanish treaties, could be most speedily furnished by the State Department. The letters wore appropriately referred. Mr. Voorhees then called up his resolution expressive of the Senate’s deep sense of , the pnblio loss In the death of the late Vioe President Hendricks. The resolution having been read, Mr. Voorhees addressed the Senate. After hearing the speeches of Messrs. Voorhees, Hampton, Sherman, Saulsbury, Evarts, Hansom, Spooner, Vest, and Harrison, in memory of the deceased, the Senate adopted the commemorative resolution and tfien adjourned. In the House Mr. Swinburne of New York introduced a bill declaring the silver dollar of 413)4 grains a legal tender of equal value with gold coin. The bill also provides for the purchase of $4,030,000 worth of silver bullion per month, and the issuance monthly of $2,000,000 of silver certificates. Bills were also introduced in the Houso to establish life-saving stations outside San Franoisco, for the relief of railway mail clerks who have been in the service twenty years, conferring the rank of commander upon Chief Engineer Melville, to authorize the payment ot postalnotes at any money-order office, to limit the capital of any national bank to $5,000,000, to prohibit the importation of pauper labor, to give preference to American citizens in employing laborers <m public works and to limit the jurisdiction of Federal Courts in patent cases. A resolution was introduced directing the Secretary of the Treasury to report his reasons for closing the mint at Carson, Nevada. A memorial of the Legislature of Kansas praying for the establishment of two additional military stations in that State as a protection against Indian depredations was passed in the Senate by Mr. Ingalls on the 27th ult. Mr. Plumb presented a memorial from the some body praying for an extension of the military facilities "at Fort Kiley, Kas. The papers were appropriate]y referred. Bills were introduced to appropriate $350,000 for the purchase of a postoffice site in San Francisco, and to reimburse the survivors of the Jeannette Arctic Expedition. Mr. Harrison made a speech favoring the admission of Dakota to the Union. The Honse of Representatives passed a bill to forfeit' eertain lands granted to the States of Missouri, Alabama, and Louisiana, to aid in the construction of railroads. A resolution was adopted directing the Secretary of the Interior to furnish copies of all contracts on file regarding the Southern Pacific Railway and the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. The Senate resolutions touching the death of Vice President Hendricks were presented to the House, and on motion of Mr. Holman (Ind.) were laid upon the table for the present A smile ran through the House when the chaplain, in his opening prayer, returned thanks that “Our silver and gold have beed multiplied," and the silver men pretended to see in the fact that silver had been placed before gold an indication that the religious petition was in favor of a double standard. Mr. Sherman introduced in tho Senate on the 28th ult a bill which repeals the first section of the cqinage act of Feb. 28, 1878, and authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to buy silver bullion in bars, not less than .9 fine, "to the amount of not less than 2,000,000 ounces trov a month, and not greater than 4,090,000 ounces. The Secretary is authorized to pav for the bullion in coin certificates, receivable for customs, taxes, and all public dues, and when so received to he reissued. The bullion thus bought is to be retained ip the Treasury as security for the payment of the certificates, and the Secretary of the Treasury is directed to redeem in coin the certificates on presentation at tho Sub-Treasury in New York in sums not less than SSO. The bill provides further that any holder of standard silver dollars, gold coin, or bullion may deposit the same with the Treasurer in "sums oj not less than $lO and receive coin certificates therefor. Mr. Morrill offered a resolution setting apart sites in Washington for statues of Columbus and Lafayette. A resolution w»b adopted directing the Secretary of the Treasury to give the origin and amount of the Conscience Fund. A bill was introduced to grant right of wav through Indian Territory to the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf Railway. Mr. Ingalls presented a petition by Frederick Douglass and other colored citizens of Washington, complaining of discriminations at theaters and other public places. Mr. Dawes made a favorable report on a bill for the allotment of lands in severalty to Indians, and to extend the, protection of the laws over the red man. The bill* providing for the admission of Dakota came up in the Senate. The debate lasted for some time. Mr. Butler speaking in opposition and Mr. Wilson in favor of the measure. In the House of Representatives Mr. Weaver introduced a bill for the organization of the Terr torv of Oklahoma, and to al’ot homesteads to Indians. A' bill [authorizing the President to restore officers to the army in certain cases, intends d to apply especially to Fitz John Porter, was reported favorably by Mr. Wheeler. Eulogies on tlie career of tho late Representative Reuben Ellwood. of Illinois, closed the proceedings. A resolution directing the secretary ot me Treasury to report whether the Assistant Secrotary at New York had been instructed to refuse deposits of silver dollars for certificates, was adopted by the Senate on the ‘29th ult. A. bill was passed to remove the political disabilities of George S. Storrs. of Texas. The Attorney General sent a letter to the Senate, in answer to the resolution calling for “all tho documents and papers in relation to the management and conduct of the office of United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama," in which, after acknowledging the receipt of the resolution in question, he says: “In response to said resolution, the President of the United States directs me to say that the papers which were in this department relating to the fitness of J. D. Bennett, recently nominated to said offic ', having been already sent to the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, and the papers and documents which are mentioned in said resolution, and still remaining in the custody of this department, have exclusive reference to the suspension by the President ot George M. Dustin, tue lae incumbent of the office of District Attorney of the United States for the Southern District of Alabama, il Is not considered that the public interests will be promoted by compliance with said resolution, and the transmission of the papers and documents therein mentioned to the Senate in executive session." The House of Represent atives passed a bill to pay the Fourth of Julj claims, aggregating $229,000, distributed ainonf eleven States. At the evening session fifty pen Sion measures were put through.