Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1886 — CONGRESSIONAL. [ARTICLE]

CONGRESSIONAL.

The Work of the Senate and House of Representatives. The resolutions ot the Ohio Legiilature asi»ing an investigation into the alleged Payffo briU»ry case were presented to the Senate Muy 25. After the p issage of a bill to increase the pensions of eoluiers or sailors who lost an arm or leg in the service, Mr. Ingalls took occasion to pronounce Commissioner Black an impostor, who had secured from Congress the highest pension rate ub an intellectual and physical wreck. Mr. Voorhees replied that at the present time the services of a physician were required to dress Gen. Black s wounds. Mr. Harrison reported favorably a bill to authorize the appointment of an additional Adjutant-General of the army, with the rank of Major of the cavalry. The Senate passed the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad land forfeiture .bill, as reported from the Committee on Public Lands. The bill forfeits all lands except the right of way adjacent and coterminous with the uncompleted portion >-of the road. The President sent the following nominations to the Senate : Collector of Customs for the district of Sandusky, Ohio, John .Finch. Receivers of Public Moneys—Amos J. Harris, at Kirwin, Kan.; Alexander H. Baker, at Grand - Island; Neb.; Ezra W. Miller, at Huton, D. T. Miles J. Finlin, upon whom a bitter fight has been made, Was confirmed as Postmaster at Streator, 111. A lively debate took place in the House of Representatives on the oleomargarine bill, in which Frank Lawler appear.’d as the defender of Chicago against the sarcasm of an lowa member. An Arkansas representative warned the House not to choke the Democratic party to death with butter. The. Ways and Means Committee adversely reported the bill to carry into effect the Mexican treaty. Mr. Springer, from the Committee on Territories, presented to the House the adverse report of that committee on the Senate bill to provide for the admission of the State of Dakota into the Union, and for the organization of the Territory of Lincoln. Two minority reports were also presented. Mr. Van Wyck, chairman of the Committee on the Improvement of the Mississippi, made a favorable report upon the bill to make Lake Borgne the outlet, to improve the low-water navigation of the river from New Orleans, La., to Cairo, 111., and to protect and reclaim the valley lands of the Mississippi and tributaries from overflow. Mr. Edmunds reported favorably from the Committee on Foreign Relations the bill directing the Attorney General to brin; suit in the Supreme Court of the District! of Columbia against Benjamin Weil, or his legal representatives or assigns, to determine whether the award made by the United States and Mexican mixed commission in respect to his claim was obtained by fraud and to recover any part of the moneyjalready paid to claimants. Tho House of Representatives spent the day debating the oleomargarine bill. Mr. Wilson, of lowa, offered a resolution in the Senate May 27 providing for an investigation of the matter of the appointment of Indian traders by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Eulogies were delivered on the life and character of the late Senator Miller, after which the Senate adjourned. The House discussed tho oleomargarine bill, and devoted the balance of the day to the reading of committee reports. A caucus of Republican Senators was held, at which- it was agreed to push through the measure forfeiting most of the lands of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company in Oregon. Fqub Republican Senators—Cullom, Manderson, Teller, and Van Wyck—voted with the Democrats in the Senate on the 28th tilt., and killed the Northern Pacific forfeiture bill of Mr. Dolph, of Oregon. Mr. Conger presented the report of the Commerce Committee on the Eads ship-railway bill. In the report the committee says that the project is a practicable one, and that the net amount of annual revenue of the road will be in excess of the amount guaranteed by Mexico and the United States. The opinion is expressed that the aggregate amount ,S7,;>00,000) will not have to be advanced by the Government. The committee reports back the accompanying bill as a substitute for Senate bill 5M with the recommendation that it do pass. The President vetoed bills for the relief of Rebecca Eldridge and Eleanor C. Baugham, widows of soldiers, and bills grdhting pensions to Mrs. Anne C. Owen, Simmons W. Harden, and J. D. Haworth. Approval is withheld in these cases on the ground that the disability for which relief or a pension is asked had'its origin-in-causes existing prior to the enlistment of the persons for whose services the claims aro made. In the case of Mrs. Eidriilge, tha/President says: -It is not a pleasant thing to interfere, but we are dealing with and- not gratuities.” The President sent the following nominations to the Senate: C. R, Greathouse, of California, Consul General at Kanagawa; Wm. H. Cleveland, to be Appraiser of Customs for the districtof Detroit, Mich. Adolph Lippman, to be Commissioner for Alaska, at Junction City. During the debate in the House of Representatives on,the oleomargarine bill, a Jerseymiiu proposed a tax of 75 cents on each diish of hasli, every boarding-house keeper to be required to file a statement of ingredients. All amendments to the bill presented were rejected. The House of Rejiresentatives only was in session on the 29th ult. The day was devoted, in committee of the whole, to discussion of the oleomargarine bill. Every attempt to amend it was voted down, and its friends showed that they were determined to stand by it just as it came from the Hofase Committee on Agriculture. .