Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1887 — CONGRESSIONAL. [ARTICLE]

CONGRESSIONAL.

Work of the Senate and the House y of Representatives. A bill providing for an additional Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of New Mexico, passed the Senate Feb. 17. Mr. Hale’s bill appropriating 515,4(D,0» for the construction of gun-boats,.torpedikboats, and heavily armored vessels for coast defense, and an act for the delivery to their rightful owners of certain boxes deposited in the Treasury Department by the Secretary of War, were■BffsopßKSßit. " Mr. Vest offered a substitute for the Eads Tehuautepee Ship-Kailway bill, which provides for the incorporation by James B. Ends and same eighty other persons named of the Atlantic and Pacific Ship-Railway Company, With a capital stock not to exceed JIOOJWXD. Thesubstitute was passed—yeas 40, nays 7—with an amendment thereto offered by Senator Van, Wyck providing that no certificate of stock, shall be issued until it shall have been fully paid for iu mohqy at par value, and prohibiting the issuance of bonds in excess of the paid-in capital or tfio disposal of the same at less than their par value. Mr. Wilson presented a petition from citizens of lowa in favor of a National Board of Arbitration. The President sent the following nominations to the Senate : Samuel N. Aldrich, of Massachusetts, to bo assistant Treasurer of the United States ut Boston; John M. Mercer, ot lowa, to be Surveyor of Customs at Burlington, Iowa; Owen McGloughlin, of lowa, to be Surveyor of Customs, Dubuque, Iowa; Arthur K. Delaney, of Wisconsin, to be Collector of Customs for the District of Alaska; postmaster at Cleveland, William W. Armstrong ; Charles E. Broyles, of Colorado, to be Register of the Land Office at Del Norte, Col. The House of Representatives passed the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill. By a vote of ff.l to IGO the Texas seed bill failed to pass over the President's veto. The vote against consideration of tho pension veto was 140 to 113. The conference report on the anti-Mormon bill was adopted by a vote of 202 to 10. The anti-polygamy bill, which had previously gone through the House, passed the Senate February 18, by 377 yeas to 13 nays. The first six sections of the bill apply to prosecutions for bigamy, adultery, etc., and make the wile or husband a competent witness, but do not compel either to testify. Sections 7 and 8 give powers of Court Commissioners and of the Marshal and Deputy Marshals. Sections 9 and 10 apply to the marriage ceremony. They require a certificate, properly, authenticated, to be recorded in the office of the Probate Court. Section 11 annuls all Territorial laws recognizing the capacity of illegitimate children to inherit or' be entitled to any distributive share in the estate of tho father. Section 12 annuls territorial laws, conferring jurisdiction upon Probate courts (with certain exceptions). Sections 13 and 11 make it the duty of the Attorney General of tho United States to institute proceedings to escheat to the United States the property of corporations obtained or held in violation of section 3 of the act of July, 186’, tho proceeds of such escheat to be applied’to the use and benefit of common schools iu the territory. Sections 15 and 16 annul the charter of the Perpetual Emigration Fund "Company and dissolve that corporation, and forfeit all property and assets pf the company in excess of debts aud lawful claims to the benefit of common schools in the territory. Section 17 dissolves the corporation of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and makes it the duty of the Attorney General of the United States to institute legal proceedings to wind up the affairs of the corporation. Section 18 provides for the endowment of widows, who are to have one-third of the income of tho estate as their dower. Section 19 gives to the President the appointment of a Probate Judge in each county. Section 2J annuls tno acts of the Legislative Assembly which permit female suffrage. The next four sections make provisions for elections, and require of voters an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution and obey the laws, especially the anti-polygamy act of March 22; 1882; and this act. Section 25 abolishes the office of Territorial Superintendent of District Schools, and makes it tha duty of the Supreme Court of the Territory ta appoint a Commissioner of Schools. Section 26 gives to all religious societies, sects, aud congregations the right to hold, through trustees appointed -by a Probate Court, property for houses of worship and parsonages. The 27th and last section annuls all Territorial laws for the organization~~tsf the militia, or for the creation of tho Nauvoo Legion, and gives the Legislative Assembly of Utah power to pass laws for organizing tiio militia, subject to the approval of Congress. General officers of tho militia aro appointed by the Governor of tho territory with the advice and consent of the council. A bill appropriating 84.663,104 for tho payment of Mexican and other pensions was favorably reported to the House. The House non-concurred in the Senate amendments to the invalid pension bill, and asked for a conference. Tho House refused —yeas, 142 : nays, 98 —to pass tho pension bill of Simmons W. Hart over the President’s veto. An evening session of the House was held to consider pension bills, and a large number were passed. At the session of the Senate on Saturday, Feb. 19, Senator Beck announced that he had a memorial to present on American shipping on which he wished to be heard before the Committee on Commerce. Ho had for years been presenting petitions for the repeal of the navigation laws, in the hope that Americans might ’ be able to own steamship lines on the ozean. Seyiator Van rVyck, after moving the 5300,000 Appropriation for improvements on points on the Missouri River, accepted an amendment by his colleague, Mr, Manderson, appropriating 3100,000 forjgoints north of the Missouri River. The Chaplain of the House of Representatives failed to appear, and fol-tho first time in six years business was commenced without prayer. The Senate amendment appropriating 525.000 for the education of children in Alaska was concurred in by tho House, notwithstanding the recommendation of tho Committee on Appropriations to the contrary. Tho Senate amendment appropriating 82,900 for—the erection of fences arfiund the cemeteries in which Confederate dead are buried near Columbus and Jonnsou’s Island, Ohio, was non-concurred in by the House for tho purpose of enabling the Committee of Conference to prepare a measure in accordance with the views of both sides of the House. Both Senate and House Agreed to the conference report on the retirement of the trade dollar; Tha House Committee on Invalid Pensions submitted a unuqimdus report recommending tho passage over the President’s veto of the invalid pensions bill. The President vetoed the pension bills of Richard O'Neal, late Colonel of the Twentysixth Indiana Volunteers, aiid John Reed, whose son, Johqjßeed, died in the service..