Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1887 — THE FIFTIETH CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

THE FIFTIETH CONGRESS.

Neither the Senate nor the House transacted any business Tuesday. The message of the President was read to a joint session of the two Houses. The House adjourned until Thursday. The Senate, Wednesday, received the communications from heads of departments, and the Court of Claims, Plumb offered a re olution calling.on the Commissioner of Agriculture for information as to whether any person in the employment of that department, making experiments as to the manufacture of sugar from sorghum, had obtained or applied for a patent or patents connected with such manufacture and growing out of sueh experiment. Adapted and adjourned. The Senate, Thursday, read the Journal and received a few department eommuniaations. The House received petitions relating to the rules.. Both bodies then -adjourned until Monday. The Senate, on the 2th, appointed the various committees. A large number of petitions were presented and J)ills introduced. Among the petitone were’.o prevent sa’e of liquors in the Ter ritorks; to pension all who served in the war; for committee of arbitration with Great Britain; for additional compensation for fourth elass postmasters; for prohibition law; for a uniform law on the subjeet of marriage ana divorce Among the bifls introduced were: For the retirement of iegaf tender and buik notes denomination and the i-sue of coin certificates in lien thereof; to provide f truncations and other sea eoa t defen;es;for the erection of buildings for first and second class postoffiees; for the erection of public buildings at New Orleans, Mori roe, La. .Omaha and Milwaukee ;toproyi;2eiqr pp»til telegraph; to promote foreign trade and encourage the Americm merchant marine; to amend the civil sendee act; gr'inttng a pension to every soldier who is incapacitated for the performance oFmanual labor, and for pensions to defendent relatives (G. A. R. bill;) to admit Dakota ss a State; also, Washington Ter. ; to abrogate all treaties with the Chinese Empire permitting the immigration of Chinese to this country; making it an offense punishable by fine for any Congressman or other employe of the Government to accept a pass or reduced rate for transportation; to repeal the tax on tobacco and on sugar; to repeal the oleomargarine law; requiring ten years residence before a foreigner can bee»me aci isen, and many other bills. Mr. Hale offered a preamble and resolution reciting the'provisions of the eivil-sgrvice law which prohibits Government officials from offensive partisanship, and the letter of the President and of Commissioner Oberly on the subjeet ; and providing for the appointment of a select committee of seven to examine fully into the present condition of civil service in all its branches; to .iicertiin whether appointments have been based on merit and qualifications, or distributed as pa-tisan favors, and as to (the purticip ition of Government officials in political conventions and elections. . r j; - The House received a rnumber of executive eommuuications. principally relative to private iand claims in New Mexico, which were referred. The credential-'of Owen G. Chase, who claims to be elected delegate from tlae territory of Cimeroii, commonly known as the -'Public Land atrip,” .were presented. Speaker Carlisle reque ted to be relieved of the responsibility of appointing the eommittee on elections, his seat being contested by Tnoebe. The House then decided to elect that committee on the 18th.