Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-02-23
Congressional Summary.

Congressional Summary.
The Senate has passed the House
JOINT resolution authorizing diversion
Of 500. 600 acres of public land granted
to the State of Oregon for common
school purposes in that state.
Both Houses have passed joint res
olution authorizing the President to
station vessel of war at the ports of
New York, Boston, and Philadelphia,
to receive and transport supplies con
trbuted for the destitute and suffering
people of France and Germany.
The House has passed bill PROV
ding for temporary civil organization
for the territory of Alaska. 1t declares
Alaska organized with the county seat
at Sitka, and attaches it to Washington
Territory for executive, Legislative and
judicial purposes. 1t extends all the
public laws of Washington Territory
to the county of Alaska, which is to
have one councilman and member in the
Legislature of Washington Territory.
The President has vetoed bill for
the relief of certain naval contractors,
upon the ground that the claims of the
contractors was in consequence of the
rise in the price of labor and material
after the contracts were made, which
would not have arisen if due diligence
had been used in the prosecution of the
work.
The House has passed bill provid-
ing that no accounts or claims which
have been adjusted by accountant Off
GERS of the government shall be reopen
ed without authority given by law, and
forbidding accounting officers to act on
any claim which shall not have been
presented within six years from the
date when it became due, provided that
it shall not apply to any local claim in
states formerly in instruction, which,
by the operation of the law, could not
be finally settled and adjusted.
Congress has passed bill appropri
ating 100000 for the expenses of the
committee to investigate Southern out
RACES.
The House refused on Wednesday,
by vote of yeas 103, nays LOG, to go
into Committee Of the Whole for the
purpose of reaching the bill repeating
the income tax The vote is considered
as virtual repeal of the bill.
Pomeroy, from the Committee on
Public lands, in the Senate, has report
ed, with slight amendment, the House
bill to amend section %, of the act of
July 9Th, 1870, to provide homesteads
for officers and soldiers, seamen and
marines of the late war. 1t allows
quarter section Of Government land.
The House has passed the bill grant
ing pensions to soldiers of 1872, as
agreed upon by the Conference Com
mittees of both Houses. 1t provides
for pensions to surviving officers, and
enlisted and drafted men, including
the militia and volunteers who served
sixty days in the army or navy in the
Revolutionary War, or IN the war of
1912. and were honorably DISCHARGED.
and TO surviving widowo of such officers
and drafted and enlisted men. The
pensions are to be at the rate Of eight
dollars per month.
Some time was spent last week IN the
House in discussion OF a blll creating q
national system OF education, to apply
especially to those states where no pub
lie school system exists. A bill for the
removal of the Brooklyn navy yard and
the sale OF the property, also consumed
mach time. Neither bill has been dis
posed Of.
The President has arranged with the
British government for joint commls-
sion. to meet in Washington, 10 settle
the Fishery question, the Alabama
claims. and all other questions III DIS
pute between the two governments,
growing out of the late war The Sen.
ate has ratified this action, and also
confirmed the commissioners nominated
under it on the part of the President
These commissioners are, Secretary
Fish, Minister Schenck, Judge Nelson,
OF the Supreme Court, Mr.. hoar, OF
Massachusetts,, and Senator Williams