Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-02-22
Congressional Summary.

Ihe Senate has passed the House
joint resolution authorizing a diversion
of 500, 900 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 tc
station vessel Of war at the ports OF
New York, Boston, and Philadelphia,
to receive and transport supplies con-
tributed for the destitute and suffering
people of France and Germany.
The House has passed a bill provi-
ding for temporary civil organization
for the territory Of Alaska. It declares
Alaska organized with the county seat
at Sitka, and attaches it to Washington
Territory for executive, Legislative and
judicial purposes. It extends all the
public laws of Washington Terri
tory to the county of Alaska, which is
to have one councilman and member in
the Legislature of Washington Terri
tory
The President has vetoed a 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 insurrection, which,
by the operation of the law, could not
be finally settled and adjusted
Congress has passed bill appropri-
ating 500, 900 for the expenses of the
committee to investigate Southern out
RACES.
The House refused on Wednesday,
By a vote of yeas 103, nays 106, 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 reported,
with slight amendment, the House bill
to amend section 25 of the act of July
5th, 1870, to provide homesteads for
officers and soldiers, seamen and ma
rines of the late war. 1t allows quar-
ter 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 the two Houses. Itprovides
for pensions to surviving officers, and
enlisted and drafted men, including the
militia and volunteers whe served sixty
days in the army or navy in the Revolu-
tionary War, or in the war OF 1912, and
were honorably discharged, and to sur
viving widows of such officers and
drafted and enlisted men. The pen
sions are to be at the rate of eight dol
lars per month.
Sometime was spent last week in the
House in discussion of bill creating
national system of education, to ap-
ply especially to those states where no
public school system exists. A bill for
the removal of the Brooklyn navy yard
and the sale of the property also, CON
sumed much time. Neither bill has
been disposed of.
The President has arranged with the
British government for a joint commits
sion, to meet in Washington, to settle
the Fishery question, the Alabama
claims, and ali other questions in 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