New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-16
YESTERDAY IN THE HOUSE.

YESTERDAY IN THE HOUSE
SEVERAL. INTERESTING EPIsoDEs-IHE FEELING TO-
w.pp MIR. KERR--AN INTERESTING QUESTION
RAISED BY HE PRESIDENT.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEl
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.--The House adjourned
Yesterdays session at o'clock this morning, the
members being generally in very demoralized con-
dton. The regular session of to-day began at the
sas.o,narv hour of noon, and was altogether a very
rpeventful one The first two hours were spent IN
Si.nos;nc Of unimportant matters and the first in
,arestino discussion of to-day occurred at about
o,ock ON the reference to the Committee of Appro-
nriatopse f message of the President announcing
bis SIGNATURE of the Consular and Diplomatic
hm The President, in this message, raised
q comnaratively new and very interesting
orostion. He asserted that the Congress
had no constitutional right TO abolish any
foreign mission and cited the article and section OF
the Constitution in support of this assertion MI
Tucker who in spite of his antquated ideas on the
subect of State rights is really one OF the ables
constitutional lawyers i'll the house, criticised the
assumption of the message, and argued that the
position of foreign minister or ambassador was IKE
that of Justice of the Supreme Court and other
offices recognized by the Constitution. one which
had to be created by the House. The Repub-
Icans particularly Nh Garfield, Mr.. Law
renee. and Mr. Kass0n, called attention 10
the fact that very few of the foreign missions had
been created by laws of Congress, and that the ex-
ceptional cases in which the President and the SEN
ate had not decided where it proper Tor the Gov
eminent to keep a representative were 80 few as 10
make them Sustain rather than break the rule. Mr.
Ranks held that the power of the President TO ap-
point ambassadors for particular purposes was I'M
ouestioned. but that he had no right to
Ito INV H.
less the office had previously been located
By Congress, either 10y special enactment or by an
appropriation Mr.. Tucker seemed to have the best
of the argument and the effect of the President s
message will probably be to cause careful exalnl-
nation TO be given to the theory which he has ad-
vauced Should there be any doubt about the
power Of Congress to create or abolish foreign mis-
sons the House will probably pass act at Its next
session OF adopt constitutional amendment winch
viii remove all such doubt.
Congress wasted several hours upon the action Of
the Conference Committee Oh the Sioux Indian bill
The House spent portion OF the time In hhOuster-
ing against the Bland Silver bill and the remainder
in the disposition of few private measures. Dur
ing several hours of the afternoon dozen or twenty
members Of the House were constantly ON Their feet
shouting at the top of their voices for recognition
bv the Speaker in order that some special
be taken up; but two or three Representatives
On fbe Republican side and Mr.. Holman on the
Democratic side watched the proceedings with jeal-
ms care ard ~ ected to every bill about the char
teter of which there was the least doubt. The re-
,ult was that less ill-cOnSidcred and uncOnsdcred
legislation has been passed during the two days OF
the session than on any similar occasion for many
years When there is time to look over the field IT
NAV possibly be discovered that some jobs were al
lowed to Slip through, but the number of them is
probably small.
During the afternoon a report was circulated at
the Capitol that Speaker Kerr had died to-day
This was contradicted by a dispatch which was
received from him between and o'clock but
which brought no hope Of his recovery. Gen. Banks
read the dispatch to the House, and introduced
resolution expressing the unanimous sentiment of
respect felt by all the members for the Speaker
and their sorrow on account Of his sick
ness. The perfect silence which prevailed
in the House while this resolution was
read, contrasting as il did with the tumutuous
fusion which during most of the afternoon made
business almost impossible, made the occasion eX-
ceedingly impressive. At Ga4 o'clock the bill au-
thoIizing the enlistment OF troops for the Sioux
campaign had passed both Houses, and a message
was Immediately received from the Senate an
nouncing that it had fixed 7l2 as the hour of final
adjournment. Tie resolution was Immediately
adopted by the House. and the intervening time was
spent in disposing OF few unimportant matters by
unanimous consent.
Just before adjournment exciting little episode
occurred Congress had authorized the appoint
ment of a commission 10 visit the Pacific coast
during the recess and investigate the Mongolian
question. Il was agreed that the Democratic mem
bers from that coast should select the two repre-
sentatives Of their party to upon that commits
sion and that Mr.. Page Of California and Mr..
Woodbum Of Nevada should suggest the name OF
the Republican Commissioner They agreed upon
Mr. KassOn Us the whom they desired
appointed when the Speaker announced the
members of the Commission, Mr. Wilson Of Iowa
had been substituted for Mr.. KassOn; and Mr.. Page
in state Of great excitement, protested against this
change, which he said had been made on account Of
Mr. KaSsou's speech against Gov. Tlden. while ,he
Speaker pounded his table with the gayel in vain
effort to drown the sound of his voice.
When the hour Of 7l2 o'clock arrived Mr. Garfield
offered the usual resolution recognizing the fairness
aud ability with which the Speaker pro ten. had
presided. After it Lad b. unanipoGs consent
been amended 50 as TO include Mr. COx's name also,
and it had been passed. Mr., Sayler as Speaker pro
tenn, announced the adjournment without day OF
The first session of the XLIYth Congress amid loud
applause IN thc galleries and OH the floor.
LAST HOURS OF THE SENATE.
AN CNDRAMA1Ic END OF THE sEssIoS-THE cOM-
MISSIONS TO SIT DURING RECESS.