Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-01-21
Latest Eastern News.
Ias,isus Adopting civilized
eI0thlng.

w WASdlN0ION, Jhu. -Otu. NO
tenth annual report of the Board
of Indian Commissioners, when
published, will show that more
than one-half of all the Indians
have discarded the blanket and
adopted civilized garb; about half
have changed wigwams for houses,
the number of the latter having
trebled in ten years, within
which time the number of pupils
In Indian schools has doubled and
the land cultivated by Indians has
increased five-fold. They raised
vegetable food enough last year to
supply ten bushels to every Indian
In the country. They possess an
average of one horse or mule, one
COW, one sheep and one hog to
every Indian.
Bills Introduced.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20.-HoUSE.
The following bills were introduced
and referred: By Wright, of Penn.
sylvania, to prevent adulteration
in articles of food and drink. By
Money, to pay certain mail con-
tractors Of the Southern States for
the carrying Of mails prior to the
war. Cummings desired this bill
to be referred to the Committee on
Claims, but the House, by q vote
of los yeas TO 122 nays, refused,
and it was sent to the Committee
on Postoflices. BY Durham, to re-
peal laws in regard to the appoint.
ment and pay of Supervisors Of
Election and their aids. By Tur-
ner, to regulate charges on the
Pullman palace and other sleeping
cars. By Bright, making trade
and Mexican dollars legal tender.
By Aldrich, to make ships, tugs
and other vessels engaged in COM
merce between different States or
between the United States and
foreign countries liable for debts
contracted by their owners
or agents. By Durrell, regulating
all acts relative to the pre.emption
Of public lands; also, for the survey
and sale OF public lands. By Strait,
to reduce the price of public lands
within railroad limits. By Mackey,
of Pa, for the scientific explora-
ton of the Northern States of
Mexico. By Elan, of La, grant.
ing the right Of way and making a
grant of land to the New Orleans,
Texas and Colorado Railroad. By
Wiggintop, granting California
five per cent. of the net proceeds of
the sale of public lands within the
State; also, defining the acts grant,
ing lands to the Southern Pacific
Railroad. By Fuller, of Md, ex-
tending the land laws to Alaska.
The cipher Dispatches.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20.-In the
House to-day, Potter asked leave
to offer q resolution authorizing an
investigation into the cipher dis
patches and to have it adopted un.
der a suspension of the rules. But
Butler having objected to that on
the ground that he wished to de-
bste the resolution, it was agreed
that Potter should report it to. NOR.
row after the reading of the journal.
The resolution recites that cer-
tain alleged kilograms in cipher
have been published indicating
that attempts were made after the
Presidential election of 1876, to in
tiuence by money or other fraudu.
lent methods the votes Of electors
or the action of canvassing officers
in the States of Florida, South
Carolina and Oregon; it therefore
directs the Committee on Investi-
cation of election frauds to enquire
into the same and into any other
matter connected with such elec.
tion, which, in Its judgment, may
be proper, with power to send for
persons and papers and to report at
any time; also, appropriating SlO,-
900 for expenses.
Committee, reported resolution to
defray the expenses of the Daven.
port and Blodgett Investigations.
Adopted.
The House then wen. into Com
mittee of the Whole on the bill to
provide for the settlement of all
outstanding claims against the
District of Columbia and con-
ferring jurisdiction thereof on the
Court of Claims.
Law Againss Poiygamy.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20th.-In the
Senate, Edmunds reported for
Christiancy, who is sick, from the
Judiciary Committee, as q substi-
tute for the pending bill, new
measure amending the revised
statutes so as to provide that every
person who has q husband or wife
living who, In territory or other
place over which the United States
has exclusive jurisdiction marries
another, whether married or sim
gle, and any man who hereafter
simultaneously or on the same day
marries more than one woman in q
territory or other place over which
the United States has exclusive iu.
risdiction, shall be deemed guilty
of bigamy and be punished by
fine of not more than $500 and i'm.
priscnment for not more than five
years; but this section shall not
extend to any person by reason of
a former marriage whose husband
or wife by such marriage Is absent
for successive years and is not
known to such person to be living;
nor to any person by reason of any
former marriage which has been
dissolved by a decree of compe-
tent court; nor to any person by
reason OF any former marriage
which has been pronounced void
by decree Of a competent court on
tho ground of the nullity of the
marriage contract. The foregoing
provisions are not to affect the exc
cution or punishmento of any offence
heretofore committed against the
law, nor shall they affect the issue
of plural marriages, known as
Mormon marriages, in cases In
which such marriages have been
solemnized according to the rites of
the Mormon sect in any territory
of the United States, and If such
issue shall have been born before
the 1st of NOvemhar 1870 thau ara