The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-01-21
WASHINGTON.

Reorganization of Southern Civil Ser.
NEW YORK, Jan. 20 Washington dispatches re-
port increased evidences that the administration is
considering reorganization of the civil service in
the South. Marshal Pitkins' reinstatement is pro-
bable.
A Substitute for Edmunds' Resolution,
The Democratic Senators in caucus to-day agreed
upon substitute for Edmunds' resolution to be Of
Tered when the original comes up. The substitute
ad its the binding force Of the 18TH 18th and 18th
amendments, but regards Edmunds' resolution pro-
posing legislative action in conflict with decisions of
The Supreme Court, particularly in the Cruikshank
case unconstitutional The dicta of the Court quoted
to sustain the ground taken are that the constitution
does not confer the right to VOTE but simply prohib-
it's discrimination on account Of color race or previ-
GUS condition. and that regulation of suffrage be-
longs exclusively to the States.
Nominations by the President.
The President to-day nominated VIM. G. Thomp-
son OF Iowa, to be Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court in Idaho.
The Coming Census.
A Joint meeting of the Senate and House sub-com-
mittee agreed to all the main features of
Coxs BILL except in regard to the manner of appoint
ing supervisors.
The Pension Bill.
An enrolled copy Of the pension arrears bill has
been referred by the President to Secretaries of the
Interior and Treasury for their opinions Secretary
Sherman, it is understood, is opposed to the BILL be-
cause it takes such large amount of money out of
the Treasury. 1t is not thought. however, that the
President will veto it.
The Sugar Tariff Bill.
The Treasury Department will oppose the sugar
tariff bill of the ways and means committee.
Fares in Pull N an Cars.
In the House Mr.. Turner introduced bill to reg
ulate charges for Pullman palace cars and [other
sleeping patented by the United States, which
provides that it shall be unlawful to charge more
than one dollar for the use Of the same, under PEN
atty of fine not less than $500 or more than 5000
imposed upon the corporation, and any person vio-
lating the provisions of the act will be liable to
fine of 800 and three months imprisonment for each
offense.
The Potter Committee.
The Potter investigation committee meet Wednes-
day morning. and if the extra permission asked for
is granted by the House it will probably commence
the investigation of the cipher kilograms at once.
Nothing further has been heard from Mr.. Sherman
or MIR. Shellabarger to the evidence Of St. Martini
and the chances are he will not be called to the
stand
Amnesty for the Mormous.
The bill reported from the Senate Judiciary to-
day ameniing the revised statutes so as to provide
that every person who has husband or wife living,
who in a territory over which such United States
has exclusive jurisdiction marries another whether
married or single, and every man who hereafter
or on the same day marries more
than one woman. shall be guilty of bigamy and pun
i.hed by fine not more than $500 and by imprison-
ment not more than five years. THIS shall not ap-
ply to any person whose husband or wife has de-
serted for five years and is not known to be living,
or to persons divorced whose marriage is declared
null by court. The foregoing provisions are not to