The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-01-15
XLvTH CONVERSATIONAL SESSION.
SENATE.
MIR. Davis speakes ON AgricuIiure-The
Patent Bill

MIR. Davis Speakes ON AgricuIture-The
Patent Bill.
WASHINGTON, Jan. IS.
During the morning hour resolution was sub
mitted providing that at O'Clock Friday, the Senate
to consider the bills the calendar not objected to
be discussed under the five minutes rule. Agreed
to.
A resolution was adopted directing the Secretary
of the Interior to inquire and report to the Senate
what railroad company. individual OR individuals,
are constructing railroad across the public domain
in the territory of Arizona and by what authority
such road is being constructed
Mr. Davis of West Virginia called up the resolution
submitted by him early in the session to Promote the
agricultural interests Of the country, ard spoke at
length upon the subject.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Davis remarks the Vice
President laid before the Senate a number of
Executive communications in response to resolutions
nclosng information in reg ard to sheep husbandry
also in response to resolution OF Mr. Blaine of the
Sd of june transmitting information and copies of
correspondence between our government and Great
Britain in regard to inviting other maritime powers
to accede to the rules prescribing the duty of neutral
governments set forth in the sixth article of the
Treaty of Washington.
The House bill to remove the political disabilities
Of Jas. Chestnut Of South Carolina was passed.
LIZ euDntltuto lUr tuc 6Oun6 Dill 10 u1Vlue Cne
western district of Missouri into two districts, and
prescribe the times and places for holding courts
therein, was passed,
The Senate resumed the consideration of I'M
finished business being the bill to amend the patent
laws. Three amendments to different sections were
introduced and ordered printed, after some dis
cusson the bill was laid aside with the understand
ing that it would be unfinished business for to-
morrow. The Senate then went into executive
session, and when the doors were reopened ad-
journed.
The Mexican Pension Bill.
Mr.. Durham submitted the report of the confer
ence committee, on the military academy bill.
Agreed to.
Mr.. Mcmahon desired to call up the Geneva award
bill, but was opposed by Robertson of Louisiana,
with the bill for the improvement of the Mississippi
levees and by Hewitt Of Alabama, with the Mexican
pension bill. Finally the evee bill was postponed
till Thursday, and the House by vote of yeas 1l2,
nays 1885, determined to take up the Mexican pension
bill Immediately and went into a committee of the
whole thereon. The bill was read by sections for
amendments
MIR. Harrison offered an amendment providing that
no pension be paid any survivor of the Mexican or
Creek or other Indian wars until he has arrived at
the age of 90 years. unless from disease OF other in
trinity he is unable to earn living by manual
labor. Pending action, the committee under the
misapprehension as to the limitation of debate rose
Mr.. Hewitt of Alabama, moved that all debate on
the first section of the bill close in 20 minutes. This
was opposed by the Republicans, but agreed to-
yeas 1ef
The yeas and nays were then demanded by Mr..
Townsend of N. Y, on the motion to go into COM
mittee and resulted yeas 12l, nays 49, the negative
vote being cast principally by Republicans. So the
House again went into committee.
Mr.. White of Pa Offered an amendment to Harri-
sons amendment fixing the age at which survivors
would be entitled to pension, at rs years.
Mr.. Hooker opposed both amendments on the
ground that they would limit the scope of the bill to
invalid pensioners.
Mr.. Harrison said if the pensions were given to
able bodied it would not be long before the vast
army which fought in the late war would be coming
to Congress for pensions, the payment CT which
would bankrupt the government.
Mr.. Whites amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Townsend OF N. Y, denied the fact as stated
by mr.. Hooker of Miss, that the pensioners would
not amount than 6000 and declared that they
would amount TO $1,000.
Mr.. White of Pa, moved to amend the amend
ment by fixing the age at which survivors be entitled
to pensions, at 20 years. 1t would be unfair to the
give pensions to able booted survivors of the Mexi-
WIZ, while the bill pay arrearages of pensions to
the soldiers Of the of the rebellion was unds-
posed of.
The amendment to the amendment was rejected
70 to II.
Mr.. Goode moved to embrace in the benefits of the
bill the officers and privates of the marine service
Adopted.
Mr. Sinnckson offered an amendment granting
pensions to soldiers who served 60 days in the mill
tary naval service of the United States in the war
of 1861, for the suppression of the rebellion. This
amendment was received with laughter on the Re-
publican side.
Mr.. Williams of Oregon, moved to amend the
amendment SO as to include the survivors of the
Oregon and Washington Indian wars in 1865 and
1866. Adopted.
On standing vote on Sinnickson's amendment,
the yeas were 81 and the nays 70, and on vote by
tellers the amendment was agreed to, SO to 9S.
Tie amendment was received with annlansn ON
the Republican side.
Mr. Bragg offered an amendment granting pen
sons to the survivors of the next war and to their
widows and children. cloud laughter.) No quorum
voting the amendment was Withdrawn.
Mr.. Hewitt, of Alabama, moved to strike out of
the bill the portion granting pensions to the survivors
of the Indian wars, and also the amendment just
adopted on motion of Mr.. Sinnickson.
Mr.. Burchard offered as a substitute an amend
ment striking out of the first section everything but
the direction the Secretary of the Interior to place
the pension rolls the names of surviving soldiers,
including the militia and volunteers of the militia
and naval services of the United States, without
specifying any particular war.
Mr.. Hale offered an amendment to the substitute
so as to leave on the section simply the amendment
iusto donted in ralatiOn I'm the
Mr.. Hooker characterized the amendment as a
stab at the soldiers Of the Mexican war.
Mr.. Burchard accepted the amendment.
A vote was then taken on the substitute by the
tellers, and resulted 81 to 81. The chairman (Mr.
Eden of Iinois) cast vote in the negative, and tie
substitute was defeated.
The committee without further action rose.
On motion of Mr.. Cook the committee on appro.
prations instructed to make the appropr ration
to the widow of the late Julian Hartridge of an
amount equal to the remainder of his salary as a
member of the 45th Congress.
Mr.. Willis of Kentucky, from the committee on
education and labor reported back the bill to restrict
Chinese immigration. Ordered printed and recon-
mitted and leave given to report the bill back on the
2Sth inst. Adjourned.
THE GALLOWS.
A Reprieve Arrives n Minute Too Late
MAUCH CHUNK, Pa, Jan. 13.-What it was sup
posed would be quiet execution turned out one of
the most exciting on record. Sharp and Mcdonald,
two Mollie Maguires, had just been launched into