Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-12-23
CONGRESS.

In the Senate, Thursday, bill was in
troduced to revive the Alabama Claims
Commission, and another bill to prevent
the spread of cattle diseases. Mr.. SaulS-
bury, of Delawaie, raked up the contest
over Senator Kellogg's seat, but no ac-
tion was taken. The Fitz John Porter
case was concluded, substitute for the
original bill being passed, which allows
the President, at any time within eigh-
teen months, to restore Porter to the
rank of colonel on the retired list, with
out back pay. The bill devoting part
of the proceeds of the sale of public
lands for school purposes was taken up
just before the adjournment.
There was little done in the House
beyond the shelving of the Electoral
Count resolution, which resulted from
the Republicans refusing to vote on the
previous question and leaving the House
without quorum. The most important
bill introduced was to incorporate the
Maritime Ship Canal of Nicaragua, with
General Grants name at the head of the
list of incorporators.
At the hour for prayers in the Senate
Wednesday only ten members were pres
ent, and some delay was Occasioned in
reading the Journal by waiting for a
quorum. After routine business had
heen attended to, consideration of the
bill to apply portion of the proceeds of
the sale of public lands to public educa-
made in support of the measure by SEN
ators Morrill, of Vermont and Brown of
Georgia.
In the House the morning hour was
dispensed with, and, after considerable
debate, the Fortification bill, as report
ed from the Appropriations Committee,
was passed. The Committee on Missis-
sippi Levees reported bill to apprepri-
ate S1,SOO,O0O to Mississippi river i'm
provements.
In the Senate Thursday bills were in
troduced for the relief of General Ord,
who has been retired by the President,
and to protect children in the District
of Columbia A woman's suffrage posi-
ton was introduced.
The House agreed to resolution to
adjourn on the oath instant until Janu-
ary 5th, after which the Pension Ap-
preparation bill was taken up and pass
ed. 1t appropriates $50,000,00O. Mr..
Bland (Dem, No. gave notice of sub
stitute for the Funding bill, Witch pro-
vides for using the coin now in the
Treasury for payment of the bonds
falling. General Grant visited both
houses of Congress.
The Senate on Friday after long de-
bate, passed the bill for the application
of money from the sale of public lands
to educational purposes by vote of
Al to 8. A bill was reported to erect a
new public building, to cost not over
S250,OOO, at Pensacola, Fla, in the place
Of the one recently destroyed by fire;
also, bill to establish a uniform system
of bankruptcy. Mr.. Blaine offered
resolution to inquire into the expedi-
ency of increasing the number of judges
of the Supreme Court to thirteen. The
Senate adjourned till Monday.
In the House number of pension
bills were passed.
The Senate was not in session Satur-
day.
In the House the morning hour was
dispensed with, and the Military Acad-
emy Appropriation bill Was discussed
and finally passed. 1t appropriates
1922, ,l35. The Consular and Diplomatic
Appropriation bill was also taken up,
and a lively debate ensued, in which Mr..
Conger, of Michigan, spoke against the
bill, on account of the limited appropria-
ton proposed under it. Mr.. Singleton,
of Mississippi, defended the bill, and al
luding in his speech to the subject of
free ships" "a controversy arose about |
the shipping interests of the country,
which gradually drifted into the causes |
of the panic of 1878, and the prosperous
times Of the last three years, each party |
to be the authors of the latter,
and charging the other with being re-
sponsible for the former. Finally a.
vote on the Consular bill was taken, but
the number of members present being
i've short of quorum, the House .ad-
iourned, and the bill went over.
Monday was a busy day in. 10th
branches of Congress. In the Senate the
irst business was the reconsideration
If the House resolution providing for
adjournment from December % to jan u