The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-12-21
XLvIth CoNaRESs-2d Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.
Senators Conkling and Lamar appeared in
the Senate to- day and occupied their seats for
the first time this session. Senator Lamar
says he Is entirely restored to health.
The joint resolution that lands in Indian
Territory, to which Indian title has been ex-
tinguished, are public lands subject to settle
ment was tabled.
The vote by which the Senate disagreed to
the adjournment resolution was reconsidered-
yeas 81, nays g.
Mr. Edmunds moved to amend SO as to adj
iourn from Dec. 23d to Jan. Sd.
Further discussion ensued, after which Mr..
Edmunds' amendment was lost and the reso-
luton agreed to.
The bill refunding the eight per cent i'm
provement certificates of the District of Co
lumbia into fifty year 365 per cent bonds was
passed with amendment to make the rate of
interest per cent.
On motion of Mr. Davis of West Virginia,
the bill to relieve the Treasurer of the United
States from the amount now charged to him
and deposited with the several States under
the act of 1886, was taken up. Mr.. Davis ex-
planned that the money concerned was practi-
cally donation. 1t had not been called for by
the Government in time OF great need, and
doubtless never would be- The bill would OBJ
viate the need of carrying the amount OF
S2S, OO0, 900 on the books of the treasury.
Several Senators spoke in favor of the bill
and others thought the money should be re-
Mr.. Blaine said he regarded the act of 1886
as great folly resulting from the extreme
theory that the surplus of the revenue must be
divided among the whole population. To re-
call the money now would be unjust, not only
because of lapse of time and probable outlawy
of claim, but also because the people who got
the money would not be the ones called upon
to return it. The men who then lived in the
benefited States had largely emigrated. The
Senator from Oregon (Grover) would be called
III tn rot rp fha chor ho cot 40 a citiyQn of
Maine in which State the money was toolishly
divided per capita among the people. He
(Blaine) was not citizen of Maine at that
time, but he would have to pay his share of
money could be found. This debt of former
generation should not be placed on this gener-
alton.
Mr.. Thurman instanced the national debt as
something to be paid by another generation.
He denied that this debt was barred by limita-
ton. No constitutional government could be
stopped from requiring obedience to its laws,
and the law in this case made the money re-
turnable on demand by Congress. All the
States now have title to their share of all
demand the money when the Government was
in distress resulted from the fact that half the
States concerned were in rebellion They
could not be called upon, and it would there
fore be unfair to call on the rest.
The debate was here suspended.
Mr.. Hoar presented a petition of a large
number of business men and corporations Of
New England for uniform bankruptcy law.
Mr.. Hoar described the business community Of
New England as in favor of bankruptcy law
substantially like the draft made by Judge
LOWELL He also introduced bill to amend
Revised States regarding fog whistles.
The Vice President was authorized to fill
vacancies in the Committee on Civil Service,
and the committee was authorized to send for
persons and papers.
The consular and diplomatic appropriation
bill was read twice and referred to the Appro-
priation Committee.
At $40 o'clock the Senate went into execu-
tive session, and when the doors were reopened
adjourned.
HOUSE.
Several bills and resolutions were intro
duced and referred, one providing that lands
in Indian Territory to which the Indian title
is extinguished be declared subject to settle
ment under the homestead and presumption
laws, and one referred for repeal of tax on
bank checks and bank deposits.
Consular and diplomatic appropriation bill
was taken up and passed.
The majority report in the Massachusetts
case of Boynton vs. Loring declaring Loring
entitled to his seat was laid over for future
action. Weaver will file minority report.
A bill was introduced to abolish govern
ment directors of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Mr.. Turner dem. of Kentucky sub omitted
a bill to prevent fraud and corruption in the
election of President and Vice President
which provides that before entering on their
duties the President aud Vice President elect
and all persons elected to either House of
Congress shall take an oath that they have
not procured or attempted to procure their
election by bribery or fraud and they will not
during their term Of Office permit the levying
of any contribution on employees of the United
States for election or political purposes.
A motion to suspend the rules and pass the
bill repeating the law requiring stamps on
bank checks was lost after some debate 129 to
50. 49,
Several leaves of absence of members were
granted, but Mr.. Wood gave notice he would
object to further leaves.
Mr.. Stone (Rep.) of Michigan moved to
suspend the rules and pass the bill authorizing
the Postmaster General to re-adiust the salaries
of certain postmastcrs. This which involves
claims of half million was opposed and on
seconding the demand for suspending the
rules no quorum voted. Adjourned.