National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-02-18
CURRENT CAPITAL TOPICS.
Some District Bills Acted on in Con.
gress.
Additional Pension Clerks AuthorIzed-Ap-
prnpriations for the Reform School
Tho Lottery Bill Laid Over-Cabi-
net Meeting Vest ,rdiy
Change OF Front I'm tho
Con. Porter Case.



were used, but fail to connect Senator lmgalls
with it, The min rity report, signed by
Mcssrs. Cameron (Wis.), Logan aud Hoar, con-
cur in the conclusion of the committee, but
says justice requires that IL should be stated
that the bribery and corruption wero used by
his opponents.
Mr. Randolph introduced q substitute for
the bill for the relief Of Flz.John Porter,
which was ordered printed and laid on the
table, to he takcn up WHOM tho bill comes be-
fore tho Senate for consideration
That the President Is hereby authorized to nomi.
nate and by and with the advice of the Senate, 10
appoint Fltz-John Porter colonel OF inhtntry In
the army OF the United States, his commission to
bear date january, 1868 with the pay aud emolu.
mcnts of that rank from That date tutil he shall be
retired according to law or rs hereinafter pro-
Sec. o That at any time afler the granting of
such commission II shall be lawful for the Pros-
dent to place said Porter ON the retired list of the
army OH the pay Of retired colonel of Infantry.
Mr. Herman. from the Committee on
Finance, reported the New York Worlds Fair
bill, which was placed on tho calendar.
Mr.. Logan submitted resolution authoriz.
ing the Secretary of the Navy to equip and
furnish u vessel to carry provisions 10 ireland.
Referred to tho Committee on Naval Affairs
Mr.. Gordon gave notice that lie would asll
All executive session at Q o'clock to-day, on the
motion to reconsider tho vote ordering select
committee on inter-oceanic canals.
The Senate, on motion Of Mr.. Allison, took
up the House bill authorizing the employment
of additional clerks to facilitate tho settlement
Of pension claims. The amendments reported
from the committee were agreed to, aud tho
bill passed.. 1t roads as follows:
That there be and Is hereby Appropriated out of
any money IN the Treasury not otherwise 1pproprl-
atcd, to be available during the current fiscal year,
tho SUN OF S36 900 for the employment ofldditlonal
clerks in the Pension ONCE but the salaries of said
In nfS ~,
also lOr rent of additional orce room for the PEN
sion Ofice the sum nf SiyCO aud for contingent OK
ponses p Of tho ollGe, 5000 making IN all $4,000
authorized 10 appoint seventy additional clerks.
forty for the otiicc of the Surgeon General at sal
hry of sS9 pcrmonth each and thirty clerks for the
office of the eAduantGeneral at salary of 800 per
month EACH aud purchase furniture for the use OF
said clerks in the Office OF the Surgeon General, at
O cost not exceeding $1,000; and that said clerks
shall bo exclusively engaged in preparing and
making reports to expedite the settlement Of pen.
sion applications called for by the Commissioner OF
Pensions. and the sum of $4,000, or so much
thereofas may be necessary, Is hereby appropri-
Gted, ont of any money i'll tho Treasury mol other
wise appropriated, for The use Of the War Depart
mcnt for snd purposes, which shall be available
Immediately for the purposes of the current fiscal
year.
Of any money in the Treasury not otherwise APP
prOprinted the sum Of 1900 for the employment
Of twelve additional clerks In tho Office OF the
Second Auditor Of the Treasury, at salary not OK
ceeding 500 per month, for the remainder Of this
current fiscal year 10 be available Immediately
which clerks shalt he employed exclusively IN
matters relating to pensions.
On motion of Mr.. Wallace, tho House joint
resolution making appropriations for the Ro-
form School of tho District Of Columbia WAS
taken up, amended aud passed The bill, as it
goes bnck TO the House for concurrence, reads
as follows:
That to enable the Commissioners of the District
of Columbia TO carry into object the act approved
March 3 1879, which continues in force tho thir.
lccnth section of the act revising and amending
the various acts establishing and relating to the
Reform School OF the District of Columbia mp.
proved May 8 1870, they be, and arc hereby, au.
thorHed and directed opny to the board Of trustees
of said Reform School OF the District Of Colum.
bio the S2 per week. from and after the st day of
vidcd by said thirteenth section of the aci OF May
B. 1876. aforesaid, aud the necessary appropriation
therefor is hereby made for the present fiscal year,
states and one half by tho District of Columbia Ms
provided by the act Of Iune H. lS7S providing q
permanent form OF government for said District
A joint resolution authorizing the President
10 call IN International sanitary conference to
mcot in Washington and devise plans for the
suppression Of tho yellow fover was fayorably
reported aud placed on the calendar.
Senator Elmunds referring to tho state.
r.ent of the indebtedness Of three of the four
street railroads for tax assessment, wanted to
know why tho taxes had not been collected
from these corporations as they would have
been from individuals.
Mr.. Harris replied that tho attention of the
District COMMITTEES had been called to he sub
.oct, aud an Investigation of the matter was
now in progress. lie added that tb commit.
tee would in u few days ba ablo TO give tho
Senate fuller iu iu!urmalion on this subject.
At 3 o'clock tho Senate went into executive
session. mud nftcr about two hours spent
therein adjourned.
In tho House
the bill to prohibit tho publication Of lot.
tory advertisements In the District OF COlum.
hia, which had been ordered 10 u third read.
ing On Monday, came up rs unfinished busi
mess Immediately nfter tho reading of the
journal the pending question being the
motion to reconsider tho vote by which tho
main question was ordered, and TO lay that
motion on the table. Tho motion to lay ON
the table was defeated an to Ii7) and the
ynotion to reconsider Was agreed to. Mr..
Knott then moved to lay the bill on the table,
wheh WAS disagreed to--l05 to 100. The re-
consideration of tho vote by which the main
question wns ordered having robbed tho bill
of its privileged character, II fell back onto
tho District calendar and went over 10 tho
third Monday IN March, when IL will again
come up as tho first business before the House
when the District Committee is calIod at
2p. m.
Tho House in tho morning hour, without
reaching result, considered the bill from tho
Judiciary Committee regulating tho removal
of causes from Federal 10 State courts and ut
the expiration of tho morning hour went into
COMMITTEES OF the Whole (Mr. Carlisle in tho
chair on tho revision of the rules. At about
i;30 o'clock the committee rose aud the House
adjourned.
Nominations.
The President sent tho following nomina.
ilnna 10 IlIn 2Anntn nnslnrLlnN.