Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1880-12-23
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.
TUESDAY, DEC. IA.

SENATE. THE bill for the relief Of Fitz John
Porter was taken up. A substitute offered by
Mr.. Dawes, that the president be authorized in
eighteen months to appoint Porter to the army
with the rank of colonel on the retired list, with
no back pay was agreed to and the bill passed
The amendment of Mr.. Dawes is as follows:
That the president is hereby authorized within
eighteen months from the passage of this act,
in his discretion, by and with the consent of the
senate, tc appoint to the army John Fitz Porter,
who was Dismissal by sentence of court martial,
January 19. 1868, provided, however, that
such appointmentshal give no higher rank than
colonel on the retired list; provided, further,
that said Porter shall receive no pay and COM
pensation or allowance for the time intervening
between dismissal and appointment.
HoUsE.-Mr. Morton of New York, introduced
bill incorporating the Maritime Canal compa-
ny of Nicaragua, naming Gen. Grant first in the
list of incorporators A. w. C. Nowlan of Vir-
ginia was elected postmaster of the house Mr..
Blckneu called the previous question on the
electoral resolution, but the Republicans refused
| to vote, leaving the house without a quorum,
| and Bicknell said he would not press the point;
but would call up the resolution in January Is
soon as there were 147 members on his the
Democratic) side of the house. The consular
| and diplomatic ($1, 100, 435) and military acad-
emy 1922, 135) appropriation bills were re-
ported By vote of 1876 to 80, the house de-
cided to go into committee on W 1od's refunding
SA1Se"N e%A--1
speeches made.
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 10.
SENATE-Senator Hill of Colorado introduced
bill for the retirement of small legal tender
| notes. 1t provides that in place of legal tender
notes Of denominations less than So which may
be held III the treasury or hereafter presented
for redemption, the secretary of the treasury
shall each month substitute notes of the same
character but of higher denominations to the
amount, as nearly as practicable, of the standard
silver dollars coined during that month, and
that no legal tender notes of lower denomina-
ton than So shall hereafter be printed Sen
ator Pendleton of Ohio introduced bill pro-
hibiting political assessments and contributions
which provides penalties for its violation dis
mlssal from Office or annulment Of contracts
with contractors assessed by contributors. Sen
ator Pendleton's bill regulating civil service
provides for competitive examinations from
appointments, except of highest and lowest en-
e0yS' mePsandR saa RF0me1R se1ortS in n'
Senator Morrill, made long set-speech in ia
of setting aside five per cent of the proceeds
of sales of public lands for school fund, and
he was followed on the same subject by Sena-
Cockrell. A bill to pay Samuel A Lowe some,
| the territorial legislature of Kansas, in 1865,
| came up and formed the basis of somewhat
heated political debate.
HoUsE-A bill was introduced for the retire
| ment of small legal tender notes. by Mr. Bed
| ford tits the same as Senator Hills bill. The
fortifcation appropriation bill passed, after ar
amendment appropriating $5O0,O 600 for coas
| defences was argued at great length and re-
| jected.
| THURSDAY, DECEMBER IT.
SENATE-A bill was introduced to place Gen
| Ord on the retired list with the rank of major
general. The education bill was discussed the
principal speech being made by Mr. Pugh, the
new senator from Alabama.
HoUsE-A concurrent resolution to adjourn
from December % till January 5, was adopted
| The pension APPROXIMATION bill $3.50. 600. 900
was passed. Mr. Martin, of West Virginia, of
| fered resolution directing the committee OF
| Pacific railroads to inquire into the alleged
mortgage and sale of unearned land grants by
the Northern Pacific and Atlantic & Pacific
railroad companies.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER II.
SENATE-The house joint resolution to ad
journ from December 22 to January 5 was dis
$3.50, 900 to rebuild the Pensacola custom
house, passed. Mr.. Wallace introduced bill
| establishing uniform system of bankruptcy
The education bill was again debated Mr.. Tel
lers amendment, providing that for the frs
ten years the proceeds of public lands and pat
ents shall be paid to the states according tc
the proportion of illiteracy, was rejected. Al
amendment by Mr.. Morgan, authorizing the
colleges established under the act of 1862 tt
establish industrial schools for women, wai
adopted and the bill passed-41 to q.
HoUsE-A bill passed limiting the sessions O.
| Territorial legislatures to sixty days. Nearl,
all the day was spent on the private calendar.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1S.
SENATE:-Not in session.
HoUsE:-There was sharp debate in which
Mr. Congor of Michigan moved to strike out tn,
provision allowing the secretary of war to as
sign any officer Of the army as professor of Law
at the military academy. There has been, h'
said, ailndins to the Whitaker case an exhibi
ination of the colored cadet at West Point, tina
was unworthy of any officer in the service of tht
government The motion was finally withdraw
and the military academy bill, apprepriatine
foreign commerce and carrying trade OF the
country The house adjourned for want of {
quorum.