The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-03-11
Telegraphic News.

| ISTreu.
Jones presented & concurrent reso'n-
ton OF The LJuisiaEa Lrgi l.ure. ask.
ing an appropriation tor the Improve
inert Of ths Calcasieu river. Referred.
KiIkwood submitted resolution in
stTucting the Secretary of the Treasury
to communicate to the Senets a state
! ment of the smOuRt of money eX-
| pended by the United Sts,es for all
Purposes necessarily growing cut of
the late war, specifying separately the
amounts paid on the principal OF the
public deht thereby incurred, the
amount of interest paid on such for
the year, the amount paid for pensions,
including the arrears and amount psid
the soldiers and sailors of the war, and
such Information is t. be brought
down to January 1, 1880. Adopted.
The Senate then proceeded to con-
siier the calendar bill to amend the
| law relative TO the SEIZURE and for
fixture of vessels for breach OF reve-
nue.. Passed. Il is intended tt pre-
vent such furfeitures when smuggling
is carried on wit ont the knowledge
or consent of the officers or owners of
the vessels.
WASHINGTON, March Senate
4 message was received from the
President IN regard TO correspondence
with foreign governments about the
inteI-oceanlc canal.
The bill for the homestead settIers
was passed. Il gives such settlers the
same privileges rs 10 fling application
ami per,ectiug an entry rs is now en-
Jnyed by pre.empuon settlers, and in
other. respects Cqu4IiZss the homestead
and pre- mptiOn laws.
B4yard advocated Rlndolph's sub
stilute bill for the relief of FnZ
john Porter. L. authorizes Porter's
appointment as collector, with pay
from 1863. Mr.. Blyard regretted that
the senator from Wisconsin (Carpenter)
had introduced an appeal to partisan
| feeling into his able speech>on SItuI-
| dag. There was no reason for max n ,
this g party question, it was purely g
matter OF pu,iic justice. He denied
that the jurisdiction OF Courts martial
is coequai with that OF civil tribunals.
Military power must in all respects be
subordinate to civil power. Courts
|
| irregulsTity OF courts m .rtal, but mill
tery courts have no such authority con-
corning civil courts. This fact alone
would have suboTdination of courts
martial. They are creatures of Con-
gress and under its control; whereas,
the civil tribunals are permanent aud
independent, and always open to re-
pair the wrongs done by court mar
tisl or otherwise. Congress cannot be
| debarred by sentence of a court mar
tiel from removing the political disa-
| bilities. He cited the cases of Surgeon
Gen. Hammond and Capt. George A.
Arms TO show that Congress hiss before
snnulled the findings OF court martials.
He said the testimony IN the csse
| showed that PoTter's action was wise
and soldierly, that be obeyed the spirit
| if not the letterof the orders and that
his gallantrv on the thirteenth caused
Stonewall Jackson, who was q good
| judge OF bravery, to make special mem
ton in his report of the furious as
saults 10y the Federal force under Por-
| ter, which nearly broke Jackson's line.
1t had been raid Congress would hear
| from the country if it passed this bill.
| He hoped so, and wanted the country
to hear from him first. He would be
| an unworthy representative of intelll-
gent people If he did not dare to vote
on his own conviction of. right, and he
believed justice demanded Porter's re-
instatement.
After some remarks by Logan, reit-
Grating his views of the evidence, Nc
Donald took the floor, but gave way
for executive business, after which the
Senate adjourned.
HOUsE-The Speaker announced that
the new rules would be Operative to-
day, and IN accordance with those rules
proceeded to call all the states for
bills, BEGINNING with the State
of Alabama. The first bill introduced
was one by Sanford, of Alabama, to
reduce the tariff on certain articles
which he desired to have rendered
to the committee on the revision of
laws.
The bill provides that no duty in ex-
cess of fifty per cent. of the present
rate of duties shall after July be col
lected on imported merchandise, made
principally of cotton, hemp, metal,
wool, wood or leather. The speaker
ruled that under the new rules the bill
should be referred to the Ways and
Means Committee. Mr.. Morrison, of
Illinois, moved it's reference to the
committee of the whole. After the
debate, IN which Fernando Wood and
Mr.. Robeson held it was the Speakers
duty to indicate the reference of the
bill, which reference could only be
changed by a suspension of the rules,
and Cox, of New York, Haskell, of
Kansas, and Morrison, held that a ma
jority. of the House had the right to
send bill to any committee
it chose. A vote was then
taken and the bill sent to the Ways
and Means Committee; yeas IA,
nays SO. Sanford also introduced a
bill abolishing tariff on printing type
and blank paper material used in their
manufacture. Referred to the same COM
mittee. The following bills were also
introduced and referred:
By Nichols, of Georg1a-Abolishing
duty on paper, and reducing duty on
unsized paper to Eve per cent. ad valo-
rem.
By Speer, of Georgia-Forbidding
military dress parades on Sunday.
By Gllett, of Iowa-Appropriating
$50, 900 for the encouragement of the
manufacture of sugar from corn stalks
and sorghum.
By KING, of MISUNDERSTANDING
tariff on paper and printing inks and
on paper for books and newspapers.
By Hatch, of MISUNDERSTANDING
the tariff on salt.
King, of Louisiana, chairman of
the Inter-0cesnic canal, offered, by
unanimous instruction of that commit
tee, resolutions resffi ming the Monroe
doctrine declaring that any canal con-
structed must be subject to control by
this government, and authorizing an
abrogation on sny treaties inconsistent
herewith. Ordered to be printed.
They will be called 10 hereafter.
The Committee on Elections reported
Demmops entitled TO seat from the
second Arkansas district.
Weaver submitted minority report,
declaring the seat vacant. Both of
the reports were laid on the table.
A message was received from the
President, transporting coTrespondence
relative to the inter-oceanic causl, and
declaring 1t the right and duty OF the
United States to exercise such authoI-
lty over any csnal as will protect our
national interests. Printed snd re-
ferred 10 the inter-ocean C canal COM
mittee.