The Newtown bee., 1880-03-10
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY
Senate.

A petition has been presented in the Senate from owners of steamboats plying on the Mis- slsslppi liver, recitiBg that they suffer great inconvenience and pecuniary loss by thede- seruon of crews or parts of crews. Passen- gers, mails and cotton shipments are thus dis astrously delayed. The prosperity oi a large part of the Southwestern people depends on the regularity of this commerce. The only penalty now laid such deseriion is ior- teiture of wages, and even this cannot always be enforced. Legislation to remedy this evil, compelling men to abide by their contracts, is prayed tor.
 The bill admitting free of duty clothing and other charitable contributions from abroad for the relief of colored emigrants from Kansas was passed.
 A message from the President was received inviting the attention of Congress to the sub- iect of the unsettled claims of Spanish inhab- itants of East Florida, the settlement of which was provided for by the treaty ot 1919 between the United States and Spain. The tribunal es- tablished under this treaty by act of Congress in 1853 allowed five per cent. interest on such claims as they acted favorahIy on, but the then secretary of the treasury declined to pay this part of the awards made. Claims for such in- terest have often been made since, but the secretaries of the treasury have not overruled the decision of their predecessor.
 Mir. Randolph spoke in support ol his pro- posed substitute for the committee bill tor the relief of Fitz John Porter. The substitute authorizes the President to nominate NIT. Porter ss a colonel of infantry, his commission to date from January, 1863, and to retire him according to law. N
 Mir. Allison, from the committee on appro- priations, reported favorably the House bill making appropriation for deficiency for the support ot certain Indian tribes.
 Resolutions of the legislature of New York were presented asking appropriations tor the better tortification of New York harbor.
 The following resolution, submitted by Mir Hear, was adopted: "ResolUed, That the committee on judiciary be instructed to inquire and report whether any American citizens have been arrested or imprisoned for the ex- ercise of their constitutional right to petition this body concerning a matter of grand public interest," namely, the title to a seat in this body of Senator from the State of which they are citizens, with power to send for persons and papers and administer oaths." This is SUD- posed to refer to the action of the Louisiana legislature in regard to the Kellogg case.
 MT. Logan spoke against MT. Randoiph's amendment to the bill for the relief of Fiiz John Porter.
 The Senate passed the House bill to amend section 3,020 of the revised statutes in re- lation to allowing a drawback on firearms scales, balances, shovels, spades, axes, hatch cts, hammers, blows, cultivatorsr moving machines, reapers and cans manufactured partly OT SlOWu OulteQ SIslleS and exported.
 MT. Jones introduced a bill for the relief ot Mrs. Betty Taylor and Mrs. Knox Wood. daughter and granddaughter ot Zachary Taylor.
 Among new bills introduced are the follow ing: To limit the maximum rate of duty on carpctiHgs to fifty per cent. cd valorem; 10 repeal all acts granting lands in inc Indian Territory to railroads; to extend for ten years the time for the completion of the Texas and Pacific railroad; for the survey and disposal of ihe public lands; abolishing all :arif duties on printing type, trace-chains and agricultural implements; also, to enable all persons raising tobacco to sell the sane without hcensei to regulate commerce be- tween the States; to place wood and straw pulp and the chemicals used in the manuiac- ture Of paper on the free list, and to reduce the duty on printing paper used in the publi- cation of newspapers and magazines; pre- scribing six years from the time the action approved as the time within which claims in favor of or against the government shall be prosecuted; and to abolish the tax on brandy made of spples, peaches and other fruits; also, to return the cotton tax collected under acts of Congress, which have since been declared illegal and void; to reorganize the militia of the United States.