National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-02-09
CONGRESS YESTERDAY.
Pensions-The Legislative Bill and other
fmpOrtant Matters.

Important B1attcrb.
The VICE E-PRESIDENT submitted the creden-
tials of Philetus Sawyer, Senator-elect from the
State of Wisconsin, to succeed Senator CAMERON,
and the credentialsof Arthur P. German, Senator
elect from the State of Maryland, to succeed SEN
ator WHYTE, for the term beginning March 4,
1851. Read and filed.
The VICE PRESIDENT also submitted COM
munication from the Secretary of the Navy, recon-
mending an appropriation of not exceeding $500
to defray the expense OF unvefling the Farrasut
statue on April 20.
Curtain. principal chief of the ChoctaW Nation,
asking that the award made to his people under
the treaty of1S59b paid Referred to the Judiciary
Committee, and at the suggestion OF Mr.. GARLAND,
ordered printed
The bill to grant an American register to the
Canadian schooner A. Scott Brown was reported
favorably, and on motion of Mr.. WALLACE, taken
Mr. BRUCE, from the Committee on Education
and Labor, reported adversely the joint reSoiuton
to provide for the enforcement of the eight -nour
law. He remarked that he did not concur IN the
| report Indefinitely postponed.
Mr. ANTHONY, from the Committee ON Priht-
ing, reported the joint resolution for the pruning
of reports of the United States Fish Commissioner
upon new discoveries in regard to fish culture.
Passed
The Joint resolution granting the use of artillery
tents, &c, at the soldiers reunion TO be held at
Lincoln, Nebr, in September, 1881. was taken up,
on motion of Mr.. SAUNDERS, and passed; ; os,oo.
and Post Roads, reported the following amend
ment to De proposed by him. in behalf OF that COM
mittee. to the Post Office appropriation bil wnen
the bill comes up for consideration in the Senate
"FOr additional postal service to foreign coun-
tries 81 90o00 to be expended under the direction
of the Postmaster General IN the esablshment OF
mail steamship lines, equitably distributed among
the Atlantic. Mexican Gulf and the Pacific ports
provided that the vessels employed for such ser
vice shall be owned and manned by American cit
liens. and that said vessels thus employed shall
be iron steamships, accepted by the Secretary OF
the Navy, after due inspection, as III all respects
M TnSE Rq ntrnced 10 SesoInon Which
was adopted, concerning appointments in the
New York custom house. 80
On motion of Mr.. MORGAN, the hour of meet
ing to- morrow was fixed at eleven o'clock.
A protracted discussion followed upon a resolu-
ton offered by Mr.. EATON, calling on the Presi-
dent for information whether objection had been
made against the Mexican government bringing
suits in United States courts against American cit
izens. the inquiry having reference to the Mexican
awards in the We'll and La Abra claims, about
which a resolution is pending
Mr. VOORHEES,, in opposition to the resolution,
held that the decision of the convention under the
treaty was final and that as the matter had been
adjudicated upon after full hearing, there was
no reason for reOpening 1t.
After discussion participated in by Mr.. EATON,
in favor, and MeSsrS. MCDONALD and WHITE, IN
opposition, the resolution was laid over without
action.
The consideration of the pension appropriation
bill was then resumed, the question being upon
Mr.. PLUMB's amendment to appropriate 500 600 for
fifty additional examiners for the Pension Office
and the clerical forces for the Pension, Adjutant-
Generals, and Surgeon Generals offices necessary
TO render effective the work of said examiners.
After debate, Mr.. PLUMB'S amendment was
agreed to-ayes 80, noes p.
Another amendment offered by Mr.. PLUMB to
extend until July l. 1SS3 the right of filing claims
which carry with them arrears was considered, but
ruled out on point of order.
The Committee of the Whole then rose and re-
ported the bill to the Senate, when the amend
ments with two exceptions upon which separate
votes were asked were agreed to.
The first provision upon which a separate vote
was taken was the one directing the payment of
accrued Indian pensions in installments which
had been retained in the bill.
On motion of Mr.. INGALLS,, this provision was
stricken out.
The remaining provision to be voted upon was Mr..
PLUNB'S amendment appropriating $1,000 for hity
examiners, providing for clerks, &c.
The discussion upon this proposition in Com
mittee of the Whole was then resumed and con-
tinued without result, the bill being finally laid
aside informally.
The resolutions from the House, announcing
the death of Evarts w. Farr, late member of the
House from New Hampshire, were then con-
sidered on motion of Mr. ROLLINS, and were sec
onded by Mr.. BLAIR, both of whom delivered re-
marks commemorative of the deceased. They
were then concurred in, and (at 5:15) the Senate
adjourned until eleven o'clock to-day.