The National tribune., 1882-01-14
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
THURSDAY, January D.

rTayeI for the exercise Si
rail TRANSPORTATION charges.
Mr. Miller of New York, presented one urging
bot tho roceedings of Congress be printed in
naner form weekly, and a copy tnereeI supphed
free tn every family in the United states.
r. rosolntious of the General Assembly of Lou
;S;ano oekinp for an appropriation to repair the
Possum Fork Levee, was submitted by Mr.. Jonas
Mr. Garland introduced joint resolution to re-
arnronriate the amount $3.50 COO appropriated by
the set of March, 1877, to pay in full to certain
southern mail contractors the amount due under
their contracts for the years 1859, so, and 81.
number of bills were introduced and appro-
prately referred, after which the Senate adjourned
until Friday the 9th
HOUSE-When the House met, directly after
the reading of the journal, Mr.. Orth, of Indiana,
rose to question of privilege, stating that it grew
out of and affecting the recent appointment Of the
committees and subsequently asked to be retired
from service on the Committee on Rules. His re-
quest having been granted, the regular ORDER being
the call Of committees, dispensed with
The Speaker laid before the House various exec
utive communications which were appropriately
referred, among them the following Letter from
the clerk of the Court of Claims. giving statement
of all judgments rendered by the court Tor the year
ending December 3, 1881; report OF the Attorney
General for 1881 ~
Mr. Rosecrans introduced the following bills,
which were referred: For the erection OF public
building in San Francisco; indemni1ylRg CaI1or-
mia for Indebtedness incurred IN 1901 ana lcoS III
Indian hOstilltles.
The following were also introduced and referred:
Ry MI Hawk, of Illinois-To reorganize the
militia. Also, to require manufacturers of oieo-
margarine TO label the same.
Mr. Hewitt, of New York, offered a resolution
reciting the fact that the Khedive of Egypt had
presented to the United States the obelisk known
as "Cleopatras Needle" and rendering to His High
ness (the Khedive the thanks Of the people of the
United States for a gift which only the oldest eft
nations could make and the youngest could most
highly prize. Adopted.
A long and desultory discussion sprang up as to
the power of members to introduce bills through
the petition. box, instead of presenting them In
open House; those holding the affirmative OF the
proposition making strong point in showing that
the practice of introducing bills in that manner
would result in large saving of time the oppo-
Rents of the proposition calling attention to the
danger there would be of wrong reference of
bills and claiming that the measures so presented
would lack the essential qualities which would
attach to them if introduced in the ordinary way.
The discussion was finally closed with the express
sion of opinion fem the Chair that the only way TO
get bill properly before committee was to pre-
sent it in open House.
The House then lat lao adjourned until Mon
day.
FRIDAY.
In the SENATE number of resolutions and me-
MORALS were presented and number of bills, among
the latter the following:
By Mr.. Rollins-To fix the term Of Office Of col
lectors of internal revenue.
By Mr.. Demonstrating the right of way TO the
County of Anne Arundel, Maryland, through the
United States Government grounds in the city of
Annapolis.
By AR. Logan-Amendatory of the pension laws.
By Mr. Notwithstanding money for the
selection of site and location Of Government build
ings in Minneapolis, MINI.
Upon the conclusion of routine business twenty
five minutes Of the morning hour remained TO be
occupied.
Mr.. Sherman moved to take up his bill for the
issue of per centum bonds.
Objection was made by Mr. Mcpherson and Mr..
o.1t of the Finance Committee.
print of the bill was ordered to contain the pro-
posed amendments in brackets.
The calendar was then taken up and occupied the
day, the morning hour being extended for its con-
sideration. Several resolutions, including the
for woman suffrage committee We're passed over
because Of the absence of Senators interested in
them.
The resolution of December IS, offered by Mr. |
Davis of West Virginia, relating TO pension frauds,
calling for statements Of their nature and charac-
ter, what amount of arrears has been paid, the |
number of cases added to the pension roll under !
the arrears act, the number of applications there
under the estimated annual expenditure required, |
the estimated total of the arrearages paid and
be paid and total OF regular pension roll after the
have beeLfdetermined came up next on
the calendar.
Some discussion ensued upon an amendment by !
Mr.. Edmunds striking out the direction to the Sec
rotary of the Interior TO report his opinion upon
such legislation AS he thought advisable.
Mr.. Edmunds argued that the President alone
Was empowered to recommend legislation, and Mr..
Hill, of Georgia, centended that while it was the
duty of the President TO dc this there no limi-
ation the power of Congress to get opinions from
others.
Mr.. Davis of West Virginia, in the course of the
debate, said the Secretary had estimated that $780,
100000 would be required for this year to pay the
pension roll and this estimate he learned had been
increased by the Commissioner to S120,000,000
Nobody knew where the increase would stop, and
lext year, for aught we knew it would reach $780,
100000 He (AIr. Davis had stated last year that
he arrears Of pensions bill would cost the Govern
nent sum greater than the Nationa debt and the
statement was laughed at. Present indications
seemed TO fully Justify the statement he then made.
Mr. Logan, replying 10 Mr. Davis, said that state
nents not based accurate information should not
De allowed TO 90 to the country uncontradicted.
The assertion that the pension arrearages would
ost more than the National debt was certainly not
,ased upon any reliable basis The inference from
What had been stated would be that our pension roll
would continue to cost 500 100000 per year right
long, with probable increase. Yet the report of
he Commissioner showed that with certain force
t his command, the arrears of pensions could be |
aid in two years, and that after these were Maid /
he roll would be reduced to S400000 900 or not over
80 100000. The Senator from West Virginia could
lot help knowing this, for the report was before
i'm. There was, therefore, reason TO alarm the
euntry by statement such as the one that Senator
ad just made.
The resolution modified by Mr. Edmundss
was adopted
The Senate (at 1.45 went into executive session.
nd lat 100 adjourned until Monday.
MONDAY.
When the SENATE met, Mr. Call, in presenting
petition for mail facilities from Manatee to Cedar