The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-02-18
WHAT CONGRESS is DOING.

branch OF congress during uueWeek, tuc oeudte Ue-
ing occupied chiefly with Reconsideration OF the
ingalls, pension arrears resOlutbn the debate upon
which is reported at length esWhere in these col
umns, and the House being deeply immersed in
that most intricate of all subjects, the apporton-
ment question.
In the Senate, on Thursda. the 9th inst, Mr..
Vest, by unanimous consent, Introduced bill au-
thOrizing the Secretary of the Treasury to examine
certain vouchers filed by the tate OF Missouri for
pay due to the officers and nsn OF the militia OF
said State for military ServiceS evidenced by the
proper payrolls heretofore fld with, accepted by,
and paid upon by the Government OF the United
States and to report to Congress. motion to elect
Neil S. Brown, jr, of Tennesse, chief clerk OF the
Senate failed tie vote. Abill to place Colonel
Herman Biggs-who resigned his commission at the
close of the war on account f ill-health and who
since then has became permanently disabled from
the effects of splinter wound received IN the SER
vice-on the retired list, gave Use to long debate,
Senator Plumb antagOnizing on the ground that
it was establishing discrimination which is un-
wise and unpatriotic against class OF men who
have asked to be put or the retired list, and
not one of whom is there, t wit, the men who
served for the smallest possible pay with just as
great merit as any other parties, ana VINO carried
muskets while they were serving the Government.
He thought pension was all to which Mr.. Biggs
was entitled, and the Senate SEEMING to be OF the
same opinion, the sponsor of tie BILL Mt SeWell, OF
New Jersey, had it passed owe. A similar dlspOsl-
tion made of the bill to rmove the disabilities
souri, volunteers and AFTERWARDS the Thlrty-nlnth
colored infantry in the Regula army, who was dis
missed the service on accOuntOf drunkenness and
alleged insulting conduct torards the wife OF a
brother officer, the object of tie bill being to make
him eligible for appointment 10 captalncy by the
President. 1t was admittedthat Colonel Kirby
had been gallant soldier andthe opposition to the
bill was based on the fact hat his appointment
would necessarily interfere with the present order
of promotions in the Regular army.
a font I,n aIInf
of Colonel Kirby was taken lp again and passed.
but that for the relief of Mr. Rggs was again passed
over. bill to revoke the Sntence of general
court-martial in the of clored soldier acted
with the startling name of Sampson Gollah led to
a very interesting debate. Gdiah, it appeared, had
been convicted of mutiny, but after he had served
out his sentence it was discovered that he was in
nocent and the bill was intenled to enable him to
draw the pay to which he would have been entitled
but for the verdict Of the courtmartlal The merits
of the case were admitted, bit Senator Edmunds
raised the point that to pass his bill would be an
exercise of the pardOning pOwr, which by the Con-
stitution was vested solely in tie President and after
an animated discussion the bill was temporarily laid
over, as was also the bill to place General Grant
upon the retired list. Mr.. Eye occupied the re-
mainder of the session with the delivery of a set
speech against the tariff commission bill.
In the Senate, on Monday he 18th inst, res0-
luton was adopted directing ihe Secretary of War
to report the number and character Of cannon ntw
demned or are deemed unfit or use; whether the
material of such cannon is NEEDED, can be advan-
tageously used by the United States in the manH-
facture of ordnance for Other purposes; also the
market value of such condemned cannon, and how
many have been appropriated by special laws for
specific purposes
Among the bills passed wer. the following:
To provide for the sale of tie lands of the Miami
Indians in Kansas To ammd article 103 of the
rules and articles of war Imposing Limitation of
tvo data IF ap1St DCt
cutions for desertion. To promote the efficiency
of the navy. Making drunkenness, or incapacity
arising from misconduct and not contracted in the
line of duty, sufficient reaon to prevent an officer
of the navy being placed on the retired list and
allowing him, upon discharge by the President,
years pay.
The Ingalls, pension arrears resolution was laid
aside informally, and Messy. Dawes and Pendleton
addressed the Senate in hvOr of civil service re-
form.
Among the bills introduced were the following
By Mr.. Vance Dem, y C.)-For the relief of
officers on the retired list of the army and navy
1T empowers the President to detail such retired
officers may apply to him for employment, in the
Indian and Pension Bureaus Life-saving Service,
other branches of the civil service; such officers to
receive, while performing this duty, the full pay
and allowances of their rank, and no more.
By Mr.. Plumb rep, Kan. TO regulate promo
lions in the army, and to inc,ease its efficiency
In the Senate, on Tuesday the Committee on
Civil Service was authorized to send for persons
and papers, upon statement by Mr.. Hawley that
the committee desired this authority as to enable
them to pay the mileage of several gentlemen whose
presence they desired. After the expiration of the
privileged morning hour the calendar became the
regular order of business until half-past one but
Mr.. Edmunds moved to suspend the present and all
prior orders to take up the aIti-polygamy bill.
The motion was defeated and the consideration
of the calendar proceededwith at half past one
the pension arrears resolution came up as the un-
finished business.
Mr. Edmunds again moved to proceed with the
anti-poygamy bill but said he would not ask
vote on the motion until several Senator's who had
given notice of set speeches On other subjects Mon
day, had been heard.
Mr.. Vance then took the flor for speech on the
the tariff, and upon the conclusion of his remarks
the pension-arrears resolutioncame up and Mr. Call
who was awarded the floor upon it, deferred his
remarks until Wednesday.
Mr.. Edmunds then asked for vote upon his
motion to take up the antipd ygamy BILL and after
an arrangement which entities Mr.. Call to retain
the floor for speech on Wednesday on pensions
the motion prevailed and the bill was taken up
and laid over as the next Business in order after
Mr.. Call ST all have finished his remarks At half
past four the Senate adjourned until Wednesday.
Wednesday the President pro TEN. submitted from
the Secretary of the Treasury the report of the cat
tie commission ON the lung plague of cattle
Mr.. Miller (Cal. made an ADVERSE report upon the
Senate bill to confer positive i'll place of relative,
rank on the officers of the engineer corps in the
United States navy. Indefinitely referred.
Mr.. Jackson introduced the bill presented by Mr..
Morgan ia the last Congress for the relief of the
book agents of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South.
A resolution reported by MI. Platt, from the Com
mittee on Contingent Expenses, to provide mes
senger for each of the Committees on Finance Post
offices, Pensions, Claims, Judiciary, and Engrossed
Bills, discussed. The absolute necessity of the
70 s{n%na