St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-04-29
TOPICS Of THE DAY.
News from Everywhere.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.

CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
In the House of Representatives, April 1,
amendments to the bill to promote efficiency
of the life saving service were non concurred
in. Bills passed: To facilitate the payment
OF dividends to creditors of the eedmen s
Savings and Trust Company; making st.
vincent. Mimi. q port of entry. The army
appropriation bill was debated and read for
amendment. M Holman raised point of
order against the provision relative to com
pulsory retirement. Mr. Calkins offered an
amendment excepting from the provision
the General and Lieutenant General of the
AMY, but providing that they may be retired
atthe age of sixty-hve, at the discretion of
the President.
THE bill for conversion or redemption of
$40 refunding certificates passed the Senate
on the 3D.. 1t authorizes the Secretary of the
Treasury in his discretion to redeem at the
market price. the balance of the certificates
(about S50o,000}, which are redeemabe with
either coupon or registered bonds, but have
stanng BE the put o
were introduced: To bridge the Mis-
sissippi at Memphis; to authorize the
Secretary OF the Treasury to apply surplus
revenue to debt reduction A motion to make
the bill extending national bank franchises q
special order for the 18th inst. was lost after a
spirited debate. The bill to readiust post
masters salaries of the third. fourth and fifth
classes, the amendatory bill, and several
measures for the erection of public buildings
passed.
A MESSAGE from the President vetoing
the anti Chinese bill, read in the Senate
on the 4th. The vital objection of the Presi-
dent Is to the twenty years suspension of i'm
migration, which he CONSTITUTES as virtually
proh1bitory, and therefore violative of the
spirit if not the letter of the negotiations up
on which the treaty was based, and as
breach of national faith. The message calls
attention to the propositions made by the
United States Commissioners on this point
and counter propositions on the part of China
to show that the understanding of the latter
country in the agreement which was ultimate
~ made was that immigration would be lin
tied or restricted to a reasonable period. The
system of personal registration and passports
is specific ally mentioned as undemocratic
and hostile to the Constitution. The message
and bill were temporarily laid on the table
and ordered printed. ......In the House
the army appropriation bill was taken up and
the compulsory retirement clause was strick-
years service shall entitle an officer or SOL
der to place on the retired list if he applies
Tor it, 1t 80 years old he goes on the retired
f INST IN IA; any case; several appeals were made
trom the Chairs rulings and the House ad-
aourned before the questions were decided.
Mr.. MILLER introduced new Chinese
Immigration bill. with a ten years limit, in
the Senate, April 9Th. After some discussion
the vefoed Chinese bill was taken up. Mr..
Bayard answered the Presidents objections
TO the bill. A vote on a motion to refer the
Dill was lost-lS to 50. The question was then
put on the passage of the bill over the veto
lost, 90 to 81 not the necessary two thirds
...... The House took up the army appropria-
ton bill and the Chair ruled that the clause
transferring Quartermaster's department
claims to the court of claims must be elm
mated Mr.. Blackburn gave notice of reso-
luton to investigate the manner of passing
on these claims in the department, which
custom, he had evidence, savored of black
mail. a discussion followed in which Messrs
passed with little change.
THE bill appropriating $4,000 for the i'm
mediate relief of the Cheyenne and Arapa-
hoe Indians passed the Senate on the 9th.
The bill to fix a day for the meeting of cleo
tors for President and Vice President, and to
provide for and regulate the counting of
the votes for President and Vice-Presi-
dent and the decision of questions aris-
and passed by viva voce vote. The
Indian Territory railroad bin was made
unfinished business, and the Senate after
executive session, adjourned till the 10Th w
In the House bills passed appropriating $780,
600 Tor the purchase OF seed for the sufferers
from the overflow of the Mississippi and
Sl50,00oto continue the work on the Washing
ton monument. The tariff commission bin
was discussed and three Chinese immigration
measures were introduced. A morton to ad-
Journ over until Monday was voted down.