The National tribune., 1882-06-10
CONGRESS ISDOING.
SENATE.

On Thursday, May 81, in the Senate, Mr..
Mitchell presented memorial from Gregg Post,
of Belfontaine, Pa, urging the passage Of the
bill increasing the pensions of soldiers who lost
q leg or arm in the service or suffered an
equivalent disability equal thereto, to $40 a
month, which was referred to the Committee
on Pensions. Mr.. McGiII introduced a bill
granting condemned cannon to Abe Lincoln
Post No. %, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, which was
appropriately referred. A bill was passed
granting relief to John n. Quackenbush, a
commander in the United States navy, who
has been dismissed by court-martial sentence.
The Creek orphan fund bill was amended and
passed. Several personal pension bills were
passed, and the remainder of the session was con-
sumed in discussing the army appropriation bill.
On Friday, in the Senate Immediately after
the body had been called to order, note was
read from President pro tenn, Davis stating that
a pressing engagement neccssitated his absence,
and designating Mr. ingalls, to occupy the chair
for tho day. The point was raised by Mr.. Vest
that the President pro tenn. had no power to
make such an appointment in that way; that
his presence was required to make the appoint
ment legitimate. Mes5rs Logan and Hale
maintained the right Of the presiding officer to
appoint by letter while Mcssrs. Ferry, Morgan,
and others protested against it. As way of
solving the parliamentary problem Mr. Sher-
man moved an adjournment until Monday,
which was carried.
In the Senate on Monday resolution was
adopted instructing the Committee on Rules
to inquire into the authority of the presiding
officer, being absent from the Senate, to desig-
nate Senator to take the chair Mr.. ingalls,
presented a petition numerously signed by
veteran soldiers in Kansas praying for an in
crease in pension rates of disabled soldiers,
which was referred to the Committee on Pen
sions. Several personal pension bills were in
troduccd Mr.. Hill introduced joint resolu-
tioR authorizing the Secretary of War to loan
to the Governor of Colorado tents for the use
of the First Battalion of Cavalry and the Third
Battalion of Infantry Of the said State. The
army appropriation bill was taken up and dis
cussed down to the hour Of adjournment.
On Tuesday, in the Senate an amendment
Of the House was concurred, reducing the ap-
preparation for public building at Pensacola,
Florida, from $250,O0O to 100000.
Mr.. Window presented d memorial of Muller
Post, No. /, Grand Army of the Republic, De-
partmcnt Of Minnesota, in favor of the passage
Of the bill to amend the pension laws by in
crcasing the pensions of soldiers and sailors
who have lost an arm or leg in the service &c.
Mr. Logan said; present petition of ex-
paymasters OF the United States Army who
~ ILL
that the provisions of the act Of Congress of
August u, 1913, may be extended and applied
to them There is bill accompanying the
petition which | shall ask leave to introduce.
I want to say, however, that present the pc
tition and bill at the request of a committee
organized by these men. The bill is to give
them a thousand dollars a year extra pay. l
do not wish it to be considered by my present
ing the bill that shall be in favor of it by any
means.
bill was reported favorably, and passed,
granting the use of tents for the coming
National Encampment of the G. A. R., at Balti-
more and the meeting of the Army of the Po-
tomac at Detroit, Mich. A resolution was
adopted providing for an inquiry as to the ex-
pediency OF reducing letter postage to two
cents and on printed matter to half the present
rate, aud of increasing the rate on merchandise
transported through the mails. The bill pro-
viding for public building at Greenville, S. c.,
was passed. 4 bill was passed granting to the
State of Alabama certain public lands for the
use of the University of Alabama. A resoIu-
ton to print at cost of $4,000 an official ac-
count of the trial, &c, of Guiteau was tabled.
The army appropriation bill was passed.
On Wednesday in the Senate number of
bills of no special interest were introduced. A
bill was passed appropriating 100000 for a
public building at Lyrchburg, Va. The Dis
trict of Columbia appropriation bill was then
taken up and discussed at length, but without
reaching vote the Senate adjourned.