Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-16

WASHINGTON, February 15.-In the Sen
ate, Mr.. Miller, of California, made an ad-
verse report upon the Senate bill to confer
positive instead of relative rank on officers
of the Engineer Corps of the United States
navy. Indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. Jackson introduced bill, presented
by Mr.. Morgan in the last Congress, for the
relief Of book agents of the Methodist
Episcopal Church South. l. appropriates
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in
compensation for prop er connected with
the publishing house t said book agents in
Nashville, which was tak-n or destroyed by
the United States in 1864, or at any other
time.
A resolution, offered by Mr.. Call, was re-
ferred to the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tiODs, desiring the Secretary of State to open
negotiations with Spain for renting the
tax on cotton imported into Cuba from the
United States.
A resolution reported by Mr.. Plstt from
the Committee on Contingent Expenses, TO
provide messenger for each of the commit
tees, on Finance, Post Office, Pensions,
Claims, Judiciary and Engrossed Bills, was
discussed. The absolute necessity of the
provision to facilitate the committees bust
ness was generally conceded, and on motion
Cf Mr. Ingalls, the District Committee was
included in the resolution.
Mr. Morgan offered and advocated an
amendment providing messenger for each
Senator who is not Chairman of a commit
tee. He said that by reason of the onerous
character of their duties, many Senators
were literally working themselves to death,
their labOrs being from twenty-five to thirty
times as great as those devolved upon mem
bers of the House. He thought the resolu-
tion introduced by Mr. Brown, for a Jerk to
every Senator not already supplied with one
as a committee Chairman, ought to be
passed.
several members attacked the resolution
as calculated to Increase the already too
numerous army OF employees of Congress.
Mr. MOrgan's amendment was rejected
yeas 10, nays %, and the resolution as modi-
tied, on motion of Mr.. Platt, was passed
yeas 81, nays 10. 1t directs the appointments
TO be made by the Sergeant-at-Arms upon
selections made by the committees, pro-
vided that messengers so appointed shall
not be paid for that part Of the year during
which the Senate Is not in session, and
regulates their pay at the rate OF 81, 400 per
year.
The Senate, at two o'clock, took up but
temporarily passed over the regular order
the snti pOlygamy bill-and Mr.. Call, on
leave, address, the Senate in support of
the proposed amendment TO the pension ar
rears resolution declaring in favor of pen
siOns to the survivors of the Indian wars
prior to lS4l. He said that every argument
in favor of the granting and continuance of
pensions to soldiers Of the late war applied
with equal force IN behalf OF the disabled
soldiers of the Mexican and Indian wars.
At l:l5 the anti pOlygamy bill to amend
Section 1852 of the Revised Statutes Of the
United 5 ates, in reference to bigamY and
for other purposes, was taken up, and the
amendments proposed by the Committee on
the Judiciary were read.
The sections and amendments were agreed
to up to the fifth section, which authorizes
the President to grant amnesty to classes
Of offenders guilty, before the passage Of
the act, of bigamy, pOlygamY or unlawful
co1abitatiOn, on such conditions as he shall
think proper The wholesale exercise of
parliamentary power contemplated In this
section was objected to as touching upon
legislative pTerOgative, but after some dis
cussion the section as amended and the re-
naming committee amendments up to sec
ion eight were adopted.
Tne etgh section provides for the con-
duct of elec ions, the regis ration and can
vassing OF voters, ETC., in the territory until
provision for the same is made by the legis-
lative assembly, provided for in the bill, by
The appointing of board of five persons, 10
be appointed by the President and confirmed
O1 buC 0CHdbOS ali VI oAdlA nOb OC
members Of one political party, etc.
Mr.. Brown moved to amend SO as to re-
qure that not more than three Of the board
shall be of the same political party.
Several members debated this section
until 450, when a motion for an executive
session was lost by yeas q, nays 20, and,
after several efforts to secure an order for
vote on the bill, interspersed with motions
TO adj lurn, 1t was, finally, arranged that the
cho ha aTa xu{t
diatey after the morning business to
morrow, and debate upon it closed at $50
p. N. Upon this understanding Mr.
Edmuuds, In charge Of the bill, consented
TO an adjournment.
MIR. Coke, on leave, introduced a bill, ap-
proprlating 500 600 for continuing the
Improvement of Galveston harbOr, Texas.
At $50 the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
The morning hour having been dispensed
with, the House resumed consideration of
the apportionment bill, and Mr.. Herbert, of
Alabama, continued his speech in OppOsi-
ton to any increase In the membership OF
the House
It was said, continued Mr.. Herbert, that
large bodies had the advantage of being
more difficult to corrupt, but he -eontended
that more members would bring more
schemes. just in proportion as
the membership was increased
the members would lose their
individuality and personal responsibility,
and would rely upon committees. "A cor
rupt man, instead of endeavOring to cor
rupt the House, would apply himself to the
committees. The committees could not be
made large enough to put them beyond the
reach of temptation. He favored the con-
stitutiOnal amendment limiting the number
of Representatives.
The debate on the apportionment bill
occupied the remainder of the days session
after 1t was taken up, to the exclusion of
all other business.
Mr.. Thompson, of Kentucky, who was
entitled to the floor for the last hour of the
de ate before the demand for the previous
question, was recognized, but feeling un-
we'll yielded to a motion to adjourn, which
was voted down by the Republicans. An
arrangement was finally agreed to, whereby
at the conclusion of one hours debate to-
morrow the previous question shall be con-
sidered as seconded, and voting upon the
various propositions begun. A vote will
also be allowed upon the queatiOn as to
whether the old or the new method of ap-
portio1ment shall be adopted. The House,
at 5:l5 adjourned.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AT MACON AND sHREvE-
PORT.
The House Committee on Public Build
ings to day agreed TO report favorably the
bill providing for public building at Ma