The Evening critic., 1882-01-26
TIIE GRIND
OF THE LEGISLATIVE MILL.

Business in Both souscs-NOtes
and Comments.
After the reading of the journal in the
Senate to-day the Chair laid before the
Senate petition of the board of trade of
Oregon praying for civil government for
the Territory of Alaska.
Mr.. Anthony moved that when the Som
ate adjourned it be to meet Monday next.
Mr.. ingalls, called for the yeas aud nays,
which were ordered, and the motion was lost
by asvotc of "a to 80.
Mr. Anthony presented petition from
1,616 women of Rhode Island asking for u
constitutional amendment giving the right
of franchise to women.
Several petitions relative to civil-service
reform were presented.
Mr.. Ferry, from the Committee on Post
offices and Post.roads, reported favoraby on
the bill to authorize the Postmaster General
to delegate power to the First Assistant
Postmaster-General TO sign warrants. Put
ON the calander.
Mr.. Hoar, from the Committee on Pat.
| ents, reported bill for the relief of Martin
| J. Coston. This is an old residenter that has
| been before Congress for years.
Mr.. Lapham presented petitions from the
| governors OF several States, embracing 5000
| signers, asking for some legislation to
| punish polygamy.
| The District Committee instructed Sena.
tor Vance to prepare and present n bill to
| prevent the sale of lottery tickets in the
District of Columbia.
Mr.. ingalls, reported joint resolution
appropriating $211,400 to carry on the
work of filling up the old canal.
Mr.. Ingalls, stated that one of the Com
missioners appeared before the committee
this morning and estimated that the
amount of money would be sufficient to
complete the work.
Mr.. Window, from the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, reported back favorably
the joint resolution relating to certain
accepted drafts and other papers in the
Department of State.
The bill directs the Secretary of State to
deliver to the person justly entitled to the
possession thereof one draft for the sum of
$3.50, dated New York, August ?, 1859,
and drawn by Santiago Vidauri, governor
of Nuevo Leon and Cohuahutla, by Ignacio
Gulinda, agent, on ]. M. Mata, Mexican
minister, Washington, and accepted by said
j. NJ. Mata and made payable at the Bank
of the Republic, New York, and all other
papers relating to said draft, the same hay.
ing been deposited in the department by
error.
After morning business was over the fund
ing bill was taken up, and Mr.. Sherman
HI the House To-day.
The committees were called in the House
this morning, at the conclusion of which
Mr.. Browne, of Indiana, chairman of Ii
valid Pensions Committee, presented q
favorable report on the resolution he pre-.
sented in the House some timo ago, calling
for report from the Secretary of the In.
terror on the Hypothetical question relative
to the payment of pensions to soldiers in
- Il. z1.Ls-
heretofore been published in TIE CRITIC
and which means steps toward the pay
ment of pensions to. old vets in toto al
| one time.
: The report of the Committee on Ac
, counts, relative to committee clerkships
!, was taken up, and consumed much time.
The River Flats.
1 Accompanying the bill for the reclama
ton Of the river flats, reported favorably Il
= the House to-day, was report by Chair
= man Neale who described the flats as
t pestilence- breeding, death producing swami
l which is proposed to turn into a magnif
1 cent park, and urges that the work b
G commenced without delay The committe
: specify no particular plan, but urges tina
c the work be placed in charge of the Secre
n tary of War; who shall determine how i
0 shall be accomplished.
Y The sum of 81 100000 is recommende
L
n obtained it is assumed that the work vii
l not cost over $4,000 per acre. As the Who'll
!, area will be about six hundred acres, tn
n total cost is placed at $2,500,000. The worl
d will commend itself as commercia
|. venture, and the committee does not doub
IS but that the land reclaimed would, if sol
n out, pay all the costs of the reclamatio
1. and leave handsome balance in the hand
It of the parties who might undertake it,
l. the reward Of their sagacious labors.
10 1t is understood that parties are ready t
k undertake it if the Government will giy
t. them a good title to the one as reclaime,
" The committee does not approve adoptin
y such measures though they think that I'll
ir lands reclaimed should belong to the Coy
ernment, to be disposed of hereafter as I'll
wisdom of Congress may direct The II
port at length describes the section pr
in posed for reclamation and draws truthfi
picture of the malarious effects of the fla
r upon the health of the residents of tn
#, city.
c; The committee reports the full list
10 claims on portions of the land for quietiI
:; the title, to which ample provisions a
l6 | made in the bill 1t sets forth that Il
State of Maryland has no legal claim tn
%. the alleged Kidwell patents are WORTHLESS
y | the Chesapeake * Ohio canal has no leg
h, claim; no just claims are set up Of any
II the "squatters'' or the Potomac Steambo
IS, Company, and the only object in inser
p ing sections in the bill to protect Il
1t, United States as to title, was to avoid al
k, litigation that might unexpectedly arise.
Capitol Notes.
- Mr.. Cox, of New York, introduced a res
''' luton to-day calling on the President
~ all information in his possession covert
nSS the expulsion of American Israelites fro
Nv ~ Russia Referred to Committee on Fore
." Affairs.
"A The House Committee on Post-oflces a
Y. Post-roads to-day heard Hons. ii. c. Calki
,h, and John Roach, of the committee appoint
sD by the Chicago & New York Tariff Conve
,ge tion, ON the subject of tariff.
n Mr. Mcclure to-day reported favorably
20 | the House Committee ON Printing the !
providing for payment of the Goyernmt
ms, Printing. Office employees during the Gi
z. field services. TIL bill will no doubt p
lia the House.
ID The bill TO retire Ward Hunt, an As
les, ciate Justice of the Supreme Court was
ID turned from the House to the Senate
lb; day, having passed that body yesterday.
u only awaits the signature Of the Preside
on, to become law.
O The Senate Committees on CONNER
Post. offices and Post-roads, District of
ms, | lnmhia Patents Foreign Affairs and