Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-14
Con gressiOnal Notes.

TWO MORE APPROPRIATION BILLS PASSED.
The House yesterday passed the agricultural
and military academy appropriation bills. Mr.
Mason then endeavored to call up his civil ser
vice reform bill. Mr.. HiscOck thought that the
House should wait until the Senate civil service
reform bill should he before the House. He
would therefore ask the House To consider the
post Office appropriation bill in advance of the
civil service bill. The House adjourned without
deciding the question.
NOMINATIONS CONFIRMED BIZ THE SENATE.
The Senate in executive session Yesterday
confirmed the following nominations:-Hen
H. Morgan. of Louisiana. to be secretary of
legation Ut the United States to Mexico; Geo.
E. Warning, jr., Of Rhode Island to be mem
Der OF the national board of health; Com. Earl
English. to be chief Of the bureau of equipment
and recruiting of the navy. Ariry-Carter N
Is. Nctaaey. OF Massachusetts,, to b. assistant
su Eeon OF the medical department: Henry
Clayton. Of Delaware. to be payrraster. with
rank ct major Vim. II. Smyth of New York, to
b. paynasteT. with rank Of ta0r. PnstmSs-
t"rS-P. G.. SnetiekGr. mt Asbury Park Nj.
Chas. Barr. ir.. at EnGlcwood. Nj; John L.
latman at Orange Valley. Nj: Mrs. Elizabeth
Porter. at Russclsrille. hy; ChaS. +. French. at
Santa Anna, Cal: Edydr !. NOrton at Hum
holdt. Ne5.: WIN. Reahad, at Abilene, Kan;
iona Il. Browne. at Wannego. Kan; John L.
Harris. at PtrasantOn Kan ChaS. II. kurtz.
ut Augusta, Kan; Mrs. Cara L.. Nichols. at
Fort LPavGnwOrth. Kan; Cbas. l.. kinr at
Frisco. Utah; Ossian j. Carr. AT Leattie, Wash
ington Territory.
THE BOWMAN CLAIMS BILL.
The Senate committee on claims this morning
considered briefly and fay9rably the Bowman
bill, which has been passed by the House, autho-
rizing the reference of all Claims founded in law
to the Court of Claims IN the discreet ion of either
House or its claims committee. At their next
meeting the committee will probably authorize
favorable report upon this measure to he made
to the Senate The bill is very important to
claimants. the great majority OF Whonl. however
mtfItoT!0as their claims. are put of from seS-
son 10 session because it Is physically impOs-
Flbie Tor Congress or its committees to act.
owing to the great number demanding atten-
ton The bill provides that reference may he
made by either House ol claims to be iuvcsti-
gated ny the Court OF Claims and reported back
10 Congress tor final action. The same right Of
reference is given TO the heads of the respective
executive departments. that claimants in
the departments may obtain the same benefits
as those before Congress Claims for the
destruction of property by the army or navy
duTih& the late war are excluded from the
operation Of the b!ll
TIKI, ANTI-POLYGAMY BILL.
introduced in the Senate yesterday by Mr.
Edmunds, provides that in any proceeding or
examination before grand jury or United
States commissioner by reason o. the provisions
of this act. and in any prosecution for bigamy.
po!ygamy or unlawful cohabitation. under any
statute of the United States the lawful wife of
the defendant or person accused shall be a COM
petent witness and may be called by the prose-
cution. and shall be compelled to testify in said
proceeding, examination OrnrosecutiOn without
the consent of her husband being first obtained
the same as any other witness. That in any
prosecution for blgany. pOlygamy or unlawful
cohabItatIon under any statute of the United
States whether before United States COM
missioner or grand or petit jury. an attach
ment for any witness may be issued by the
court or United States commissioner compel
ln@ the Immediate attendance of said witness:
and 1t shall not be necessary before the issuance
OF said attachment to first obtain personal ser
vice OF a subpoena upon said witness: pro-
Yided always that said attachment shall not
issue as above provided except upon the certiti-
cate OF the United States district attorney or
one OF his assistants. that in the opinion OF said
attorney 1t Is necessary that said attachment
should issue as aforesaid and that any and all
statutes OF limitation limiting the time within
which an offender against this statute shall be
prosecuted are. 80 far as they relate to prose-
cutons for bigamy OrpolyCamy, hereby repealed:
provided that the President is hereby authorized
10 grant amnesty to any Offender guilty of
bi9an! or polygamy. ON such conditions and
under such limitations he shall think proper:
but no such amnesty shall have effect unless the
conditions thereof shall be compiled with.