Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-04-20
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.

In the Senate on the 11th the Indian Terri
tory Railroad bill, granting the right Of way to
the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad
came up as unfinished business, and was dis
cussed at someslength, but went over without
action. .r..
In the House, substitute for the Senate
bill appropriating $50, 900, for the immediate
relief of certain tribes of Indians, was intro
duced and passed. The post Office appropria-
tion bill with Senate amendments was dis
cussed in committee of the whole. Some Of the
ment restoring the franking privilege was nom
concurred in. The Tariff Commission bill was
also considered in committee of the whole.
In the Senate on the 18th number Of COM
mittee reports on pending legislation were
made. The Indian Territory Railroad bill was
again discussed, after which a short executive
session was held, and the Senate adjourned.
In the House the Tariff Commission bill was
discussed, and also measures of relief for the
sufferers by the flood of the Mississippi river
and it's tributaries.
In the Senate on the 18th, bill was passed
by a vote of Al to IA, for the adjustment of
claims growing out of the destruction of the
United States private armed brig, General
Armstrong, in the port of Fayal, Azores Is
lands, in 1914. The bill appropriating Sc, ,0N,-
600 for the improvement of the Mississippi and
Missouri rivers was called but laid over as
unfinished business.
Iu the House the day was devoted to discus
sing the Tariff Commission bill.
In the Senate on the 18th, Mr. Lapham pre-
sented remonstrance transmitted to him by
the Chamber Of Commerce OF New York, from
the business men Of that city engaged in the
China dry goods, iron and cotton trade, and
fbo of h1nkprS
and insurance companies against the passage
of any law prohibiting Chinese immigration.
1t sets forth that such legislation is contrary to
our national policy, an unnecessary aftront to
friendly nation, and prejudicial to the COM
mercial interests Of the country, in reducing
if not destroying, our growing commerce with
China, which promises to be Of vast Importance.
The papers went to the committee on foreign re-
lations. Mr.. MaXey from the committee on
claims, reported favorably, with amendments.
the bill to Inappropriate and apply the amount
appropriated by the Act of March, 1877, to-
pay certain Southern mail contractors. A
number of pension bills were passed. Mr.
VOORHEES, addressed the Senate upon the reso-
luton recently introduced by him declaring
the conduct of the State Department in rela-
tion to the arrest and imprisonment by British
officers of Daniel McSweeny and other Ameri-
cans in violation of American law, inconsistent
with the value of American citizenship and
derogatory of the honor of the United States.
He said the secretary of State failed to respond
to the Senate resolution of March 9th per-
emptorily instructing him to report upon
case at the earliest day possible
until March Goth, although every item of in
formation transmitted on the latter date was
in the hands of that officer when the resolution
reached him and could have been sent in
within twenty-four hours thereafter The
American State Department, he asserted, of
late years had always proceeded very slowly
when appealed to in behalf of an American
citizen in a foreign prison. He proceeded as
follows: GA government that is Indifferent to
the fate Of it's own citizens, whether at home
or abroad, which fails to respond boldly and
swiftly to their appeals for justice and leaves
them to waste away their lives in prisons un-
tried and unconvicted, is unworthy of allegi-
ance, and ought not to have, and will not
long retain respectable position among the
powers Of the earth" The speak
er then reviewed the case of McSweeny, a
American citizen who was arrest
ed by the British authorities in Ireland and
imprisoned on the 2nd of June 1881, and who
has been in prison without trial since, nowith- |
standing repeated appeals of the prisoner and
his wife to our government for protection and |
redress. The unmanly and pusillanimous 81.
Ience of the State Department throughout the
whole case was, Mr. VOORHEES, said, such that |
every American head would be bowed and
every American heart filled with humiliation