The daily gazette., 1882-08-09
CONGRESS ADJOURNS.
LAST HOURS OF A REMARK
ABLE SESSION.
SPEAKER KEIFER GETS A BLUFF.
CLOSING scenes IN the senate--L Less Than
n Quorum in the House at the Hour of
Adjournment.

WASHINGTON, August S.-Congress ad-
journed very quietly to-day. In the Senate,
when the closing hour arrived, It found not
more than 25 Senators present, and in the
House when the Speaker declared that body
adjourned sine die less than four-score
members were In their places to hear him.
The last hours of the session were as unin
teresting as could well be imagined, and the
fact that the galleries In both Houses were
almost empty Is proof that the people and
the sight seers Of the city were impressed
with the idea that such would be the case
1t is rare that the session of Congress
expires without the accompaniment of full
galleries. To-day the attendance In the
Senate galleries could almost be reckoned
within hundred, while In the House only
about double that number were present. The
adjournment resolution was among the first
Of the matters acted upon in the Sen
ate. 1t was agreed to-yeas, n nays, II +;
the negative vote all Republican. Mr..
Window submitted the long delayed report
OF the COMMITTEES of investigation into
charges of fraud In connection with the pas
sage of the Whisky bill through the House,
and OF attempts to put 1t through The Senate
IL is the Scotch verdict of mot proven. 4"
An inquiry as TO the condition of the Japa-
nese Indemnity bill developed the fact that
1t slumbered In the Conference Committee,
and drew from Senator Morgan of Alabama
a complaint that IL had been deliberately
smothered, statement which was denied by
senator Bayard, who laid the blame upon
conferrees of the House. After an unavail-
ing effort on. the part of Mr. Cameron of
Pennsylvania 10 pass a Pension bill, the
Senate went into executive session, in which
IL remained until 2.45 p. m.
THE PRESIDENT HARD AT woRk.
During the interval the President arrived
at the Capitol, and with the members of his
Cabinet spent nearly two hours in the Presi-
dents room signing bills as rapidly as they
were engrossed. When the doors were
opened Mr.. Morrill, mnocently asked unani-
nous consent for the passage Of the Tax
Reduction bill, a request which was re-
sponded to by derisive laughter from the
Democratic side of the chamber. Then Mr..
PendletOn offered the usual resolution OF
thanks to the presiding officer, who, IN a few
words, in which he emphasized an assertion
that the Senate had done its duty, declared
the Senate adjourned sine die. f
In the House almost nothing was done
II convened at III O'Clock 1t listened u
the reading Of the journal and took recess
until IL. On meeting again the report ot
the action of the Senate ON the adjournment
resolution was received and the Senate's
proposition to adjourn at three O'Clock was
agreed to. Another recess was taken until
Is minuGes offs O'Clock On reassemblinp
the Speaker announced the members OF
Select Committee to inquire into the wants
| of American shipping interests. Mr.. Hoai
| endeayored to secure the passage of bill Il
amend the River and Harbor bill, providing
that portion Of the sums appropriated fo
| the construction Of locks aud dams might
when necessary, be used to purchase site
for these locks and dams. Objection wal
made in several quarters, and the point
Mr., Hoar withdrew the passage o
resolution to provide for the
storing of records Of the Centennial EX
position at Philadelphia in the Smithsonian
Institute. The hour of adjournment having
arrived, the Speaker made short speech
in which he said the expiring session hat
been an important one to the country, bu
he did not allude specially. to any of its acts
He thanked the House for its kind treat
ment and courtesy, and extended the bes
wishes to the members without regard t.
party, and then declared the House ad
journed without day. Contrary TO thu
usual custom, no resolution of thanks h
the Speaker was offered, an omission whicl
| has excited much comment. As soon as thI
| House was adjourned the members soundl,
| applauded the announcement like a lot o
disorderly schoOlboys, breaking into
| chorus of cheers and catcalls and eXuber
atingly congratulating each other. A hal
hour or more was devoted to hand -shakin,
| by members.