The National tribune., 1882-03-18
WHAT CONGRESS IS DOING.

The feature Of the week in Congress was th'
passage by the House OF the anti -polyGamy
: Dill. AS ii has previously passed the Senate
II now only requires the signature of the
President, which it will no doubt receive
before becoming law. The provisions Of tht
MI! are very stringent. It provides thai
any man who maTrieS more tnau one wife il
. any Territory Of the United States shall h.
declared guilty Of Tolygamy and punished by
fine OF 800 and imprisonment Cor five years
that If any male person III a,y Territory CO
habits with more than one woman he Snail bt
punished by fine of 1890 and SIX months i'm.
prisonment; peiycamistS can he challenged
for such practices, when drawn IS Jurors in
prosecutions of bigamy or p2lygamy, and re-
Jected as incompetent jurors icgitimatizes
any issue of Mormon marriages which shall
nave oeen born before January l, 1883; declares
that no poiygamist Shall been entitled to vote
IN any Territory or he eligible as q candidate
lor any office of public trust declares all reg
lstratlon and election officers iii Utah vacant,
the duties of which are to be performed in
| luture by persons selected by q board of FIVE
persons to be appointed by the President
Ihree TO be OF one political party-the members
VI the ooard to receive salary of $1,000 each
per annum. Some objection was made to the
passage OF the bill on the Democratic side of
the House on the ground Of its alleged uncon-
stltutionality, but there were only forty-two
negative votes on its passage.
SENATE
on Monday, March Is. in the Senate bill was
introduced for the ascertainment of the French
spoliation claims. A bill was passed authoriz-
ing the PoStmaSterGcneral to adjust certain
losses OF postmasters by fire, burglary, sc.
MI Garland, from the Committee on the
Judiciary, reported a bill amending the stat
utes relating to quorum of the Supreme
Court OF the United States calendar. 1t pro-
vldes that majority OF the court shall consti-
tute quorum, instead of six justices as at
present, and prohibits any justice from sittiug
on case or appeal on which he has acted in
circuit court.
The remainder of the dav was devoted to
the consideration of the tariff commission bill.
The Committee on Indian Affairs reported
Dill to provide for the allotment of lands in
seVeralty to Indians on reservations and TO ex-
tend the civil and criminal laws OF the respect
I've States and Territories to each Indian to
whom lands are 50 allotted within their bound
aries. The orders for the ali1tmcnts are to
be made by the President of the United States
In his discretion, but the bill prescrihcs that
l6o acres of agricultural land Shall be patented
to each head Of a family ard 20 acres to each
single person over eighteen years afagc aud each
orphan child. The lands thus acquired by the |
Indians are to be inalenablo and free from
taxation for twenty-five years
On Tuesday in the Senate the House bill was
reported back from the Committee on Com
merce TO repeal discriminating duties on TIA
and coffee the product of the Netherlands.
with an amendment making tho measure a
general one. 4 joint resolution was passed
appropriating S100002 additional for the relief
of the Mississippi flood sufferers. Mr.. Cal
the Senate upon ChiIa and Peru
matters IS presented by the pending resolution
Ia favor of settling the controversy by the
United States and recommending a Congress
'f the governments Of North, South aud Cen
raj America in Washington TO secure a settle
nent of all questions between them.
On Wednesday Mr.. Malone presented con-
'urrent resolution for Il rebate on manufac-
ured tobacco, provided bill is passed for
'eduction OF tho tax on tobacco A bill was
1assei sppropristinE 500 900 Tor the erection of
| memorial column to commemorate the battle
If Monmouth, \. J. The Post-Oftice appro-
'riation bill was further considered and several
amendments adopted.
On Thursday Mr.. Anthony presented memo
1al from 800 officers line and staff. in the
laVy' representing all grades of rank, prot ST.
ng AGAINST the restoration Of officers v ho have |
'een dismissed for drunkenness, been forciblv
etlrcd, or who have resigned 10 escape cGurt- ,
martial. On motion of Mr.. Edmunds, the
Iamcs OF the petitioners were ordered 70 b.,
rinted with the memorial. Tho resolution.
s amended by the House, increasing, the an {
ropriation for the Mississippi food ssszfarsrs q
rom 100000 to $I50,00), was concurret in. /
ills for the erection Of public bindings ut y
Denver, Col, and Terre Haute Iud., were \
assed. The Post Office appropriation bill was
lrther considered; several amendment. were
dopted one Increasing the approximation for q
pecial facilities from 100000 60 =359.0O0 Il
On Friday joint resolution OF the Iowa
was introduced asking Congress 10 II
mend the act donating public lands to the f
tatcs and Territories which may provide col Il
ges Of agriculture and the mechanic ar,s 90
nat the state may loan the funds derived from
iles Of real estate security, &c. The House I
Ill approp,iating $i0O000 foc continuing the p
ork of hrilding Davis Island dam ON tbe "
Mo River was parsed. Mr. Logan, from tbo Il
Hillary Committee, reported adversely the Il
ii for the payment Of female nurses during p
he var, which was indefinitely POSTPONED D
he Post Ofice bill was amended aud passed u
he fortifcation bill was also passed.
HOUSE d.
On Monday in the House A memorial was 4
'escnted from the Legislature of Utah com. w
aiming of the "baseless and monstrous .xaq- it
.ration under which the people Of Urah are h
aced in jeopardy and threatened with the dc. O
ruction of self government" &c. A bin WAS di
ssed pensiosing the widow of Admiral Colds. W
rough. The anti-poiygamy bill was taken Ia