Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-09
CONGRESS YESTERDAY.
Inc Consular and Diplomatic Bill Re
pOrted-The Postage Reduction Bill
The Proposed New Bankrupt Law
Dealing in Futures Suggested as
Grounds for Insolvency.

The Consular and Diplomatic Bill Re
pofted-The Postage Reduction Bill
The Proposed New Bankrupt Law
Dealing in Futures Suggested as
Grounds for Insolvency.
WASHINGTON, Dec. SIN the Senate
MIR. Maxey, from the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs, reported a bill TO rectify and
establish the title of the United States to
the site OF the military post at FL Paso,
Texas. Passed.
dhe President pro tenn. laid before the
Senate a communication from the Secre-
tary OF War, received just before the ad-
Journment of the last session, transmit
ting information as to the basis upon
which the government settled with GER
tain railroad companies in Tennessee
about the year 1865.
Mr.. Beck stated that after comforting
with the Commissioner of Pensions he
desired TO modify his amendment to the
resolution asking for list of pensioners
so as not to require the names of persons
claiming pensions.
AT the close Of the morning hour Mr..
Beck called up his resolution for an in
qulry into political assessments upon gov
ernment employees, and criticized the sub
stltute offered by Mr.. Hale Yesterday.
Mr.. Hale said he had modified the sub
stitute so as to call for the names of all
employees dismissed since the election for
any cause. The Democratic party had
placed wealthy men upon their committee
in order to induce them to contribute for
political purposes, and had levied a large
assessment on liquor dealers associations,
ana the investigation, if entered upon at
all, ought to extend to both sides.
M- a4I- L -
tute was designed to defeat the proposed
investigation.
IhedlscusslOn was continued by Messrs.
Bayard, Hale and Beck until . O'Clock,
when the unfinished business. the bank
ruptcy bill, was taken up.
Mr.. Jones, of Florida, offered an amend
ment, which was agreed to, giving party
sought to be thrown into involuntary
bankruptcy, the right to demand jury trial
as to the grounds of bankruptcy.
Mr.. Morgan offered an amendment.
making it an act Of bankruptcy to deal in
Futures" in certain articles of prime
necessity, such as corn, sugar, cotton,
rice, etc. Agreed to.
Mr.. HOar, of Massachusetts. addressed
the Senate at length in advocacy of the
Lowell bill, introduced by him, and had
not finished his argument, when the SEN
ate adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
MIR. Davis, of Illinois, presented a peti-
ton OF tobacco manufacturers of Chicago
asking that immediate action be taken on
the tax question, as the continued agita-
ton deprives operatives of subsistence.
Referred.
MIR. Burrows, of Michigan, from the
committee on Appropriations, reported
the consular and diplomatic appropriation
bill. Referred to the committee of the
whole.
1t appropriates 81, ,25s, ,255, being SIS, 900
less than the appropriations for the cur
rent year, and $132,500 less than the esti-
mates.
Mr.. Burrows gave notice that he would
ask for action on the bill tomorrow.
The Committee on Naval Affairs report
ed back the resolution introduced by Mr..
Hewitt, of New York, on Monday last,
calling on the Secretary of the Navy for
copies of all orders issued between the 1st
of August and the 4th of December. bv
virtue of which work has been done or
discontinued, or wOrkmen have been en-
ployed. or discharged in any of the navy
yards, besides other information relative to
the casualties to United States ships dur
ing 1882. Adopted
The House then went into committee of
the whole on the private calendar.
The first bill was one to extend pa
1ChI OIi NdSOHS, anu 1JS enacJlng clause
was stricken out.
The next bill was that for the relief
of the officers and crew of the United
states iron steamer Monitor, who partici-
pated in the action with the rebel iron
clad 'Merrimac" on the 9th of March,
1862.
After a long debate the enacting clause
of this bill was also stricken out.
The committee rose, but no action ON its
report was taken by the House.
Mr. Bingham, of Pennsylvania, Chair
man of the Committee on Post Offices and
Post Roads, reported bill reducing let
ter postage to two cents, and it was re-
ferred to the committee of the whole.
The House then adjourned until to-mor-
row.
LETTER. POSTAGE REDUCTION.
The House Committee on Post Offices
and Post Roads to-day unanimously
agreed to report favorably to the House of
Representatives Mr.. Anderson's bill fixing
the rate Of letter postage at two cents in
stead of three cents, the present rate.