Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-26
DRAWING TO A CLOSE.
THE LAST WEEK OF THE PRES
ENT SESSION.

VI AouslneSS-B1llS Await
ing the Presidents Signature-Satur-
days Senate and House Proceedings
Chambers Action ApproVed-Nomina-
tiOns and Combinations
| W WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-The present
Congress expires by limitation at noon
next Sunday, the 4th instant. Aside from
the struggles for precedence incident to
the closing hours of every session. the
operation of the standing rule of the
House of Representatives, which allows
a motion to suspend the rules to
| be offered at any time during the
last six days, the condition of public
business is at present so peculiarly COM
plicated with unusual embarrassments
that no clearly defined programme can be
relied upon for the coming week. In the
House tomorrow morning an hour will
| be devoted to miscellaneous business
under the Pound rule, which allows each
OF the committees in turn to bring one
measure before the House for ten minutes
debate, and for its passage by a simple
majority, provided that not more than four
members object to its consideration in the
first instance.
The proposed amendment to the rules
reported from the Committee on Rules
yesterday, which provides that a majority
OF the House may at any time take the
tax and tariff bill from the Speakers table
1Or the same purpose of fnOn-cOncurring in
the Senate amendment and sending 1t to a
committee of conference, will next be
called up as matter of high nrivileOp
with strong probability of giving rise to
an animated discussion and a Darlia-
mentary struggle which may consume the
rest Of the day.
If an opportunity be afforded before To-
mOrrOw's adjournment, however. Mr.. Page
Will offer motion that the House resolve
Itself into committee of the whole for the
purpose of considering the river and har-
Dor bill. The rumor that the Commerce
committee intended to eDdeavOr to pass
TINS Dill under suspension of the rules is
untOunded, but if the question be raised
as to the admissibilitV Of motions TO sus-
pend the rules tomorrow, Speaker Keifer
will, 1t is said, decide that they are admis-
slDle ON the ground that Sunday is not a
legislative day, and that tomorrow will
consequently be the first one of the last
six days Of the session.
During the remainder of the week, be-
sides dlspOsing of the new rule and the
river and harbOr bill. the House will hayeto
act upon the general deficiency bill and
upon the conference committees report
concerning various other appropriation
bills still pending, and finally upon the
sO-called Senate tariff bill. The last men,
toned measure will be sent to
the committee o. conference and
be reported back, in some altered
shape, for acceptance or rejection as a
whole. Five contested election cases also
remain to be disposed of by the House. in
all of which the Elections Committee rec
Ommend that the contestants be seated,
even at this late day, for the combined
purpose of doing historic Justice and of
enabling them to draw their pay for the
past two years, the nominal tenure of
their positions.
In awarding the floor for individual mo-
tiOns to suspend the rules, Speaker Keifer
will. it is understood, be mainly guided
by the expressed wishes of various COM
mittees in regard to measures heretofore
reported for passage and now on the cal
endar. By this means number of i'm
portant public bills will probably be
brought before the House this week in
the intervals of action on appropriation
and revenue measures, along of which
are prominently mentioned the Senate
bill to create Court of Appeals for
the relief of the Supreme Court, the Joint
resolution for the abrOgation of fisheries,
the articles of the treaty of Washington
the bill to create an agricultural COM
mission, the bonded whisky bill. the Sem
ate bill to provide for the adjudication of
the French spOliatiOn claims; and, in
the event of failure to obtain final action
on the House internal revenue bill and
its Senate tariff amendment. the bill
to reduce internal revenue taxation as
proposed by the pending bill, together
with the reduction of custom duties on
steel rails and sugar. The Sherwin bill
to appropriate fifty million dollars in five
annual installments for the support of the
common schools, went over at yesterdays
adjournment under the demand for the
previous question, but whether it will
again be reached this session and whether
II VIII secure passage are alike doubtful.
The unfinished business to be laid before
the Senate tomorrow is the House bill to
provide for the payment of claims origi-
mating in the border States for qIiartermas-
ter and cOmmisSary supplies (knOwn as
the 4th of July claims J, and as soon as
this bill shall have been passed the Senate
will resume its consideration of the Utah
anti-polygamy bill, reported from
the Judiciary Committee and
partly discussed last week. A
day or two may then possibly be devoted |
to the shipping : II or some other general
measures, but the sundry civil bill, the
river and harbOr bill (if it passes the
HOuse), and thea general deficiency bill,
are soon to reach the Senate, and all other
business, except possibly the conference
report on the tax and tariff bill or of
new House bill on the same subject, will
be promptly laid aside in their favor.
The present condition of tine annual APP
preparation BILLS is as follows:
The pensions, agricultural and militia |
ry academy bills have become laws, and |
the consular and diplomatic bill has been |
sent 10 the President for his signature. |
The Notifications and post office bills are
in the hands of conference committees. |
The army and navy and District of Column |
bia bills have passed both branches !
of Congress, and are now with the |
House Appropriations Committee, subject |
to report on the Senate amendments. The |
legislative, executive and judicial apprO- |
priatiOn bill passed the Senate yesterday, |
and will be returned to the House tO-mor- |
row. The four last named will all doubt |
less be placed in conference by Tuesday. |
The sundry civil bills will be examined |
by the Senate Committee on Appropria- |
tions, and reported bacS to the Senate, |
probably before Wednesday. The |
river and harbor and the general def |
cheney bills, which complete the annual |
list, are ON the House calendar awaiting |
action.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 94.-After transact |
ing some unimpprtant business of a rou- |
tine character, the Senate went into eX- |
ecutiYe session. When the doors were |
reOpened the Senate took up the legisla- |
tive, executive and judicial appropriation |
bill.
Upon the provision increasing the salary |
of the Public Printer to $4,000 long |
discussion arose as to the influence of the |
Printers Union upon the management of |
the Government Printing Office. The in
crease was finally agreed to.
The bill was reported TO the Senate, and
the amendments made by the committee
of the whole were agreed to except that
provision for the repeal of the law author
izing the appointment of Assistant Secre-
taries of War and of the Navy respect
lively, which was struck out. The bill was
then passed.
After an executive session the Senate
adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
In the House, Immediately after the
reading of the journal, the Speaker pro-
ceeded to call committees under the
Pound rule. Mr.. Randall, of Pennsyl- |
yania, under instructions from the Com
mittee of Ways and Means, called up |
the bill to prevent the importation of
adulterated and spurious tea, and there
being but one objection its consideration
was entered upon.
ON motion of MIR. Randall an amend
ment was adopted to the section which
nroVides for the further examination Of
tea represented by invoice, in case the
examiner does not believe that the SAM
nles represent the true quality of invoice
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