The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-06
WASHINGTON.


WASHINGTON.
Membership of the House Prepared.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-Ex-Clerk of th
House Mcpherson has prepared an exact tab
nlar statement of the membership of thu
House, showing that it is composed of 19I
Democrats, 1l8 Republicans, s Readjusters,
independents, Messrs. Lyman of Massachu
setts, York of North Carolina and o. Chieltret
OF Texas, and Greenback-Labor. There arr
two vacancies, in the second Mississippi ant
seventh Virginia districts
The Mexican Veterans.
The Mexican veterans are beginning to ar
| rive in large numbers for the meeting thil
week. One of the principal objects of the
| gathering is to urge upon Congress the passage
| OF bill granting pensions to the Mexican vet
Grams. Bills have already been introduced in
Congress for that purpose. The existence OF
| the surplus is to be used as an argument In
support of this plan.
Secretary of the Senate.
New YORK. Dec. 5.-The Telegram's Wash
| ington Special says: Senator Hoar, of Massa-
| chusetts, said in a very emphatic manner that
if Mr.. Gorham should be the Republican can
| didate for Secretary of the Senate, he would
| vote for the Democratic candidate Ten of the
| New England Senators refuse to vote for Cor
ham under any circumstances.
Important Ellis Introduced.
In Tuesdays session of the Senate Mr.. Ed
munds OF Vermont, introduced two bills of
much importance. One of them was bill for
the further protection OF colored citizens of the
United States against violation of certain
rights secured to them by the Constitution.
1t provides for the transfer from State to the
United States courts of all cases whore any ques-
son on account of his race, COLOR previous oon-
dition of servitude. Wherever decision adverse
to the civil rights of any person is made in state
court either on account of race, color previous
condition of servitude of either of the party inter-
ested, any witess the cause may be transferred
to the United States circuit court. Whenever the
decision or Judgment of the state court with which
such case shall be pending shall proceed upon or
shall be affected by any matter on ground of the
race or color, or previous condition of servtude of
any person being party to or witness, or juror in
such case, and the decision of such court shall be
adverse to such person by reason of his race or
color previous condition of servitude the person
beinga party to such cause against whom any such
decision shall be made shall be entitled to review
of such decision by the Supreme Court of the
United States his writ of eror to be sued out
and prosecuted in the same manner as is now pro-
vded by law for wTts of error to the highest court
OF any State, and in every such such writ of
error may be sued out aud prosecuted as of right
and without giving any new bail or other security
unless justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States allowing such writ of error said
court ITSELF shall be of opinion that the public in
terest or safety requires it. No law usage or Gus
tom and no practice decision rule of any depart
ment of this government, or any State which NAV
now or hereafter exist which shall in any manner dis
criminate between the rights Of person or property
8
of servitude, shall be deemed valid.
The other was bill to establish postal tele-
graph system. Its provisions are as follows:
A board, consisting of the Secretary of State the
Secretary OF War, and the Postmaster General,
shall cause to be located and arranged four trunk
lines of postal telegraph, connecting the north
eastern, the northwestern the western, southwest
sIn statas snd ne southern parts Of the United
lines offices shall be established at such place as
shall be for the public interest for the time being
that from time to time the lines shall be extended
and additional offices Established as Congress NAV
provide that the rates for the of the lines shall
be established by board consisting of the Secretary
OF State, Secretary of the Treasury and the Post
master General; that the lines shall be constructed
and kept in repair under direction of the Secretary
of War and through the corps of engineers. The
Secretary of War is authorized and directed to ac
quire by purchase, SUBJECT to the approval of the
President the right of way for the construction and
extension of the lines and for the purpose of their
location he is authorized to take and use such lands
tenements and hereditaments as shall be necessary
and pay such compensation as shall be deemed rea-
sonable. Clerks, operators electricians and other
employees are to be selected under the provisions of
the civil service law after examination by board
appointed for the purpose. Two million dollars are
appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30
1885. The working and operation of the lines are
to be under the direction and charge of the POST
master General. Nothing in this act, however is
to be construed to prohibit individuals or corpora
tions from carrying on the business of operating
telegraph lines.
The Question of the Presidency of the
The delay of Senate Republicans in proceed
ing with the organization of committees is due
in some measure to the illness of Senator An
thony. Mr. Edmunds wishes to retire from
the presidency of tho Senate and to resume ac-
tive duty as chairman of the judiciary. He
has already submitted number of important
measures of which he wishes ito take personal
charge, among them his postal telegraph. civil
rights and anti-polygamy bills. EIf he should
act as presiding officer he would not be able to
take personal charge of those subjects. There
was general expression OF the caucus yester-
day that in the event of the unwillingness of
Edmunds to serve Ingalls, should be selected.
But it appears this morning that Ingalls would
prefer not to act as president for the reason that
hemay come up for reelection this winter and
is reluctant TO hide his light under the bushel
of the Vice Presidents chair. Sherman is the
choice of some who think his conservatism
would commend him TO business interests, but
Sherman is hut one of several aspirants for
ihe nomination before the National Republican
Convention, and his rivals are not willing to
now place him in the line of possible succes-
sion to the Presidency of the United States. 1t
may, therefore, be some days before the ques-
tion will be settled.
Internal Revenue Collections.
The deputy commissioner of internal reve-
nue. estimates the internal revenue collections
for the year will amount to $3.50 0000, 600. This
does not include the increase which is antici-
pated from spirits forced out of bond.
The Postal Revenues.
In his annual report Third Assistant Post
master General HaZen says that the increase
in gross receipts is $3,632, ,285, total value of
stamps, postal cards and stamped envelopes
issued for sale $42 ,910 319 an increase over the
Postage on newspaper and periodicals (second
class) matter mailed during the year from reg
ulsr offices of publication and from news agen-
cies, not including free circulation within the
L - HaR 77
$140,44 General Hazen recommends that
three and six-eent stamps and stamped envel-
opes sold to customers be exchanged fer other
denominations and such stamps and envelopes
remaining in post offices be called in and re-.
deemed.
Credentials Improperly Prepared.
Only 13 of the 26 Senators sworn in Monday
had credentials made out according to statu-
tory form. These defective credentials could
have been rejected had an objection
been raised. The certificate of Beck
(KentuckY) only states that he was
duly elected on the 9th of December,
1882. The certificates of Butler (South Caro-
line), Hoar (Massachusetts), Kenna (West
Virginia) and Cullom (llinois) are made out
in the same way. That of Dolph (OregoD)
does not state that majority of the members
of both houses of the Legislature were present
and voted. Senatar Frye's certificate only
states that he was elected according to the
provisions of the laws of the United States.
Senator McPherson's certificate is to the effect
that the election was had onthe given day in
accordance with the laws governing the same.
Manderson's (Nebraska) certificate sets forth
that he was elected on the day named, pur-
suant to the laws of the United States. The
| certificate of Plumb (Kansas) only shows that
he received a constitutional majority. Ran
SONS says that he was duly elected; Riddle
| bergers that he was chosen in pursuance of
the Constitution Of the Unite dStates. The
certificate of Sabin (MinneSOta) sets forth that
he was duly elected, having received major
| itv eff the votes