The Portland daily press., 1883-01-13
XLVII CONGRESS- I'D Session
SENATE.
WAsHrNoroN. Jan. IL

Mr.. ingalls, introduced bill to provide for
determining the existence and removal of the
inability of the President of the United Safes
to discharge the powers and duties of his office
Referred TO committee on judiciary.
The bill provides that whenever two heads
of departments shall state in writing to the
chief justice of the supreme court that the
President is unable to discharge the duties Of
his office, if the court be not then sitting the
chief justice shall within ten days convene it
to hear and determiLe summarily the question
of alleged inability, and If upon said hearing it
shall appear to said'court that such inability ex
lists they shall certify their decision to the Vice
President, who shall thereupon dischorge the
powers and duties Of the office of President.
The second section makes similar provisions
for determining the removal of the inability
and provides that upon the ascertainment Of
such removal the President shall resume the
discharge of the powers and duties of his Office
Mr.. Plumb of Kansas moved to take up the
bill enlarging the powers Of the agricultural
department.
Mr.. Morrill, OF Vermont moved to take up
the tariff bill. This was opposed by Morgan
of Alabama and Plumb.
The matter was laid aside.
The resolution offered by Mr.. Rollins to meet
daily at IL a. M, after 18th of January was
then agreed to.
A bill to suppress gaming in the District of
OF Columbia was read aud passed; also q bill
granting right of way to the st. Louis and San
Francisco Railroad Company through Fort
Omftn military RESERVATION.
AT O'Clock the senate went into executive
session and soon after adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Butterworth of Ohio from the commit
tee on Pacific railroads reported the bill au-
thorizing the Southern Pacific Railroad Com
pany and other railroad companies to unite
and consolidate so as to form continuous
line of railroad between the Atlantic and
Pacific ocean. Calendared.
leo he IL l.. A..
Kansas Pacific Railroad Company of the cost
of surveying selecting and conveying certain
lands granted to it and to create a sinking
fund for the Kansas Pacific, Sioux City and
Pacific and Central branch of the Union Paci-
fc railroads. Calendared.
Mr.. McCook of New York asked unanimous
consent for the passage OF the Senate bill au-
thorizing the President to place Gen. Mont
gomery G. Meigs on the retired list of the
army with pay of major general.
Mr.. Springer of Illinois suggested that the
Fitz John Porter bill be also put upon its
passage.
Mr.. McCook of New York advocated the
passage of his bill.
Mr.. Thomas of Illinois objected.
Mr.. Humphrey of Wisconsin from the COM
mittee on Judiciary reported back the Senate
bill to increase the fees of the Star route wit
nesses coming from west of the Mississippi
| river under a subpoena or under direction of
the department Of justice. Passed.
| Mr.. Bingham Of Pennsylvania, chairman OF
| the committee on post offices and post roads
reported back resolution calling on the
4 Secretary of the Interior for information as to
/ whether the land grant railroads have complied
with the laws of Congress respecting construc
tion and maintenance of their own telegraph
lines for the use of the government and public.
Adopted.
Mr. Joyce of Vermont prese uted petition
of 1900 citizens of Vermont asking reduction
| of the tax ON tobacco. Referred.
The House resumed the consideration Of the
shipping bill, the pending question being the
committee substitute as amended, for the 18th
! section.
Mr. Knott of Kentucky moved to strike out
| OF the substitute all the provision for draw
| back. He stated that his intention was to
strike out the subsidy clause. Lost 90 to 131.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Mills was
| rejected. The vote then recurred on the COM
mittee substitute and it was agreed to, yeas
| 1874. nays Sc.
lit limits the amount of drawback to the
tonnage tax collected in any one year and pro-
vides free ships and free materials.
The section exempting vessels engaged in
| the foreign carrying trade from state taxation
/ having been reached Mr.. Page moved to strike
1t from the bill in order to save 10 or 20 consti-
tutional speeches. Motion was agreed to.
Mr.. Crapo offered the substitute for the four
| teenth section which was agreed to.
Mr.. Reed cved 10 strike out sections IS, 10
| and 20 Of the bill which contain drawback
free ships and free material provisions and the
machinery for carrying out those provisions.
! Agreed to- yeas 159, nays "a.
The bill was then amended in several un-
| important particulars.
Motion by Mr.. Cox to recommit was lost and
the bill passed.
| Kasson rising to question of privilege to
the clerks desk and had read an editorial in
New York paper commenting on the discre-
pancy between the civice service bill as it
passed the senate and the text as telegraphed
from Washington. Kasssn sent the bill of the
OF tla gAnafa il from with mt
crossing of st" or dotting of 'i,'' with the same
paper and some ink went back to the Senate
without bearing the mark of any person con-
nected with the House of Representatives.
its approval by the House. Clause referred to
in the article did not appear in that bill and he
was informed it was struck out in the Senate
Adjourned.