The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-14
Forty-scvenfh. Congrcss-Sccond ses
WASHINGTON. January 10, 1883.

WASHINGTON. january ID, 1883.
SENATE.
Mr. ingalls, introduced bill TO provide
for the appointment Of commission TO
consider the subject Of railroad transporia-
ton. II provides that the President, with
The advice and consent OF the Senate, shall
appoint seven commissioners from civil
life, whose duty il shall be to consider and
investigate the subject OF railroad trans
portation in its relations to the agricul-
tural, commercial. and industrial interests
OF the United States. The commission Is
to inquire generally into the conditions
affecting commerce among the States;
the grounds OF complaint existing
against railroad corporations resulting
from unjust discrimination, exorbitant
or unequal rates, insufficient facilities
for traffic, or unlawful combinations;
and in what manner existing evils can be
remedied by legislation, and to report their
recommendations and results OF inquiry to
Congress not later than the first Monday in
December, 1888. The second section pro-
yides for the compensation OF the commits
sioners ut $40 per day and reasonable eX-
penses, and authorizes them to visit such
portions Of the country us they may deem
advisable in the performance OF their du-
ties.
No other legislative Business was trans
acted.
After struggle for precedence OF bills,
the Senate lat 2:2j =. NJ went into eXecu-
tive session, and at $50 u. NJ. the doors
were re0pencd, and the Senate adjourned.
The executive session was devoted to
the discussion OF the Weil-La' Abra Next
can treaty. No conclusion was reached
upon it, and it went over for consideration
at the next executive session.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Immediately after the reading OF the
Journal the House went into Committee OF
the Whole (Mr. Reed, OF Maine, in the
chair on the pension appropriation bill.
1t appropriates SS1, $4,000, rs follows:
For army pensions, SS0,000,000; for navy
pensions, S1,000,000; for expenses and
fees of examining surgeons, S275,000; for
paw and allowance OF pension agents,
$500, 900: for contingent expenses, 100000.
Mr.. O'Neill, Of Pennsylvania, under the
authority OF the Committee on Appropria-
tions, moved TO increase the appropriations
for army pensions to SS5,000,000. Mr..
O'Neill explained that at the close OF the
present fiscal year there would be an uneX-
pended balance to the credit Of the Pension
Bureau OF Sl5.S00, 900, which would bring
the appropriation up 10 the estimate OF the
departments. S101, 100000. The amend.
ment was adopted. The committee then
rose and reported the bill to the House,
when il was passed.
The House then again went into COM
mittee OF the Whole on the fortification bill.
The bill makes the following appropria-
tions: For the protection, preservation,
and repair OF Notifications and other works
OF defence. $4,000; for the armament Of
seacoast Notifications, including heavy
guns and howitzers for flank defence, &C.,
and including the conversion OF smooth
bore cannon into rifles, 100000; for tor
pedoes for harbor-defence, and the preser-
vation Of the same, $50, 000-total, $780,
000
The bill was discussed briefly, reported
TO the House without amendment, and
passed.
The House then passed several bills re-
lating TO pensions, bounty, and back pay
of soldiers and sailors-among them one
authorizing the Secretary Of the Interior
in the adjudication OF pension claims to
treat declarations that have been verified
before any officer authorized to administer
oathS, whose signature shall be certified
before n court Of records, as u it had been
verified before court Of record.
BY other bills adopted the pension for
total blindness was placed at So a month,
for blindness OF one eye at SO, and for
degrees OF blindness IN equitable proper
ton. For total deafness n pension Of S25
per month Is granted, with proportIonate
pension for impairment Of hearing.
Adjourned,