Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-13
YESTERDAY IN CONGRESS.
DETERMINING PRESIDENTIAL
INABILITY.

Provisions of the Ingalls, BiII-The Ship
ping Bill-The House Refuses the
Drawback and Free Ships Proposal
Mississippi ImprOvement-True In
wardness of Contests.
W WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-The Senate
adopted Mr.. Rollins resolution to meet at
II a. m. after the 18th inst, with the un-
derstanding that the morning hour shall
end at 1 O'Clock.
In the Senate, Mr.. Ingalls, introduced
bill to provide for determining the exist
ence and also the termination of the
inability Of the President of the United
States to discharge the powers and duties
of his office. Referred TO the Committee
on the 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 powers and duties
of his office, if the court be not then
sitting, the Chief Justice SHALL within
ten days, convene it to hear and determine
summarily the question of the alleged in
ability, and if, upon said hearing, it shall
appear to said court that such inability
exists, they shall certify their decision to
the Vice President, who shall thereupOn
discharge the powers and duties of the
office of President.
The second section makes similar pro-
vision for determining the removal of the
inability, and provides that upon the as
certainment of such removal the Presi-
dent shall resume the discharge of the
powers and duties of his office.
The Senate went to the calendar and
passed number of local bills, and, at ,
O'Clock, went into execution session. The
doors were reOpened at $50, when the
Senate adjourned till tomorrow.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
The House resumed consideration of
the shipping bill, the pending question
being upon the committees substitute. as
amended, for the eighteenth section.
Mr.. Knott, of Kentucky, moved to strike
out of the substitute all provision for
drawback. He stated that his intention
was to strike out the subsidy clause.
The motion was lOSt-yeas 80, nays 131.
The vote then occurred on committees sub
stitute, the substance of which was tele-
graphed last night, and it was agreed to
yeas 134, nays S6. 1t limits the amount
of drawback to the tonnage collected in
any one year, and provides for free ships
and free materials.
After long debate and several amend.
ments had been adopted and others re.
jected, the House. by vote of yeas 159
nays "a, struck from the shipping bill sec.
tiOns Is, 10 and 20, which contain the
drawback, free ship and free material pro.
visions and the machinery for carrying
out those provisions. The announcement
was received with applause. The bill was
then passed.
Adjourned.
THE WE'LL AND LA ABRA CLAIMS.
The subject under discussion by the
Senate in its long executive session was
Cso oI
by Secretary Frelinghuysen. which pro-
yides for retrial by new commission
of the We'll and La Abra claims
against Mexico. The former com
mission made an award upon these
claims by which the Mexican
| government was adjudged to pay upon the
! two claims in aggregate $1,250, 600. pay.
ment To he made in installments through
| the State Department at Washington
After one payment had been made the
! Mexican Government protested against
any further payments being made
on the ground that the
| claims We're fraudulent. After al
| investigation the State Department be.
| came satisfied that such was the case and
| have since declined to make further pay.
ment till the matter could be passed ON by
| Congress. Every influence has been
! brought to bear by the claimants, man.
| damus having been obtained by them al
! one time to compel the Secretary of State
| TO carry out the terms of the award.
In the discussion of the treaty in the
| executive session to-day Senator'S Vest
and Morgan defended the former award
and opposed the treaty which proposed tC
| set il aside. The matter was not decided
| but will be taken up again at the neXt
| executive session.
| THE MISSISSIPPI IMPROVEMENT.
| Professor Mitchell, of the Mississipp
| River Commission, finished his statement
| before the special committee on the i'm
| prOvement of the Mississippi river this
morning. He further explained the plans
/ of the commission and the evidence sus
| tanning them, and in further support clteC
| the levees on the Thames, which, he
stated, have deepened the channel six
| feet. Professor Mitchell gave it as his
/ opinion that the present plan, when com
/ pleted, viii secure a channel depth of be
/ tween fifteen and twenty feet in places
! now the shallowest.
TRUE INWARDNESS OF CONTESTS.
( Although the House Committee OF
| Elections have decided that Mannine
/ should go out of the House and Buchanan
| Republican, represent the Mississippi dis
/ trict now represented by the former, there
/ will be no hurry about it. Manning viii
be Unseated at the very tail end of the ses
/ sion. Then Buchanan will draw the sal
| airy for two years. Manning will previ
/ Ously have got two years pay, and boil
will be given money for the expense of the
/ contest. This is what contests are for.