The National tribune., 1883-01-18
THE WORK OF CONGRESS.
Eighty-SiX Millions Voted for Pensions
by the House.
FITz-JOHN PORTER'S CASE
The Mexican Veteran Pension
Bill to be Considered.

In the Senate, on Thursday the 18th inst,
the bill for the relief of Fitz-John Porter was
taken up. The amendment reported from the
Committee on Military Affairs providing that
Porter shall receive no pay or allowance prior
to his reinstatement in the army was agreed to.
Mr.. Conger moved to indefinitely postpone
the bill
The motion to postpone the bill Indefinitely
was lOst-ayCS "a. noes 81.
The bill was then passed-yeas So, nays %:
Yeas-Mcssrs. Barrow Beck Brown Butler, Call,
Camden, Cameron pa, Cocllrcll, Coke, Davis
(W.Va), Farley, Garland, George, German, GrOome,
Hampton, Hoar, jackson, Jonas, Jones fla La
mar, Maxcy Morgan, Pendlcton, Pugh, Ransom,
salisbury, Scwell, Slater, Vance, Vest, Voorhees,,
Navs-Mcssrs. AIdricll, Anthony. Blair, Cameron
wis.,, CniIcott, ConGer, Davis IN, Dawes, Ed
mEnds Frye, Hale, Harrison, Hawley, Hill In
gals Kellogg Logan; MsDII Mcmillan Miller
Sawyer and Windom-T.
Three Republican Scrators-Hoar Mass },
Scwell On. J.) and Cameron pa, voted with
the Democrats in the affirmative. Senator
Malone (Va.) did not vote.
The bill as passed authorized the President
to nominate, and ,dwith the advice and consent
of the Senate, to appoint Fitz-Iohn Porter, late
o major-general Of United States volunteers
and brcvet brigadier-general and colonel Of
the army, to the.pOsitiou of colonel in the army
of the United States, of the same grade and
rank held by him at the time of his dismissal,
and, in his discretion, to place him on the re-
tired list of the army as of that grade, the re-
tired list being thereby increased in number to
that extent provided that said Fitz-JOhn Por-
ter shall receive no pay, compensation, or al
lowance whatsoever prior to his appointment
under this act.
Among the bills introduced was one by Mr.
Plumb KAN to revive and extend the time to
January l, 1875, for the prosecution of claims
for pension of persons, not enlisted soldiers in
the army serving for the time being as mem
berS of the militia of any State under orders of
an officer of the United States. The limit
fixed by the act of March 3, 1673 was July 4,
1874.
The resolution offered by Mr.. ingalls, direct
ing the Committee on the Judiciary to inquire
what legislation is necessary to provide for as
certaining the existence and tho termination Of
presidential inability" and to report BY bill
or otherwise, was agreed TO.
The remainder Of the session was devoted to
the consideration Of the tariff bill.
FRIDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate, on Friday, the 18th inst, Mr.
ingalls, (IlI) introduced i bill TO provide for
determining the existence and the removal of
the inability of the President of the United
states to discharge the powers and duties Of
his Office.
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 sum-
marily the question of the alleged inability,
and If, upon said hearing, it shall appear TO
said Court that snch inability exists, they shall
who shall thereupon discharge the powers and
duties of tho office of President. The second
section makes a similar provision for determin-
ing the removal Of the inability, and provides
that upon the ascertainment of ouch removal
the President shall resume the discharge of
the powers and duties of his office
The bill to suppress gaming in the District
Of Columbia was amended and passed.
SATURDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate, on Saturday, the 18th inst,
the session was devoted to a discussion Of the
bill providing that the farmers of the country
be represented in the Cabinet by q Secretary
Of Agriculture. Speeches in favor of the bill
were made by Messrs. Plumb, Williams and
George. 1t was urged that the farmers were
suffering from the operations of niddlemen
and spectators; that no agricultural interest,
except sugar and rice, had been f0stered by the
Government; that the transportation interests
OF the country had been dealt with as though
the only people to be consulted were the men
Of Wall street. 1t was said that the leading
countries Of Europe all fostcred agriculture.
The debate was not concluded.
Mr.. Ingalls, (Ill.) introduced bill providing
for the appointment of commission to con-
slider the subject of railroad transportation.
1t provides that the President with the adj
vice Of the Senate, shall appoint seven commits
siOncrs from civil life whose duty It shall be
10 investigate the subject of railroad trans
portation in relation to the agricultural, COM
mercial and industrial interests of the country.
The commission is to inquire generally into
the grounds of complaint against the railroads
resulting from unjust discrimination, exorb-
tant unequal rates, insufficient facilities for
traffic or unlawful combination, and in what
manner existing evils can be remedicd by legis-
latiOn, and TO report TO Congress not later than
the first Monday of December next. The COM
pensation of the commissioners is to be SO per
day and reasonable expenses, and they may
visit such portions Of the country as they deem
advisable.
The bill was laid on the table.
MONDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate, on Monday, the 10Th inst, Mr..
Voorhees, Qnd) presented petition, signed,