The Portland daily press., 1883-12-21
YLyIII CONGRESS.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.
In the Senate this morning, MIR. Uullom INTRO
duced bill 60 establish board of railr ad COM
missioners aud to regulate inter State commerce.
Aftsr the morn ng business the Senate received A
message from the House, concurring in the Senate
amet dment 70 the House bill, in regard to
holiday recess.
Bills we're also introduced. authorizing the paw
ment Of prize money the officers of the Farragut
1852.
| BY Mr.. Dolpb, to amend the statutes relating to
| extending the limits OF porl s of entry.
~ Mr.. Blsir, to provide for the erection of a
| public building at Manchester, N. H.
BY MIR. Brown, to authorize the distillation of
fruit, withou, tax, by the Federal government and
leaving the question of such taxation the State.
BY MIR. MCPHERSON to authorize the distribution
| OF prize money to the survivors of the "Monitor'
which participated in the action with the ironclad
Merrimac in March 1852.
MT Blackburn exp essed astonishment on hear
ing tnat the commIttee on commerce would have
nothing to do excep to consiler questions of inter
sa Ssaee colnmeree Had twenty years of Republican
RUE swept TO egn commerce from the seas? The
shipping question had been taken from the COM
mlttee on CONNIE ce, but the shp-building and ship
own, ,ng interests had been put into The Lands Of
| special committee, and Heaven knew they had Ian
gulshe5d T enongh 10 need the fostering of a
special committee.
| Mr.. Van Wyck's resolution. calling on the Secre-
| tary Of the Interior for information regarding
lands grsn ed TO railroads, called up. Mr.. In
gas mad no objection TO the resolution proper bnt
ooJeeted to the preamble as tending to commit the
Senate 10 the Interpretation of the decision of the
supreme OOuTts
| Mr.. Van Wyck insisted his preamble was correct
and IN the course of the debate he said, million
acres OF the public domain had been given railroads
before the supreme Court oecision which would
not be entitled to it under the decision and al
though for time the general land Office had fol-
lowed the decision, it had finally followed the opin
ION af Attorney General Devens and Justice Harlan
The discussion closed by the insertion in the pre-
amble OF the words sit is ALLEGED not to COM
nit the Senate to any special Interpretation of the
Supreme Curt decision and as 50 amended Mr.
Van Wyck's resolution agreed to-
After an executive session the Senate resumed the
consider atl n OF the new rules matter, which
finally postponed till after the holiday recess
The Chair laid before The Senate a communica-
ii N from the Secretary OF the Interior, transmit
ting copies of the papers recently called for reat
ing 10 the attempted transfer BY the Texas Pacific
Railroad Company Of their and grant to the South
ern Pacific OF Arizona New Mexico ami California
The Secretary concludes the communication with
the statement that action had been taken by the
department ON the subject.
Ihe senate eoncurred in the Joint resolution of
the House relating to the celebration Of the
nary OF the surrender by Washington of his com
mission commanGer-irchief Of the patriot forces
Adjourned Ill Monday.
HOUSE.
long discussion sprang up 10 the House this
morning over the resolution offered by Mr.. Geddes
Ohio 10 giant q months extra pay to discharse
Gated by Messrs. Geddes aud Kefer of Ohio aLd
opp.s SD by Mr.. Regan of Texas the ground that
The House had no right 10 be charitable with other
peoples money, and by Mr.. Cobb of Indiana on the
gfound that it would inc ude ia its provisions per-
sons no mad been put on the rolls at the close of
the last session. The resolution was committed to
the committee ON accounts.
Mr. ackburn of Kentucky from the committee
on rules, reported resolution providing that here
at er the committee post offices and post roads
Shall consist of fifteen members and the commit
tees o. banking and currency, foreign affairs, mill
tary aalfs, terIt ries, public buildings, and Dis
t. ic of Columbia shall consist thirteen members
each. II stated that this fully met the views md
wishes Of the Speaker. he resolution was adopted.
Mr. blackburn then called up the report SUB
miued yesterday for the appointment of the com
mi tee ON rivers ami harbors 10 consist of fifteen
members.
Mi. Horr of Michigan spoke in opposition to the
resolnti N, which in his judgment would simply
degrade hat had always been of the promi-
nent omnitJess of the House since its organizatoa
AID bring it upon a level with the most uuimport-
ant committee h q knew tha t the committee on
commerce con, was hsrd-worked comm ttee bnt why
had II been singled out for division? Why had
the overworked committee ways and means
been divided into two Committees, one ways and
enc on means. There could be given to on COM
mittee ali bills which tended to build up home in
oasiry and to the other all tending to it down
a. thereby both wings Of the Democratic party
mittee on foreign affairs might be divided and to
the new committee could be referred the whole
Irish question. This would also relieve the Speaker
OF the trouble which, according to the press he
perienced in appointing head TO that comm ttee.
MIR Robinson of New York said that what he
complained OF vas not that Congress did not pay
attention TO its Irish citizens but had shamefuily
neglected American citizens.
Mr. Horr replied that be had 10 doubt that was
so and that it was owing to the fact that
the COMMITTEES fore gn affairs had no time to de-
vote TO the co sigeration of great questions.
MIR. Reagan Of Texas thought that the labors of
the COMMITTEES on commerce, even when cividei,
would be ample to occupy the time of its members
Mr.. hoblitzel of Maryland, from the committee
having the matter in charge rep rted joint reso-
luton requesting the President to issue proclama-
tion recomm enoing the people, by such public OBJ
servances deemed proper, on Dec oath to
commemorate the surrender by Washington Of his
commission as commander in-chief of The army.
Inc President was also requested to order a
tiona salute from the various forts throughout the
country the Gath inst Passed
The House ct 3.25 p. m. adjourned until Mon.
day.