The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-03-07
SUMMARY OF CONGRESS-
Senate.

Mr.. Ransom offered IN the Senate in the
morning, joint resolution to appropriate
100000 for the relief OF the sufferers by the
recent tornado in the Southern States. He
said that over 800 people were killed, and
many thousands wounded. Mr. Harris said
he would not vote dollar out of the treas.
ury for any such purpose, and Mr.. Morgan
said he thought the new line of policy
dangerous. Mr. Voorhees, believed the i'm
mediate supply of food, clothing, and shell
ter in case of great public calamity such
as the recent floods in the West seemed in
dispensable in the cause of humanity. The
resolution was referred TO the committee on
appropriations. The currency bill, after
debate, was passed.
Mr. Hale introduced the following joint
resolution, which was OF once read three
times and passed without debate: "1Sesolved
by the Senate and House of Representatives,
That the act of her Britannia majesty'S
government in presenting to the United
States government the Arctic steamship
Alert, which will be used in the contemplated
expedition to relieve Lieutenant Greedy and
his party, is recognized as opportune and
generous, and is deeply appreciated by the
Congress and people of the United States.
That the President be, and he is hereby
requested to communicate copy Of this
resolution to her Britannia Majesty s
government. Mr. Sewell reported favor
ably from the committee on mill
tary affairs the bill for the re
lief of Fitz John Porter. 1t is the bill which
passed the House some time ago, with an
for the restoration of Porter $50 all
the rights, titles and privileges" of the
rank held by him at the time of his dismissal
from the army. Thus amended, the restora-
ton provided for by the bill is simply the
position OF colonel OF the same grade and
rank as was held by him at the time of his
dismissal. This makes the bill identical in
its provisions with the bill which passed the
Senate of the last Congress -. The bill pro-
hibiting the mailing of newspapers contain
ing lottery advertisements was reported ia
vorably.
The House bill repeating the test oath wa
passed after being modified by an amend
ment proposed by the Senate judiciary com.
mittee, providing that no person who held
a commission in the United States
and was afterward engaged in the
military, naval or civil service of the So
called Confederate States, shall be appointed
to any position in the army or navy of the
United States Mr. Sewell introduced a
bill to grant a pension to the widow of Gen
era Judson Fitzpatrick "A bill was intro
duced to incorporate the Yellowstone Park
Reservation company 3. The pleuro- pneu-
monia bill was amended in Commtte of the
whole and reported to the House.
Consideration of the bill for the construc-
ton of new steel cruisers was resumed, and
o..
Ingalls, introduced "A bill to relieve the mem
bers of the original Fitz-John Porter court
martial of the obligation of secrecy as TO the
votes of members. Mr.. Pendleton, by re-
quest, introduced bill to facilitate the set
Element and development of Alaska, and APP
propriating 100000 to open overland com
IEunication with that Territory.
Mr.. Ransom reported adversely from the
committee on appropriations his joint reso.
luton providing for an appropriation to aid
the sufferers by the recent great storm i'll
the South. He explained thai on investiga-
ton 1t appeared that the suffering caused by
the storm was not of such u charac-
ter as to balle local AMI State relief
A resolution by Mr. Plumb was agreed to
calling on the secretary of state for informa-
ton regarding the amount of wheat, rye,
corn and cotton produced and consuma d in
foreign countries for several years back, and
especially whether political or other compli-
cations are likely to occur IN the near future
calculated to influence the market value of
American products o. their cost -. Debate
on the bill to construct seven more
steel cruisers was resumed and
it was finally passel-3S to b.. Mr..
Vest introduced bill to incorporate the In
teroceanic Ship Railway company, making
Captain Eals and his associates a body cor
porate, with power to hold property and to
issue bonds to the extent of 0,00O, 900. The
capital stock is limited to the same sum.