Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1884-12-13
CONGRESSIONAL
SENATE.

DEC. when the senate was called to
order, the secretary read the credentials of
William P; Sheffield, appointed by the gov
caused by the death Of Henry B. Anthony.
MIR. Cullom introduced two bills in regard
to retirements from the army, and one to
light navigable rivers by means Of electric
iity. MI. Ingalls, offered q resolution to
e eons{r as9sf the oe ra tas yal IF f do%sin lllessMll 4.
Hoar introduced a bill to give Dakota two
new supreme court judges. Aftert the read
ing Of the President 8 message the death Of
MI. Anthony, was announced and the sem
ate adjourned.
DEC. a.-in the Senate Mr.. Vest offered
a resolution directing an investigation into
all leases OF lands in Indian Territory tor
grazing or Other. purposes by Indian tribes;
the number OF acres embraced In said leas-
es, their terms, and the persons or. corpora
stances under which the leases were made,
the means used in obtaining the leases, and
whether they are authorized by law. -
Mr.. Vest said he, had information that
these leases were obtained from Indians by
some Indian councils had been Influenced
by. the worst practices of civilization. MI.
Vest criticised the course of the Interior
Department IN protecting such leases, they
being, he claimed, in direct contravention
of the Revised Statutes.
Al" Nv SNA" VAASoo AOuo0o WI XuNlNA
lands, while wrong, were no more outrage
Gus than the authorized Enclosure by wire
I noes OF thousands OF acres of public lands.
OF one tract of 1C2,00 acres of Indian
lands, $4,000 acres We're in exclusive possess
sion Of outsiders, whose herds consumed ev-
erything that grew on 1t, while the Indian.
Bureau had been Obliged to advertise for
beef to support the Indians on whose res
eryatlon these herds were feeding. Had
the Indians used the reservation for them
1 COL SynS fhnyy xv0,,1l 1oxro ,S>o,A Al1-.
selves. In one instance the Indians had in
one year sold l7,Ou0 bushels Of wheat from
q reservation now occupied almost entirely
by private individuals. without any power
on The part of the Government to dispos-
seSs such individuals. The evils consequent
on leasing Indian lands and fencing in pub
lie lands, Mr.. Dawes continued, imposed a
grave duty OIL Congress. If remedial 40
ton We're not taken in time the public do
main would pass irrecoverably into the pos
session Of large landowners, foreign and
native. He hoped the matter would not be
allowed to end in talk or be confined to In
dtah lands alone. Congress had the power
to clothe the executive officers of the Gov
ernment with ample authority In the pre-
misses, and should do SO.
Dec. S.-There was q slim attendance in
the Senate. Senator Vests resolution d.
investigate all illegal leases of grazing
lands in the Indian Territory was amended
50 rs to include all reservations, and agreed
n The select committees of the last ses-
sion were continued for the present session,
n nna fh se ,sfan eanaag cea ag m;aaas spron were made
DEC. In the senate, Mr.. Mitchell In.
troduced a bill for a pension of 5000 per
annum to General Grant. Mr.. Gibson pre-
sented a measure for a public building at
New Orleans, to cost 81, GOV. 600. A resolu-
ton was submitted by Mr.. Cameron, of
pediency Of expanding tile surplus revenue
n revlvingI the shipping and exp mort trade by
the use OF American vessels. Frank HattOn
was confirmed as postmaster general, andJ
Schuyler Crosby as first assistant. An adj
1ournment to Monday was taken.
HOUSE
DEC. 1.-The house OF representatives
commenced business with 292 members In
attendance. Mr.. Shevely was sworn in for
the Thirteenth Indians: district, Mr.. Cal
kins having resigned, Abill making tenn.
by M. Hutchins. An adjournment follow
ed the announcement of the death of MeSsrs.
Duncan and Evans. g.
DEC. a-The house adopted a resolution
presented by Mr.. Follett, Of Ohio, for an In
vestigation into the conduct Of. Lot Wright,
marshal ct Cincinnati, and his deputies at
the October election.
Mr.. Reagan offered as a substitute for the
bill reported by the Committee Of Commerce
last season, the bill generally known as the
Reagan bill, and entered into an exhaustive
comparison of the two measures. Under
the committee bill, he said, the liability of
= railroad corporation to any person suffer
ing wrong by its action was actual damages
sustained, while under the substitute it was
liable for three times the amount of dam
ages. The bill of the committee did not
prohibit discrimination in freight charges,
but the .SOhStituta nr0hlhitai c%oInnanie9
from charging more for a shorter than for a
longer distance for the same quantity of
freight. The substitute gave complete legal
and equitable remedies toa citizen for ev.
cry injury, without delay and through the
bill failed to- do this. Another great! i'm
provementa in the substitute over the com
Il mittee bill lay In the facI that while the