Morning journal and courier., 1884-12-12
4Sth Congress---Second Session

WASHINGTON, Dec. H. SENATE-The chair laid before the Senate a message from the President, transmitting a report from the Secretary of State show ing the necessity for immediate legislation to prevent collisions at sea; referred. The Van Wyck resolution to consider the | Spanish treaty in open session went over on objection.
 Senator Sherman introduced a bill to amend section of the act of June 10, 1880, with regard to the transportation of goods in bond It provides that imported merchan- disc and passenger baggage may be trans mitted by express companies in such bags or pouches or safes, carried and sealed, as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe; l and that the Secretary of the Treasury may | at his discretion station inspectors at proper points along the route ct the expense of said express companies.
 The bill to forfeit the Oregon Central rail | roads land was then debated without vote | being reached. MT. Morgan referring to the mortgage and deed of trust on the lands l thought decision by the courts was neees- sary before Congress could act. Mir. Plumb's amendment protecting the rights of bona | fide settlers was adopted.
 l The Dakota bill was next taken up MT.
 Harrison having the floor replied to MT. Vest, saying he supposed when he spoke in support l of the bill he could show that Dakota had a l larger population than any other territory l ever admitted into the Union, a population l surpassing the unit of represent tation if he
 could show that the territory had a produc- tive capacity far exceeding some of the other 1 older States, that he made g. case which would appeal to the sense of justice l of every senator independent of party feeling.
 He had shown all these things and | the senator from Missouri had not refuted | one of them. Time was when political exi- gencies made it necessary to admit territories 1 in pairs These exigencies had passed away I with tho destruction of slavery, yet the sena- | tor from Missouri had said somewhere ill his | remarks that these three hundred thousand 1 of Dakota people should not be admitted be-
 cause a majority are Republican and that | they shonld be kept a while under Demo- | cratic influences. The senator from Missouri l greatly magnifed the power of government | officers and he greatly underestimated the in
 telhgence of the people of Dakota if he sup 1 posed Democratic officers could change their | politics. He asked Senator Vest what basis | of population he prescribed for himself upon | which to admit territory.
 | MT. Vest, replying, said he had never pre- 1 scribed any basis. Whether territory
 should or should not be admitted depended
 upon other considerations than population
 alone-the character of the population and l the effect of admission upon the remainder of
 the people He would not vote for the ad-
 mission of Utah if it had population of a | million.
 | After further debate the bill went over l MT. Sherman submitted a resolution which | was adopted authorizing the Secretary of the | Treasury to print cards of invitation for the l ceremonies attending the dedication of the | Washington monument February 2, 1885. | Mr. Garland gave notice that he would on | Monday next submit substitute for the Da- | kota bill.
 At 2:4O, on motion of MT. Hoar, the Sen l ate proceeded with the consideration of exee-
 utive business and at 4 p. m. when the doors
 were reopened the Senate adjourned until | Monday next,
 In the executive session motion was made
 to remove the injunction of secrecy from the
 Nicaraguan canal treaty. Members of the | Committee on Foreign Relations opposed the l adoption of the resolution on the ground | that they had not yet made at borough exam | ination of the document and preferred to l have action on the resolution deferred until | they had done so. It is known that the treaty contains nothing excepting matters re-
 latipg to Isthmian transit and it is quite 1 probable that on Monday next the injunction
 of secrecy will be removed. The Spanish
 and Nicaraguan treaties are the only ones
 which have thus far been laid before the
 Senate.
 HoUsE-Among the floral offerings to members of the House to-day were magni- l ficent floral design three feet in height for
 Patrick A: Collins, of Boston, by the Sul1i- 1 vgn club of New York city, and an immense
 basket for N. Muller, of New York, from the | same source.
 The pension bill appropriating s60, ,OO0, 900
 was ordered printed and the inter State com
 merce bill was then debated. Me Wood
 wafa, of WiEEeo5asin, had little faith in re-
 naedial legislation, but was willing to vote
 for moderate bill, He favored the bill of
 the committee.
 Mr. MeAdoo, of New Jersey, vigorously
 advocated the Reagan substitute for the bill.
 Mir. Hepburn. of Iowa, advocated the
 bill of the committee
 Mir. Wood, of Indiana, opposad the com
 mission feature of the committee bill and
 favored the Reagan substitute with certain
 qualifications. @An understanding was reach.
 ed that MT. Reagan should call the preyinus
 question after another days tsebate and that
 if it be adopted it shall be open for amend
 rnent under the five minute rule.
 MT. Hiscock, of New York, offered reso-
 lution prpyiding for s committee to inquire
 into the capacity of the canals of New York referred.
 At 4;50 D. n the House adjourned.