The Portland daily press., 1884-12-22
XLVIIIth Congress---2d Session
SEN ATE.

Among the bills introduced was one by Mr. Al
drich, granting pensi to the widow of the late
Commander Green, U. $. N.
resolution offered by Mr.. Aldrich, was agreed
to, calling on the Secretary Of War for an estimate
Of the cost Of the proposed improvement Of the
harbor Of Providence, R. l.. by the removal of
Green Jacket Shoals to depth of 25 feet at mean
low water.
At the conclusion Of the morning business, Mr..
Vest called up his resolution objeeting to the send
ing of the proposed surveying expedition to Nicara-
qua.
Mr.. Morgan moved that the matter be considered
in secret legislative session.
This motion was seconded by Mr.. Cameron of
Wisconsin, and the doors were closed. While the
order was being executed, Mr.. Conger said, 81 call
fer the other side,'' to which Mr. Cameron of Wis
consin, replied, There is no other side to it,
which raised a laugh at Mr.. Conger's expense, as
ths rules provide that demand being at any
time made by two senator's the doors Of the Senate
shall be closed.
The Senate then at 2.2O, went into secret legis-
lattye session.
When the secret legislative session closed, the
Senate went into executive session.
at $40 the doors we're reopened, and Mr.. Hoar
moved to take up the House resolution providing
for adjournment from today until Jan 9Th.
Mr.. Allison said, if the Senate passed the resolu
ton there would on the lst of January be money
from which the navy could be paid.
A long debate followed, during which the posi-
tions of the Senate and House regarding the naval
bill were dis ;ussed by Messrs. Hale, ingalls,, Me.
PhersoB, Conger, Bayard and others.
AT O'Clock, message was received from the
House, making provision for the naval service FOR
81 days from the LIST of December next
Mr.. Butler called for its immediate consideration
and the bill was then read
Mr. Logan opposed it. 1t permitted, he said, the
expenditure Of money not contemplated by Con
gress as it based on an appropriation of a for
mer year, many items Of which would not apply the
coming year. Besides this was not such legislation
as should be countenanced by any branch of Con-
IN "a nHnn AF aNf and
no such emergency existed now.
MIR, Bayard thought it was patching up process
that was not desirable in appropriation bills; STILL
the Senate Fad already accepted make-shift, and
as large nuDber of the members of the House and
some OF the Senate had gone he saw no dereliction
Of duty in adopting in an emergency, the course
that had been already followed.
Mr.. Logan wished TO know whether the Senate
should submit if one man in the country insisted
making the laws.
Mr.. Butler then withdrew bis call lor a considera-
tiOn OF the BILL
fairs reported the military academy BILL and it
passed without debate cit appropriates S3O9 $3.50.
Joint resolution, providing for adjournment un-
TIL lam 9th, was rejected to 20. The vote deVel-
oped the fact that there was no quorum present,
whereupon the Senate adjourned until Monday.
HOUSE.
Immediately after reading the journal the
House resumed consideration of the interstate COM
merce bill. Mr.. Henderson of Iowa moved TO
strike out the section prohibiting railroad COM
panies from charging greater compensation for
Transporting freight.
MIR. Reagan Of Texas opposed the motion.
Mr.. Reagan yielded TO Mr.. Randall to permit
him to report the conference disagreement on the
temporary naval appropriation bill. Mr.. Randall
said that there should be i'll feeling between the
two houses on account Of the disagreement. He
did not think that the position of the House con-
ferees had been stated fairly in the Senate yester
dav atd NJ
nous voice of those conferees as to what they had
maintained. 1t was well known that the Navy De-
partment had been administered during the past
six months under temporary appropriation but
the continuance of the provisions of this proper
bill was objected to by the Senate. The Sena
conferees desired that the bill which should be
made tie basis of the conference should be the bill
that was passed last session by the House aud
amended by the Senate but which was laid aside
aud never became law. That bill was based on an
increase Of the appropriation approaching SO OOO-
600 and would bring into the conference new sub
jects not legisated upon az all.
Mr.. Keifer of Ohio was sorry that Mr., Randall
had not spoken upon the merit of the matters in
controversy. If the country was to have a new
navy the work of constructing it should begin now
Mr. Randall replied that so far as the present
cruisers were concerned Congress had already given
every dollar required for completing. furnishing,
arming and putting them atiOat.
Mr.. Long of Massachusetts,, of the coDferees while
admitting the propety OF building up the navy sus-
tanned the action of the managers on the part OF
the House. This question of new cruisers shall be
carefully considered and that could be done when
the appropriation blu for the next fiscal year was
under discussion. The department. had been ad-
ministered for six months under temporary bill
and it would induce confusion into the work
ing Of the department TO change the system of ap-
preparations for the remainder of the year.
Mr.. thomas of Illino opposed to a tempora-
ry bin. 1t was slip shod attempt on the part of
the House to dodge around a stern duty
MIR. Cannon of Illinois said that great questions
q foreign policy were pressing upon the country
The strongest argument against the ratification Of
certain iu fha nfraAG Gfata
saw proper to follow the policy which would re-
dound to its credit it stood powerless TO enter upon
that policy because iG was crippled so far as its
navy was concerned.
Afer further debate the House insisted on its dis
agreement to the Senate amendment and further
conference was ordered.
Mr.. Randall moved that when the House adjourn
1t be to meet Wednesday, Bath inst The constitu-
tion he said, prohibited an adjournment for more
than three days without concurrence of the Senate
He asked unanimous consent that it should be
agreed that on the oath further adjournment
should be had until the 9th, then to the 3Ist and
then until the 9th of Januar' and that on those
days business whatever shall be transacted
This would accomplish the Judgment OF the House
on the question of a holiday recess. There
barely quorum in the House to-day, and it would
be impossible to get one next week.
Mrs Randalls motion agreed to, bat unani-
nous consent was not given to the agreement for
further adjournment.
Consideration of the interstate commerce bill
being resumed Mr.. Henderson's amendment was
rejected 5l to llS, and without further acti)n the
bill was laid aside.
VI TounSyNdnld introduced Dill
making temporary provision for the support of the
navy for the month of january 1885. he said the
bill was introduced with the concurrence of such
members of the committee on appropriations as he
had been able to consult, and an exact COPY of
the bill which had been passed at the las session
providing temporarily for thesupport of the navy
for the past six months, with modification
necesstatet by the difference In time covered by
the bill.
The bill passed without division.
On motion of Mr.. Hopkins of Pennsylvania the
Senate joint resolution was passed declaring Christ
mas ana New Years days holidays for all per diem
government employees.
Adjourned until Wednesday.
Note.-Though there is no definite agreement
that no business sh III be transacted on Wednesday
there is a tacit understanding to that effect And
it is also understood that consecutive adiournments
shall be taken for three business days at time
until January 9th.
The morning services in Christ Protestant Episco-
pal church, corner of Harrison and Clinton streets
Brooklyn, N. Y, were abruptly ended yesterday
morning by the discovery Of fire. DIR. Bancroft the
pastor, requested the congregation TO depart stating