The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-12-11
XLVIIITH CONGRESS.
Summary of Work Of Both Houses for the
Past Few Days.
The senate.

House oil Representatives that the Senate was
ready for business was adopted,
The credentials Of MI Sheffield, tho senator
from Rhode Island, to succeed the late Mr.,
Anthony, Were read, but he did not appear 10
take the oath,
recess OF half an hour was taken and then
the Senate proceeded 10 the consideration OF
the usual morning business
Bills were introduced to prohibit hereafter
distinctions being made in the military service
oil tho United States against amy class OF Ameri-
can citizens; to enable cflicers of the army,
who were promoted for gallant and distinguish
ell services in the war o. tho rebellion, TO be
retired with the lull rank and pay OF the grade
to which they were so promoted; to
facilitate promoti'n throughout the army
by retiring nom active service
upon their own application, officers of
the army who served in tho war of tho rebel
lion; to prevent the oh traction OF the navig-
able waters OF the United States, and TO pro-
iect public works against treSpass or injury; to
authorize tho transfer of one Of the vessels Of
thu Greeley relief expedition to the Treasury
Department for n revenue cutter, and the re-
ten,ion OF tho other two for use in the navy,
Mr.. Ingalls, of Kansas, offered resolution,
Which was agreed to, instructing the commit
tee on public lands to leport such legislation
as may be necessary to authorize the Secretary
OF the Interior to remove all fences Illegally
constructed ON the pubic domain OF the United
States.
Another recess was taken ami at l,35 the
Presidents message was received, and its
reading at once proceeded with
The message was referred to committee,
and alter suitable reference TO the death OF Mr..
Anthony OF Il. L., the Senate adjourned.
On reassembling, the chair laid before the
Senate the annual reports of the secretary OF
| the treasury and the comptroller Of the cur
| rency; also report OF the clerl, of tho court
oil claims containing statement of all judg-
ments rendered b, that court during the pass
year The chair also laid before the Senate, as
memorial, joint resolution oil the Vermont
Legislature, urging congressional action look
ing to national control of interstate COM
merce.
| Mr., Vest, of Missouri, offered resolution
directing an investigation by the committee on
| Indian affairs into all leases of l,nds in the
| Indian territory Tor grazing or other purposes
| b. the Indian tribes, the number of acres en-.
| brOced IN the 10 .ses their terms and the per-
sons or corporations becoming the lcssecs;
also directing the committee to Investigate all
the circumstances under which the leases woe
| made the means used in obtaining the leases
| referred to and whether the leases were
authorized by law He said he hal information
| that over 3 600, 900 acres had been leased and
| that these leases had been obtained by corrup-
ton, fraud or violence. He would be pre-
Pared to give tie chairman OF he committee
names, amounts and dates.
A debate on the subject of the leases ensued,
in which Messrs. Vest, d yves, Maxey of
Tex 5, and Beck of Kentucky, took part. The
debate broadened into Il general discussion OF
| Indian lands and supplies, Mr.. Beck stating
| that the government paid $40 head for cattle
worth only $l2,
Mr.. Dawes of Massachusetts, said that these
| leases OF Indian lands, while wrong, were no
| more outrageous than the authorized incosme
| by wire fences OF thousands of acres of the
| public lands of the United States or one
tract Of 100, 900 acres OF Indian lands, as many
as $1,000 were in tie absolute and exclusive
possession of outsiders, whose herds consumed
ever, thing that grew on it, when the Indian
bureau had been obliged 10 advertise for b, eff to
support the Indians on whose reservations these
herds were feeding. Hud the Indians used
the re;erva' ms for them selves they could have
| supported themselves. Tho evils consequent
on this leasing Of the Indians lands and the
| fencing of the public lands. Mr.. Dawes contn-
ued, imposed grave duty on Congress. If
remedial action were not taken in time, the
public domain would pass irrevocably into the
possession of large nd owners, foreign and
native Congess had power to clothe the ex-
ecu,ive officers oil the government with ample
| authority in the premises and should do so.
| Mr.. Conger of Michigan hoped the resolu
ton would be sufficiently comprehensive to af-
ford full protection to the Indians, and in
der to afford time for preliminary examination
and consideration he desired the matter to 20
over ior one day. The matter went ever.
A bill was introduced by Mr.. IIawlcy of Con-
nectcut for the relief of the Sufferers by the
wreck ofthe Tallapoosa. 1t provides that tie
| ,la fl,, nntc
the ensign, the passed assistant engineer and
the passed assistant paymaster be paid $1,000
each, the three mates, the cmperter and the
p,y clerk 500 each. and to the other surviv-
vcrs of the wreck 500 each 1t also provides
that the legal representatives o. Surgeon Black,
seaman o Donnell and landsman Foster, who
lost their lives in the disaster, shall receive a
sum equal to the pay OF eich o. those pclso s
for one year, in addition to whatever sum may
have been due them at the time OF their
death.
Mr.. We tie resolution calling for an investi-
CATION into leases made by Indian tribes of
lands in the Indian territory was taken mp. An
amendment offered by Mr.. Conger OF Michigan
was agreed to, including within the scope of
the invest iga ion leases OF lands in the Indian
reservation. The resolution was then agree |
to.
Mr.. Mcpherson of N. J. introduced bill to
suspend tne coinage VI inc 81 Ncr uol Ut.
Mr.. Slater of Oregon gavo notice tina
he would move to take up and would press
to pa ssage the bill declaring forfeited uneaned
lands granted to aid in building the Oregon
Central railroad.
Mr.. Miller OF N. Y. presented a bill providing
that the words Icon ederate cruisers" in the
act establishing the urt oil commissioners
Of Alabama claims shall lie construed and held
to include for all purposes Of said act any and
all vessels, officers and crews of vessels OF o.
ganized expeditions acting as such by the
authority Of the late so-called confederate go :
eminent, or any Of lis officers, by which the
vessels or cargoes OF loyal citizens OF the
United States were captured or destroyed on
the high seas; and that the act be construed to
include any waters within the admiralty juris-
diction of the United States. 1t further pro-
viles that any case already heard involving tie
que ton Of confederate cruisers" shall be
re-opened and re-heard upon due notice.
Mr. Mitchell of Pa, chairman of the pension
committee Of the Senate, introduced bill
or nting a pension 10 Gen. U. S. Grant, and
Mr.. Garland o. Ark, one TO provide for an adj
ditional Judge of tho United States district
court for the southern district of New York.
Mr.. G ,meron OF Pa. submitted resolution
which he desired 10 lie over and be printed,
saying he would take early opoituny TO call
it up for consideration. 1t directed the COM
mittee on finance to inquire whether 1t would
be expodient to expend the surplus revenue by
allowing rebate from tariff duties on foreign
goods imported in ships built and owned in the
United States.
Mr.. Hill of Colorado submitted re solution
d, clarng that n The existing depressed condi-
ton of the Industrial interests of tho country,
the recommendations of the president and
the secretary of the treasury that the coinage
of silver dollars and the issue Of silver c,riiti-
Gates shall be immcd ately and unconcondtion-
slly prohibited are calculated to create alarm
and thereby agg,avate the difficulties Of IL @
situation, and that the Senate decl re its
opinion to be that no valid reason exists at the
present. time for imposing any new and addi-
tt, nal restrictions upon either the coinage of
silver dollars or the issue OF silver certificates.
The resolution was Ibid over.
The chair announced the Appointment OF Mr..
Sheffield the new senator from Rhode Island,
us Il member Of the committees on claims,
mines and minn,, revolutionary claims and
woman suffrage; Of Mr.. Sabin OF MINI. the
committee ON examining the several branches
of the civil service; Of hlr. Dawes of Mass,
to the committee on naval affairs; OF Mr. Sla-