Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-01-24
WASHINGTON BREVITIES

WASHINGTON, January 23.-The Senate
Committee on Public Lands decided to
recommend the repeal of the timber act
Senator Ingalls's bill to promote the
efficiency of the General Land Office, was
ordered reported fayorably.
From Bureau to q Department.
The House Committee on Agriculture
instructed Mr.. Aiken to report the bill
making the Commissioner OF Agriculture
a Cabinet officer.
Ihe Meyo-Garrison Contest.
In the contested case of Garrison os
Mayo, the House Committee on Elections
decided to report that Mayo retain his
seat on prima fdcie right until trial upon
its merits.
Right of Way Through the Territory.
The House Committee on Indian A fairs
instructed Mr.. Wellborn to report favora-
bly, the bill granting right OF way to the
Gull, Colorado and Santa Fe railway
through the Indian Territory.
Combinations.
The following were among the confirna-
tons to-day: Augustus S. Worthington,
United States district attorney for the
District of Columbia Harry r. Gibson,
pension agent at Knoxville, Tenn.
New Life-Preseryers.
ing Inspectors of Steam Vessels presented
a communication from California, sub
mitting for test to the Board new life
preserver made of California "tule."
which is claimed to support as heavy
weight as cork, at much less cost.
Foreign Relations.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Re-
lations ordered an adverse report on the
resolutions introduced by Senators Jones
and Gibson requesting the President to
take steps to terminate the Hawaiian re-
ciprocity treaty. Aminority of the COM
mittee will report in favor of the resolu-
tions.
The Wcst-Hewift AFFAIR.
Gov. Curtin, chairman OF the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs, was in
structed by the committee to communi-
| cate with the Secretary of State to learn
whether that official had information ofany
| foreign Minister to this country attempt
| ing to nullify the unanimous action of the
House of Representatives by reflection
| on any of its members.
Negligence at Davis Island Dam.
Capt. Walton, of Pittsburg, appeared
| before the Board of Supervising Inspectors
of Steam Vessels and presented COM
plant for negligence against the men in
charge OF Davis Island dam for failure to
show signal Dght on the outer piers,
whereby the collision of the steamer J. n.
Burton was caused. Four lives were lost
and the steamer was destroyed by fire.
The Georgia KulkIux Cases.
In the United States Supreme Court to-
| day argument was made for writs of hdbeds
| corpus in the case of the Georgia kuklux,
| undergoing imprisonment in the Albany
penitentiary. The argument used was
that it was a matter properly for State
| courts, and the exercise of juridiction by
| the I'm: ed States courts was illegal, there
fore the prisoners should be discharged.
Laws Regulating Steam Vessels.
Capt. Gould, OF Missouri, appeared be-
| fore the subcommittee of the House Com
mittee on Commerce, having under con-
sideration the laws regulating steam YES
sells. He recommended that the liability
| clauses of the present statutes apply to
| river crafts, as well as lake and ocean, IA
vored an increase of the license fees from
| fifty cents, as at present, to seventy-fve
| cents and 81 so, the latter to apply to the
| highest officers of vessels, the seventy
| five cents to be the cost OF renewal of Ii
| censes. The speaker proposed that the
fund of over $500, 900 accumulated from
| the collection Of fees be devoted to the
building of two snug harbors, one in the
Mississippi Valley and the other on the
| EastapD coast