The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-06-06
IN CONGRESS-.
Summary Of its Work for the Past few Days

Senate.
The House bill "to provide for the muster
and pay of certain officers and enlisted men OF
the volunteer forces" was passed.
The Senate resumed consideration OF the bill
to provide for protecting tho interests OF the
United States IN respect Of any incunbrances
ON property wherein they have any interest.
Mr. Morgan of Ala moved an amendment re-
quiring that if the lien in any case be upon
railroad it shall not be paid till after court oi
competent jurisdiction declares it valid. The
qu stion went over, and the pension appropri-
ation bill was taken up and passed as reported
by the Senate committee,
Tho labor bureau bill was then taken up, and
finally passed with nm amendment moved
by Mr.. Aldr,ch of II. |. 1t is as follows:
There shall be established in the apartment oil
the interior a bureau of labor which shall be
under the charge of n commissioner oil labor
who shall be appointed by the president, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The commissioner shall hold his Office Tor tour
years, unless sooner removed, and shall re-
ceive a salary of $1,000 year The commls-
sioner shall collect information upon tie sub
iect of labor, its relations TO capital, the hours
of labor, and the earnings OF laboring men and
women, and the means of promoting their
material, social, intellectual and moral pros
periiy. The secretary of the interior shall ap-
point ch er clerk at q salary of $1,000 per
unnum and such other employees us may be
necessary for the said bureau; provided that
the total expense shall not exceed Ss25 900 per
annum. The commissioner shall annually
make n report to the secretary OF the interior OF
the information collected and collated by him
and containing such recommendations as lie
may deem calculated to promote the efficiency
of the bureau.
Mr.. Ingalls, of Kan. reported from tho judi
oi,y n suhst I'm te for tho ipint rpSp
luton introduced by Mr.. jackson of Tenn, pro-
posing an amendment to the constitution in re-
la,ion to the terms of office of president and
vice-pr sident. The amendment to the con-
stitution provided for in the substitute is as
follows: Article 20. The executive power
shall be vested IN president of the United
S atcs of Amer ca. The president and vice
president hereafter elected shall hold their
offices for the term of six years. but the presi-
dent shall not be re-sligible, nor shall the vice
president be eligible to the office of president
if he shall have exercised the same in the case
of a vacancy therein.
Mr. Logan OF Ill. reported from the judiciary
committee the bill heretofore passed by the
Senate, extending until December 81, 1884, the
duration of the court of Alabama claims, wit n
| rccommendati n that the Senate non-concur in
the House amendment extending the time one
year longer. Mr.. Hoar Of M IS. moved that
the bill be taken up at once and that the Senate
concur in the amendment. He said the court
had deci ed 1906 cases in l-2 years and there
were 4O55 vet to be tried. These could be
decided by December, 1854. Agreed to.
! Then the Mexican pensions bill came up. The
principal changes made by the Senate commit
! tee in the bill as it came from the House are,
| first, in striking out e clause that limits
widows pensions TO cases OF widows who were
married before the soldiers discharge from the
army and perm ting the payment Of the pen
| sion to all Mexican soldiers widows who have
not remarked; second, limiting the benefits oi
| the act to persons who are dependent in whole
or in part upon their own labor or assistance
from others for support. Mr.. Logan moved to
strike out that part OF the amendment which,
as he understood it, refused a man pension
unless he acknowledged himself to be a pauper.
| The bill was debated at great length and finally
| went over.
These bills were favorlbly reported: From
the committee on public lands, forfeit the
unearned lands grunted to the Northern Paci
fc; from the finance committee, to regulate tht
payment of bills ofexchange drawn in foreigr
countries on pers sons, firms or corporations II
the United States where the amount to be pad
is named in foreign coin.
Mr.. Hill of Col submitted the report oftht
committee on post-ofiices on the subject OF I
postal telegraph.
Mr. ingalls, of Kan. introduced bill TO pro
vide forthe sale OF the lands belonging to TIN
prairie band of Pottowattomie Indians in Kan
sas.
The Senate took up the bill granting righ
of way throu h the Yellowstone park to th
Cinnabar and Carks Fork railroad company
and Mr.. Conger of Mich. submitted an amend
ment limiting the company's control to lOo lee
in width, and prohibiting the company from
| b,;ll ( n pllII)Ospa
An animated debate followed, most OF tn
speakers vigorously denouncing the bill, whlc
finally went ov without action, and consdcra
ton of the Utah bill was resumed.
Mr. Brown of Ga spoke in favor OF tn
amendment submtte,, by him. He contraste
what he termed the polygamy OF New EnSian
and the polygamy of Utah, saying that, VIM
be had no purpose to attack New England, ~
made the comparison between it and Utah, be
cause New England had kept statistics OF it
crimes while other states had not The pic
ture he drew was drawn "more in sorrow thai
in anger" There had been over 1000 d
vorces granted in New England within the la'
20 wears, destroying q 900 families and turr
ing loose 81 900 persons to marry again, all |
legally, except those who were divorced 1t
adultery or fornication, in The otherparty. Al
, suming that one third of them had been d
vorced for adultery, it would leave $4,000 pei
f sons divorced and married again who wei
, praciicing polygamy in New Eng and, VIM
the Utah commission, ac ing under the Et
, munds bi l. after having searched Utah with tn
test oath could fin.i but l2,000 men and wome
f who would not swear that they had never
, their lives been guilty of polygamy. Prostt
:. ton was prac,iced in New England to {
alarming extent, and feticide to an extent tina
+ if continued, would in less than century d
populate New England of its Puritan stock
Massachusetts within the last 20 years popul
ton had increased 44per cent. and marrIag
62 per cent while divorces increased l4I P
: cent If the ministers ana
churches did their whole duty, pu
lie sentiment would soon sweep from O
b statute-books the wicked and immoral divort
: laws. Mr. Brown was ready TO sanction 6
4 constitutional legislation which could be d
vised Tor the suppression OF poySamy in VI
:, and of legal divorce, prostitution and fetici
: in New England and elsewhere; but he W
not willing to violate the oath he had taken
!, support the constitution to gratiiy New Englal
:, Intermediates, or 10 suppress any sect or d
= I,o;iination, however unpopular 1t might be.
ar Hoar OF Mass. said he had heard enou
of Mr.. Browns speech to comprehend its chs
! acter hut not its motive. 1t did not seem pt
s bic that that senator had taken SO much pal
: as his speech ndi, ated for the mere purpose
!. makinga malicious AMI malignant attack
!, the people of New England. Mr.. Hoar cou
II cnly infer that Norm nism was more in acco
with that senator's convictions than opposed
them. Each country and each section OF ca
country may have vices; bat whatever the
q WINS in New England that was reproaeh
: her, Mr.. Hoar said, was carefully written do'
a by New England historians There were 81
" tions of country in which that course was Il
= pursued. The (Alr. Hoar) cared to follow
: style OF argument followed by Elr. Brown,
y coald say some things without even reterer
: TO statistics which would be sufficiently dis
!, rreeable. With desire to credit the portion
" country from which that senator came with
much piopriety as he could, Mr.. Hoar thoug
that the D esence of large numbers OF mnlatt
in remained TO be accounted for in some way. !
10 he would not enter upon this sort ol an
l. | ment.
IN Mr. Hoar, of Mass, reported from the CO
~ mittee on claims bill to reimburse the sevc
=. states for interest paid on war loans; also
a require the payment in cash to the state
r Georgia of SS5 $50 appropriated for said st
40 by an act passed last year, to refund cert
money expended by the state in the comm
defense IN l111.
MIR. Cullom of H., reported from the CO
in mittee on pensions a bill granting pension
no all persons who served three months dur
O. the war and have honorable discharges, {
. l Il. lsa.l,l ,lf.l .