The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-07-04
SUMMARY OF CONGRESS.
Senate.

Senate.
The Mexican pensions bill was finally passed
by a vote of 81 to -. 1t has been extensive
ly amended since it came from the House, and
as passed, provides, among other things, tha5
surviving soldiers and sailors of the
Mexican war or their widows, who
are sixty-two years old, or are sub
ject to disability or dependency recognized
by the pension laws as cause for granting
pension, shall b. added to the pension rolls at
IS a month that the provision of the revised
statutes prohibiting the payment of pensions
to persons who have voluntarily engaged in
rebellion shall be repealed so far as relates
TO this act that those who labor under
the political disabilities imposed by the four
tenth amendment shall he excluded from
pension; that all honorably discharged sol
diers who served three months on the Union
side in the war of the rebellion, and, ex-
cept through gross carelessness or vicious
habits, have become disabled and de
pendent, shall have a pension, to COM
mence from date of application
and proportional to the degree of disability,
but which i'll no case shall exceed sd
month; that the pensions of widows and
minor children shall be increased from IS
to Sl2 month; that the record of enlistment
and mastering into service shall be prilna
facie evidence of physical soundness at that
ime.
The Senate passed the legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill. with an amend
ment providing that no speeches not actually
delivered in the Senate or House shall be print
ed in the Congressional Record, and that such
speeches shall be printed just as they were spok-
en-, except verbal corrections made by their au-
thors. The bill appropriated $2l ,647, 2G0, an
increase of 81 ,037 423 since it came from the
House OF the addition, So 900 was for tho
purchase of Mrs. Fassetts painting of the
electoral commission. The House hill ex-
tending to water transportation routes the
provisions of the statute hitherto applied to
land routes only, regarding the immediate
transportation of dutiable goods was passed.
The annual deficiency appropriation bill,
appropriating s., 81, 692, an increase of ST.
054 SOP over the House bill was reported. -.
The conference report on the invalid pensions
bill was agreed to-. Mr.. Malone reported
favorably, from the committee on education
and labor, the bill to provide for the adjust
ment of the accounts of laborers, workmen
and mechanics, arising under the eight-hOur
law. The billprovides that all persons whohave
been employed as laborers, workmen, me-
chanics by or on behalf of the government of
the United States since June %, 1868 the
date of the act cons tituting eight hours a
days work. shall be paid for each days work
at the price per day as regulated by private
/ parties in the vicinity in which the work was
performed without reference to the num-
Der of hours work required by such par
ties; and that all claims for labor so performed
In excess of eight hours per day shall be refer
red TO the court of claims, to be adjudcated
upon the basis that eight hours constitute
days work and are to be paid for as above
tated; all judgments given against the United
States in favor of claimants for the amount
found due to be paid other judgments OF
the court of claims against the United States
The House passed the Senate bill giving let
ter carriers fifteen days leave of absence every
year, the House electoral count bill and the
bill repeating the presumption, timber culture
and desert land laws, and amending the home
stead law. The latter, on motion of Mr.. Hol-
man, was amended SO as to provide that here
after no public lands adapted to agricul-
ture, except mineral lands and town sites,
shall be sold but shall be reserved for actual
and bona fide settlers under the homestead
law. The bill is not To be construed to repeal
the act for the sale of timber lands in Califor-
MIA, Oregon, Nevada and Washington Terri
tory The electoral count bill as passed provides
for Joint session of the two Houses 10 count
the vote, which session shall not be dissolved
until the result is declared Any question as
10 the counting of the VOC of State, or as
to which of two or more returns shall be re-
ceived, shall be determined by vote per cap
tia beginning with Alabama. The bill passed
by the Senate in January provides that IN
such cases the two Houses, acting separately
shall concurrently determine the question.
Mr.. Bingham, from the committee on post
Offices and post roads, reported bill fixing at
two cents per ounce or fraction thereof the
rate of postage on mailable matter of the first
class Mr.. Oates. from the committee on pub
lie lands, reported adversely the bill to declare
forfeited certain lands granted to Alabama to
aid in the construction of railroads -. The
House, by a vote of III to - rejected the bill
to forfeit the land grant of the Backbone rail
road of louisiana
Mr.. Valentine, Of Nebraska. arose and
called attention to a speech of Mr.. McAdoo,
of New Jersey, ON the establishment Of a
soldiers home in the West, and said that in
the Record Mr.. McAdoo had taken occasion
t. print as part of his remarks newspaper
dispatch containing the names of native land
monopolistS, among which appeared that Of
John \. Logan owning ~, 900 acres of land
Senator Logan had desired Mr. Valentine "a
say that, so far as related to him,
the statament was false, Mr. Valentine ac
cused Mr.. McAdoo of an abuse of privilege.
Mr.. Cannon moved that the Record be 50
amended as to show that the speech of Mr.,
McAdoo was not actually delivered in thu
House, and intimated that Mr., McAdoo had
not had the courage to avow on the floor what
he had caused to appear in the Record Mr..
McAdoo defended his courage, and dc.
clared he did not retract word of the
printed speech. The list referred to had been
printed all over the country months ago, and
not n word of denial came from O gan. Sew.
eral members desired TO offer amendments 10
the Cannon resolution so as TO have it apply
To other speeches which have been published,
although never uttered in the House. Pend.
ing discussion the House ad iouIued