Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-22
AT THE NATIONS CAPITAL
THE BANKRUPTCY BILL PASSED
BY THE SENATE,

%AAAN A1A~AN H
Dir. Warmers Bill from the Pension
Committee Passes the House-The
Pleuro- Pneumonia Bill Next Before
the Senate-The Tariff Bill to be Called
Up To-day.
WASHINGTON, April 21.-ln the Senate
to-day, after the reading of the journal,
Mr.. Kenna asked unanimous consent to
add a few words to the tributes in
memorial of the late Representative
Herndon, of Alabama. Unanimous con-
sent being given, Mr.. Kenna addressed
the Senate for a few moments in some
feeling remarks commemorative of the
virtues of the deceased.
Mr.. Logan reported favorably from the
Committee on Judiciary the joint resolu-
tion introduced in the Senate by Mr.. La
pham, proposing such an amendment OF
the constitution of the United States as
would empower the President to veto one
or more items Of an appropriation, or of
special original legislation in an apprO-
priation bill while approving of the re-
mainder Of the bill.
A bill was introduced and referred by
Mr.. Jonas to provide for an industrial and
cotton centennial exposition.
Mr.. Pugh called up, and the Senate read
the third time and passed without debate,
the bill to add certain counties in Alabama
to the Northern district therein, and to
divide said Northern district after the ad-
dition of said counties into two districts.
The bill adds to the Northern district the
counties of Sumter, Green, Hale and
Pickenss, heretofore forming part of
the Southern district, and the
counties of Tuscaloosa, Bibb,
Shelby and Talladega, heretofore forming
part of the Middle district. The Northern
district thus increased is divided into
two divisions, to be known respectively
as the Northern and Southern divisions
of the Northern district of Alabama.
The times and places for holding court in
the Northern division are fixed as they
have heretofore existed. The times and
place for holding court in the Southern
division are fixed for the first Mondays
in March and September at Birmingham,
Jefferson county, Ala. The act is to take
effect January 1, 1885.
The Senate then took up the bankruptcy
bill. The bill on Mr.. Sherman's motion was
so amended as to make the examining
officers of the Treasury officers to finally
examine bills for disbursements, the bills
to be in the first instance sworn to by the
party presenting them, and certified by a
Judge. Other amendments were proposed
by Messrs. George, Sherman, Hoar, In
gals, EdmundS, Morgan and Van Wyck,
but failed. Ehe bill, as amended, was re-
ported from the committee of the whole
to the Senate, read the third time and
passed by 30 yeas to 10 nays. The Chair
then laid before the Senate the next
special order, being the pleurO-pneumonia
bill, Whereupon the Senate adjourned.
IN THE HOUSE.
In the House to-day, Mr.. Eaton, of Con-
necticut, from the Committee on Laws
Relating to the Presidential Election, re-
ported back the Senate bill to provide for
the performance of the duties of Presi-
dent in case Of the removal by death or
resignation both of the President and
Vice President. 1t was referred to the
House calendar.
Mr.. Eaton also, at the request of the
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commit
tee, reported a resolution, which was
adopted, calling upon the Secretary Of
State for information concerning the
threatened coniscation Of the American
college in Italy by any law or decree of
the Italian Government.
Mr.. Morrison, Of Illinois. from the Com
mitlee on Ways and Means. reported a
resolution that on and after April - the
hour of the daily meetings of the House
shall be II o'clock. 1t was adopted.
L llNGI tllt CGll Vi EtdlG DlIlS were lulIO-
duced and referred as follows:
BY Mr.. Henley, Of California-TO en-
courage education in the States and Ter
ritories. tproydes that all newspapers
hereafter published in the several States
and Territories in any language whatsO-
ever shall be carried free of postage
through the mails within the limits of the
United States and the Territories.
BY Mr.. Blount, Of Georgia-To reduce
IL.
titled from apples, peaches and grapes to
10 cents per gallon.
BY Mr. Skinner, of New York-To per-
NIT publishers of newspapers to send
marked copies Of their newspapers at
second class rates.
BY Mr. Ellis, of Louisiana-A Joint res
Olution directing the Judiciary Commit
tees of the Senate and House to inquire
into and report upon certain legal ques-
ti0us involved in the proposed forfeiture
of the land grant to the New Orleans,
Baton Rouge and Nicksburg Railroad
Company.
Mr.. Dingley, of Maine, from the Ship
ping Committee. moved to suspend the
rules ana pass bill creating bureau of
navigation in the Treasury Department.
The motion was agreed to and the bill
passed by 40 yeas to AZ nays.
Mr.. Mutchler, of Pennsylvania, from
the Committee on Civil Service Reform
moved to suspend the rules and pass the
bill repeating the sections of the revised
statutes restricting the terms of certain
officers to four years. Mr.. Mutchler said
that the simple purpose of the bill was to
repeal the act Of 1920 and acts supplement
tai thereto which limit the term of certain
Presidential appointees to tour years.
The consequence of those laws was that
every four years the Senate and President
- inf
officers whose terms expired, and when
there was a contest the offices remained
vacant until it was ended. The measure
in no way affected the right of the Presi-
dent to remove officials.
Mr.. Mcmillan. of Tennessee, thought
that the House should hesitate before it
undertook under a suspension of the rules
to repeal a law which had stood on the
statute books for GA years. The trouble
was not so much with the law as with
maladministration of it. He was opposed
to the bill as being in the direction Of life
tenure of office.
Mr.. Willis, of Kentucky, said that the
gentleman was utterly mistaken as to the
character of the measure. Not one word
of it contemplated life tenure of office.
There were in this country political and
n0n-pOlitical offices and not one of the lat
ter was affected by the bill. 1t did not
contemplate that Congress should tread
a new and untried path, but simply that
it should 90 back to the original constitu-
tional path prescribed by the fathers Of
the government.
Mr.. Springer said that the bill made i'm
portant changes in the tenure of certain
officers. The terms of the offices of Dis
trict Attorneys, Surveyors General, Regis
ters and Receivers, Collectors of Customs,
Naval Officers, Surveyors of Customs and
Postmasters, which were heretofore linn
tied to four years, were, by this bill, eX-
tended during the pleasure of the Presi-
dent, but by the second section Chief JUS
tices and Associate Justices of Territorial
Courts would hold their offices during
good behavior or until the Territory was
admitted into the Union as a State. Pass
this bill and judicial officers of Territories
could only be removed by impeachment.
In view of the probable change in the Ex-
ecutive officers of the government at the
ensuing election, he hoped that this Dem
Ocratic House of Representatives would
not pass this bill and thus pension perma-
nently on the government and infiict on
the good people of the Territories a lot of
political dead beats who have been i'm
posed upon them in judicial position.
! Applause.
Mr.. Dlbble, of South Carolina, was in
favor Of the object of the bill, but did not
| think that it would accomplish the pur-
| pose desired. 1t would increase instead
| of diminish the patronage of the govern
ment.
Mr.. Holman, of Indiana, thought that it
was a wise policy ON the part of the gov
/ ernment to limit the tenure of office, as it
would admit of a scrutiny of the accounts
! ofofficers every four years.
Mr.. Lyman, of Massachusetts, advo-
Gated the bill, and warned both parties
that they could not afford to vote against
| it.