The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-18
FORTY-ETGRTH CONGRESS-.
sENATE.

WASHINGTON, Mar. II.
Among the petiiiops and memorials pre-
sented in the Senate today and appropriately
referred we're the following:
By Mr.. Miller of New York, Mr.. Dawes anu
Mr.. Sawyer from public commercial podies,
praying for the repeal of the Law authorizing
the coinage of silver dollars.
By Mr.. Allison, joint resolution OF the
General Assembly OF Iowa relating to pieuro-
pneumonia urging the adoption OF means ioE'
its extirpation.
By Messrs Mcmillan, Palmer and Mander-
son, f. ON citiz MS of their respective otatss
praying Congress to propose siAteehen
amendment prohibiting distranchlsemehb oA
citizens on account of sex.
By Mr.. Vest, from mercantile bodies OF ot'
Louis praying for the extension OF the Oondeu
period on whiskey.
To compel the prosecution OF proceedings III
bankruptcy to final decree.
The new Senate rule was agreed TO " au-
thorize the President of the Senate to lay oe-
fore the Senate atsany time any matter coin-
ing from the President or the Honse of5sepre-
sentatives and permits any Senator TO move
at anV time to take such matters up.
Mr. Hoar offered in the interests OF human
ity resolution calling on the Secretaryo OF the
Interior TO report to the Senate the names OF
parties who have had pension applications
pending for more than two years and 70 show
the condition of such applications and reasons
WHY they had not been disposed of.
This resolution gave rise TO considerable
discussion Mr.. Blair claiming that the
system was at fault, Mr.. Dawes asserting that
the principal trouble was claim agents, and
Mr.. Cullom declaring that efficient relief was
only obtainahle by increasing the number OF
clerks. The resolution was referred to the
pension com mmittee.
The bill extending the term of the Court OF
Alabama Claims until December, 1884, was
take up and passed without debate.
At 2 o'clock Mr.. Plumb's joint resolution
appropriating 900 for the suppression of
the foot and mouth disease came up as unfin-
ished business
Mr.. Bayard attscked the resolution as un-
constitutional. TIE amount proposed to be
appropriated was, he said, utterly inadequate
and such an appropriation would be followed
by claims for So, 500, 900 for cattle slaughtered
in order to accomplish the eradication of the
disease.
Mr. Pendleton also opposed 1t on constitu-
tional grounds. The absorption of the func-
tlons OF the State in the federal government
would, be said. be the death knell of the
republic.
Mr.. Cullom would not favor every measure
proposing intervention in State affairs by the
general government, but thought these con.
tagious and communicable diseases among cat
tie could not be extirpated by the action of
separate States with stock constantly moving
from one State to another. Hence the action
of the national government was in this case
necessary.
Mr.. Garland said that he was a States rights
man but the view taken by the opponents Of
the present measure would establish condi-
tion of governmental constipation and bind up
the constitution too closely.
In moving an amendment 10 add the words,
$50 as to prevent the spread of the said dis
ease to other States or Territories (Which
amendment was accepted by Mr.. Plumb, Mr..
Vest said he did not believe Congress had any
constitutional right TO appropriate money ex-
cent for purposes indicated by the amendment
Mr.. Plumb moved to increase the amount
appropriated by the resolution from 1000 to
$50000 Agreed to.
Mr.. Plumb also moved an amendment
which was agreed to, adding the proviso taat
no action of the Commissioner of Agriculture
under the joint resolution should commit the
government beyond the amount therein ap-
propriated. The resolution was then passed
yeas 20, nays IL. e. appropriatas $4,000. to
be used by the Commissioner of Agriculture,
with the cooperation of the authorities of the
SfaIes in which it may be used for stamping
out the foot and mouth disease. the govern
not to be committed beyond the amount
named.)
Adjourned.
In the House to-day Mr.. Henley of Cali
fornia offered a resolution authorizing an in
vestigation into the circumstances attendant
on the making of the lease dated August 3,
1877, by the United States to the Alaska Com
mercial Company, also as to the duties of that
company to the United States under the lease,
and the power of Congress to terminate the
lease. 1t was referred.
Mr.. Connolly OF Pennsylvania offered a resc-
luton of enquiry as to the manner OF Con-
struction of public buildings. 1t was referred
Under the call of States the following bills
were introduced and referred rs
Requiring all land grant or auDsidy railroads
to furnish to the Secretary of the Treasury
full and trde quarterly statement under oath,
nj aarn nd indp
Granting homesteads to sailors Of tho late
war.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner
of Agriculture to Investigate and report upon
the Influence and extent of speculative trans
actions In cotton, corn and other products of
industry OF the country.
By Mr.. Buckner of Missouri, permitting citi-
zens of the five civilized nations of the Indian
territory having organized goyei nments to
organize under the provisions of the national
banking act
To suspend for two years coinage Of the sill
yer dollar and making il unlawful for th 9
Secretary of the Treasury to print and issue
treasury notes OF the denomination Of one and
two dollars, This is the bill recommended by
the New York Chamber of Commerce.
Resolutions were presented by Mr.. Springer
of Illinois calling on the Postmaster General
for copies Of further correspondence between
the Department of Justice aud Post-office De.
parlment in relation to the Star route frauds
BY MI. Robinson OF New York, authorizing
he Secretary of the Treasury to pay $50 600
to Mrs, Septimine Randolph Meikleham.
Mr. Randall of Pennsylvania, under instrue.
tion from the committee on appropriations.
moved to suspend the rules and pass the special
deficiency bill, approprlating $1,679, 900.
Agreed to-
Mr.. Springer of Illinois moved to suspend
the rules and adopt resolution requesting the
Attorney General to cause TO be made such
investigations Dy the examiners of the depart
ment as may be desired by the committee on
expenditures in the Department of Justice
Agreed to-
Mr.. Singleton of Mississippi moved to sus-
pend the rules and adopt resolution making
the Senate bill for construction os new con.
gressonal library building special order for
April 8. Agreed to.
Adjourned.