Morning journal and courier., 1884-06-20
Forty-Eighth Congress.--First Session.

 SENATE The Senate agreed to the confer ence report recommending concurrence in the House amendments to the bill forfeltlng the Iron Mountain land grant.
 Mr. Butler, in pressing the adoption of his resolution for an investigation of the New York national banks, said that on June 14th the reserve of sixteen of those banks was be- low the amount required by law. Conse- quently he argued, the clearing house cer- tificates were issued on the security of in- solvent institutions.
 Mir Morgan took 8 similar ground and urged the necessity of the proposed investi- gation. In answer to MT. Sherman, MT. Morgan said he had no doubt that the clear ing house certificates were held by the banks as part of their reserve and that there was deficiency of SIP, GOO, 900 among them. He contended further that there never was 8 greater abuse of the powers of the national banks than the issue of the twenty four millions of clearing house certificates It was fraud and sham from beginning to end There was no deposit of specie to secure the certificates, but these certificates were daily taken by the clearing house as if they were specie. That was Q startling Sio- lation of law. MT. Morgan went on to sx- press surprise that the Senator from Ohio Sherman-should advocate the interests of the national banks. ''It has come to this, /" he exclaimed, 'that the Senate is actually afraid to investigate the national banking system."
 Mir. Merrill declared that the clearing house had done nothing against the law and that the certificates were perfectly valid. The resolution went over at o'clock. Consideration of the Mexican pension bill ] was resumed. MT. Ingalls, offered an amend ! ment removing the limitation from the ar ! rears of pensions act
 MT. Riddleberger said he would vote aa 1 liberally for the Union soldiers as any Sen- ator, but was opposed to putting such an amendment on this bill.
 Mr. Beck criticised the tactics of the Re- 1 publican side in regard to the bill and de- | clared that the object of seeking to extend l its provisions was to make campaign cry | of being liberal to the soldiers. The amend ment, he said, would entail an expenditure l of $250, COG, ,OO0 and he would be obliged to vote against the measure if it contained such l a provision.
 Mr. Conger contended that the amendment was not intended to defeat the bill, but to perform simple act of justice to Union sol- diers.
 Mr..Voorhees argued that the limitation embodied an unjust principle and moved to ! extend it to ten years. Wlthost disposing I of the amendment, at 5 o'clock the Senate I went into executive session and shortly after ! ward adjourned.
 HoUsE-The House met at 10 g. ID. in COZ 1 tinuation of Wednesdays session and re- l sumed consideration of the Pacific railroad bill Messrs. Dunn of Arkansas, Willard of | New York and Thompson of Kentucky, spoke | in favor of the majority bill. ] The first vote was on the amendment of | fered by Mir. Thompson to make the Rggre- 1 gate yearly contribution of the Central Paci 1 tic company 5 instead of B per cent of the | not earnings, that of the Kansas Pacific 45 ger cent. This amendment was agreed to.
 The minority bill was rejected.
 MT. Hewitt, of New York, moved to re commit the bill with instructions to report by the third Monday in December 8 bill by ] which the sinking funds of the companies shall be enlarged by additional payments, SC that the debt due to the government may be 1 65 to S4.
 The bill was then passed without . divi- | sion.
 1 MT. Hopkins, of Pennsylvania, from the 1 Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds reported a resolution that the charges of cor. | rupt or collusive action on the part of the I Secretary of the Treasury or some of bis subordinates in connection with the selection and purchase of site for the Federal build- ing at Brooklyn have not been sustained The resolution was adopted.
 | The bill relating to the importation of con. tract labor was then taken up with notice | that the previous question would be called al 2:3O p. m. The bill makes it unlawful for any person to contract with aliens for labor or service of any kind to be performed in the United States and makes any such contract void The fifth section excepts skilled work men who are to perform labor upon any new industry not at present established in the United States, and also actors, lecturers and singers. The bill was passed substantially af reported to the House, 1O2 to IT.
 MT. Lowery, of Indiana, called up tn. Campbell Mercy Ohio contested election case against which MT. Lewis of Alabama raised 8 question of consideration. The House yeas 122, nays 73, decided to take up tn, election case. This case turns mainly upor ninety-six votes cast by certain undsrgradu
 ates at the Antioch, Lebanon, Wilberforc' and Xenia colleges, the contestant claiming
 and the majority sustaining the claim, ths
 their presence at school did not give them
 residence under the laws of the State.
 MT. Lowery occupied an hour in supper
 of the report which gives the seat to Camp
 bell, after which at 5 p. m. the House ad
 iourned