The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-11
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS-.
THE SENATE.
A Number of Bills Introduced on Behalf of
the Soldier-Debate on the Rules.

n Number of Bills Introduced on Behalf OF
the Soldier-Debate on the Rules.
| WASHINGTON, Jan. 10-AIr Dawes introduced
bill providing for the creation of United
States Postal Telegraph Company, under direc-
ton of the Postoffice Department, and the crea-
ton of the Office of Fourth Assistant Postmaster
general This official will be president of the
| board of directors of the company and direct the
establishment of postal telegraph Offices at post
! offices throughout the United States and the
transmission of correspondence from such Offices.
| Mr.. Sawyer introduced bill to prohibit the
mailing of newspapers containing lottery adver-
tisements.
| The chair laid before the Senate communica-
ton from the Secretary of the Interior, trans
hitting the correspondence concerning matters
in the Yellowstone Park 1t shows that the only
authority regarding hotels granted since the last
session. is contained in the lease executed to Ho-
bart Douglass and Rufus Hatch; that there has
! been trespassing and depredations in the park,
game killed, timber cut, and violations of the
rules. The superintendent has been powerless
to prevent such violations of law, and there is q
great deal of bad feeling between the improve
lnent companies, the people, and the superin-
tendent
Petitions were presented as follows:
By Mr.. Sherman: From eX-soldiers aud sail
ors, asking grants of land.
By Mr.. Voorhees,: From posts of the Grand
Army of the Republic, praying for the passage
of the bill now pending repeating the statutory
limitation in regard to arrearages of pensions.
By Mr.. Plumb: From Is, 900 citizens of Kan
saS and Missouri, praying that the land known
as Oklahoma land, in the Indian Territory, be
opened to settlement.
By Mr.. CongeG From posts of the Grand Army
of the Republic of Michigan, asking further
awards of land to ex-soldiers
the opening of the Sioux reservation; also, asking
the passage of the Equalization bounty bill.
Mr.. Miller, of New York, presented the joint
resolution of the Legislature of New York, relat-
ing to the lung plague among cattle, and re-
questing the representatives and senators of that
State in Congress to urge the enactment of a law
to carry into effect the recommendation made in
the Cattle Commissions report, transmitted to
Congress in February 1882, for the extinction of
elung plague.
Dir. Voorhees, introduced bill to equalize
bounties of soldiers This bill, Mr.. Voorhees,
said, is a copy of the bill which passed Congress
nine years ago but was vetoed by President
Grant on the ground that it would take more
money out of the Treasury than public interests
would warrant, but so much is now said about
the surplus revenue and the abundance of
money, that he would introduce the same bill
now, and hoped it would meet with early consid-
Grafton by the committee.
The Senate took up Mr.. Van Wyck's resolution
directing the Secretary of the Interior to suspend
action as to issuing patents on certificates of
land granted to the New Orleans Pacific Railroad
Company until Congress shall, at this session,
determine the questions involved in the claims
of said corporations. Mr.. Van Wyck stated that
he had prepared a substitute for the preamble of
| his resolution. The new preamble and resolu-
ton was agreed to, as follows:
Whereas, 1t is claimed by the New Orleans Pacific
Railroad Company that inasmuch the Attorney
General decided in favor of the company as to the
lands demanded by them and the Secretary of the In
constrained
opinion and that the company also claims that Con.
gress has no further control or authority over said
lands or demands of said company therefore
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Interior be
requested to suspend action in issuing certificates or
patents of said lands to said corporation until Con-
gress at this session shall determine the questions
involved in the claim of said corporation.
Mr.. Voorhees, offered the following, which was
agreed to-
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be
directed to in form the Senate whether since Jan l.
1864, duties tonnage have been collected at any
port in the United States from foreign ships il con
travention with treaty provisions unauthorized by
law; if So the amount date of such exaction and the
of the vessel vessels which such unauthor-
lied duties were imposed.
Mr.. Voorhees, also offered the following, which
was agreed to:
Resolved That the Secretary of War be directed to
inform the Senate of the number of soldiers in the late
for the Union who served year, two years,
three years and the amount of hountes paid to each
class respectively; also, to inform the Senate what
amount of money will be required to equalize the
bounties of those who served in the said war"
The Senate resumed consideration of the new
rules, the pending question being on the motion
of Mr. Vest to strike out from rule 26 the clause
providing for committee on internal improve
inents, to which shall be referred all subjects re-
latng to the improvement of rivers and harbors;
also the bill known as the river and harbor bill
The motion was discussed at length by Messrs
Beck, Morrill, Maxey, Frye and Morgan, and
without reaching vote on the rule, the Senate
went into executive session, and soon adjourned