The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-08
F0RTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS.
Senate PROCEEDINGS Yesterday.

| W ASHlNGTON, March Z, 1884.
I Mr.. Williams moved to discharge the
Committee on Military Affairs from the
consideration OF the bill TO regulate the re.
firing 81 army officers. 1t was bill, Mr..
Williams said, which had been introduced
by Mr.. Beck, who supposed he was acting
for Mr.. Williams, and the name OF Mr..
Williams had been noted MS having intro
duced it. He (Mr. Williams) knew no.
thing whatever Of such q bill. and dis.
claimed all responsibility for il.
Mr.. Beck explained that he had intro
duced the bill for his colleague, rs he sup
posed. A young gentleman had come in
looking for Mr. Williams, saying that the
Senator had agreed to introduce the bill.
In Mr.. WIlliams's absence Mr.. Beck had
introduced it, but he now found that there
were provisions in II for which neither he
nor his colleague would consent to be re.
SponSible. He supposed they had been
imposed upon.
The committee was discharged from fur
Their consideration Of the bill; which YVES
land on the table.
The Senate tnen took up. and after a
short debate passed. the bill authorizing
the construction Of a tire-prOof building
OF brick and metal in the city Of Washing
ton 10 be used rs a hall of records. The
bill as passed apprOpriates S250.o00 for the
purpose. In the course Of the debate Mr..
Vest stated that the upper part of the Capt.
tol is filed with papers. II spark should
fall among them it would result in "A
lire, which, though 1t might not perhaps
destroy the Capitol, would probably result
in burning up its roof.
The Senate took up, and, after reading
the third time, passed the bill constituting
majority Of the judges OF the Supreme
Court OF the United States to be q quorum
Of the court instead OF six judges. rs bere-
tofore required by law. The bill also pro-
hlbitS the Judge who heard a case at the
Circuit from sitting on the Supreme Bench
when the case comes up for appeal.
Adjourned to Monday.
House OF Representatives.
The entire day in the House was devoted
to the consideration of bills OF private
character, principally for the relief Of indi-
vidualS.
The bill which occupied the greater part
of last Fridays session, that author
izing the retirement OF Alfred PleasAnton
with the rank OF colonel, came up as I'M
finished business, and was finally disposed
of by being recOmmitted to the Military
Committee without Instructions.
The House took recess until $50 L. NJ,
the evening session being for the consid-
Grafton of the pension bills.
At the evening session the House passed
nineteen pension bills, among them one
granting a pension to the widow OF Gen.
eral Judson Fitzpatrick. The bill to in
crease the pension of the widow OF Sur
geOn-General Barnes to $50 per month was
eloqueDtly advocated by Mr.. Tucker, OF
Virginia, who, as an eX-rebel, appealed to
the House to perform an act OF justice to
the widow Of man who had served his
country in three wars, end had stood at the
death-beds OF Presidents Lincoln and Gar
field. His remayfs were warmly APP
plauded, but Mr.. Warner, OF Ohio, de-
manded the presence OF a quorum, basing
his opposition on the ground that discrimi-
nation in favor of the widow Of a general
officer was discrimination against the
widow OF an equally deserving private
soldier. subsequently Mr.. Warner with
drew his objection, and the bill was
passed.
Adjourned at 10 O'Clock.