Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-02
CONGRESS- IN SESSION.
THE READING OF THE MESSAGE
OCCUPIES THE TIME.

OCCUPIES THE TIME.
The Galleries OF Both Houses not Over
crowded at the Opening-The Senate
AdjOurns Out of Respect to Senator
Anthony and the House for Represen-
tative EYins.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The opening
session in the Senate was preceded by
half hour Of hand shaking and gossip be-
tween the Senators and their friends.
Several of the desks of the Senators were
decorated with floral tributes sent by
their admirers, the most favored in this
respect being Senator German, who was
the recipient of two enormous ''rOOsters"
and an arm chair, the latter bearing the
words, ''Reserved for W. III. g., 1884,"
Senator jonas desk also bore a rooster,
while those of Senators ingalls,, Maxey,
Harris, SabIn, Voorhees,, Camden, Con-
ger and Lapham were VariOusly decorated
with hOrseshOes, stars and baskets. The
galleries were, as is usual on opening
day, well filled with strangers. Promptly
at noon the President of the Senate called
the body to order. Prayer was offered by
Rev. DR.. Huntiey, Chaplain of the Senate.
He prayed for such a conserving of fra
| ternal intercourse among all the people
of the United States, and such plans for
mutual helpfulness that sectional ambi-
tiOn might be seen only in that health
/ ful rivalry wherein each should strive to
/ OutdO the other in benefiting all. He
made fitting allusion to the death of Sena-
I tor Anthony.
On motion of Mr.. Logan, the Secretary
was instructed to inform the House of
/ Representatives that quorum Of the Sen
/ ate had assembled, and that the Senate
was ready to proceed to business.
.,-,1 Nor-Inn
/ pointed a committee TO inform President
! Arthur that the Senate was ready to re-
| ceive any communication he might be
pleased to make.
/ On motion of Mr.. Dawes the hour of the
/ daily meeting of the Senate, until other
wise ordered, was fixed at y O'Clock noon.
TIE Chair laid before the Senate, and
! the Secretary read the credentials of Hon.
! VIM. p. Sheffield, who had been appointed
/ by the Governor of Rhode Island to fill
! the vacancy caused by the death of Sena-
! tor Anthony. On motion of Mr.. COckrell
/ the Senate at y: 10 took Il recess for half
4 anIhOur.
At expiration of the recess the Senate
/ proceeded to consideration OF the usual
morning business. 4 message was re-
ceiyed from the House of Representatives
/ announcing that that body was ready to
I proceed 10 business.
Mr.. Ingalls, offered a resolution, which
was agreed to, instructing the Committee
/ on Public Lands to report such legislation
/ as may be necessary to authorize the Sec
retary Of the Interior to summarlly re-
| move all fences Illegally constructed on
the public domain of the United States.
On motion of Mr.. Hawley, at 12:55
| O'Clock another recess Of half an hour was
taken.
At 1:35 O'Clock President Arthur's mes
sage was received by the Senate, and its
reading was at once proceeded with.
The reading of the message was listened
to with deep interest. 1t was concluded
at 2:2j O'Clock, when Mr.. AIdrich, IN a
few feeling words, made formal announce
ment of Senator AnthOny's death, and
stated that at future day the Senate
would be asked to give fitting expression
to its appreciation of the distinguished
public services and private virtues of the
deceased Senator. AS a mark of respect
TO Senator AnthOny's memory the Senate
then at 1925 O'Clock adjourned till to-
morrow.
IN THE HOUSE.
Though the galleries of the House
were well filled this morning
with spectators anxious to view
the proceedings attendant on the first
| days session, there was an absence of
that crush of visitors which usually
characteriZes such an occasion. The ap-
/ pearance of the chamber is unchanged,
save for a general air of cleanliness,
which the Tevarnishing of the desks lends
to the ball. Numerous floral designs or
namented the desks of favOrite
members, and among them a handsome
ship of state. of which Mr..
Cox, of New York, was the recipient, was
noticeable. An immense bed of chrysan-
thums covered the desk occupied by j. S.
Barbour, of Virginia, and tasteful
basket OF variegated flowers adorned the
Speakers table. The members INDUCED in
the usual greetings, exchanging cOngYat-
ulatiOns on reelection or Of condolences
on defeat. The Republicans made good
natured replies to the equally gOod-na-
tuTed chatting of Democrats on the result
of the Presidential contest, ana no bitter
ness was manifested on either side.
Promptly at noon the Speakers gavel
called the House to order. In his OPEN
ing prayer the Chaplain gave thanks that
the members had been permitted to return
IN health and safety to their legislative
duties. The Speaker then directed the
/ Clerk to call the roll.
222 MEMBERS PRESENT.
The roll call disclosed the presence of
| 2G2 members, more than quorum, and
the Clerk was directed to inform the Sem
ate that the House was ready to proceed
to business.
The Speaker appointed Messrs. Randall,
!
! diana, as a committee To wait upon Presi-
dent Arthur in conjunction with a similar
| committee from the Senate and inform
him that Congress is ready to receive any
communication he may be pleased to
! make.
Mr. Holman, of Indiana, presented the
! credentials of B. L. ShiVely as member
elect from the Thirteenth Indiana district
/ to succeed W. II. Calkins, resigned. and
that gentleman appeared at the bar of
the House and took the oath of office.
At 12:35 O'Clock the House took a recess
fOEs 10 minutes.
After the expiration of the recess the
| House idly awaited the return of the COM
/ mittee appointed to wait on the President,
and it was not until 80 O'Clock that Mr..
Randall, as Chairman of the committee,
| reported that the President would trans
NIT witten communication to the House
forthwith. One minute later Private Sec
/ retary Phillips appeared with the Presi-
dents annual message and it was imme-
diately read by the Clerk. The message
was listened to with great deal of atten-
tiOn. The reading consumed an hour and
| ten minutes. The message was referred
| tO.the Committee of the Whole on the
State of the Union with the accompany
| ing documents and ordered printed.
Mr.. ErmentrOut, of Pennsylvania, an
| nOunced to the House the death of Rep
| resentative Duncan, of Pennsylvania,
and presented resolutions decla atOTy Of
the sorrow which the members eXpe-
rienced at the news of the death of their
late colleague.
Mr.. Aiken, Of South Carolina, presented
! similar re olutiOns relative to the death
/ of Representative EviDs, of South Car
Olina, and then at 2:55 O'Clock. as a mark
of respect to the memory Of the deceased
the House adjourned.
The Monthly Debt Statement.
! WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The debt state
ment issued to-day shows the increase of
the public debt during the month of
| November to be $747, ,124 Is; the decrease