Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-06-28
PORTY-EIGHrH CONGRESS.
sen

The resolution offered Yesterday by Mr.
Pendeton calling on the secretary of war to
collate the laws affecting the the signal serv-
ice bureau, and to report as to the status in
the army of the chief of that bureau was,
after discussion, laid over for the present to
be called up if deemed desirable after the
consideration of the sundry civil bill. that
bill covering provision intended to accom-
plish the same purpose.
On motion of Mr.. Lamar, the Senate took
up and read third time and passed with
out amendment . joint resolution providing
for the settlement of accounts with the Mobile
& Ohio railroad. 1t authorizes the attorney
general and secretary of war 10 adjust and
finally settle the accounts of the United States
with the road named. for the property re-
ceived by that road from the United States in
1866.
Mr.. Butler gave notice that on Monday he
would ask for vote on his resolution OF in
curry into the condition of certain New York
banks.
Mr.. Voorhees, reported q proposed amend
ment to the sundry civil bill appropriating
Sl2. 900 for the purchase of copies of original
portraits of Geo. Washington by Elizabeth
Bryon Johnston, to be distributed to public
libraries.
Mr.. Hale. from the committee on appro-
prldtlOus, IcpOrteu tue general ueuCleOCy ap-
preparation bill with amendments.
Mr.. Dawes presented the conference report
on the invalid pension bill, which was agreed
to.
The Senate then took up the bill providing
for the forfeiture of unearned lands granted
70 the Atlantic Pacific Railroad company
The bill provides for the resumption bv the
United States of the title to such lands and
their restoration to the public domain and
subject to disposal as though the grant never
had been made. The Senate committee has
added to the bill a proviso which in effect
fixes the prices of lands to settlers at So. so
per acre.
In the discussion which ensued, Mr.. Haw-
ley said he had expected to say a few words
respecting the grant holdings of land that we
had permitted to grow up in the West in
lands of both individual and corpors tions,
but he would forbear. There was one thing,
however, he desired to say now. He found
in the Congressional record of today, and he
invited the attention of the Senate to it, a
statement containing q catalogue of citizens
of the United States holding enormous estates
in the Territories and States. Among them
he found the name of Senator John A. Logan
as holding so, GOO acres. 81 can hardly mis-
take continued Mr.. Hawley, "when I say
an object of that kind appears to prejudice
the gentleman whose circumstances are such
that he can hardly speak for himself, though
abundantly qualified as everybody knows to
do so. beg leave therefore to say that the
gentleman referred to is not the owner of any
such quantity Of land in the territories or
any where else. He is only the owner of the
land on which his father died and which he
purchased from other heirs. and to which
he has added little in his own State of Him
-. H. lo. <bo ooJ I'll ~, 70 ba
the owner of the sc. 600 acres referred to-"
Mr.. Logan said: "The statement is ut
terly false. but do not think il is material.
do not propose to give schedule of my
property to anybody, but the property I do
own is in the State of Illinois. l do own
some two or three tracts of land, but all put
together would net make hundredth part of
what they charge"
On motion of Mr.. Hoar the Senate dis
charged the elections committee from further
consideration of the House bill on the cleo
toral count and ordered q committee of con-
ference on it.
The Senate then went into executive ses-
sion and latter adjourned.
HOUSE.
The conference report On the bill granting
the right of way through Indian Territory to
the Gulf of California to the Santa Fe Rail-
road company was agreed to.
The conference report on the pension ap-
preparation bill was agreed to.
Mr.. Turner of Georgia called up the elec-
tion case of Thomas G. Skinner from the
second district Of North Carolina. The ques-
tion at issue in this case is whether Skinner
was elected from the proper district, and
there is no contest pending.
Mr.. Mcmillan of Tennessee raised ques-
ton of confederation in favor of the private
calendar, and the House declined to consider
the election case.
The conference report on the army appro-
priation bill was submitted, agreeing upon all
items except upon the Senate amendment
striking out that portion of the bill which
regulates the compensation to be paid to sub
sidized railways for army transportation. The
other section of the bill, as agreed upon, ap-
propriates S24, ,454. .450, it being $2l0,90
more than was carried by the bill as it origi-
nall passed the House. The report was
agreed to.
Messrs. Pond and Keifer were appointed as
conferees.
Mr.. Haley of California made an unsuc-
cessful attempt to secure the consideration of
the Northern Pacific forfeiture bill, when the
House went into q committee Of the whole.
At o'clock the committee rose for the
purpose OF permlttln8 tue HOuse u uAspose
of the back bone forfeiture bill.
Mr.. White, Of Kentucky, rising to q
question which, he said. affected the dignity
of the House, sent to the clerks desk, and
had read letter published in the National
Republican of this forenoon, over the sigui-
ture of Representative E. John Ellis of
Louisiana. and dated November, 1881, in
which the writer intimated that he had the
impression that improper methods had been
used in obtaining this land grant. Mr.. White
thought that full investigat ion of all the
facts connected with this grant on the land
grab from beginning to end should be made.
The speaker did not think the matter pre-
sented q matter Of privilege. 1t simply ap-
peared from the letter that the writer of it
believed or had the impression that some
improper means was used to obtain the grant
originally.
Mr.. Ellis, of Louisiana. expressed regret
that the gentlemen who were endeavoring to
forfeit this earned land grant should have
been drawn BY stress of weather to the poor
expedient of directing personal attack upon
him. While do mot, be continued, desire
to interrupt the vote on the question BY any
matters persoual to myself arising from tie
publication Of the letter perporting TO hare
been written By me. aud which letter pro
h IL