The National tribune., 1885-02-12
XLVIIIth CONGRESS.
The Appropriation Bills---lmportant
Pension Legislation.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 4-The Chair laid before
the Senate the Presidents message relating to
Mrs. Grants offer to the Government of the
swords and other military and civil testimon-
ials lately belonging to Gen. Grant, and recon-
mending Congress to pass bill to enable the
President to place Gen. Grant on the retired
list.
The Inter State Commerce Bill was then taken
up and passed by vote of AZ to II. The bill
for the retirement and recoinage of the trade
dollar was discussed until the adjournment.
In the House Mr.. Mutchler, from the Com
mittee on Civil Service Reform, reported adj
versely bill prohibiting the removal of Union
soldiers in the civil service except for cause.
Mr. Money, from the Committee on Post
Offices reported bill to reduce postage OH
mailable matter of the second class.
1T provides that the postage on publications
of the second class, when sent by the publishers
to bona fide subscribers, shall be one cent
pound or fraction thereof.
THURSDAY, Feb. 5.-Among the bills intro
dnced in the Senate was one by MIR. Sherman
to provide for the striking off of medals to COM
memorate the completion of the Washington
monument.
THE bill provides that one medal shall be
given to each Senator. Representative and Gov
ernor of State OF Territory, and that 10000
medals shall be struck off for sale to the general
public at the cost of minting.
The bill for the redemption of the silver dol
lar was then taken up and discussed until 3:45,
when the Senate adjourned.
In the House no business of particular inter-
est was transacted.
FRIDAY, Feb 6-In the Senate, resolution
was offered by Mr.. Sewell, calling on the Secre-
tary OF War to report to the Senate whether any
plans or preparations had been matured by the
Engineer Corps of theSArmy or by the War De-
partment for defending the harbors on our sea-
coast and lakes, by tOrpedoes or otherwise, III
case of sudden war with any foreign power; ;
and if torpedo stations have been established Or
are contemplated for such defense, then whether
any armament has been provided or plan de-
vsed for the protection of such torpedo stations.
The Chair also laid before the Senate the
anti-silver coinage bill, but without further
action the Senate, on motion Of Mr.. Morrill,. at
5 p. H. went into executive session, and at 5:15
adjourned.
In the House the River and Harbor Bill was
discussed until the recess, after which, at the
evening session, 26 pension bills, including one
| granting a pension of $40 each to the minor
children of the late Lieut. Kislingbury, and
one increasing to $50 the pension of the widow
of Commodore Fillebrown, were passed
| Mr.. Van Wyck moved an amendment to one
of the private pension bills, providing that all
soldiers widows minor children who, by
existing law, are or may be entitled to IS a
month, shall in future receive $12.
| Mr.. Van Wyck explained that the provision
| was the same as that which the Senate had put
in the Mexican Pension Bill There seemed
| to be no other chance, Mr.. Van Wyck said, to
| get justice done to d large number of deserving
| people, who were now receiving the pittance
of 50 month.
Mr.. Blair thought the amendment might
defeat the Mexican Pension Bill.
Mr.. Van Wyck said it was already substan-
TALLY defeated Neither the Mexican soldiers
or any others would receive anything from the
| House before the 4th of March.
| Mr. Van Wyck' IS amendment was agreed to-
yeas 81 nays II.
| Mr. Mitchell moved to add to the bill further
provisions of the Mexican Pension Bill namely:
! First, that in considering the cases of depend
| ent parents it shall be sufficient to show that
| such parents are without other means Of com
| Portable support than their own manual labor
| or contributions from persons not legally
| bound for their support; second, that proof
| that the applicant was regularly mustered into
| service shall be preSumptive evidence of sound
| ness at the time, but subject to rebuttal; and
| third, that no person shall be entitled to more
than one pension at time unless especially
declared by act of Congress.
These amendments were agreed to-yeas 80,
nays II.
In the House the session was devoted to the
discussion of the River and Harbor Bill.
SATURDAY, Feb. Mr.. Sherman, from the
Committee on the Library, reported joint
| resolution accepting the offer made to the Gov
eminent by VIM. III. Vanderbilt and Mrs. Grant
of the swords, medals, bronzes, paintings and
other articles of value presented to Gen Ulysses
S. Grant by the various Governments of the
world as tokens of appreciation of his illustrioHs
character as soldier and statesman. The reso-
luton expressed the thanks of Congress to Mr..
| Vanderbilt and Mrs. Grant, and provides that
the articles he placed in the charge of the Lii
brarian of Congress, the Secretary of War,
however, to receive them for safe keeping until
a proper repository may be provided for them
in the Congressional Library. The joint reso-
luton was read three times and passed.
Mr.. Mitchell then called up the private PEN
sion bills already favorably reported and on
the calendar. They were taken up. and bills
granting pensions to Mrs. Nancy b. Lead, OF
N. H., and Mrs. Margaret G. Halpine, were
passed.
The bill to increase the pension of the widow
of Maj Gen George Ii. Thomas gave rise to
some discussion. The House bill would give
her So, 900 a year. The majority of the Senate
committee recommend only 81 200, but minor.
ity of that committee favor the larger amount
The discussion was participated in by Messrs
CullOm Blair, Platt, COckrell, Mitchell, Plumt
and Miller of California
The Senate committees amendment was moi
agreed to--yeas IL, nays 27-and the bill as il
came from the House was passed without
division. 1t makes the pension s., 600 year.
| MONDAY, Feb 9.-ln the Senate to-day Mr.
Cameron, of Pennsylvania, called up resOlu
ton heretofore submitted by him directing the
Committee on Finance to inquire whether II
would be expedient to expend the surplu.
revenue of the United States, or any portion
thereof for the purpose of reviving the ship
ping and export trade by allowing rebate from
tariff duties on foreign goods imported in ships
built and owned in the United States, and by
also allowing a premium on meiican- grown
products and articles of American manufacture
exported in American vessels, and report By
bill or otherwise.
The anti-silver coinage bill was also discussed
at length, and bill was passed appropriatinl
$650,00 for the purchase Of site for the ex
tension of the Post Office Department building
in Washington, ID. c., which extens o. shall
embrace proper accommodations for city post
Office.
In the House the session was consumed in
wrangle over the River and Harbor and Post
Office appropriation bills
To break up colds, fevers and inflammation,
attacks, use DR.. Pierce's Compound Extract o
Smart Weed
Ku-KIux Atrocities.
/ It is stated that band of Ku-Klux hav
8 been going around at light in Grayson County
, KY, whipping and otherwise outraging per
, sons who fell into their hands About 20 O
them surrounded the house of q family named