The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-03-13
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.

~ Bs = -
mitted conference report on the Army
Appropriation bill and said that the confer
reeS had agreed rs TO all differences, eX-
cept those relating 70 courts-martial In
time Of peace. The House PROVISION, he
said, so amended the ninety-fourth article
of war as to enable c0urs-martial to con-
troll the hours Of their own session. An an
mated discussion concerning the Swain
court-martial ensued. Mr.. Hoar said that
persons inferior in rank to the accused
were sometimes found in such courts, and
that such persons might have a personal
interest in the decision of the court. Theo-
retically the Judge Advocate was an inn
partial officer, but In fact he was vigilant
prosecutor. who regarded conviction as
personal trlun phi. MIR. ingalls, thought that
the proceedings subsequent TO the Swa IN
court-martial were disgrace to civilization.
Mr.. Sherman said that the great evil con-
nected with courtS-martlal was the Judge
Advocate. Mr.. Hoar declared that he saw
no reason in time of peace for the existence
of courts-martial. Mr. ingalls, said that
what had been done in the trial Of the
Swain case would not be permitted under
Russian tyranny or Turkish deSpotism.
Gen. Swain, lie said, had been pursued
with revengeful malignity ever since his
appointment to office. Th, persecution
was due to the jealousy OF West Pointers.
Mr.. Conger spoke in the same strain. The
whole affair, Mr. CongGr iaIyeTred' was =
that any such jealousy existed between
volunteer officers and graduates Of West
Point. The Senate insisted upon its amend
ment striking out the House provision per-
hitting cOurt'-martial 10 control their own
hours of sson, and the conference COM
mittee was reappointed.
FEB. CIV EN- the silver bill came up in
the Senate, Mr.. Sherman declared that the
Governmelt rested under no OBLIGATION to
give the trade dollar preference over silver
bullion. Since the co mage of standard sill
x-Ats Il 81 a 70 al gnf a M
of silver bullion had been st adily declin-
i'm. The expectation or boarding of gold
would contract the currency so sharply as
to shock every hamlet in the country. The
best medy Tor thr, atened evils would be
all interr atiOnal agreement to ma ntain the
free coinage of slVerat fixed ratio. Mr..
Beck said he would give no president the
power to strike down silver coinage. MIR.
Hill arsued that the expulsion Of gold
would give an increased value to the silver
and paper in circulation. MI. Coke re-
marked that the suspension of silver COIN
age w I'D itself contract our money sup
ply by $1,000 ZOO year. No action was
taken by the Senate, but the House refused
to suspend the rules to debate the clause III
the sundry civil appropriation bill reat-
ing TO silver COINAGE.
FEB. &7.-The Senate passed the naval
appropriation bill, with an item OF SIP coo
for the purchase of the torpedO-b0it De
stroyer from Nj. u lesson. A bill a. so pass
II y
ton in Nebraska and Kansas. On bill to
grant q pension of So Per month TO the
blind and penniless daughter of eX-Presi-
dent Tyi r,tle vote showed that no quorum
was present. In executive session, Francis
10. w rren WIS confirmed a. Governor OF
wyoming, An hour was spent on The nom.
nation of =. \. Kreidler to be Marshal of
Montana, the Wisconsin Senator's opposing
the removal OF \. {. Botkin, and 10 action
was taken.
FER. 2S.-In the Senate a communication
from the Acknowledgement was read stat
ing tina, the Deficiency bill as passed by the
House insuillclentIy provided for the ex-
pen es OF juries, etc., IN the United States
Courts. The report of the conference COM
mttee on the Agricultural bill was agreed
TO. The House substitute for the River and
Harbor bill apprOpriating gross sum of
SIS 10000 was referred TO the Commerce
Committee. Mr.. Mitchell offered resOlu-
ton instructing the Finance Committee to
prepare bill suspending the coinage of the
silver do lar. lie asked unanimous consent
to an immediate consideration Of the reSo-
luton, and requested permission to read
Mr.. Clevelands letter on the subject Oh
lection was made and the mat,crwent over.
The House bill tOrfeiting Che 5 ouX City q
St. raul land-grant was taken up and dis
cuSSed at some ength
- MARCH MFR. H3ar gave notice in the
Sonate of hi, intention to ash Il yute In that
bosy, without debate, on the proposed wo-
mans suffrage constitutional amendments
The FOrtificationS bill was laid before the
Senate and referred. The Sundry Civil
bill was then taken up. The committee
600 the amount to be paid for the Fort
Brown Reservation was non-cOncurred in,
and the larger amount was retained. Mr.
Aldrich offered a joint resolution request
ing the President to open negotiations with
Foreign Powers with view to securing an
agreement to the free coinage of silver with
full legal-tender power.
MARCH Sin the Senate the conference
report on the Indian bill was called up
and long discussion ensued, in the
course Of which Mr.. Plumb declared that
the extra session of Congress which appear
ed to be imminent was due to the gross leg
isative incompetency of the House. Mr.
Van Wyck said that the Senate insisted up
on its rule against the attachment by the
House of legislative provisions to appropri-
provision as the Pacific Mail subsidy clause
to please Jay Gould and G. r. Huntington.
Mr.. Vest hoped the Senate would agree
with the House provision regarding the Ok
lahoma matter. Mr. Ingalls, said that 1000
men were ready. to move upon Oklahoma
within forty-eight hours, and that the only
way to avoid bloodshed was to promise the
people that negotiations for the opening Of
the lands should be begun at once. The
Senate insisted on its amendment and q
ton was taken upon the conference report
on the Sundry Civil bill. Tho Deficiency
and Notifications bills were passed with q
few amendments.
HOUSE,
FEB. ga bill was reported in the
House of Representatives by the Committee
on War Claims making an appropriation
for the payment of Fourth of July claims.
The Senate bill was passed with amend
ments appropriating 800, 900 to pay certain |
citizens for supplies furnished the Sioux |
and Dakota Indians in Minnesota between |
1850 and 1eG2. Consideration of the River |
and Harbor bill being resumed, two hours |
were consumed in voting upon the amend |
ments reported from the Committee of the
Whole. All were adopted until the amend
ment was reached striking out the clause
making an appropriation for the improve
ment of the Mississippi River from the
passes to the mouth of the Ohio River and
recommending the appointment of James
u. Eads rs Advisory Engineer of the Mis-
siss ppi River Commission. This amend
ment was rejected hY q close vote and tha