The Evening critic., 1885-01-29
CONGRESSIONAL TOPICS.


TIE PosTorFIcE sITE-Anothor petit
ton from citizens in tho District was pre-.
sonted in tho Senate yesterday asking that
the square ia which THE Critic Office is
located be purchased for city postoice site.
THE LETT.BUTTERwoRTH CONTEST.
Mr.. Follett has eailirmcd his determine
tion to push his contest Of Major Butter
worths seat, declaring that the recent in
vestigation had developed disgrscofdl frauds
and conduct. Major Buttorworth says the
contest has no merit in point OF law
THE MCLEAN BRoADHEAD CAsE.--Mr
Valentine, a member of tho House Commit
tee on Elections, thinks the decision Of the
Court OF Appeals at st. Louis settles the
Mclean. Broadhead contested election case
He thinks that under the decision rendered
Mr.. Mclean must be given Mr.. Broadhead's
seat
C0URTs-MARrIAL.-In passing the Army
bill in the House yesterday afternoon, an
amendment was adopted giving courts
martial the right to sit at such times as
they may choose. Mr. Hewitts effort to
get up the bill to carry into effect the Next
can treaty failed by vote Of sixty to
ninety-six,
ANOTHER TRIP souTH.-AIr. Randall
has accepted m invitation from mutual
aid association in Charleston, S. c., TO de-
liver an address in that city for the benefit
Of fund now being raised by the associa-
tion for tho establishment of hall and
library for the benefit Of its members. Mr..
Randall says he hopes to be able TO visit
Charleston in March or April
THE NICARAGuAN TREATY.-In execu-
utive session OF the Senate yesterday, the
Nicaraguan treaty was amended so that
Determinations may be made only in favor
Of the coastwise trade OF Nicaragua. Then
Ns,N ~.Na al Hv.M NJ
Vance TO postpone further action until after
March 4. More than two-thirds voted
against postponement, which is thought to
guarantee the final adoption of the treaty.
THE New PACIFIC RAILRoAD.-In the
Senate late yesterday Mr.. Hoar, from the
| Judiciary Committee, reported back the
| House bill to amend the Pacific Railroad
| Sinking Fund act, and at the same time re-
ported, with q recommendation for passage,
u new bill, ito provide for settlement OF
the claim growing out of the issue of bonds
TO aid in the construction of the Pacific
railroads, and to secure to the United States
the payment OF all their Indebtedness"
| MORE SILVER VAULTs.-The Secretary
Of the Treasury yesterday sent TO the
House q communication in which he rec
commended an appropriation Of $500,00O
TO provide for additional vaults in which
to store silver dollars and for the trans
portation of that coin from the mints
The vaults at the mints are all overflow.
ing and they are incapable of accommo-
dating the coin as it is turned out Ad'
ditional vaults are recommended and an
appropriation for sending the dollars from
the mints to Washington.
A DIPLOMATIC MATTER. - Secretary
FreliDghuysen has sent to the House, in
response to q resolution, communication
regarding the imprisonment in Mexico oi
Thomas Monohan, of Nashville, Tenn, an
engineer on the Mexican Central Railroad
on which q collision occurred between two
trains, one of which the prisoner engineered
The correspondence contains an opinion
from the Secretary of State that the strict
ures passed upon Minister Morgan for ap
parent inaction were unwarranted, as the
Minister did everything he could to secur,
justice to Monohan who has been released
from prison.
ANTICS OF DISTRICT JUDGEs.-Iu th,
Senate Mr.. McMillin reported favor
ably, from the Judiciary Committee
bill to restore the jurisdiction of the Su
preme Court of the United States owe
writs of habeas corpus, SO as to allow ap
peals to be taken TO that court in all case
which may be appealed TO the Circuit
Courts Under the present practice singl,
Federal Judge of lowest judicial rank may
1
est courts ofStates. Representative Polond
(Yt.) thinks the bill If passed, will curl
the antics of set OF District judges who
have amplided their jurisdiction so that
they make 1t cover every possible case o.
unlawful imprisonment, whether under
State process or without any process at al
even where no Federal question is in
volved.
RETIREMENT OF GENERAL GRANT
General Slocum thinks there can be nj
doubt about the bill retiring General Gran
passing the House il it can only be gotten
up. He says the good feeling Of the Houst
Committee on Military Affairs toward Gen
eral Grant was shown when it unanimously
instructed him to call up either Of the two
bills now before the House. He says thu
only things in the way of Mr., Randall NOV
ing in the matter is to get the floor and 6
suspension OF the rules. "The whole ques
tioD," says General Slocum, sis simply
whether Congress shall deviate from it
usual course in this bill in order TO comply
with the Presidents views, or whether i
should pass the bill in the form IL has sl
ways been in the habit of doing. Th
question is whether the Democrats are 60
ing to deviate from tho custom of Congress
in order to accommodate themselves II
the Presidents objection, or whethe
they will pass the bill in the usual form
| Nv ic daaidadIu fo, tho hill ,