The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-02-15
NATIONAL NEWS NOTES.
The Docket Of the Senate Nearly Clear
of Business,
BUT THE HoUsEIs STILL LOADED.
And the Members Appear to be in the
Same Condition.
sLoWwoRK ON APPROPRIATIONS.
Pension BILLS About the Only Ones Max.
Ing Progress-Debate In the Senate
on Indian CIaims-Some
ofThem From Texas.
GENERAL WASHINGTON REPORTS
NLVIII. Congress.
SENATE.

NLNiii. CongreHs.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. l4.-Mr. MITCH
ELL presented memorial of the legis-
lature of Pennsylvania, urging reim-
bursement by the United States to the
state of Pennsylvania of all sums ex.
pended in defense of the United States,
Referred.
Mr.. HALE, from the committee on
appropriations, reported the agrioultu.
raj appropriation bill with amendments.
lie said the senate committee docket
was now clear, this being the last bin
sent over by the house. The bill was
placed on the calendar.
Tho bill to quiet titles to the Des
Moines river lands, beiug settled, was
tnen placed before the senate, and
Mr.. LAPHAM continued his speech
against it.
AT ! O'clock tho matter went over till
Monday, Lapham still having the floor.
The Indian appropriation bill was
then taken up. a number of the senate
committees amendments having been
agreed to, some discussion arose as to
the proposed amendment of the com
mlttee which would strike out the
clauses OF the house bill involving gen
oral legislation. The special clause on
which the point was raised, was one au-
thorizing the secretary of the interior,
with consent of the Indians, To extend
the time OF payment for lands forming
part OF the Omaha reservation author
lied by the act OF August, 1882, to be
sold.
MIR. MANDERSON said although the
clause may be legislation, IL wns just,
al IS nj N =.
Mr.. PLUM l} said II tho hou % items
were to be carefully examined why
should not the senate items also, even
II tho examination of all made an extra
session necessary, and the committee
could not undertake TO risk that, even
II the senate rule was not What IL was.
Mr.. DAWES was opposed 10 ali legis.
latlve propositions ON appropriation
bills.
Mr.. VANWICK said session after ses-
sion were denying justice to our citi-
zens, because of tho rule of the senate.
10 would he little more sensible to
fix our rules so some Legislation could
he had.
Considerable discussion ensued in
which the provisions for tho payment
OF claims for Indian depredations
formed leading feature. There was
diversity of opinion as to whether the
payment Ofthese claims should be made
out OF moneys held for the support of
Indians resulting from the sale of In
dian lands, or out of the general treas
ury,
Mr.. DAWES said there were 81 ,OOo 600
or SS,0l0,0O0 of those claims lying in the
interior department. Tho claimants
were apparently convinced OF the JUS.
lice OF the claims aud 1t was a Iepr0ach
to tho government that they had not
been taken up and disposed of. An
end should be made of them, but 1t
should be n just end. III the Indian
fund was not enough TO pay the claims,
we should settle the question when they
should be paid from the general treas
ury, but in hIs (Mr. DawesD opinion we
should not pick out n few of those
claims and put them in appropriation
bills mOroly because the owners ofthose
lmms had strOlg friends who were
willing to urge them.
Nh. COKE described the sufTerlngs
caused by the depredahons and
the hardships imposed upon
white settlers who were not
permitted to follow Indians and recover
stolen property, because the robbers
were the wards of the nation. At one
time 10000 horses and mules were
keeping of Indians. The claims had
been Investigated and proven twenty
years ago. They were still unpaid.
Mr.. Coke regarded this as great in
justice.
MIR, MAXEY believed we should not
postpone the claims that were before
the United States because other claims
were not presented.
Mr.. COCKRELL was in favor of max
ing all these claims charge ON the
Indian fund. The Indians should be
made TO pay every dollar of damages
resulting from depredations.
Az the close of the discussion.
Mr.. DAWES succeeded in getting the
senate to agree to the committee amend
ments shutting out the legislative item
ton then proceeded and on reaching the
clause providing for the Assiniboine's.
Mr.. VEST moved to increase their
appropriation from $4,000 to S5O,OOO.
He drew the most pathetic picture of
his personal observations of the suffer.
ings of that tribe, when Indians were
dying by hundreds of absolute starva-
ton, Mr.. Vest had personally appealed
to Commissioner Price, of the Indian
bureau, for rations, but that gentleman
could only reply that he had "no
iunds," Soldiers of the United States,
to their honor II should be said, had
saved many lives among those starving
people by voluntarily giving up their
own rRtions.
Without action, on Mr.. Vests mo-
ton the senate went into executive ses-
sion and soon adjourned.
HOUSE.
When the house met this morning, In
continuation of Ffiday's session,
Mr.. WILLIS moved that the house GO
into committee of the whole on the
river and harbor bill, and that all de.
bate be limited TO an hour and a half.
On motion OF Mr.. HOLMAN, a session
was ordered for tonight for consldera.
ton of the Legislative appropriation bill. 4
The regular order having been dc
The SPEAKER announced the regu.
Jar order To be consideration of pension
nills coming over from last nights ses-
Mr.. WILLIS said IL was clearly tho
Intention of the house YESTERDAY To do.
vote this mornings session 10 consldera.
tionof the river and harbor bill and
asked unanimous consent that the
regular order be dispensed with. hut
Mr.. REED objected.
The first bill coming over was ono
granting a pension OF 5000 per wear 10
the widow OF Gen. George II. Thomas
and AFTER debate II passed-yeas, i43;
nays, h2.
Mr.. WILLIS renewed his motion.
Mr.. REED made the point that the
postoiiice appropriation bill must be-
ss. eonsider q, the previous question hsv
Mr.. KELLY then made the point of