Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-24
KLTIIITH CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON, February %, 1885.
S<nate

~<tdtts
The Des Moines river-land-titles bill
was taken up, Mr.. Lapham's speech
was concluded, and the bill passed
yeas 81, nays "a. II restores to the
public domain lands improperly certi-
fed by the Interior Department to the
State Of Iowa.
The consideration Of the post-office
appropriation bill was then resumed.
On the recommendation Of the Senate
committee the House provision re-
quiring the Secretary Of the Treasury
to bid in competition with private par
ties for the manufacture Of postage
stamps, &C., and the House provision
for an extra ten-cent rate on letters in
tended for special expedition in delivery,
were stricken out.
Mr.. Maxey, by direction of the Com
mittee on Post-0fiices and Post-Roads,
offered an amendment to extend in favor
Of third-class post-ofiices the privilege
given the Postmaster-General to lease
suitable premises for the accommoda-
ton Of first and second-class offices.
Voted down on point Of order.
Mr.. Frye offered an amendment APP
propriating 100000 for the transport
tation of foreign mails, including
transit across the Isthmus Of Panama,
and authorizing the Postmaster-General
to contract with the lowest responsible
bidder for the carriage Of such mails
at not to exceed fifty cents nautical
mile on the trip each way actually
travelled between the terminal points,
but providing that such mails shall be
carried on American steamships, and
the aggregate Of such contracts shall
not exceed one half the sum appropri-
ated by the amendment.
Mr.. Bayard made a point of order
that Mr.. Frye's amendment was general
legislation.
After a long discussion, in which
Messrs. Bayard, Beck, and Vest OPP
posed this amendment, and Messrs.
Frye, Call, and Plumb supported it, it
was held to be in order, and was then
agreed to-yeas, 30; nays, Is. A
number of other amendments were
voted down on the point Of order that
they embodied general legislation.
On motion of Mr.. Brown the Senate
retained the House provision permitting
newspaper articles to be marked with
out increase of postage. The bill was
then read third time and passed with
out division. Ii now goes to the House
for concurrence or non-concurreDcc in
the Senate amendments.
Mr.. Mitchell said he would to-mor-
row call up private pension bills on
the Senate calendar.
The Senate then went into executive
session, and when the doors were re-
opened adjourned.
House of Representatives.
Mr.. Randall, chairman of the Com
mittee on Appropriations, reported the
sundry civil appropriation bill, and it
was referred TO the Committee Of the
Whole, Mr.. Bland, of Missouri, re-
serving all points of order.
On motion of Mr.. Blount, of GeOr-
gia, Senate bill was passed for the cree
ton of public building at Macon, Ga,
at an ultimate cost of 5000.
On motion of Mr.. G.. ID. Wise, of
Virginia, Senate bill was passed appro-
priating 100000 for the enlargement
of the custom-house at Richmond, Va.
Senate amendments were concurred
in to House bill fOrfeiting the Texas
Pacific land-grant.
Senate amendments were cOncurred
in to House bill prohibiting the impor-
tation Of contract labor.
On motion OfMr. Randall, the House
then went into Committee of the Whole
on the naval appropriation bill, and Mr..
Long concluded his speech in support
of the proposition to increase the navy.
General discussion of the second sec
ton of the bill then took place, and was
participated in by Messrs. Dorsheimer,
Hewitt, Cannon, Holman, Townshend,
Hiscock, Reed. Thomas, Keifer, Curtin,
McAdOo, Eaton, Kelley, and Ellis.
Mr.. Thomas, of Illinois, then raised
a point of order against this section
that it changed the existing law and
was not in the interest of economy.
The Chair sustained this point OF
order. and the section was stricken from
the bill.
Mr.. Talbot, Of Maryland, offered an
amendment appropriating sl,7SO,OOO
for the completion of a steel-cruiser of
not less than 5000 nor more than 5000
tons displacement and the armament
therefor, as authorized by act Of Con-
gress approved August >, 1882.
Adopted.
On motion OF Mr.. Randall the amend
ment was amended by adding a proviso
that the Secretary of the Navy shall
approve of the construction of said
vessel.
Mr.. Thomas offered an amendment
'appropriating $2,204,0 900 for the COM
ple,ion of the Puritan. Terror, Monad-
mock. Au,phitrite, and Miantonomah,
provided their completion shall be
recommended by the Secretary OF the
Navy. Lost-yeaS. Ga; nays, 90.
On motion of Mr.. Boutelle an amend
ment was adopted providing for the re-
turn of the Alert with the thanks Of
this Government TO the Government OF
Great Britain; for the transfer Of the
Bear to the Treasury Department to be
used as a revcnue-cutter in Alaskan
waters and for the use of the Thetis in
the navy as a Surveying vessel.
The committee then rose and report
ed the bill to the House. The action
of the committee in adopting the Tai
bolt amendment was ratified by the
Houst-yeas. Ill; nays, 80.
The bill was passed, and at 6:30 L.
NJ. the House took recess until .
O'Clock, The evening session to be for
the consideration Of business relating to
the District Of Columbia.
Snddsn Death os AN ex.Officisi.
lBy telegraph to the Dlspatch.l
WASHINGTON, February 23.-Gen-
eral Horace Capron, ex-Cemmissionei
of Agriculture. died last night, after