The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-01-16
SUMMARY OF CONGRESS-
Selnafc.

At the opening of the Senate after the
holiday recess the chair laid before the Sen
ate the credentials of Justin S. Morrill, re-
elected Senator from Vermont for the six
years beginning March q, 1885 Among pc
litions presented was one by Mr.. Sherman
from the Society of Friends praying that pro
vision may be made i'll the pending Spanish
treaty for the settlement, by arbitration, of
any differences that may arise between Spain
and the United States. 1t was referred
to the committee on foreign relations
Mr.. Voorhees, introduced a concurrent reso-
luton extending the thanks of Congress to
Commodore Schey Lieutenant Emory and
all the officers and men OF the ships Alert,
Bear. Thetis and Loeb Garry for the daring
and skill displayed by them in the rescue of
the survivors of the Greedy Arctic expedition,
which was referred to the committee on naval
affairs. Messrs. Wilson and Sewell adj
dressed the Senate on the interstate COM
merce bill.
Nearly the whole day session of the Senate
was taken up in discussion of the Oregon
Central land grant forfeiture bill which was
finally passed. The bill applies to such
portions only of the lands as lie adjacent
TO and coterminous with the uncompeted
portions of the line After declaring
such lands forfeited it provides that persons
already actually settled thereon shall have a
preference right of entry thereto under the
Homestead laws-such entry to be considered
as of the date of actual settlement. When it
came from Une House Une OIL ucCiuTeu All Jue
lands granted to the company forfeited. ...
Mr.. Hawley introduced a bill to establish an
international copyright system.
The Senate passed the House joint resolu-
ton approprlating $4,000 to relieve the
wants of destitute Indians in Montana. -. A
resolution introduced by Mr.. Sewpll author
ICES the secretary of war to pay $25, 900 to the
Washington association of New Jersey for the
purpose of improving Washingtons head
quarters at Morristown, n. j., and for the
purchase of ground in which to place the re-
mains of Continental soldiers, and to erect
monument over the spot
Mr.. Allison introduced bill relating to the
fees of pension claim agents and attorneys.
He said that it had been charged that under
the legislation of last year claim agents were
expressing pension agents, and that the Sen
ate was responsible for it. The fact was that
the legislation of last year came from the
House on the regular pension bill.
Mr.. Hawley offered a resolution ask
ing the President to send to the
Senate an historical statement concerning
the public policy. of the executive depart
ment of the Confederate States during the
late war, which was reported to have been
recently filed in the war department by
General Sherman =. Mr.. Lapnam made an
argument in favor of the negotiation of com
mercial treaties. taking the ground that they
were constitutional In executive session
the Senators discussed for more than two
hours Mr.. Conger's resolution to make public
the text of the Nlcaraguan treaty. The resO-
luton was lost 10y II yeas to ~ nays.
The interstate commerce bill was con-
sidered. Mr.. Wilson's amendment making it
unlawful for railroads to discriminate against
localities or individuals was added to the
bill. a motion to recommit the ILL was de-
feated, IS to "a Mr.. Slater called up the
Oregon Central land forfeiture bill, which has
been in allegiance subject to Mr.. Morgan's
motion to reconsider and Mr.. Morgan then
withdrew his motion to reconsider The bill
therefore stands passed as amended by the
Senate, and now goes to the House of Repre-
sentativeS