The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-01-22
PROCEEDINGS or CONGRESS.

lNChbDlDtN VI WN6kENS.
Senators Wilson aud u. .cnoil introduced bills
% increase the pensions of widows or minor
children of deceased soldiers and sailors Of
The United States in the late war, from 50 to
ll2 per month. The bill of Senator Mitchell
also provides that the fact that soldier or sail
Or was regularly mustered into tho service shall
be prime facie evidence Of his soundness at
that time
sENArE-The bill to repeal tho pre- emption,
desert lands and timber culture laws, and to
amend tho homestead law, passed the senate.
The first section provides for the repeal of the
presumption law, this repeal, however, not to
Affect the rights Of any person which are
33ccr9ing on the passage of the act
IL further provides that any per-
benefit Of sho pree os o iaw and md who tho
has failed from any cause to perfect the title
on land heretofore entered by him under the
homestead laws, may make second home
stead entry in lieu Of the pref mption privi-
lege which is repealed Section Q repeats
it shall not interfere with existing rights.
Second amends tho revised statutes so
that persons who have availed themselves Of
the homestead laws may pay minimum
price for lands, after eighteen months from
date OF entry. provided they file prelimi-
nary notice six months before: Section 4
claims which exist at the date Of tho passage
OF the act. Section provides that no public
lands except abandoned military or other res
crvations, mineral lands and other lands, the
sale Of which has been authorized by . special
act of congress-, shall be sold at public auc-
ton, CT by special or private entry; all offered
public lands are Withdrawn fro - market, and
shall be disposed Of as unoffered public lands
Mr.. Edmunds introduced bill authorizing
the president to appoint ard place On the re-
tired list OF the army one person from among
those who had been generals commanding the
armies OF the United States, or a general-in-
chief of said army. Mr.. Edmunds expressed
the hope that unanimous consent would be
given for immediace consideration of tho bill
1t would authorize the president to appoint
Gen: Grant to the retired list In its form it
obviated the difficulty observed in the fitz
John Porter case.
HousE.-The following bills passed: Great
ing United States judicial district in South
ern California; limiting the time for presenta-
ton of bounty and back pay claims to three
years from the passage Of this act, and all 9TH
er claims except pensions to six years,
and providing claims hereafter arising must
be presented within six years from the
time they originated; authorizing the ser
by territorial courts within military and Indian
reservations and the Yellowstone Park; amend
ing session 1859, revised statutes, 80 as to pro-
hibit territorial Legislatures from granting pri-
vate charters; regulating appeals from the su-
preme court Of the District Of Columbia and su-
preme courts Of territories. It provides that
no appeal or writ of error shall hereafter be al
lowed from any Judgment or decree in any suit
at law or in equity in the supreme cou OF the
District of Columbia or in the supreme court
in any of the territories of the United States,
unless the matterin dispute, exclusive of costs,
exceed 5000; to extend the laws of the United
States over certain unorganzed territory south
OF the State OF Kansas; repeating SO much Of
section l2lS, revised statutes, as prohibits the
promotion to the position of commissioned or
commissioned officers in the regular army
of any private soldier who has served two years
since September, 1865: to regulate the effect
of judgments and DEGREES of United States
courts in any state by providing they shall take
effect by way Of lien or otherwise to the same
extent and in like manner as judgments and
DEGREES Of courts in such state. A number OF
minor bills were passed, and the house adj
lourned in respect to the memory Of Hon
Schuyler Colfax
SENArE.-The senate with only nine dissent
ing votes, passed the bill presented by Senator
Edmunds, providing for the placing of Gen.
Grant ON the retired list Of tho army, with tho
rank held by him when elected president of the
United States. Senators Maxey of Texas, Jones
ana Gibson OF Louisiana, Georg Of Mis-
sissippi, and Jones of Florida spoke briefly
in favor OF tho bill, and paid neat trib-
utes to the character and public ser.
wees wees of Cen Grant. The remarks Of
states that have actively participated in the
rrehell'on, made very favorable impression.
Senator Voorhees, also made an earnest and
feeling speech i'll favor of the bill. The bill
was sent to the house during the afternoon
and laid upon the speakers table. It viii b
necessary to obtain UNANIMOUS consent to take
II up Tor consideration in advance of the meas
urcs which procede it on the table, and. az
there ls believed to be some opposition to tic
bill, it is not likely to obtain such consent.
Ihe bill passed the senate-yeas 40, nays g.
The nays were Messrs. Beck, Cockrell. Coke,
Harris, Pendleton, Salisbury, Slater, Vance.
and Walker
The bill repeating the pre- empton and des-
ert land acts etc ,favorably reported to the SEN
ate,ls the house bill amended by the senate COM
mIttee: 1t awaits action by the senate, and, if
passed, goes back to the house. The statement
that 1t passed was a mistake. 1t was only re-
lands
The naval appropriation bill passed The
lntcrsta o commerce bill was debated Eulo-
gies upon the late Hon. Schuyler Colfax were
spoken, and the senate adjourned in respect to
his memory.
HoUsE-Mr. Randall sent to the clerks
desk and had read letter received from the
secretary Of state informing the house that one
of the certificates of the electoral vote of Ore
gon and one of the certificates Of the electoral
vote of Iowa, not having been received by the
president pro tenn of the senate, it became in
cumbent Oh him to send special messenger to
each OF these states, as required by law. The
secretary requests that an appropriation be
made to pay the expenses and Conversations
OF these messengers.
The speaker laid before the house message
from the president on the same subject The
missing certificates are the duplicates required
to be sent by mail. Their non-receipt will not
AFFECT the counting of the electoral VOTE as GER
tlhcates have already been received from Or
egon and Iowa by messenger, but the law un-
der which tho secretary of state has acted il
mandatory
Both houses passed bill making an appro-
prlatlon for the payment of messengers to be
sent for the electoral votes of Iowa and Oregon,
those which the law requires to be sent bv mail
not having been received
bill was introduced to refund the bounded
debt Of the United States at ~ per cent inter-
est and for other purposes The senate
French spoliation claim bill passed, as did also
tue Cnluesc indemnify fund Dill
sENA1k-Mr: Miller (Cal) introduced bill
to increase the pension of the widow Of Gen.
II. Thomas, $500, to 81, GOO a year, the same a.
the pension already granted the widow of Ad-
miral Tarragut Referred
In executive session the following nomina-
tons wera sent in by the President: William
A. Richardson, judge Of the court of claims
to be chief justice of the court of claims; John
Davies, District of Columbia, to be judge OF
tho court of claims. Mr.. Davies is present
assistant secretary Of state. Richardson takes
tho place Of Chief Justice Drake, retired.
Confrmations-A W. Hall, collector OF GUS
toms, Milwaukee. Postmaster; J. J. Cutter,
Parker, Oak.
Senator Morgan made speech in'executive
session in favor of tho Nicaraguan treaty
There were no other speeches. An amend
ment was offered by Sherman looking to nego-
tiations with Great Britain for the abrogation
or amendment of the Clayton Bulwer treaty
before the Nicara guam treaty shall take effect
HousE-The house proceeded to consider tho
Mcpherson bill, providing for the issue of
circulating notes to national banks to the par
value of bonds deposited by tho banks with
the treasurer of the United States for security.
An earnest discussion of three hours followed,
the principal opponents to the measure being
Potter and Hewitt of New York and Yaple OF
Michigan.