Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-23
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
WHAT CONGRESS- Is DOING.
APPROPRIATION BILLS TO THE
FRONT.
The Senate.

The Senate.
The chair laid before the Senate the creden-
t1als of James X. Jones, Senator-elect from Ar
Kansas. They were read and filed.
Mr. ingalls,, from the committee on Indian af-
fairs, reported q bill to refer to the Court of
Claims the claims Of the eastern and western
bands of Cherokee Indians. 1t was placed on
the calendar
A resolution offered by Mr. Dawes was agreed
10, authorizing the committee on Indian affairs
10 continue during the of Congress the in
vest1gatlon regarding leases on Indian lands,
etc.
Another resolution, offered by Mr.. Dawes,
was agreed to- calling on the Secretary of the
interior to furnish information relating to the
progress of Indian education.
GEN. GRANrAND THE GRAND ARMY.
ME- Miller (Cal) presented petition sent by
telegraph from the annual encampment of the
Grand Army of the Republic now in session in
San Francisco, Cal, praying the immediate pas
sage by Congress of bill to place Gen. Grant on
the retired list. The petition was, under the
rule, laid on the table, the Senate having al
ready on its part passed a bill to carry out the
purposes prayed for by the petition.
THE DIES MONIES SETTLERS TITLES BILL
was then placed before the Senate, and Mr..
Lapham resumed his remarks in support of his
proposed amendment, exempting from the
operation of the act such of the lands as were
covered by the joint resolution of March I'd,
1861, and whose titles the Supreme Court had
decided to have been rendered valid by that
joint resolution.
IHE BILL PASSED.
The amendment was defeated-yeas H. nays
20. The bill was then passed-yeas 81, nays "a.
BY the bill all the lands Improperly certified
to Iowa by the Department of the Interior under
the act of August Sth, 1S46, for which indem.
nifty lands We're selected and received by the
state of Iowa. are declared to be public lands of
the United States. The bill also confirms and
validates the claims of all persons who, with
intent in good faith to obtain under the pre-
emption or homestead laws. entered or re-
rf Of fllp Ian n v1yin f<, Tor
uary, 1880, not exceeding one hundred and
sixty acres, and provides that upon due proof
thereof and payment of the usual price or fees
(where not already paidJ patent shall issue It
also confirms and validates the titles of oil bona
flde claimants under color of title from the state
of Iowa and its grantees, or the United States
and its grantees, which do not come in conflict
with persons who. with intent in good faith to
laws of the United States, settled upon the lands
prior to January. 1880.
AS it Is a Senate bill, it will now go to the
House OF Representatives.
THE p. o. APPROPRIATION BILL.
On motion of Mr.. Plumb, consideration Of the
post office appropriation bill was then resumed
Some debate arose on the committees pro-
posed amendment striking out the House pro-
Vision that would require the Secretary of the
parties for the manufacture of postage stamps,
stamped envelopes and postal cards.
On the question coming to Il vote the provision
was struck out, as recommended by the Senate
committee-yeas 80, nays 20. The only demo
crt voting in the affirmative was Mr. Beck; the
only republican in the negative Mr. Sherman
The Senate also agreed to the committee's
amendments, striking cut the provisions for an
extra ten,cent postage rate on letters intended
Tor special expedition in delivery.
House Of Representatives.
Mr.. Randall Pa.), chairman of the committees
on appropriations, reported the sundry civil an:
preparation bill, and it referred to the coris
mittee OF the whole, Mr.. Bland (Nlo) reserving
all points of order.
Mr.. Lefevre (Ohio) offered resolution recitfng
that Germany is discriminating against the Inn
pOftallon OF American products, and inStructing
tie committee on foreign affairs TO inquire into
and report whether the interests 6f the United
States do not require the adoption Of like dis
elimination on articles imported from the Ger
man empire. Referred.
The House then proceeded to the considera-
tl9n M o1 n,l business under da the special rule
ing $50, 900 for the improvement of Washing
tons headquarters at Morristown, n. j., but It
On motion of Mr.. Blount (Ga.) Senate bill
was passed for the erection of a public building
al IN Macon Ga. at an ultimate cost of S125, 900.
passed appropriating 500, 600 for the enlarge
ment 6,, OF li the custom m house at RICHMOND, Va.
amendment was concurred in to H6use BIZ o15e for.
teIting the Texas Pacific land grant.
on motion of Mr. Hopkins Pal Senate
amendments were cOncurred in to House bin
prohibiting the importation of contract Ia Dor.
The states were called for the introduction of
DlliS Dut very lew were presented. the most i'm.
portant of these being one introduced by Mr..
Perkins (has) to open up the Oklahoma lands
to homestead settlement.
On motion OF Mr.. Randall (Pa) the considera-
clon OF business pertaining to the District of Co
lulnbia was postponed until to-nights session.
TIE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
Mr.. Randall then moved that the House 20
into committee for the further consideration of
the naval appropriation bill, and though OBJ
posed by the supporters of the river and harbor
bill, the motion was carred-yeas, 1876; nays,
12o-and at LOO the House went into commit,
teee, as Indicated, CMr. Wellborn, of Texas, in
Mr.. Long CMass) concluded his speech in sup
port of the proposition to increase the navy.
fact that all political parties were united in the
policy OF the rehabilitation of the American
navy, which he hoped would be the beginning
of the re-estabishment of our greatness on the
seas.
The District in Congress-.
THE HOUSE To DEVOTE TWO HOURS TO DIS
TRICT BUSINESS THIS EVENING.
An arrangement was made between Mr. Bar
bour and Mr.. Randall on the floor of the House
to-day by which, with the unanimous consent
of the House, to-day was given to the consider
alton of appropriation bills, and there will be q
session from eight to ten tonight for the con-
first made motion to dispense with the Dis
trict day altogether which was opposed bv
Mr.. Barbour who said that during this session
the District committee had taken only one day
per month instead of the two to which they
were entitled. MIR. Willis (Ky.) then suggested
might session for District business as D com
promise, and Mr.. Barbour and Mr.. Randall
agreed to that. Mr.. White tKy) objected when
unanimous consent was asked for the arrange
ment, but afterwards withdrew his objection
when he understood that it was the District Of
Columbia and not the river and harbor COM
mittee that was to have the time.
The House District committee expect to call
up for consideration tonight the bin to enable
the Commissioners to enforce the collection or
taxes the free bridge bill, several private bills
and all the Senate amendments to bills passed
by the House.
THE CITY POST OFFICE SITE BILL
Mr. Stockslager had the bill passed by the
Senate for the purchase Of the square west OF
the Post Office department for site for the pro
posed new city post office referred to the House
public buildings committee this morning. The
committee will meet tomorrow to consider it.
Capitol Topics.
THE SILVER COINAGE CLAUSE OF THE SUNDRY
CIVIL BILL.
The House committee on APPROPRIATIONS
agreed Saturday afternoon by vote of eight to
seven to insert in the sundry civil bill the
Scott-Barnum clause, giving the President au-
thority to suspend TIE coinage Of silver for one
year from the 1st of July next. At meeting
yesterday they completed the bill, and decided
to ask iOr its passage under a SUSPENSION of the
rules, omitting the silver coinage clause, which
will be considered in the committee of the
whole in the usual way. This is to guard
against the bills being carried over the 4th of
March by the silver clause.
NEW RATES OF NEWSPAPER POSTAGE.
The Senate voted Saturday to fix the postage
on all newspapers sent from the office Of publi-
cation, whether sample copies or otherwise, at
oiie cen' u poe.N.