Morning journal and courier., 1885-01-29

WASHINGTON, January %, 1885.


SENATE-Several messages from the Presi-
dent were laid before the Senate transmitting
| information heretofore called for regarding
| the landing of foreign cables in the United
| States, the awards of the Venezuelan mixed
| commission and the status of the Oklahoma
| lands, which lands the President maintains
cannot, under existing treaties, be opened
| for settlement by law without the transaction
of other business.
The Senate at 12:30p m. went into exeou-
| tive session.
1t remained in executive session from 1890
| until 7:35 p. m. on the Nicaragua treaty. A
number of speeches pro and con were made
and finally Mr.. Vance moved to postpone
further consideration until March 4. This
motion was supported by Mr.. Bayard in an
earnest speech in which he reiterated his re-
marks of previous occasion to the effect
that the ratification of the treaty at this time
would tend to embarrass the coming
administration. After several other senators
had spoken in favor of the motion to
suspend, at $50 Mr.. Morgan, of Alabama,
took the floor in opposition. He was follow
ed by Mr.. Conger, who thought the treaty
should be ratified forthwith. At motion
to adjourn was debated. At 7:30 vote was
taken the motion to postpone and large
majority voted in opposition, but there was
not quorum present and a call of the SEN
ate was ordered. Pending this another mo-
tion to adjourn was made, and at 1885 the
doors were reopened and the Senate adj ourn-
ed, leaving the treaty in the position it was
in before the session began
HoUsE-Mr Clay, of Kentucky, offered to
the House a concurrent resolution for the as
sembling of the two houses of Congress on
the 18th of February for the purpose of
counting the electoral vote; went over on OBJ
lection to present consideration by Mr.. Reed,
of Maine.
Pxyr cnT,fo oha1 of
were introduced, including the Senate bill to
admit Dakota State.
A report on the recent small fire in the
Capitol endangering the records, showed it
to be merely accidental. The purchase of
hand grenades to fight such fires was Or
dered.
Mr. Page, of Ohio, offered resolution re-
citing that J. S. Robinson, from the Ninth
Ohio district, was elected and is now serving
as Secretary of State of Ohio, while his name
is still on the roll of House membership, and
directing the Committee on Elections to IN
guire into his status a member of the
House; adopted.
MI Slocum of New York, from the Militia
ry Affairs committee, reported resolution
requesting the President to send to the House
a copy of the recent appeal of Fitz John Por-
ter, with the accompanying papers.
Mr.. Steele, of Indiana. moved to lay on
the table; lost, SO to 118.
A second reading was asked by several
members, but Mr.. Townsend, of Illinois, OBJ
jected, whereupon the opposition demanded
the yeas and mays on Mr.. Slocum's demand
for the previous question. The previous
question was ordered, yeas ITO, nays II, and
the resolution was then agreed to.
Mr. Holman, of Indiana, from the COM
mittee of conference on the naval appropria-
ton (six months bilD submitted a report.
Mr.. Ellis, of Louisiana, took occasion to
protest against the enormous expenses for
the repair of old wooden ships. He said
that in the last sixteen years there had been
$3.50, 900, 900 spent in these useless repairs
One ship which had originally cost $4,000,
900 had been repaired to the extent of Sc, 200
900. He hoped this would be the last time
the House would assent to these repairs of
useless vessels.
Mr. Holman explained that much charged
to repairs had been spent in rebuilding YES
sells when but the name had remained on the
old vessels. He thought reasonable repairs
might be made on the old vessels until they
could be replaced by iron and steel vessels.
The report was adopted.
Mr.. Cox, of North Carolina, presented the |
credentials of James w. Reed, elected to fill |
the vacancy in the Fifth North Carolina dis |
trict caused by the resignation of Mr. Scales, |
who was elected Governor of the State, and |
Mr.. Reed was sworn in.
Mr. Hewitt of New York moved to go in |
to Committee of the Whole to consider the |
Dill to carry into effect the Mexican treaty. |
This was opposed bv nearly all the special |
library bill, Mexican pensions,
public buildings, American shipping etc.
md the yeas and nays were ordered on the |
Mr.. Hewitts motion was lost; yeas |
30, nays 155.
After some skirmishing between the |
friends of special orders Mr.. Henley, of Cali
:ornia moved to go to the House calendar |
With a view to consider the land grant for
,eitnre bills: agreed to, yeas 139, nays 105.
A bill to forfeit the lands granted the Mar
1uette and Onlagon railroad in Michigan was
he first bill on the calendar. Mr.. Healey |
lesired to pass this over. The yeas and
lays were ordered on the question of its
consideration; lost, SO to 1862.
A like effort was made on bill declaring
he forfeiture of certain lands granted to the
State of Michigan. The House refused to
onsider the BILL yeas 80, nays 161.
Mr.. Willis, of Kentucky, reported back as
privileged report the river and harbor bill,
ut without taking up this or any other
he House at $40 p. m. adjourned.