The Portland daily press., 1885-12-10
XLIXth CONGRESS- FIRST SESSION.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON. Dec.

WASHINGTON, Dec. y.
A number of bills were introduced and appro-
priately referred to committees.
The following resolution offered by Mr. Vest
was agreed to:
That the President be requested if not incom-
patlble with the public interest," to transmit to the
Senate the correspondence had by the govern
ment of the United States with the governments
of Italy and Austria Hungary in relation to the
appointment by this government of A. NJ Kelley
as envoy extraordinary and minister penipoten-
tary first to the government OF Italy and then to
that OF Austria Hungary, and also any other cor
respondence or information which may be deemed
by the President of Importance and pertinent to
the subject matter of this resolution.
resolution offered by Mr.. Morrill, was agreed
to, requesting the President, if not incompatible
with the public interest, to transmit to the Senate
any information or documents received from our
consul general at Paris, and from our special
agent sent TO the financial centres of Europe in
respect to the establishment of such an interna-
tional ratio of gold and silver coinage as would
permit of the coinage of both metals at the mints
of those countries and our own.
constitution of the United States, extending the
right OF suffrage to women; also proposing an
amendment to the constitution IN relation to al
coholic liquors and other poisonous beverages
This, at Mr.. Blair's request was laid on the table
for the present.
Mr.. Brown presented the petition of Gen. Alex
ander r. Lawton OF Georgia, praying. to be re
lieyed of political disabilities, eff said Mr.
Brown, there be any political disabilities in his
case" 1t was referred to the committee on jul
dietary.
After the reading and approval of the journal
the Speaker asked and received permission of the
House to appoint the committees on rules, ac-
counts and enrolled bills
Mr.. Morrison Of Illinois, offered a resolution
for reference to the committee on rules, when ap-
pointed, continuing in force the rules of the 45th
Congress with certain notifications among them
being one for the distribution of the work of the
appropriation committee among the other stand
ing committees of the House. (This committee is
still left with jurisdiction over pensions ortifca
tions, District of Columbia legislative and sundry
civil biIls) the well known Rule 81 is proposed to
be amended by striking out the clause which
provides that no such provision in any such bill
general appropr1ati0n) or amendment thereto
changing existing law shall be in order except as
being germane to the subject matter of the bill,
shall retrench expenditures by reduction of the
number and salary of officers of the United
States by the reduction of the compensation of
any person piad out OF the treasury Of the United
States or byreduction of the amount ofmoney COW
cred by the bill. Reference OF the resolution was
ordered.
Mr Springer of Illinois then presented for I'M
mediate action code of rules prepared by him.
Mr.. Hiscock of New York, made the point of
order that until code OF rules was adopted the
House was governed by rules of the preceding Con-
gress and that under those rules the amendment
proposed by Mr.. Springer must be referred to the
committee on rules.
Mr.. Reed of Maine protested against the view
that any dead hand could be laid upon the pre-
sent House, and direct the method OF its proceed
ings and he did not think this conclusion would
permit the House to choose because it would still
be governed by parliamentary law.
After prolonged debate Mr.. HiScOck waived his
point of order to enable Mr.. Springer to take the
floor for brief explanation of the objects sought
to be obtained in his revision OF the rules. The
first of these Objects according to Mr. Springer,
was partial distribution of the labors of the COM
mittee on appropriations. and he argued in sup
port of the view that such distribution would
resnlt in asmore thorough consideration Of and
more speedy action upon the great monied bills
which were brought before Congress, He refnted
the assertion that this distribution would result in
extravaganza in public expenditures, ana regard
ed as asrefeetion upon the representatives OF the
people the idea that there was a favored few or
honored few in their midst who could alone be
trusted. He also proposed the abolition OF a mum
ber of useless committees and pointed out the ad-
yantageS which would result from this concentra-
ton of committee membership by enabling com
mittees to secure quorum for the transaction OF
business which had heretofore been difficult ow-
ing to the effect that every representative was
member of two or more committees Another OBJ
ject sought to be obtained by hisTeyised code was
to facilitate the transaction OF business by permit
ting the passage Oflbills during the morning hour.
Another proposition was that of prohibiting the
Incorporation of general legislation on appropria-
After this detailed explanation of the rules for=
mulated by him Mr.. Springer expressed the hope
that they would be adopted, and the House allow
ed to proceed as legislative body and perform
the high functions committed to it by the people,
instead OF committing them as heretofore to tne
of Mr.. Springer the proposed rules were referred
to the committee on rules, as was also theiamend-
ment offered by Mr.. Reed regulating the method
of calling up bills for action and facilitating that
action; one by Mr.. Beach of New York, providing
that.a eulogies of deceased members shall be
delivered Sunday, and for the, appointment OF
a committee on the constitutional amendment; by
Mr.. Anderson of Kansas denying the privilege OF
the floor to ex-menlbers; by Mr.. Reagan of Texas,
looking to the appointment of committees in sue
ceeding Congresses by the House itself; by Mr..
Mills of Texas, making it in iorder any day after
the reading of the journal to move to suspend the
rules and pass by majority vote any bill red9c, i,s
ing taxation that may have been reported by the
committee on ways and means; and by Mr.. Ding
ley of Maine creating committee on navigation
and fisheries.
resolution by Mr. Hammond was adopted pro-
vding that the House shall be governed by Jefler-
sons manual as modified by the parliamentary
practice of the House of Representatives pend
ing the revisionS of the rules.
The Speaker appointed a committee on rules as
as follows: The Speaker, MeSsrs. Randall, Morrl-
son, Reed and Hiscock.
In order to give the committe time to consider
the various propositions referred to it, the House
at $50 adjourned till Saturday.