The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-12


three times and passed, reappointing a,
members of the Board Of Regents OF tn
Smithsonian Institute, John Mclean. y
New Jersey; Asa Gray, Of Massachusetts
and Henry Copper, OF Pennsylvania, and
also appointing on the same board, Gen
eral Meiggs, OF Washington. IN place OF Gen
eral Sherman. rendered ineligible by movin.
away from Washington.
Dolph introduced a bill to repeal that o
the last session providing for the settlement
OF the claims OF officers and enlisted mer
of the army for the loss of private property
destroyed in the military service of thu
United States. This is the law to which the
President calls attention in his message as
indefinite In it's terms and of which he says
''If it is to remain on the statute books
it's needs amendment" In moving
the reference OF the bill to the
Committee on Military Affairs Dolph
cited the Presidents comments and
had the Clerk read from the report of the
Secretary OF War the statements of that
officer with regard to the law in question and
to the difficulty expressed in it's interpreter
tion. From these statements it appeared
that one OF the claims presented was for
indemnity for the loss OF the clothing of a
family of six; another for household furni-
ture destroyed in the great fire in Chicago,
watches. Mr.. Dolph said hesaw no reason
why the Government should act as an
insuree of the property of officers aud
soldiers in it's army any more than the
property uf many more of its servants and
agents. He objected to the law, also upon
the ground that it established no limit to
the amount of property that should be
paid for, and that it did not sufficiently
define the character OF the articles that
were to be covered by it's provisions.
Cockrell saw no reason for any difficulty
in the Interpretation of the law.
Logan was opposed to the Government
becoming an insurer, but the act COM
planned of admitted OF no doubt as to the
Interpretation.
The bill was referred to the Committe on
Military Affairs.
BY Mr.. George-To establish agricultural
experiment stations in connection with
the agricultural colleges in the several
States.
By Mr.. Plumb-To open to homestead
settlement certain portions of the Indian
Territory. This is the Oklohoma bill of
the last Congress.
The Senate went into executive session
and when the doors reopened it adjourned
until Monday next.
WASHINGTON, December After the tran
saction of some routine business, the fol-
lowing bills were introduced and referred:
By Sewell-To amend section 1861 of the
Revised Statutes, making an annual ap-
preparation to provide arms and ammuni-
ton for the militia; also to authorize
Colonel Getty, retired, to be placed on the
retired list with the rank and pay of a
Brigadier-General.
By MFR. Cullom-To reimburse several
States for the interest paid On war loans.
BY Mr.. Jones, OF Arkansas-To provide
for the deposit in the Treasury
of the receipts of the money
order system, and for the
payment OF its expenses out of
appropriations; also to secure cheaper TEL
egraphic correspondence.
By Mr.. Wilson-To prohibit the mailing
of newspapers containing lottery advertise
ments, and prescribing penalty for a vio
lation of the same. 1t provides that it
shall be unlawful to carry by mail or de-
posit in any receptacle for mail matter any
newspaper or other publication containing
any advertisement of a lottery, and pro-
vides penalty OF 5000 for each violation
of the act.
BY Mr.. Plumb--To forfeit the unearned
lands granted to the Atlantic and
Pacific Railway Company to aid in
the construction of railroad and
telegraph. line through the States OF
Missouri and Arkansas to the Pacific States
and to restore the same to the settlement;
also to provide for contesting surveys of
private land grants.
By Mr.. VanWyck. To tax unpatented
lands owned by railroad companies also
for the relief of settlers and purchasers OF
the public domain in Nebraska and Kansas.
The following joint resolutions were intro
duced:
BY Mr.. Blair-proposing an amendment
to the constitution OF the United States.
extending the right Of suffrage to women;
referred. Also, proposing an amendment
to the constitution in relation to alco-
holic liquors and other poisonous bever
ages. This, at Mr.. Blair's request, was
laid on the table for the present.
KEILLY's CASE.
The following resolution, offered by MIR.
Vest, was agreed to: "That the President
be requested, if not incompatible, with the
public interest, to transmit to the Senate
the correspondence had by the Government
of the United States with the Governments
Of Italy and Austria Hungary in relation
to the appointment by this Government OF
A. NJ. Kelly as Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary, first to the Gov
ernment of Italy and then to that OF Aus
tria- Hungary, and also any other cores
pondence or information which may be
deemed by the President OF Importance
and pertinent to the subject matter OF
this resolution
The resolution offered by Mr.. Morrill,
was agreed to requesting the Presi-
dent, if not incompatible with the public
interest, to transmit to the Senate any in
formation or documents received from our
Consul-General at Paris or from our special
agent sent to the financial centers OF Eu-
rope in respect to the establishment OF
such an international ratio OF gold and
silver coinage as would permit of the coin
age of both metals at the mints OF those
countries and our own.
A resolution offered by Wilson, OF Iowa,
was, at his own request, laid on the table
for the President and ordered printed,
calling on the Secretary Of the Interior for
a copy of each report made by the Govern
ment Directors OF the Union Pacific Rail-
road Company from the date OF the first
appointment of such directors to the pres
ent time.
Senate at lilo p. IN. adjourned.
The Speaker asked and received the per-
~,:e,;o,, of tho H01,so To anpoinf commit