Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-03-05
NATIONAL LAWMAKERS.
Brief Summary OF tIne Proceed
lngs OF Congress-.


ate on Feb. o. The bill TO quiet the titles or
settlers on the Des Moines River lands was
passed by a vote of 81 to2i, IL now goes 70 the
the House provision requiring, the secre-
tary OF the Treasury to bid In comIe-
tition with private parties TOT the
and stamped envelopes was stricken ous, az
was also the provision for an extra ten-cent
postage rate on letters NM Frye oered
amendment appropriating $4,000 ior the
transportation OF foreign mails. After a
long discussion, in tho course OF which bitter
attacks were made upon the proposed do
nation" to the Pacific Railroad kings, the
amendment was agreed to by a. vote OF ~
Representatives instructing the Foreign Affairs
Committee to investigate the alleged discrimin-
alton by Germany against American products,
and report whether q like discrimination should
not be adopted by the United States against
articles imported from Germany. The
senate's amendments to the Texas Pacific
anti foreign contract labor bill were
conquered in. Mr. Perkins introduced
settlement The naval appropriation bill was
amended by an item OF 81 ,7S0, 900 for the compile
ton of a steel cruiser. in which shape 1t passed
Mr.. Raudalls scheme for the construction OF a
navy was killed on a point of order, the Chair
man ruling that II was new legislation, and that
It did not retrench expenditure
A MEMORIAL from the Illinois Legislature
urging an early and satisfactory settlement OF
the Oklahoma question was presented In the
Senate on Feb o. Mr.. Dawes said that 1t was
impossible to open the lands to settlement In
the present state OF the title. Mr. Plumb re-
who conid be easily bought out. M Dawes
asked unanimous consent to take up the bill be-
fore introduced by him authorizing the Presi-
dent to negotiate for the purchase OF the OKla-
homa lands from the Indians. Consent was given
and the bill passed Mr.. Cockreil called up the
bill providing for the settlement OF the claims OF
officers and enlisted men OF the army for loss OF
ota m
United States. limitation OF two years Tor the
presentation of such claims was adopted and the
bill passed message WAS received from the
Senate on the agricultural bill, and
the Chair appointed conferrees. The
President sent to the Senate the name OF Oscar
b. Knickerbocker to be Postmaster at Aurora,
Ill Consideration of the river and harbor bill
being resumed in the House OF Representatives,
the decision of the Chairman of the committee
of the whole ruling out the Hennepin Canal
clause on point OF order was sustained by a
vote of 100 yeas co 90 nays, and the paIaglaph
amendments were adopted: Granting
Jurisdiction to the United States
Circuit Court to condemn any real
estate or material needed in any improve
ment authorized by the bill Providing that the
Secretary of War may decline to expend any
portion Of the money appropriated by the Dill
IL in his opinion the 70 which IL Is 10 be put
is injudicious Restricting the appropriations
for the Improvement OF the Mississippi River
below Cairo to the completion OF the works on
Plum Point and Lake Providence reaches,
" eanar' pe~ "a peifdttr
under the direction OF the Secretary of War.
The section creating United States Harbor
Board was stricken out, as was also the section
authorizing the Secretary of War to remove and
rebuild bridges which obstruct navigation. A
bill was passed for the allotment OF lands in
severalty 10 Indians on the Umatilla reservation
and the sale of the surplus acres for their benefit.
Mr.. Buckner called mp the Senate bill authoriz-
ing the Commercial National Bank of Chicago
TO increase its capital stock to $2,000.0O0. Mr..
Weller, of Iowa. in opposing the BILL asked II 1t
be true that the business does not pay, and de-
clared IL the duty OF every patriot TO strike a
death-blow to the Notwithstanding system.
The bill was passed, with only half dozen
DIRECTORS.
Mr.. ALLISON submitted conference re.
port to the Senate, Feb. %, on the army appro-
priation bill. and said that the conferrees had
agreed as to all differences, except those relating
to courts martial in time of peace The House
provision, h said. so amended the ninety-fourth
article of war az to enable courts martial to
control the hours OF their own SEES
ing the Swain court-martial ensued.
Mr.. Hoar said that persons inferior in rank to
the accused were sometimes found in such
courts, and that such persons might have per-
sonal interest in the decision of the court The
tar 6ffuef. 'btt Ia fact AZ %fs f vfRiaft ipf6sss
cutor, who regarded a conviction as a personal
triumph. Mr. ingalls, thought that the pro-
ceedings subsequent 10 the Swain court
martial were disgrace to civilization.
Mr. Sherman said that the great evil con-
nected with courts martial was the Judge Advo-
cate. Mr. Hoar declared that he saw no reason
in time OF peace for the existence of courts
martial. Mr.. ingalls, said that what had been
done in the trial of the Swain case would not
be permitted under Russian tyranny or Turkish
despotism. Gen. Swain, he said, had been
pursued with revengeful malignity ever since
his appo ntment to office. Tbs persecution
was due TO the jealousy of West-Pointers. Mr..
Conger spoke in the same strain. The whole
affair, Mr. Conger averred. mockery of
justice. Mr.. Hawley denied that any such
jealousy existed between volunteer officers and
graduates OF West Point The Senste insisted
upon its amendment striking out the House
provision permitting courts martial to con-
troll their own hours OF session, and
the conference committee was reappointed
A bill was reported In the House of Representa-
tives by the Committee on War Claims making
an appropriation for the payment OF Fourth OF
July claims. The Senate bill was passed with
amendments appropriatinR 100000 to pay GER
tain citizens for supplies furnished the Sioux
and Dakota Indians in Minnesota between 1860
and 1852. Consideration OF the river and harbor
bill was resumed, and continued till late In the
evening
ON the 26th ult.. Mr.. Sherman declared that the
Government rested under no obligation to give
the trade dollar preference over silver bullion.
Since the coinage OF standard silver dollars COM
menced, the market value OF silver bullion had
boarding OF gold would contract the cur
rency so sharply as to shock every ham
let in the country. The best remedy for threat
ened evils would be an international agree
ment to maintain the free coinage of silver at a
fixed ratio. Mr.. Beck said lie would give no
President the power TO strike down silver coin
age. Mr.. Hill argued that the expulsion of gold
would give an increased value to the silver and
paper in circulation. Mr.. Coke remarked that
the suspension OF silver coinage would itself
contract our money supply by $4,000, 600 wear.
No action was taken by the Senate Mr.. Hoar
introduced a new Pacific Railway funding bill.
The House bill to provide a fireproof build
ing to contain the medical library of the army
was passed In the House of Representatives
the conference report on the army bill was
adopted An agreement was reported on all
amendments except that relating to the hours
sions, and further conference was ordered.
Mr.. Cobb moved to suspend the rules and
take from the Speakers table the bill repeal
ing the presumption and timber culture laws
He said that no greater evil had been done to
the future OF the country than had been done
through these laws. Mr.. Converse asserted
that more fraud had been committed under
the homestead laws. Mr.. Valentine said
that he voiced the sentiments of the people of
the simber-culture laws The demand for
their repeal, he said, came from the rail-
ways and cattle kings. The motion to sus-
pend the rules was lost, MIR. Randall moved to
suspend the rules in order TO consider the sun
dry civil bill for four hours. the time to be de-
voted to debate on the clauses relating to silver
suspension and the New Orleans Exposition.
The motion was lost by vote of l1S yeas to l49
nays. Mr.. Randall finally moved to suspend
clause stricken out, after two houcs debate on
the New Orleans proposition. This was agreed
to, and after further discussion the bill went
over.
Blanket.Sheets to Go to SleaD With.