Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-12-23
CoNGREssIONAL PROCEEDINGs


CG1VoQ from Uno COnQ0CUlCuO Legislature
urging the passage of a bill to provide for
the presidential count; also a memorial
praying for the admission into the union OF
Southern Dakota as q state. The commit
tee on privileges and elections reported in
favor of the original presidential succession
bill. Mr.. Sewell, at his own request, was
relieved OF the craftsmanship OF the military
committee, and Mr.. Logan was appointed
to the position. Mr.. Hoar reported fa-
vorably on the bill fixing the salary of
United States district judges at $4,000.
New bills were introduced: To suspend the
coinage of the standard dollar; to allow q
drawback on imported material used in the
manufacture of tobacco and cigars thatare
exported.
TUESDAY, Dec. 15.-Mr. Frye called up
the bill from the committee on rules, en-
bracing code of joint rules for both houses.
Rule No. ID, providing that no liquor shall
be sold in the capitol, called out consider
able discussion. and was finally thrown out.
A bill was passed relieving Gen. Alexander
K. Lawton. of Georgia. from his polit-
ioai disabilities. The presidential sue
cession bill was brought up, but
after a short debate went over.
New bills: For public building at Still
water, Mimi, at cost of 800, 700; for the
admission OF q portion of Dakota as a.
state; appropriating $1,000 for improv-
ing the harbor at Cleveland, o.; for the sale
of the Kickapoo diminished reservation in
Kansas; to pension soldiers of the Mexican
war (passed by the last House,; providing
for a commission to inquire into the merits
of incubation for yellow fever.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 16.-Bills introduced:
To provide for the free and unlimited
coinage Of the silver dollar; to provide
for determining the existence and removal
of inability of the President to discharge
the powers and duties of his Office A reso-
luton was offered by Mr.. Butler directing
the committee on territories to inquire and
report by what authority a so-called Legis-
lature had been organized in the territory
of Dakota, and whether such organization
was not calculated to bring about
a conflict of authority prejudicial to the
good order of that territory. The Chair
laid before the Senate a message from the
President transmitting q report OF the
secretary Of the interior calling attention
to the condition of some of the Cheyenne
Indians, and requesting legislative author
ity for the use of certain funds for their re-
lief After debate on the presidential sue
cession BILL the Senate went into executive
session, after which an adjournment was
taken.
THURSDAY, Dec. 17.-After the reading of
the journal the credentials of Senator-elect
Mitchell, of Oregon, were presented, and he
was sworn in. After short time spent in
routine business, the presidential success
sion bill was taken up, Mr.. Evarts making
a speech in it's favor. The bill was then
passed as it came from the committee.
FRIDAY, Dec. 18.-The resolution ad
mitting Dakota as state was taken up
and debated at some length, but finally
went over without action. The Joint rules
were adopted after a short debate, with
two or three unimportant amendments.
Mr.. Hampton offered an amendment to the
civil service act making it a misdemeanor
for any senator or member OF Congress to
endorse any applicant for position under
the government of the United States. The
bill granting a pension to the widow OF Gen.
Grant was passed without debate. Anum-
Der of private bills were introduced and the
Senate adjourned.
House.
MONDAY, Dec. 14.-Mr. Morrison, of Hi
nois, from the committee on rules, submit
ted the report of that committee on the
proposed revision of the rules, and it was
ordered printed and laid over until tO-mor-
row, permission being given to Mr.. Randall,
of Pennsylvania, to submit minority re-
port. Mr.. Weaver, of Iowa, offered a reso-
luton providing for a call of states to-day,
for the introduction of bills. Considerable
antagonism was made to this proposition,
Messrs. Hammond, of Georgia, and McMil-
lin, OF Tennessee, asserting that the intro
duction of bills before the House had deter.
mined the Jurisdiction OF the various COM
mittees would lead to great confusion. Mr..
Springer. of Illinois, took the same view
and pointed out various sections in the
proposed new code, which would be violated
if the resolution were adopted. Further
discussion was cut short by a motion to
adjourn, which was carried.
TUESDAY, Dec. 15.-Mr. Morrison called
up the report of the committee on rules,
and the new code was read, after which the
entire session was taken up in debate on its
adoption.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. LEON motion of
Norwood, of Georgia, Senate bill was
passed removing the political disabilities
of Alexander R. Lawton of Georgia. The
balance of the session was occupied IN de-
bate on the new code of rules.
THURSDAY, Dec. 17.-Mr. Dibble, OF South
Carolina, asked leave to introduce a con-
stitutional amendment providing for a
second vice-president. The new code OF
rules then came up, and numerous amend
ments were offered. The only one adopted
was that increasing the number OF the COM
mittee on accounts to nine. MIR. Springer,
of Illinois, made several attempts to
a bolish committees which he deemed USE
less declaring that some OF them did no.
business except select clerks, but his Efforts
we're unsuccessful. Pending an effort on his
part to abolish the committees on expendl-
lures in the various departments and
create one committee on the expenditures
in the executive departments, the House
FRIDAY, Dec. 1S.-The new code of rules
was taken up and discussed at great length.
An amendment striking out the distribu-
ton feature of the committees report was.
lost by a big majority. After the adoption
of number of unimportant amendments,
the report was adopted. So the rules of
the Forty eighth Congress, as amended by
the report of the committee on rules, are
as the rules of the Forty-ninth
Congress. Mr. Morrison called up the reso-
luton for holiday recess after having
amended it SO that the recess shall begin on
Monday next and end on January 5. Mr..
Beach IN. " opposed the idea which he
considered childish one, of taking holt
day recess. At this time it was attended
with danger, and he appealed to Demo
cratic House to go as far as a Republican
Senate had done in taking some action on
the Presidential succession bill. The reso-
uti II was adopted. On motion of Mr..
H. u