Morning journal and courier., 1886-01-30
FORTY.NINTH CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2S, 1sse.

 SENATE-A resolution was submitted by MT. Platt for reference to the Committee on Rules, providing that executive nominations shall hereafter be considered in open session; referred. MT. Platt said he would not care to speak on the resolution unless the Com mittee on Rules reported it adversely, in which event he would probably wish to do so.
 A resolution by MT. Eustis was agreed to di- recting the Secretary of the Treasury to in form the Senate whether any instructions had been issued to the United States assis- taht treasurer at New Orleans to refuse to re- ceive silver dollars on deposit and issue cer- tifcates therefor and why.
 At o'clock MT. Vest took the floor on the Dakota bill. He disclaimed any hostility personal or political to the people of Dakota, but desired to look at the question involved from the standpoint of elevated states1nan- ship and not of partisan bias. MT. Vest in- sisted that Congress was the only power that could say when States should come into the Union and denied that the ordinance of 17S7 which provided that new States should be admitted when population of sixty thou sand should be reached was the only author ity on the question. He read from decisions of the United States Supreme court to show that that ordinance ceased to exist the adoption of the federal constitution in 17S9. The great question once was how rapidly to get new States into the Union. Everybody then wanted to push the frontier away from their own borders be- cause the frontier meant the scalping knife and the tomahawk. But was this our pres ent conditions Our population, development and resources had exceeded the imagination of the poets. The admission of two new member into the Senate of the United States as soon as any fraction of territory could show the same number of inhabitants that were now claimed for South Dakota would soon swell the Senate to the size of the House of Representatives. In conclusion MT. Vest said hereafter he would submit proposition to divide the territory by line running north and south on the 101st parallel so as to provide for the keeping of the unsettled western side in territorial condition.
 Mir. Logan then took the floor, but gave way to MT. Dawes for a motion to ad journ The Senate at 5:05 adjourned until Monday next.
 HoUsE-After few private measures had been reported by committees, the House at 1920 went into Committee of the Whole on the private calendar. The first measure on the calendar was MT. McMillan's bill provid- ing for the payment of the Fourth of July" claims. MT. Geddes, of Ohio, explained that the bill comprised 943 claims, distributed among eleven States and one Territory, and called for an expenditure of $229, 1000. The bill was laid aside for favorable report.
 A long discussion arose over the next bill referring to the Court of Claims for adjudica- ton the claim of the personal representative of c. M. Briggs, deceased, for proceeds of captured cotton now in the treasury. Sever al amendments were offered supported by long speeches and subsequently withdrawn.
 On motion of MT. Powell, of Illinois, an was adopted directing the court to inquire into the loyalty of c. M. Briggs and of the person from whom he obtained his title.
 Mr Gibson, of West Virginia, suggested the propriety of amending the bill so as to cotton grew on loyal grounds, was picked by loyal hands and was itself loyal.
 On motion of MT. Burroughs, of Michigan, an amendment was adopted providing that if Mir. Briggs or the person from whom he de- rived his title shall be found to have been lisloyal the claim shall be dismissed.
 The committee then rose and reported the TWO bills to the House, when they were passed
 The House then at 4:3O took a recess till 7:30, the evening session being for the con- ,ideration of pension bills.
 At the night session about fifty private pills were passed and at 10 D. m the House adjourned until Monday.
 In the course of the session MT. Crisp, of Georgia, made a strong speech against the policy of increasing the rate of pensions and n opposition to the repeal of Hmita- | ion on the arrears of pensions act. | 1e quoted from statistics to show 1 hat if the proposed legislation were to pre- ,ail the treasury would be left in bankrupt ] condition and asserted that one third of all | he Union soldiers enlisted in the late war | were applicants for pensions, which if | ,ranted would cost, though no in | rease were made in the rate, the | normous sum of $125, 100000 a year. | 1s said that if the repeal law passed it | would take from the treasury $302, 836, 200, l f which sum there would be an immediate 1 ayment of $S4, 900, OOO This would run up l he pension appropriations. of 11S6 if net an ther name was added to S76O. GOO. GOO