Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-18
WAsHrNGroS. Feb. II.

WARRINGTON, Feb. II.
About twenty republican senators met in
caucus Wednesday morning. Senator Ed
munds submitted a resolution from the iu-
dietary committee. erHbodying the views of
the republican members respecting the rights
OF the Senate to information from the heads
OF departments. The resolution was ap-
proved and it was decided that i, shall be
offered in open session of the Senate.
The resolutions are three in number. The
first declares that the action of the attorney
general in refusing to furnish information
when called for by the Senate, no matter
what his motive may have been, was repre-
hensible. The second declares that when
the Senate has called or may call on heads
OF departments for information re-
gardiGg removals from Office and information
is not furnished as required, the Senate will
not confirm the appoinee. The third con-
dems the disregard of law which requires that
in selections for office preference is to be
given to honorably discharged Union soldiers
and sailors. 1t is understood that the resolu-
tions will be formally laid before the Judi
ciary committee at the next meeting with a
view to having them reported to the Senate
Immediately thereafter.
The subcommittee of the House commit
tee on post-otfices and post-roads having
charge of the postal telegraph question have
agreed to report adversely to the full COM
mittee
The eighteenth annual Washington con-
vention Of the National Woman Suffrage AS
sociation began this morning Seventeen
states and territories were represented To-
days sessions were presided over by Susan
b. Anthony, who announced that President
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was ill at home and
not able to attend the convention. Elizabeth
Cady Stanton was reelected president and
Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage and
Phebe w. Cousins vice presidents at large
for the ensuing year. At the evening session
several papers were read. Adjourned until
tomorrow.
Secretary Whitney today appeared before
the House committee on naval affairs and
gave expression to his views relative to naval
reorganization. The committee had pre-.
pared and printed draft of bill providing
for the consolidation and reorganization of
the bureaus of the navy department in the
line indicated by the secretary in his last an
nual report. The bill provides that the bus
mess of the navy department shall be dis
trbuted among three bureaus, to be known
as the bureaus of the personnel of material
construction and repair. and of supplies and
accounts; it also provided that there shall be
in the department board of council COM
posed of the chiefs of the several bureaus
the director of naval ordnance and three Off
GERS of the navy, to be detailed from time to
time by the secretary of the navy, who is to
be ex officio president of the board of coun.
Gil, and it shall be the duty of the board to
consider and report upon such questions relat-
ing to naval affairs and naval policy as shall
be referred to it from time to time by the
secretary of the navy, provided said board
shall have no administration or executive
powers whatsoever. The secretary ex-
pressed hearty approval of the bill and
said that the system proposed for adoption
had been successfully operated in other
countries.
The Senate today by vote of 81 to 2 or
dered to the third reading bill providing
that all railroad and merchantie companies
shall pay their employees weekly.
The Senate in executive session today con-
firmed the nomination of George NJ Stearns
as U. S. attorney for the district of Massa-
chusetts.