Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-05-06
CONGRESSIONAL.
The Work Of the Senate and House
Of Representatives.

BILLS TO permit the Covington and Cincin-
natl Road TO bridge the Ohio River, and to
punish robbery and horse-stealing in Indian
Territory, passed the House OF Representatives
April 81 This was the only work performed by
the House on that day that Is worth recording.
The Senate did nothing. not being in session.
THE postoffice appropriation bill was reported
to the Senate on the Goth Of April. Washington
G. Whitthorne Tenn.), the successor OF Judge
jackson, was sworn, and took his seat Senator
Van Wyck (Neb.) addressed the Senate in sup
port OF the interstate commerce bill. His
speech consisted mainly OF arraignment
Of Jay Gould and c. p Huntington, who had he
said according to their own testimony moved
on State Legislatures, the courts and Congress,
unblushingly purchasing judges and Legislators.
Senator Blair IN. H. addressed the Senate in
support OF his proposed constitutional amend
ment prohibiting the manufacture or sale Of al
coholic liquors as beverages. In the course of
his speech he said that ii was less possible for
the Republican party TO remain permanently
three-fourths for prohibition and one-fourth
against it than 1t once for the nation to
remain permanently one-hnlf slave and one
half free. w. T. Dowdall was nominated to
the Senate for Postmaster at Peoria, Illinois
In the House of Representatives, Mr. Springer
introduced O bill to establish department of
labor with a commissioner and two assistants,
the expense not to exceed 100000 per annum.
The Chair laid before the Senate, on the 9th
ult., a communication from the Clerk of the
House of Representatives OF the State of Ohio
transmitting transcript OF testimony taken by
u committee OF that House, and the report of
the same committee on the subject OF charges
against the official integrity OF certain members
OF that House in connection with the election OF
the Hon. Henry b. Payne as United States Sem
ator. Mr. Payne at once rose in his seat in the
Senate and entered Il most emphatic denial Of
charges and invited the most exhaustive scrutiny
OF all bis acts and Of his private correspondence
The whole thing, he said, was an attempt to
circulate baseless gossip and scandal every
thing substantial in the way of charges having
been discredited and disproved by the testi-
mony He was willing to leave the matter with
the Committee on Privileges and elections Of
the Senate, to which committee IL was referred
The Senate passed bills allotting lends in sever
atty to the Indians Of the Round Valley Reser-
vation, California appropr!ating 100000 for tho
extension OF the White House. and authorizing
tho building of railroad bridses tho 80.
Croix River, between Prescott, Wis, and Still
water, Mimi, and across the Missouri River at
or near Kansas City, Mo-, at or near Council
either Clay or Jackson County, Missouri and
tho county of Wyandotte, Kansas, near Atchi-
son. kansas, at or near Saline City,
Joseph, Mo-, and near Chamberlain. ID. T.
The Senate has confirmed the nomination. of G..
w. West as Governor of Utah. In the House Of
Representatives Mr. Breckenridge introduced a
bill to reduce the number OF internal revenue
officers and to amend the internal revenue
laws. The House Judiciary Committee reported
adversely n bill to prohibit aliens from acquir-
ing title or owning lands within the United
States.
The postofiice appropriation bill was dis
cussed in the Senate ON the 2Sth ult., the bono
OF contention being the amendment appropriate
ing $780, 900 for carrying South and Central
American, Chinese ana Australian mails and
authorizing the Postmaster General to make,
after due advertisement, contracts for hve
years with American steamships. The House
OF Representatives debated the river and har-
Dor bill, and passed the bill providing that
hereafter no alien who has not declared his in
tention to become a citizen Of the United States
shall be granted q license as pilot, engineer.
mate, captain, or other officer on any steam
vessel carrying the flag Of the United States.
Mr. BECK CKy.) spoke for three hours and a
half in the Senate on the 18th ult. in opposition
to the subsidy clause Of the postofice appropri-
alton bill. Mr.. Hale (Me) addressed tho Sem
ate in favor of the subsidy amendment. The
Senate passed the 4th of July claims bill, with
an item of SCI, 900 for the heirs OF Ayres
p. Merrill, Of Mississippi, for supplies
furnished the Union army during the war.
In the House the amendment Of Mr. Hepburn,
of Iowa, to the rivor and harbor bill that the
appropriation for the Missouri River shall be
expended under the direction of the Secretary
OF War without the Intervention Of the Mis-
souri, River Commission, was defeated. A bill
for the reception Of trade dollars at
their face value in all payments to the Govern
ment or for exchange at the Sub-Treasury
for standard dollars, to be transmitted to the
mints as bullion. Mr.. Hall QUwa) gave notice
that he would call up the Campbell-Weaver
contested election case May L. The Committee
on Public Lands reported a bill to grant the
right OF way through the public lands to any
canal or ditch company formed for the purpose
of irrigation.