Morning journal and courier., 1886-02-25
FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 1886.

 SENATE.-The House bill permitting na
 tioual banks to change their name, location
 and capital by vote of two-thirds of thei
 stockholders, subject to the approval of the | comptroller of currency, was passed after
 brief discussion.
 MT. Van Wyck called up and the Senat. l without debate passed bill for the relief O
 settlers and purchasers of lands on the pub l lie domain ill Nebraska and Kansas. l On motion of MT. Sewell the Senate re l sumed consideration of the bill authorizing
 the President to grant permission to one ol | more officers of the army to accept tempo l rary service from Corea. The bill was passed.
 The educational bill was then ta. ken up. MT. Blair addressed the Senate in reply to the objections | and criticisms made against the education bill. He contended that the legislature of Alabama had given unanimous endorse ment to the principle of the bill and to the bill itself so far it's essential features were concerned. He denied that the people of the South were opposed to the measure and in- sisted that they favored it. It was very easy, MT. Blair said, to criticise, but that was not the way to remedy great evil. He dwelt at length on the benefits to come not only to the South, but to the entire country, from the removal of illiteraey in the South. Among those to come to the South he includ- ed an increased immigration and consequent increased activity and prosperity. Among those to come to the country at large an in creased hom1ogeneity among the people and consequently greater national harmony and good will. He thought the man poor reader of history who believed that republican institutions unless homogeneous could be perpetuated among the citizens of the republic. In dis cussing the constitutional features involved in the measure MT. Blair remarked that when our country had not more than one-fourth our present population the general govern ment had taken $29, 900, 900 from the treasu- " in one year and distributed it among the States. That was much more than this bill would distribute the first year. He then read an article from the Hartford Courant in not fairly represent the provisions of the bill and expressed the hope that the Senator from Connecticut was not responsible for the article.
 MT. Hawley said he was in sense respon- sible for the general character and conduct of the paper, but had no more to do with par tieular expressions than MT. Blair has to do with the little details of the management of his farm. He (Ir. Hawley) would say that he was probably more opposed to this bill than his paper was.
 Mr. George said the House of Representa- tives of his State (MississippI had passed resolutions requesting the United States
  measure. Mississippi was not here, how ever. MT. George said, as suppliant for the national bounty; it regarded the measure as generous offer from the northern States toward removing the illiteracy prevailing in the South Mr. George would be compelled, however, to decline the offer if he believed it to be unconstitutional. He proposed to look at the history of the country and to look at the constitution in the light of that history. For after all the constitution was not the mere paper and ink which and with which it was written. We could not disregard the history of it's operation from year to year under the guidance and direction of it's framers and of the greatest minds of the Democratic party and of the republic. He cited number of instances in which money had been appropriated from the national treasury to purposes not in the manner enumerated in the constitution, which amounts if the..theory of the opponents of this education bill were correct, had all been unlawfully and improperly paid out. Among the items specified by MT. George were the following: The purchase of the Louisiana territory by Jefferson, the acquisition of Florida, the purchase of Alaska. MT. T George inquired where in their view of the constitution Senators found the authority for the sending of ships in 1S47 to Ireland and in 1876 to France and Germany to re- lieve distress in those countries. In 1876 we had given millions of money to 8 centennial exposition. We had last year given a good deal of money to the New Orleans exposition. Where was the authority found in the con for any one of the acts if not in the general welfare clause! Mr George argued at some length the bearing and influence of precedents on the question of constitutional and quoted from President Jacksons message to show that that ortho- dox Democrat had found it necessary to change his views of the constitution in obe- dience to precedents.
 At o'clock MT. George yielded for an ex- ecutive session and the Senate after few minutes spent in executive session adjourn ed.
 HoUsE.-The House passed the bill giving settlers on certain Des Moines river lands in Iowa right to bring suits in the United States courts to quiet titles. The House also passed the bill to annex the northern slice of Idaho to Washington territory.
 The Hennepin canal bill was then taken up. MT. Murphy urged favorable considera- tion of the measure on the ground that it would result in cheap transportation. In H. lustration of his position he said that wheat grown in the six western States in the neigh borhood of the proposed canal could be trans ported to the seaboard at saving of six cents per bushel. If the government would do it's duty and construct the canal the peo-
 
 cent. over the present rate of transportation and save enough in year to build the canal two or three times over. The United States had formidable competitors in the market, and if the rates of trans portation were not reduced it would soon find itself without that market.
 Pending the conclusion of MT. Murphys speech the morning hour expired and the committee rose.
 Mr. James, of New York under instruc- tions from the Committee on Coinage, Weights and Measures, asked leave to offer 8 resolution making the bill for the free coinage of silver continuing special order from March 2d, not to interfere with revs- nue appropriation bills.
 MT. Burroughs, of Michigan, thought some limit should be fixed to the special order and MT. James modified the resolution | 30 as to provide that the discussion should | continue for one week.
 Mr. Dougherty objected to the resolution. l
 The House went into committee on the l half gallon tax bill. MT. Butterworth, of | Ohio opposed the bill, contending that the l half gallon should not be taxed because the | oss by soakage and leakage always exceeded | that quantity. |
 Messrs Morrison and Worthington fol- | owed in support of the bill a measure in- | ended to break up frauds upon the gov srnment.
 MT. Wise, of Virginia, took the floor, and | IS it was known that he intended to reply | o the speech made some time ago by MT. | Brady, of Virginia, the members crowded | .round him to listen. After some discus ion, in which MT. Wise admitted that he | lid not..intend to speak to the bill, he was lenied the right to the floor and the commit ee came back to the consideration of the lalf gallon tax bill. The committee then ose and reported the bill and it was passed without division.
 The House then at p. m. adjourned.
 Cheap Rates to San Francisco.
 CHICAGO, Feb. 24.-There is no change in he situation among the Transcontinental